Having a premium product packaging design is one way to build a strong brand identity. Appearing to be the premium version in any category helps lesser known brands appear as big as industry giants. A premium packaging design might be what is needed for your excellent product with only mediocre revenues to gain traction in a competitive market.
In this article, we are going to help you understand the what and how of premium packaging. We will cover everything from logo to packaging type so you can create synergy throughout the packaging experience. Once you’ve digested the information, you will have a stronger idea about how premium will translate into equitable branding for your company.
What Makes Packaging Premium?
It isn’t industry expectations or packaging companies that determine what makes the packaging premium. It’s the customer’s view of premium and the competitive landscape that determines what’s premium and what’s the standard. So answering the question of “what makes a package premium?” requires both considerations to determine a starting point for what consumers believe to be high end packaging design.
A good example of this is looking at a premium coffee packaging design. In this category, “premium“ doesn’t mean fanciest, but it means the freshest beans, protected packaging, and being presentable to the target audience. Instead of showcasing a commercial appeal where coffee roasters use high tech equipment, the packaging speaks to small batch, cared for beans roasted by artisans of the craft.
Why is Premium Packaging Important?
Any packaging design strategy is worth pursuing if it helps you break through the noise. But premium packaging is more important when it can disrupt packaging expectations, justify higher price points, or become the early adopter of growing trends.
Having a premium appearance with a matching USP creates intrigue in the potential customer so that, at the very least, they want to learn more about this product. From the product label design to unique packaging shapes, a small distinguishing feature of premium might take your product from on-shelf to in-hand.
Looking at the competitiveness of liquor gives insights into this concept. A premium spirits packaging design once assumed premium authority with custom glass bottles and unique corks. Now, custom packaging requires the smallest, most intricate details, along with the right label design to catch the consumer’s eye.
Hopefully, your category isn’t as competitive. But if so, our branding and packaging design agency you covered.
Luxury packaging vs. premium packaging
These two terms are often interchangeable, but we want to distinguish them ever so slightly. The term luxury makes you think of “lucky” and “occasional” whereas premium makes you think of “stand out” and “dependable.” Sure, there’s a crossover, but a luxury brand will have a distinct form of marketing and brand design to align with the product experience.
You might think of a luxury product when pondering the idea of premium beauty packaging design. Again, there’s a crossover, but consider how in the consumer’s mind there are subtle differences between what they consider premium and luxury.
In the consumer’s eye, what is considered luxury packaging?
In the consumer’s eye, what is considered premium packaging?
We cannot answer this for your product, but asking both questions separately is important for your packaging design strategy.
Elements of Premium Packaging
You might consider premium packaging to be anything that adds to your packaging cost of goods, but this isn’t always true for the consumer. In fact, when you think of the appeal of throwback packaging, premium might come with a reduced cost of goods.
So then what makes a good premium packaging? That’s a question for the consumer and what we discover during the packaging design testing process. In our proprietary package design testing, we put your product on the shelf against real life competitors and monitor how consumers respond. We then gather post-purchase data to determine the shelf appeal, purchase intent, and brand recall.
One example of this is WhistlePig Whiskey. In this example, the best premium whiskey packaging design didn’t include some game-changing bottle but was a graphic design speaking a message of “Now, this is some premium whiskey!” This label design was a distinct enough change to increase market share by 16%!
So when considering the elements of premium packaging, start with simple before complex, it might save you time and money while having a significant impact on your product revenues.
Premium Box Packaging Design: The Right Way
In certain categories, such as the vitamin industry, a box design is a common differentiator from the bottles that fill the shelves. Unfortunately, the box alone is not enough for the vitamin product to appear premium. A custom packaging design in a cardboard box that includes raised fonts and sharp contrasts of color and a creative packaging design feature might help.
If you choose to use a box for your premium packaging, remember that what the box contains also needs a premium appeal. A high-end box containing vitamin packets falls short when placing pills in generic packets. For your product to leave a lasting impression of premium, the packaging experience needs to live past the point of purchase.
Premium Bottle Packaging Design: The Right Way
If your premium product needs a bottle, then deliberate over the material, the shape, and the design of the product. A shapely bottle made of plastic with a slightly above-average label design may resonate as a “cheap attempt” to the savvy consumer. Unlike horseshoes, “almost” doesn’t count in premium bottle packaging design.
We can look at premium wine packaging design examples and find minimal changes that make all the difference. It would be difficult to change the wine bottle shape and speak a more premium message. Instead, leave this to the label, cork, and brand strategy.
Like other premium friendly industries, testing these slight changes for premium appeal is a requirement if hoping to capture the “I only want the best” audience.
Efficient Packaging
Great packaging does more than look good. This is a truth that carries over to premium designs. If you leave the success of your product to the packaging designer, you end up missing vital components of premium packaging. Many of the best creative packaging ideas fall into the premium category.
We often find this in premium food packaging design, where a brand solves a problem for the benefit of the customer experience. A food product that is difficult to scoop may include an easy pour spout. A food product might make the packaging material from sustainable materials.
Efficient packaging is a smart way for your product to have a premium look. Become the high-end option thanks to custom packaging or sustainable packaging and it may lead to greater sales and repeat purchases.
Premium Packaging Design Agency
Want a best-selling brand? We can help. SmashBrand creates premium packaging designs that are tested for performance. Our proprietary package testing methodology goes beyond market research by putting your product in a simulated buying environment.
Looking to work with a premium packaging company that guarantees performance?? Book a time to discuss your project with our team.