Monthly Archives: July 2024

Why Less is More when you go Minimal on Packaging 

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When choosing packaging, some companies are going different. they’re going minimal. 

Minimalist packaging is packaging without all the fancy bells and whistles. Simpler designs, without being too busy or distracting the person who got the package. The goal of it is to make things simple. In our modern world, everything’s pretty complicated, and it can be a bit overwhelming for us. But with minimalist packaging, you’re able to stand out.

Instead of being flashy, you give them something simple and grounded, offering a more riveting experience for those who purchase your products. 

The Elements of Minimalism in Packaging 

Minimalism in packaging is just that—minimal.   It involves certain aspects that are worth mentioning when choosing packaging that matters. 

The first are lines and different shapes. It’s all simplistic.   There is also less busyness, and more white space for the box. The logo isn’t in some flashy typography, and doesn’t use loud colors, but instead simple, neutral colors. 

It’s simple and elegant in nature and is the opposite of other types of packaging options. It’s the balance between chic and sustainable, and it helps to make things look better for a lot of products. 

Why Going Minimal Is In 

These days, advertising and marketing are so unnecessary and intense that all sorts of media try to stand out in manners that will oversaturate a customer’s mind. There are brighter colors, bolder statements, and fonts that are huge and so many different ones, to the point where it becomes almost too much for a customer to look at. Their attention gets distracted by the busy nature of the packaging that’s there. 

With a lot of modern packaging also adding in AR and QR codes, throwing all that in there becomes way more complicated, and it steals the customer’s attention sometimes in bad ways. You want to dramatically oppose this, because sometimes, when you do less, you stand out. 

Minimalism packaging is also good for a lot of people who want to have something easy to focus on. Despite all the advertising, some people want to avoid this. Obviously TV ad spending is declining, and alternative solutions such as ads on platforms are beginning to grow. Big and types of agencies are putting content in areas that are far more obscure, in attempts to offset the consumers that are trying to ignore the messaging from marketers.

That’s why simplicity is there, as packaging materials are now rebelling against this. When you have overly complicated things everywhere, sometimes becoming simple is way more noticeable. The white box with small black text stands out a lot more in the desert of different visual insanities of technicolor.

With designs growing simpler, these aesthetics are a welcome treat. For some advertisers, it’s cheaper too, because the money gets to be put near things that will help to stand out, such as smart packaging incentives that will help to really make you look good.

Eco Friendly Aspects of Minimalism 

Finally, there are the eco-friendly aspects of this. Many people are caring about the environment so much more, and minimalism does focus only on a couple types of material. Rather than just being luxurious, it reduces the visuals and the materials. Minimalism works to only use the bare minimum, wasting less, and also saving the planet.

Going minimal is the way to go for a lot of brands. Having less ends up being more, because you’re standing out, and making an impact on the world around you. Consider minimalism today and see just what type of path this can take you today. 

Why Personalized Packaging offers Leveraging for Customization 

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Personalized packaging is growing super popular these days. In our growing world, people want a personalized feeling to the items they get. It helps to foster a connection, and also makes them feel like they’re a part of the team.

Personalized packaging is great in modern consumer markets, especially those of a younger market. Here are some reasons why you should use personalization in your packaging solutions. 

Data-Driven Personalization 

There are so many unique ways to create a tailored packaging experience. The first place a lot of people look is the data. 

The right data really helps with getting a feel for customers. Surveys are a good place to start, but you can get digital printing in place for personalized packaging. You can take the customer’s name and put it on there, such as inside the box. Another example is adding a little note addressed to them, or maybe a freebie that resonates with what they’re buying. 

There are many different ways to make it personalized these days and with the rapid movement of smart technology, it’s become more commonplace than ever before. 

Why go Personal 

You might wonder if personalization really matters. The answer is of course, yes.

With personalization, it brings forth customer engagement, fostering more loyalty to the brand. Customers that are able to get something personalized from brands tend to feel more welcomed and valued than those that don’t.

The second one ties into unboxing experiences. When someone unboxes, giving them something more personalized with their packaging makes a huge difference. They’ll be more excited, and they’ll show off to their audience just how much you care. in general, it makes the unboxing experience soar, and even better for you. 

What Brands Use This? 

Well, there are a lot actually. We all know about the share a coke campaign in 2011, but there are other ones.

Heinz is another. They made a similar campaign, but with soup, where you can send soup to someone who is sick and they can print on the label “get well soon X” on it, and the customer fills this with random names. Heinz donated a portion of that money to children that were hospitalized, so it’s not only personalized, but goes to a good cause.

