According to Charles W Lamb, packaging and labels have 4 marketing functions which are:
- Promoting the product.
- Protecting the product.
- Helping consumers use the product.
- Facilitating recycling and reducing environmental damage.
Packaging develops the image of the product in the consumer’s mind. Labels are the first point of contact between a business and the consumer – essentially a sales pitch. The visual appearance of a product makes a massive impact on how consumers perceive products, so aspects such as colour and typography are important.
Some of our favourite labels at Formsplus and why….
Bassetts liquorice all-sorts – Bassetts have truly embraced the colour and minimalism of modern day design and labelling. They said the ‘packaging brought the distinctive shapes and colours of the liquorice into the forefront of the design’. Bassetts have used the block colours of the sweets themselves on the front of the packaging and amended the original typography to look more befitting of modern design models.
Starbucks – Starbucks is one of the only major brands to use the primary colour green at the forefront of it’s branding. In using this colour, Starbucks hope to create a relaxed environment in their cafes, calming customers down after stressful days at work.
Apple – Apple are one of the pioneers of minimalist design in the 21st century. Since their campaigns went viral, Apple have inspired many other brands to adopt the stripped back, clean-lined, Scandinavian-inspired attitude.
Colour in packaging/psychology
Black – Represents power and strength. Black works well when used in moderation – it can be a bit overwhelming if so.
Blue – Blue is often associated with trust and reliability. It is the favourite colour amongst most men. It’s associated with water, peace, tranquillity and stability. This is a colour that is very popular with conservative brands.
Green – Balance, organic, fresh. Green is said to stimulate the balance in your brain and is used by many stores in order to relax customers.
Purple – Associated with wisdom, royalty and respect and triggers creativity. Purple is often used to promote beauty products.
Grey – Represents solidarity.
The role of colour
Choosing brighter colours for your brand can lead to your customers feeling more energetic – this can be a good choice for sports brands or products for young children. Colour plays a significant part in the consumer’s decision-making process. Businesses use colours to accentuate different moods which aim to entice potential consumers to purchase their product.
The emotional impact
Research shows that a consumer’s purchasing decision is 84.7% influenced by colour and 52% of people claimed they wouldn’t return to a store if they didn’t like its aesthetics. Different colours can have a very personal connection with people, for example McDonald’s, Virgin and Coca-Cola all use red which is said to increase a person’s heartbeat. Do not forget that the information on the packaging also speaks volumes about the quality of the product.
If you would like to enquire about the types of labels available here at Forms Plus, please do not hesitate to contact us.