Over the past 4 years, our team has worked with diverse brands on new product launches or relaunching a new range of products. After analyzing over 200 client data points, we have resolved different challenges concerning packaging design and development. 

So, today, we’re to share our insights with you.       

Watch the detailed webinar on how to go-to-market faster with impactful packaging:

Or, you can read the strategies laid out below. 

3 Ways Packaging Design Can Help Your Go-to-Market Strategy

1. Choosing The Right Type Of Packaging Format 

On supermarket shelves or e-shelves, your product packaging design needs to make a great first impression. 

Understand what the consumers are looking for in terms of the product’s packaging design. E.g, most cosmetic products come in sleek designs which are travel-ready, easy to use and don’t leak. Therefore, consumers look for products which come in portable tubes for travel or have pumps for general use.   

To make this kind of impact, your GTM strategy should first focus on choosing the packaging format.  

Ask questions such as: 

- Is the product or ingredients of the product sensitive to light?

- Does the product react when exposed to oxygen? 

- What’s the optimal storage temperature? 

- How will the products be transported?   

Choosing the right type of packaging will help protect a product throughout its lifecycle. The packaging design will help to add brand value and user experience. 

The packaging format you choose will create a domino effect. E.g, if you choose a packaging format that takes 15 days to be manufactured and shipped, then your GTM timeline will be longer as well. 

Our team has built the following table which includes different packaging format variables which might affect your timelines: 

2. Defining 3Cs Of Packaging Design

As mentioned earlier, a GTM strategy is focused on outlining a detailed plan. It’s about laying down the foundation over which your product will stand stronger against other products. 

For this, we’ve established the 3Cs that need to be captured in your creative brief amongst others. Covering your basis with respect to the three C’s will also ensure fewer iterations in the later stages of the packaging design project.  

Consumer

Your product’s goal is to appeal to consumers. This means you need to understand the consumers and their motivations.

Category

Studying current and past market trends will help to forecast future trends. By understanding categories, brands can outline a consumer’s path to purchase. 

Competition 

On supermarket shelves, your product will be displayed beside similar products. On e-shelves, your product will be tagged under similar products. Therefore, a thorough competitor SWOT analysis will offer insights into the market and how you can position your product design without alienating consumers. 

3. Outlining Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines give instructions on how the brand communicates with its target consumers which will be translated to the packaging design. While working with creative teams, it’s essential to offer as many details as possible. 

A brand guide covers different parameters including brand name, tagline, logo, typography styles, and brand story. With defined brand guidelines, it helps a designer to think of strategic packaging design solutions for your brand.            

Recently, our team collaborated with Chaayos’s on their newest venture, a takeaway food brand. The project produced packaging design that delivered a friendly experience and connected with consumers through their unique brand story.  

4. Identifying Legal Requirements For The Back Of Pack Design

More than 60% of product recalls issued by the FDA are due to packaging labeling issues.

To understand all the legalities, first, determine the authority of your industry or sector. Next, read through their labeling and design requirements and accordingly build your back of pack design. For instance, if you are launching a food product in India, the FSSAI regulates all aspects of packaging and labeling design requirements. If you are based in the U.S, the Food and Drugs Administration, also known as the FDA, lays down laws on food, cosmetics, and medical products. 

5. Understanding All The Technical Details

When your packaging design and structure moves through different approval stages, you mustn’t miss out on any details. 

Here’s a handy checklist template for the various stakeholders involved in a creative project:      

Artwork Flow lets you custom-build stakeholder checklists to assign tasks and keep track of various technicalities.    

Ready To Define Your Packaging Design Process?

Now that you have a clear mapping of what aspects to cover in packaging design, you can systematically structure your go-to-market strategy. Meticulously planning this strategy will help your marketing and sales teams to elevate your product’s positioning and success. It will also help to build your product’s introduction to new markets and audiences. 

Launching or relaunching a new product or range? Talk to our team to build impactful packaging designs that connect with your consumers.