How Different Brands Approach Product Packaging

More than just a box

Designing outstanding product packaging is both a science and an art. It requires an excellent understanding of the brand’s identity, goals, and market position – and a whole lot of creative flair!

Sure, product packaging must be practical and protective, but it also needs to help differentiate your brand, capture attention, and create a memorable customer experience.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of designing packaging for your product, we’re here to help simplify the process. In this article, we’ll help you determine which factors to prioritise in your design.

To bring this to life, we’ll follow three very different fictional brands as they navigate the product packaging design process. We’ll explore the decisions, strategies, and creative considerations that go into creating successful product packaging so you can apply these insights to your own brand.

How can packaging design influence customer perception and brand loyalty?

Before we begin, it’s important to stress just how important your brand’s product packaging is to your business’s success.

Your packaging is more than a box or a piece of wrapping—it’s a powerful marketing tool that can help differentiate your product from your competitor’s and shape customer perception. Great packaging design should capture attention, spark curiosity, reinforce brand identity, and resonate with your target audience—all of which influence buying decisions and long-term customer loyalty.

When designing your product packaging, think of unboxing as a brand experience that reinforces the product’s perceived value and surprises and delights them. Small details can make a big impact!

Meet three very different fictional brands

To bring the product packaging design process to life for you – we’ve created three very different fictional brands. Let’s meet them:

BudgetBox

BudgetBox is a startup subscription box service that sells household essentials at discount prices. Its main focus is to keep subscription box packaging costs as low as possible.

BudgetBox’s top priorities are:

• Cost-effective packaging strategies.
• Lightweight for shipping.
• Durable enough to prevent damage.

EarthEssence

EarthEssence is a skincare brand built around organic, ethical ingredients. Sustainability isn’t a nice-to-have for this brand—it’s the core of its business. It wants to use zero plastic, compostable, and fully recyclable sustainable packaging materials.

EarthEssence’s top priorities are:

• Avoid greenwashing.
• Ensure that sustainability claims are authentic.
• Use only materials that can be disposed of responsibly.

ModernForm

ModernForm is launching a high-end homeware brand that aims to appeal to design-conscious consumers. These consumers want elegant, modern packaging with a premium feel.

ModernForm’s top priorities are:

• Keep it clean and minimal.
• Sleek yet expensive-looking.
• Premium unboxing experience.

While each brand has a distinct identity and different priorities, they must all go through the same strategic design process, which we’ll explore in detail next.

Navigating the product packaging design process

Here at Create8, our innovative packaging design team has helped countless brands to stand out and drive sales with exciting packaging designs and delightful unboxing experiences.

Our product packaging design process can be roughly split into five steps. Let’s look at how we would approach the process for each of our three fictional brands.

Step 1: Discovery and strategy

Successful packaging serves multiple purposes. It must protect the product while also reflecting your brand’s identity and fitting within budget and supply chain limitations. The earliest stages of your packaging journey are all about us getting to know your brand and its vision, goals, and constraints.

BudgetBox: BudgetBox’s main priority is affordable packaging solutions, making off-the-shelf packaging a practical choice. Instead of investing in a fully custom design, we suggest opting for budget-friendly, customisable, pre-made packaging. Opting for standardised cardboard boxes with a simple printed logo helps keep costs down while reinforcing your brand identity.

EarthEssence: Agencies designing packaging for sustainable brands need to have a deep understanding of material sourcing, lifecycle impact, and evolving customer expectations around eco-packaging. For EarthEssence, we suggest eco-friendly packaging that uses biodegradable, plant-based inks, compostable cardboard, and refillable glass jars. Embossing or laser engraving the design directly onto the packaging eliminates the need for excessive ink and adhesives, helping to minimise its environmental impact further.

ModernForm: ModernForm is looking for high-end packaging that oozes sophistication. We recommend minimalist packaging for luxury brands. Think matte-finished rigid boxes with magnetic closures, minimal branding, and a clean black-and-white colour scheme. We would also use high-end print techniques like spot UV and foil stamping to add subtle texture without cluttering the design.

