No matter how great your package looks, you will fail your customer if it doesn’t function as expected. Look to other products that get it “right”. Examples abound of good (and bad) packaging. Want to package your special gourmet spice blend? Venture outside of your product arena and make notes of what you like; look at CD covers for your favorite band or take a run down the skincare aisle of your local pharmacy. What stands out? Don’t limit your review to other packaging; ads, magazine design, even scrap booking how-to books will offer creative insight. You’ll find inspiration everywhere.
Size matters.
Choose a tin size and style that makes the most sense for your product. Your budget and quantity requirements will also play a role in determining whether a standard, stock or custom tin is best
To print or not to print.
Considerations such as quantity, budget, brand image play a part in this decision. Labels are recommended for quantities less than 10,000 as a more economical option to printing directly on the tin. Allstate’s experienced sales team will advise you on your options and offer suggestions based on your specific needs.
Content.
What goes on the label? Your product name and contact info is key (don’t forget your website!). Other considerations: safety information, ingredients, bar code, directions, and net weight. If you are marketing a food product, the FDA is the best resource for determining requirements. Make a list of everything you need to include and write copy. At this stage, content is king, don’t worry about the design.
Image.
Think about the brand image you want to convey. Is your product and company upscale and elegant? Fun and Flirty? Cutting edge? Pure and simple? Or does your product beckon to nostalgic tradition? When you think of these descriptions, what pops into your mind? What typography do you envision? What color(s) speak to your image? Do you want a photograph of your product on the label?
Rough draft.
Don’t worry if you aren’t “artistic”, just start sketching. Your sketches can be crude; squiggly lines for type, a triangle that represents your logo. The main thing at this stage is the layout: placement and size of your logo, product name, contact info…everything that needs to fit. Experiment with color combinations. If you’re more comfortable in front of a computer than you are with holding a colored pencil, by all means do your sketches electronically!
Design.
At this point you may need to hire a graphic designer depending on your level of expertise. Use your sketches as a guide and you’re on your way to a professional and enticing package. Request templates from Allstate Can if you are planning a custom printed tin, or from your label printer if you’ve opted to use labels. Allstate Can’s pre-press department prefers receiving electronic files in Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop or Illustrator and our pre-press department is happy to provide guidance for setting up electronic files.