Frito-Lay is another, as they put faces on their packages. Bud Light uses football teams on their packages. Licious is a brand that prints the images of customers loyal to them. 

Finally, there is IPSY, which encourages customers to fill out a survey and then every single month, they send out five personalized sample products every single month to their customers, based on their needs. 

There are so many more, but we’re seeing as well that more brands are encouraging this. With the age of digital and smart packaging growing stronger, there’s a lot more that is going to come down the pipeline too.

How to Design This Packaging 

When going personalized, you should always try to have the goal of customers that are happy with the choices. Some customers may like it when you send little gifts and freebies. Try to make sure that you get a survey, or something else, that’s made with them in mind.

Make sure not to overdo it. a little here and there is good, but too many looks almost a bit tacky, which is what you don’t want.

Overall, when you go personalized, make it special. It’s a great way to stand out and here, we went over a few ways to make your packaging stand out and look magical for you. 

The newest Eco Friendly Packaging Innovations and trends 

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Eco Friendly packaging is in, and sustainability in the world of packaging is so important. With many people more attuned to the impact their purchases have on the world around them, they’re turning to packaging that creates a greener world. 

We already see this with a lot of the packaging that’s out here today. For instance, the use of corrugated boxes rather than plastics is more common than you’d think. But, when it comes to more trends, there are some that stand out above the rest, which we’ll talk about here. 

The Current Trends 

Right now, the most innovative trends involve the way these packaging pieces are disposed of. These days, people want packaging that creates as little waste as possible. 

Many companies are turning to biodegradable and compostable items. These naturally break down in the landfill and offer a solution to help with the natural decomposition of the pieces. 

The second are recycled and upcycled packaging solutions. Companies are taking it upon themselves to recycle better, such as proper disposal and different types of channels that will help with growth.   

When it comes to upcycling, there are now new ways to reuse the packaging. For instance, some companies will take the boxes and will turn them into different hangers and boxes.   Some kids clothing companies will change the packaging to something that they can use. 

This all contributes to the ultimate result, of minimalist practices, and zero waste types of packaging. Gone are the days where you’re constantly having excess. These days, less is more, not just with the design, but with the sizes too. The ultimate goal is to have no waste or reduce the waste to a level where you’re not creating a negative impact. 

Companies using This 

There are companies that are using this. Calvin Klein for example, is now committed to 100% sustainable packaging, and everything that’s ethically sourced by 2025.   This, of course, helps to save tons of plastic, and they have managed to save over 200 tons with this alone. 

Patagonia is another, and they’ve also started to use recycled material in their clothing, and they teach customers how they can recycle the items on the clothing themselves. 

Benefits and Challenges 

There are obvious benefits that come with this. The first is environmental impact reduction. More people are able to save the plane with their practices, and it will put less of a burden on the current systems. 

Another benefit is customers like this. they want to see companies doing this, as it will show they’re committed to the environment. Almost three-quarters of customers are going to choose the company with eco-friendly initiatives, over one that’s not. 

There are challenges that come with this though. the costs might be much for some people. There is also the logistics, as some people aren’t as committed to tossing their packaging ethically, or they might have trouble doing so. 

What’s the Future Looking Like 

We’re going to see more eco-friendly packaging. These days, companies know that this is something they must do. 

If they aren’t, they’re going to miss out on valuable customers. However, we will also see some major technologies coming about, and new materials. For instance,  we already see plenty of bioplastics, and we might see more types of sustainable packaging practices. 

Overall, the eco-friendly packaging that you see isn’t just a trend, it’s here to stay. If you’re not already adopting a practice that is sustainable, then you should start doing it today, in order to see for yourself ta future type of packaging practice that will benefit you.

Culture and Packaging designs 

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Did you know that there’s a lot of different ways packaging can influence the world, not just with the designs? There’s actually different planning that goes into this, and even colors can evoke feelings. 

In cultures, you need to know the ramifications of using similar designs in many places. Some countries love that, others don’t. 

But, if you’re looking to modify the packaging, here’s how you can appeal to various cultures. 

Go multi-lingual 

While English is the official language for businesses, not everyone does. A little over the quarter of the world does in fact, especially including those as a second language. If you’re going to send the product to various countries, you’ll need to make sure you use the right sort of packaging language to convey what’s in there. 

Audience appeal 

If you’re someone who has ever traveled out of the country, you’ve probably noticed that difference between the supermarkets in the US, UK, and other places. 

Japan is very vibrant and bright with the packaging and encourages cartoons and drawings. 

Swiss types of packaging are more understated, subtle, and more plain colors, bolder writing, and being minimalist. In the UK, the luxury products are in black block bags, but in China, you don’t use black because it means death.

