Brand Strategy: What Makes You So Special?

What makes us truly spectacular? Well, our humble attitude certainly contributes to our overall wonderfulness, as does our ability to recognize our flaws [few] and listen to the opinions of our peers, no matter how stupid they may be.

We kid; we jest. But seriously, what qualities must a product packaging design agency have to be great? We’ll explore the different characteristics that not only make a package designer’s overall quality of work excellent but also encourage clients to hold him/her dear to their hearts.

A broad Range of Styles

Until a design company reaches the pinnacle of success (and we’re talking being mentioned in the same sentence as Andy Warhol and the Louvre level of success), no client wants a design that immediately calls to mind the work of that particular designer. Although it is nearly impossible for a designer to have an equal passion for all design and artistic variables, it is nonetheless essential to recognize the value of a wide range of styles and ideas. The ability to embrace an entire spectrum of design concepts is crucial for serving clients effectively and understanding the aesthetic the client desires.

Practical Thinking

Package designers aren’t just artists. Package designers spend less time on artistry than on dimensions, labeling regulations, thermal analysis, tamper resistance, ease of shipment, marketing, sales, and displays. Even though a package designer’s original concept might have been drafted in a sketch pad in a fit of creative rapture, that concept must eventually be engineered into a sturdy, efficient, and effective package.

Honesty/tact

Why do people value naked honesty? Does anyone want to be told precisely what is wrong with them in dispassionate and graphic detail? Certainly not! We want to feel as though our ideas have merit, regardless of how misguided we may be.

This is why package designers (and anyone working with clients, for that matter) need to negotiate honest communication of their opinions, with the ability to convey those opinions in a way that will persuade the client to adopt the designer’s perspective. If the client feels insulted, the client won’t be happy. If the client isn’t pleased, they will likely never return and voice their displeasure on forums and Facebook pages, much like an offended demon. However, if the graphic designer can work effectively with their clients, then both the designer and the client will end up with a result that fills them with pride.

If you disagree with your client wholeheartedly, do not voice your disagreement based purely on gut instinct or personal taste; use complex data, statistics, and expertise in your argument. If the client feels you are basing your disagreement on facts rather than a desire to flex design muscle, you’re more likely to get him/her to yield.

Of course, there are times when the client’s ideas are set in stone, and reason will not prevail. In such instances, a designer must work within the parameters outlined by the client to ensure their satisfaction. Just take the money and remove that particular package design from your wall of fame.

Humility

This may be painful to hear, but you’re probably not the most exceptional package designer who has ever lived. Oh, you have skills – mad skills, it could be argued – but there are other designers out there with talent, time, and severe hunger, and clients will be just as happy to consult with them if they think your attitude will be a challenge. If you are the sort of person who flings his/her portfolio down in disgust and stomps from the room at the slightest criticism, you are not only alienating people who will potentially give you money; you are also a truly horrible person to be around. Just sayin’.

As difficult as it might be, sometimes pride must be swallowed. No one is saying that you can’t draft an informed counter-argument when someone disagrees with your work. Still, if you let your feelings interfere with your ability to get the job done, you are only hurting yourself and preventing the world from seeing your true genius, since no one will ever hire you after enough outraged outbursts.

So, what have we learned today? We’ve learned to broaden our style horizons. We’ve learned that if you think your fancy-free, bongo drum-beating artistic temperament is the most essential quality a package designer can have, you’ll spend most of your design career weeping in a fit of industrial engineering and research and development despair. Finally, we learned that honest communication is essential, but only as long as it’s done in a way that doesn’t make the client feel like kicking you in the shins.

Data-Driven Brand Development

Want a best-selling brand? SmashBrand is a brand development agency for FMCG and CPG companies. From brand strategy to packaging design testing, our Path To Performance™ process guarantees a retail performance lift. Book a time to discuss your project with our team.