The ecological emergency has become more prominent in recent years, with the introduction of daily essentials actions for the sake of our planet. First of all, at a political level with the creation of the 2015 Paris Agreement or the conduct of the G20 summit in Japan the 28th and 29th of June 2019, concerning the environment.
It is clear that by now the use of plastic is not as well perceived as in the past, in practical terms since the 50’s there are no less than 9 billion tons of plastic which have been produced : the equivalent of more than 80 million whales.
Nevertheless, companies are still reluctant to take a step towards this more ecological solution of industrial primary and secondary packaging, against a backdrop of dilemma between profitability and environmental impact.
Christmas season just passed but that does not mean that packaging trends are over. It is just the beginning. All year long there are celebrations of all kinds and if your business does not use these opportunities to build strong relationships with the clients, you better have a plan B for making your brand stand out.
You may be a small business owner, a small startup or a cosmetic brand, but still need to consider theses 5 major trends in packaging for 2018.
Nowadays marketing is mostly oriented towards younger audiences. Not mainly but let’s say that it is a big portion. Clothing, cosmetics, beauty products – there is no minimum age at which people get exposed to all sorts of advertisement. And while methods haven’t changed a lot, the audience has definitely evolved.
1.Eco / Environmental friendly packaging
Millennials as well as the Z generation are quickly adapting to new ways of social interaction. Along goes their opinion on environmental questions such as the global warming. They’ve become more and more aware of the negative imprint humanity has left on the environment and demand new ways and new types of packaging – eco-friendly and bio degradable. They don’t scream it out loud but they will most likely prefer a natural looking packaging because it seems easier to recycle and they have strong opinions and convictions.
food packaging
This is why no matter what business activity you’re in, you need to come up with innovative packaging ideas – a packaging that is cheap to produce, but also respectful of the environment and catchy for the eye. It seems like a hard thing to do, but in reality you only need a graphic designer, a trustworthy printing supplier who will advise you on papers and a bit of imagination. Remember – less is more.
2. The trend is “Less is more”
2018 will continue the trend of minimalistic and clean designs. You don’t need to put a ton of colors, details or prints in your packaging. It can be classy, beautiful and simple at the same time. It should send a clear message to the client so that your brands’ colors could be easily recognizable.
You start a business, you create your products and start selling them. You invest in marketing, advertisement campaigns and events in order to reach more people and potential customers and finally it starts to pay off.
Orders start to rain and packages must be sent everywhere around the world. This is probably the most crucial part of the process of selling. It is the moment when your product reaches the customer. And it has to be intact, it has to be perfect.
Why the packaging is that important?
The unboxing part has become a critical part of the customer experience. It has been highlighted in the recent years as more and more people start to film the process. Why you ask? Remember the times when you used to believe in Santa Clause and the excitement of unwrapping the Christmas presents kept you awake the whole night before? That is why! Around 45 % of surveyed people say they are more excited when receiving their order in a customized wrapping*.
When it comes to packaging, the choice of special effects and ideas is pretty much unlimited. You can always experiment and try to create an original design for your products, complimenting them with a beautiful packaging item, Christmas wish card or special edition gift box.
Adding packaging to a gift makes the gesture even more special and leaves a great emotional impact on the receiver as they slowly stars to unwrap, unbox, unpack, until they get to the present itself.
gift box
Excellent Christmas packaging designs all have one thing in common and it’s not snowflakes, red ribbons or Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. It’s a thoughtful look and feel.
We are used to seeing these QR codes on many products including lunch boxes. What is their interest? QR code
1. Provide more information about the product compared to an expensive advertising which lasts only 30 seconds
2. Identify the characteristics of the product (if the doll says yes, if she cries etc.) even downloading a video of its functioning. This prevents customer disappointment and returns
