Front-of-pack messaging isn’t guesswork. It’s a formula.

Clarity wins at shelf. In this clip, we dive into the hierarchy of communication—what needs to be seen first, what can wait, and how we test to find the sequence that drives purchase.⁠

Description

Front-of-pack is not a checklist. It’s a system.

The hardest part of packaging strategy isn’t adding claims—it’s deciding what not to say. Space is limited, attention is limited, and the brain filters fast. What belongs on pack is a sequencing decision: first, help shoppers categorize. What is it? What does it do? If that’s unclear, nothing else matters.

From there, the hierarchy has to guide elimination. In a crowded aisle, consumers narrow options quickly. Your packaging must communicate differentiators in the right order—visually and verbally—so the brain can process without effort.

Too much information creates clutter. Too little creates confusion. The “magic recipe” is balancing visuals, copy, scale, and placement to match how real people judge in seconds.

That’s why testing matters. Because what feels important internally isn’t always what drives choice externally. Great packaging isn’t about cramming more onto the front. It’s about orchestrating emphasis so the decision feels instant—and obvious.

Video Transcript

00:00:00 The reason we have so many testing is
00:00:01 because it really does depend. But some
00:00:03 broad strokes that maybe I can paint for
00:00:05 everyone. This the hardest thing to get
00:00:07 a sense of is like what actually belongs
00:00:09 on the front of pack or on the packaging
00:00:11 in general and because you really do
00:00:12 have a limited space. It's not one thing
00:00:14 but what it is is this like magic recipe
00:00:16 that works. And so the nuance and trying
00:00:19 to figure out that recipe that works for
00:00:21 your brand has a few pieces like the
00:00:23 amount of information you're trying to
00:00:24 put forward can become
00:00:26 counterproductive. that can get
00:00:27 cluttered in the visuals there trying to
00:00:29 understand what's communicated visually
00:00:31 versus verbally. I think it all comes
00:00:33 down to also is what is the need the
00:00:35 consumer has or want and how does the
00:00:37 product solve it and you kind of think
00:00:39 about if I'm in a retail setting I have
00:00:41 lots of choices and the human brain
00:00:43 needs to kind of narrow down into
00:00:46 process of elimination. So most
00:00:48 important is you actually need to be
00:00:49 properly categorized. Like I need to
00:00:51 understand what this product is, what it
00:00:52 does and then a lot of times there's so
00:00:55 much subcategorization is just kind of
00:00:57 getting down eliminated. So now I've got
00:00:59 a workable set of product to choose from
00:01:01 for the consumer and then conveying in
00:01:03 the right order the differentiators and
00:01:05 what you're doing. And again what I said
00:01:07 is like is that visual is it verbal and
00:01:09 a sizing of words and so a lot of the
00:01:11 work that we do is understanding what
00:01:14 belongs on front of pack and then also
00:01:16 the hierarchy which visually translates
00:01:18 into emphasis placement on pack and
00:01:21 getting all the sequencing right to
00:01:23 communicate because it doesn't really
00:01:25 happen in like a lock step. It's like
00:01:27 almost instantaneous. This is like
00:01:28 judgment.

Christy Lebor Partner & Head of Brand Development, SmashBrand

48 Articles

Christy Lebor is a Partner and Head of Brand Development at SmashBrand, a premier brand development agency championing the FMCG space. With two decades of Fortune 500 CPG experience, Christy harnesses her background from industry titans to infuse brands with a growth trajectory that transitions them from category disruptors to legacy brands.

Her portfolio includes:

Brand management roles at global giants: Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever.
Launching pivotal products: Axe Body Wash in the US and the original Dove Campaign for Real Beauty at Unilever.
Steering innovative product lines at PepsiCo: Gatorade chews, protein bars, Mio Fit, and Amino Energy.
Pioneering breakfast innovations at KraftHeinz: Just Crack an Egg
Leading the branded business segment and global innovation at JBS, the world's largest meat company in the world.

Prior to her tenure at SmashBrand, Christy's track record spans various senior management and development roles. Each role has honed her expertise in the intricacies of FMCG, enabling her to cultivate category advantages for brands. From SKU rationalization to directing pivotal innovation stage gates, Christy's acute expertise in FMCG has consistently placed her at the forefront of the industry. Her ability to make incisive, strategically sound decisions has been key in propelling brands to market leadership.

Her philosophy pivots on the principle that timely, relevant data, integrated with brand strategy, is the linchpin for brands aspiring to scale and establish market dominance. At SmashBrand, Christy intricately weaves this philosophy, ensuring brands are not just strategically poised but holistically developed.

Educationally, Christy is equipped with a BBA from The University of Michigan Business School, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and additional prowess in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School.

Learn more

Subscribe to
Nice Package.

SmashBrand’s Nice Package: Stay current with our latest insights

Free Resource.

CPG product repositioning guide.

Explore the five undeniable signs your CPG product needs repositioning along with strategies for leveraging consumer insights for a guaranteed market lift.

Download Whitepaper About CPG product repositioning guide.

I wanted to buy this. The packaging talked me out of it.

The product checked every box: cheesecake, convenient portions, no cutting, and perfect for sharing. I was practically sold. Then the packaging made me question the quality, taste, and entire purchase. That’s how quickly design can destroy demand. So, how does promising packaging lose a ready buyer? Read on to find out.

What Garbage In Garbage Out Means for AI Packaging Concepts

AI can generate packaging concepts, but it can’t rescue a weak brief. Feed it generic assumptions, and you’ll get polished garbage faster. Feed it real consumer insights, decision drivers, and category intelligence, and everything changes. Before your next AI prompt, discover what separates pretty concepts from packaging that performs.

Why None of These Pet Wipe Brand Stands Out at Shelf

These pet wipe brands have a visibility problem, and better front panels won’t fix it. When packs sit low on the shelf with only their ends exposed, most branding disappears. That’s not a design problem; it’s a shopping-context problem. Want packaging that performs in the real world? Read on to see what’s missing.

Why Rao’s Soup Misses the Mark on This Packaging Design.

Rao’s is a pasta sauce powerhouse, but their soup packaging tells a different story.

View More Category Insights

Follow Christy

Follow Christy for real-world shopper insights, brand wins, and weekly takes on what’s working in retail.

Follow Christy on

Subscribe on YouTube

Subscribe on YouTube for daily brand insights, shelf-winning strategies, and weekly retail breakdowns.

Don’t miss our Newsletter