You might think using a certain color or way of showing something will help to stand out, and people will like it, but it actually might tank your sales. You need to make sure that the packaging does reflect the culture, and the appeal to products to look desirable from the get-go. 

The Green Factor 

You also need to focus on going green. These days, there’s a big increase in being eco friendly, creating a large culture of so-called “eco-warriors” who will only get products that are sourced and responsibly packaged. Some are also starting to ban products that don’t do this, embracing eco friendliness and sustainability as well. 

With so many different types of environmentally friendly types of packaging, such as biodegradable items, recycled and recyclable items, and even natural materials such as bamboo, if you know that it’s a big part to be eco friendly, you’ll want to make sure that you invest in it, to stand apart from the other people in this culture. 

Innovative levels of Packaging 

Packaging is a necessity for some of these items, but if you can think of how to make it useful and innovative, it will increase the sales by a lot. 

Come up with designs that are like something nobody else on the market might do to grab the attention. Don’t be afraid to tap into what cultures are like too.   Maybe you’ve got a new, unique idea that works for Japanese cultures. This could be practical, and there are more uses now that the packaging and function is spent. 

On occasion, you might find some standard packaging that’s innovative without even realizing it. 

For example, Neerlandia found that powdered milk worked in Africa. But they found that they needed to use the boxes as well, especially since the milk boxes were great for repurposing. 

Localization 

Finally, if you have certain quips or even little things you want to put on the package, don’t be afraid to also consider the localization that’s there too. A lot of global brands don’t realize that they might need to localize and adapt the packaging to cultures. 

The solution at that point is to do some research, and figure out the preferences, then do the design based on that. over time, you’ll find that it does work, improving the success and conversion rates of your packaging. 

Packaging Factors that Affect Shelf-life 

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We have a lot of foods that last a long time, but some, known as high-risk foods, contain the ideal types of conditions necessary to have bacterial growth, such as high amounts of protein and moisture. Often with a “use by” date on them, they’ve become a staple for ensuring you don’t eat anything contaminated. They’re determined and then verified through microbial testing. 

Some examples of this include: 

  • Poultry and cooked meat 
  • Prepared veggies and salads 
  • Smoked salmon 
  • Dairy products 
  • Meat gravies and sauces 
  • Foods that are uncooked or have uncooked egg 
  • Seafoods 
  • Cooked pasta and rice 

There are also low-risk foods, which are of course, those that live longer on the shelf. Anything canned and pickled without the ones that are high-risk tend to be these types. 

Factors that will affect shelf life: 

There are different factors that come with this. 

Some include the intrinsic factors which are within food and not controlled, including: 

  • Water activity 
  • Salt content 
  • pH 
  • oxidation potential 
  • nutrient content 
  • sugar content 

there are also extrinsic methods, such as: 

  • time 
  • temperature 
  • the modified atmospheric packaging and materials 
  • preservatives 

with this in mind, you do need to make sure that you have an idea of the types of packaging you’re giving. 

Packaging transport and the Shelf Life 

Temperature, time, and conditions all play a huge part in maintaining the product’s shelf life. With products having specifics on containing the conditions and temperatures on which products are shipped and stored can play a big part. 

If you store it in a cool, dried, place rather than frozen and chilled, it might impact the overall state of things. 

If the storage and transit of the product is outside these specifications or is not safe, then the product will spoil a lot faster. 

During the product movement from storage to the vehicular transport or from transport to the retailer, the products do need to maintain these conditions. If the temperature goes within the danger zone, it will cause the shelf life of said product to become unsafe. Frozen products will remain quite frozen otherwise the microorganisms will grow if the conditions are favorable. 

It is out of the retailer and manufacturer plans on how customers handle the products after they’re purchased. It’s important to state your storage instructions on these packs and how long the product is after the shelf life is stabilized. Knowing this, along with how long it’s safe post-opening will help, for it will help prevent product spoilage when they’re opened. 

Packaging to Prevent Spoilage 

There are a few ways to help extend the product shelf life. 

First, is modified atmosphere packaging, which is where you add carbon dioxide to different pieces, in order to extend the life. 

Vacuum packaging, where you package them and remove the oxygen from the packaging. 

The sealed plastic of course is what you use for plastic packaging within cereal boxes, and is commonly applied in order to make the cereal stay dry and crispy. 

Finally, there is canning, which of course is used to help with extending the life of those items that are easy to spoil. 

All of these different types of packaging do impact the shelf life of this, and it can definitely do a number of things. 

As a business, determine the right packaging for your product and use it right away. see for yourself the impact this has, and the overall benefits of such, for it will help with the overall success that comes with your packaging decisions and ideas.