In order to stand out from the crowd, time and thought must be put into creating memorable, eye-catching, yet practical cardboard packaging solutions. In order to make the most of your opportunity to push ahead of your competitors, it is well worth consulting experts in bespoke packaging to help you with your design. Bespoke packaging can be anything from a minor modification of a standard FEFCO design, to an entirely unique and innovative packaging solution.

Bespoke packaging can also be extremely varied in terms of the kinds of materials that are used. As well as standard cardboard packaging, some packaging designs may also incorporate other materials such as plastic, or even use environmentally friendly and recycled materials.

By following these tips, you can create effective bespoke cardboard packaging that will help your product to stand out:

1.       Always do your research

Before you start the initial packaging design process, you should always do some research around the subject you are focusing on. Look at other similar products on the market and how they are packaged. Take the time to understand which designs appeal most to your audience, as well as which bespoke packaging designs are not as successful; learn how to avoid making the same mistakes and think about how you can improve on successful and popular packaging solutions.

When you look at your competitors, make sure you consider the following points: how does their bespoke packaging stand out from other designs and what type of materials are they using?

2.       Get your message across

Whilst bespoke packaging must catch the eye, all the work put into making sure your packaging is noticeable will be irrelevant if you forget to communicate your message properly. Your product packaging should immediately tell the consumer what it is, who your brand is and give them a good reason to buy your product rather than a competitor product. For example, if you are concerned with looking after the environment and use only eco-friendly materials in your packaging, make this clearly known on your packaging.

Remember, nobody is interested in a product that is too heavily branded – stick to your key messages.

3.       Be practical

Understandably, you will want to create a bespoke packaging design that is unique, but it is important that you maintain a strong focus on the purpose of your packaging and ensure that you stay practical. If your packaging won’t fit on a shelf or won’t stand up unassisted, this is not likely to give a good impression of your brand.

4.       Stand out

The most important thing to consider when designing bespoke cardboard packaging is that it stands out. Using the findings from your research, you can create a design that ignores the failures of competitors, and capitalises on and even betters the successes of popular competitor products. Always look to give something different with your packaging.

5.       Always try more than one design

If a packaging design doesn’t work, always take the time to work out why it wasn’t successful. Come up with a few different solutions and ask for constructive comments and feedback. By troubleshooting your designs before going straight to the shop shelf, you can look to avoid any potential problems at the design and prototype stage.

As well as standard cardboard packaging, some packaging designs may also incorporate other materials such as plastic, or even use environmentally friendly and recycled materials