In an earlier blog post I talked about how it is important to address health and the environment on your packaging because of the demographic shift towards millennials. But how can you increase the visual impact of your packaging for this demographic?
Before we begin, I’d like to emphasize that modifying your packing visually should always be done with the help of a professional graphic artist. Although it is important to keep up to date with changing customer tastes, you shouldn’t change your packaging without a holistic view of your brand, your product and the actual package.
Start from your logo
If you have a logo, then you aren’t starting from scratch. And before your packaging can be in tune with a specific audience, your packaging needs to be in tune with itself.
Your logo likely has a specific colour, a specific shape and perhaps a catch-phrase. Your packaging shouldn’t contradict your branding but work with it. It should also portray the product as a natural offshoot of your brand. You may repeat your brand colours but unless your logo is a rainbow, using only your logo colours is limiting.
The proper use of additional colours can go a long way in creating harmony between the product and the brand. Let’s look at it from the perspective of colour matching using a colour wheel.
Contrasting colours (those opposing each other on the wheel) usually work well together. Complimentary colours (those that are about 90 degrees from each other on the wheel) are also effective together. Colours that are close to each other are considered clashing.
Do millennials have colour preferences? Well, I’d be cautious about that statement. Everyone has different colour preferences. But It could be argued that because this generation has a strong interest in the environment, hues of green accompanying an environmental statement will consistently attract their attention. If your product or packaging has an environmental argument such as its recyclability or even compostability, then strategically adding green, taking into consideration your brand colours and identity is a very good idea(Again, the services of a professional graphic artist are recommended).
Here at IMS, we carry several environmentally friendly products such as FSC certified labels and a variety of recyclable ones as well.
Limited edition packaging
Limited edition packaging is often cited as being attractive to millennials. This is because it appeals to their need for a personal connection to the product they purchase. A limited edition product is exclusive in nature.
Practically speaking, though, as a manufacturer how do you manage that? Currently, the most cost effective method to create limited edition packaging is through inkjet printing. A combination of the right inkjet printer, the right labels and the right label software can give you the flexibility to create custom production runs that can excite millennials’ taste for uniqueness.
The social connection
Millennials are at the heart of the rise of the use of social media by manufacturers to grow sales. This feature of millennial culture is an important one. We’ll devote an upcoming blog to combing your social media presence with your packaging.
Stay tuned!
