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 may be necessary for your excellent product, which currently generates only mediocre revenues, to gain traction in a competitive market.
In this article, we will help you understand the what and how of premium packaging. We will cover everything from logo design to packaging type, so you can create a seamless experience throughout the packaging process. 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. The customer’s view of premium and the competitive landscape determines what is considered premium and what is considered standard. So, answering the question of “what makes a package premium?” requires both considerations to choose 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 the fanciest, but rather the freshest beans, protected packaging, and a presentation that appeals to the target audience. Instead of showcasing a commercial appeal where coffee roasters use high-tech equipment, the packaging speaks to small-batch, carefully roasted beans by artisans of the craft.
Why is Premium Packaging Important?
Any packaging design strategy is worth pursuing if it helps you stand out from the crowd. 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 potential customers, so that, at the very least, they want to learn more about the product. From the product label design to unique packaging shapes, a minor distinguishing feature of premium might take your product from on-shelf to in-hand.
Examining the competitiveness of liquor provides insight into this concept. A premium spirits packaging design once assumed premium authority with custom glass bottles and unique corks. Now, custom packaging requires the most minor, most intricate details and 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 is covered.
Luxury packaging vs. premium packaging
These two terms are often interchangeable, but we want to distinguish them slightly. The term luxury makes you think of “lucky” and “occasional,” whereas premium makes you think of “stand out” and “dependable.” Yes, there’s a crossover, but a luxury brand will have a distinct form of marketing and brand design that aligns with the product experience.
You might think of a luxury product when considering the idea of premium beauty packaging design. Again, there’s a crossover, but consider the subtle differences between what they consider premium and luxury in the consumer’s mind.
From the consumer’s perspective, what constitutes luxury packaging?
From the consumer’s perspective, what constitutes premium packaging?
We cannot answer this for your product, but asking both questions separately is essential for your packaging design strategy.
Elements of Premium Packaging
You might consider premium packaging anything that adds to the packaging cost of goods, but this isn’t always true for the consumer. When you think of the appeal of throwback packaging, premium might come with a reduced cost of goods.
So, 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 a game-changing bottle, but rather a graphic design that conveyed a message of “Now, this is some premium whiskey!” This label design was a distinct enough change to increase market share by 16%!
When considering the elements of premium packaging, start with simple before complex. This approach might save you time and money while having a significant impact on your product revenues.
Premium Box Packaging Design: The Right Way
In specific 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 incorporates raised fonts, sharp color contrasts, and a creative packaging design feature might be beneficial.
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 pills are placed 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 requires a bottle, consider the material, shape, and design of the bottle. A shapely bottle made of plastic with a slightly above-average label design may be perceived as a “cheap attempt” by the savvy consumer. Unlike horseshoes, “almost” isn’t in premium bottle packaging design.
We can examine premium wine packaging design examples and identify subtle changes that make all the difference. Changing the wine bottle shape and speaking a more premium message would be difficult. Instead, leave this to the label, cork, and brand strategy.
Like other premium-friendly industries, testing these slight changes for premium appeal is required to capture the “I only want the best” audience.
Efficient Packaging
Excellent 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 to benefit the customer experience. A difficult food product to scoop may include an easy pour spout. A food product might be packaged in sustainable materials.
Efficient packaging is a smart way to give your product a premium look. Become the high-end option by offering custom or sustainable packaging, which can lead to increased 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.
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