People tend to make a first impression about a product in literally fractions of a second, which is why the design of your product’s label is of paramount importance. One day, your product will likely be sitting on a store shelf surrounded by dozens of other options just like it. Not only do you need to attract someone’s attention immediately, but you also need to work hard to keep it – which is what design principles and best practices are all about.
With that in mind, here are a few essential label design tips and tricks that you should absolutely consider before finalizing the packaging elements of your next product.
It’s About the Whole Package
Maybe the most important element of label design that many people forget is the container itself. Even if you have a strong idea in place for where you want to go with your design, you still shouldn’t make any type of visual choices in a vacuum. You could design a label that looks terrific on a computer screen but that still comes up short if it just doesn’t fit with the container you’re working with.
Consider your product’s container like a canvas
To that end, consider your product’s container like a canvas. The “paint” itself is ultimately only as effective as it relates to the available space that you’re working with. Both the container and your design need to blend together and compliment one another, forming something far more effective than either one could be on their own. If you don’t consider the container until the last minute, you’re likely to end up with something that isn’t shaped quite right or with a label that detracts from the impression you’re trying to make, instead of one that helps it.
Not including too many overcrowding elements in your label’s design
Along the same lines, always make sure you’re not including too many overcrowding elements in your label’s design. This is one of those cases where less truly is more. If brevity is the soul of wit, it’s also the soul of proper label design.
Make a list of all the essential elements you need
Make a list of all the essential elements you need to include (like the name of the product, the name of your brand, any important directions, and other things of that nature). Add in these elements first and then, if you have room, you can start thinking about what else you have the space for.
If you include too many elements on your product label, you run the risk of harming what was once an aesthetically pleasing design. Likewise, you could potentially overwhelm your customers when they’re trying to make quick decisions in a store one day. They might pick up your product… but if they can’t get a good sense of what it is and why they should care in just a couple of seconds, they’re likely going to put it down and pick up something else. At that point, your label will blend together with every other product around it and it will essentially get lost in all the noise.
If you have any additional questions about these or other label design best practices, or if you’d just like to discuss the specifics of your own situation with someone in a bit more detail, please contact us today.