The original intent of beverage packaging was to protect and preserve the contents. Over time, food and beverage packaging has also acquired the reputation of a marketing tool. Today, packaging design is crucial in encouraging people’s purchasing decisions. This makes the packaging for beverages a great marketing tool. 

It can help you build a brand that people trust and adore. It also ensures that your product stands out on crowded retail shelves. Using beverage packaging in your upcoming marketing campaign is absolutely something brands should consider.

What makes beverage packaging so important?

With so many beverage options available today, standing out from the competition and grabbing customers' attention can be challenging. A key consideration when choosing a drink packaging is picking the packaging type which will appeal to your customer. The packaging must fulfill multiple roles. Beverage packaging, in particular, should fulfill three roles:

1. Providing protection

The protection of the product is the primary responsibility of any food and beverage packaging. Beverage packaging solutions should be designed to shield the drink against contamination and leaking during handling, storage, and transportation. Numerous beverage products require protection against oxygen intrusion, UV exposure, carbonation loss, and material package component mobility. 

All these things have the potential to alter the product's flavor and quality. These issues become more crucial if a product makes a claim that needs to be supported for the duration of its life. For instance, in carbonated drinks, the taste often depends on the degree of the carbonation process. If the beverage packaging cannot contain the dissolved gasses at high pressure, the taste would degrade. 

2. Promotion

The packaging should promote the product. A consumer should be drawn to it and feel proud to use the product. The packaging itself conveys information about the product and helps the buyer form a positive impression of the brand.

3. Communication

The packaging should provide the necessary information to the consumer. This information on the packaging offers a fundamental understanding of the product, such as the nutritional composition, ingredients, manufacturing location and date, and shelf-life details. Packaging can convey brand stories about sales, special holiday graphics, the inspiration behind the product, and more. 

How to use beverage packaging as a marketing tool

Packaging is a powerful tool for telling stories. To build your brand, you must seize every opportunity that comes your way. One of the finest and most affordable methods to grow your brand is to use packaging as a marketing tool. Many people undervalue the importance of product packaging design for branding, but it may be a key component of an effective marketing plan. A unique beverage packaging will not only attract more consumers but will also allow you to market your products better. 

Here are eleven tips on how you can leverage your beverage packaging as an effective marketing tool.

1. Have a powerful logo

One of the first considerations of a brand is to develop a logo. It is the essential component to represent a brand as well as a product. The beverage packaging should not only have the brand logo, but also the product logo. 

Logos frequently appear on a variety of channels, including goods, marketing initiatives, packaging, social media, and so on. To create the ideal logo, brands often spend a fortune. Using the appropriate color and type in your logo helps increase product recognizability. Furthermore, distinctive logos can even govern your beverage’s entire packaging design. 

When all the aforementioned factors are taken into consideration, you can be sure that your beverage packaging will serve as an effective marketing tool, attract new clients, become identifiable, capture the essence of the brand, and much more.

2. Leverage color power

The most influential design element may well be color; the correct color palette can help brands connect with their intended audience. 

According to a study by Color Expo, 93% of consumers are drawn to products based on their appearance, and 85% say color is a major deciding factor. This study demonstrates the significance of color in packaging design. 

Color has more of an impact than just picking a shade that suits the brand. Why certain colors are chosen by brands is a psychological mystery. Brighter colors, for instance, are excellent for drawing in a younger audience since such colors make the product seem less formal and more casual. Darker and muted shades appeal to more mature audiences. 

3. Pick the right materials

Packaging materials do not have the same visual impact as the other elements, but they are nevertheless vital to communicating the brand's philosophies, particularly how opulent it is. For their products, some high-end beverage brands use glass bottles, while others use plastic or paper. The glass bottle will give consumers a more sumptuous feeling and cost more as a result. The materials package not only conveys a sense of luxury but also reveals whether a company is environmentally sustainable. 

Packaging materials have grown significantly in importance as people's understanding of the value of protecting the environment has increased.

4. Optimize weight and shape

Other crucial factors to consider include the packaging's weight and design. The target consumers must find them suitable and convenient, and they must also adhere to manufacturing and transportation standards. 

Conical glass bottles, for example, take up more room than cans or beverage boxes. The supplier must carefully consider what amount is the best option for the demands of the consumer, the most efficient for resource conservation, and safe transit. You can even use Artwork Flow’s 3D Packaging Design Software to know how the packaging would look without having to pay for a prototype. 

5. Prioritize sustainability and transparency

Focus on a sustainable label design. If you can figure out the right color and typeface, you are already halfway there. These are the two things that people tend to focus on the most. You will have a winner on your hands if you pair a solid hue with lively typography.

The origin of a product is now more important to consumers than it has ever been. For this reason, you need to make a label that lists the ingredients. It should be noted on the side of the can or bottle if your beverage contains GMO-free corn syrup, or if the ingredients are ethically sourced. 

Only if you are sincere with your clients will the sustainable beverage marketing approach succeed. Using as many organic ingredients as you can is completely acceptable. This also makes consumers feel safe when they are consuming your products. 

6. Make designs cost-effective

The fact that product branding does not have to be pricey is one of the most crucial elements to remember. You can even design the label yourself. If you have access to an online printer, you may create professional labels in the comfort of your own home. 

Innovative beverage packaging can be simple and elegant. Even using templates will make it simple for you to create and print your labels. However, ensure that your labels are consistent and correct. 

7. Do not compromise on consistency

The products marketed on your website, social media pages, or on store shelves should have the same look and feel. As soon as you establish your brand identity, make sure that every marketing material reinforces it so that clients know what to anticipate from your business.

Make sure that you use the right colors across every material. You can use an Artwork Management Solution to manage product labeling across multiple products and SKUs. This ensures that your brand identity is consistent. Furthermore, being current with design trends is also essential if you want to differentiate yourself from the competition.

8. Use print-on-demand

By partnering with the right print vendor, you can create low-cost, low-volume labels. It is easy to produce attractive labels at a reasonable price. Look into these services if you have been looking for inexpensive ways to market your business because they can aid in your organic growth.

9. Leverage custom options

Coca-Cola has been a prime example of how customized labels can be an effective marketing tool. Using print vendors who can accommodate small batches, and an effective software solution that helps you manage multiple labels, you can create custom labels for your beverage packaging. With an online proofing tool integrated with artwork management solutions, you can ensure that all your custom labels are consistent. 

10. Make the best of social media marketing

Establishing a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is one of the greatest methods to begin marketing your product. You should start by making profiles on these platforms if you want to increase your exposure and build a solid consumer base.

To instantly connect with your business, all you need to do is identify your target market and look for the hashtags that they use. Every company should make use of these social media platforms since they make it simple for customers to communicate with businesses and share their opinions about products.

11. Stay patient

Rushing through the preliminary stages of their business is one of the top blunders that new beverage marketers make. To expand your business successfully over the long term, you must do things one step at a time.

To effectively advertise yourself and let potential customers know what your business is all about, you must solicit client feedback and let them experience the advantages of engaging with your brand. When the time comes, this will make it simpler for you to diversify and extend into other markets.

Conclusion

In the food industry, the beverage market is a crowded and competitive area, but that does not imply you cannot have the best drink packaging. If you are looking for a software solution to easily manage your drink packaging design, book a demo with our experts today and see how Artwork Flow's solutions will streamline workflow automation and artwork management for your business.