Step 2: Prototyping and testing packaging

Once the customer has settled on their favourite design, we get to work testing different materials and structural designs before creating a packaging prototype.

BudgetBox: For BudgetBox, we would test different types of corrugated boxes with different weights to find which option strikes the perfect balance between budget and durability.

EarthEssence: EarthEssence will be using compostable packaging solutions, so we would need to run durability tests to ensure that the packaging can easily withstand the journey to the customer without showing signs of degradation.

ModernForm: We have chosen packaging made from premium materials for ModernForm. During the testing phase, we may assess the functionality of the magnetic closures on the boxes, ensuring that the option we choose operates smoothly and enhances the sense of luxury in the unboxing experience.

Step 3: Production and supply chain considerations

Once everyone is happy with the prototype and the final design has been refined and approved, we source a reliable and cost-effective manufacturer to produce the packaging. During this stage, we consider several important factors, including production timelines, cost efficiency, and quality control

BudgetBox: When choosing a packaging manufacturer for BudgetBox, we would prioritise local suppliers to keep costs down and minimise shipping expenses.

EarthEssence: EarthEssence would require a packaging manufacturer with strong sustainability credentials that uses print processes that create minimal carbon emissions to support their eco-friendly identity.

ModernForm: ModernForm would require a print company that specialises in precision printing and luxury finishes.

Step 4: Unboxing and customer experience

Unwrapping the product from its packaging should be more than a practical step—it should be treated as part of the customer experience. Small details and thoughtful touches can bring delight and excitement to the unboxing experience, leaving a lasting impression and helping to win customer loyalty.

BudgetBox: As a budget-friendly brand delivering discounted products, we recommend keeping the unboxing experience straightforward yet thoughtful. A simple yet effective touch could be a printed message inside the box showing gratitude for the customer’s order while reinforcing the brand’s value-driven promise —something like “Great value, delivered to your door. Thank you for choosing BudgetBox.”

EarthEssence: EarthEssence’s target audience is eco-conscious consumers who prioritise sustainability in their daily lives. A thoughtful addition to their unboxing experience could be a thank you note printed on plantable seed paper. This expresses gratitude for their order while also offering a thoughtful free gift. Once planted, the seed paper will grow into wildflowers, helping to contribute to biodiversity.

ModernForm: ModernForm’s packaging should focus on creating a satisfying and plush unboxing experience. We recommend a slow-opening magnetic box, crisp tissue paper folds, and a sleek welcome card designed to impress!

Step 5: Launch and integration

The work doesn’t end once your new packaging is out in the real world! Listen to customer feedback and use it to tweak and refine the design over time to improve customer experience, reduce costs, or improve sustainability.

BudgetBox: As the business scales up, it may be possible to source even cheaper packaging alternatives.

EarthEssence: If customers want to know the best way to recycle their packaging, the brand could add instructions detailing recycling and composting best practices.

ModernForm: To keep packaging fresh and engaging, ModernForm could launch limited edition packaging for seasonal launches.

Which packaging approach is right for your brand?

So, what kind of packaging is right for your brand? As we’ve seen, each of these brands had unique goals and ended up with completely different bespoke packaging solutions. However, they all needed their packaging to do these three things:

• Align with their brand identity.
• Balance affordability with functionality and scalability.
• Deliver a great customer experience.

When designing your packaging, it’s important to start with extensive market and audience research. Then, think carefully about your brand strategy, product placement, and visual appeal to ensure that your packaging not only stands out but also creates a connection with your audience.

There’s a lot to consider, but you’re not alone! Our team of packaging designers are here to help you create impactful packaging and a memorable unboxing experience.

Partner with Create8 for standout packaging design 

… and an exciting unboxing experience

Ready to create packaging that captivates and converts? At Create8, we don’t just create memorable brands – we’re also a custom packaging design agency. We help brands make their products stand out on the shelf or online, driving sales and building customer loyalty.

We’re equally happy helping luxury brands create unique unboxing experiences as we are devising strategies to help with reducing packaging costs for startups.

Call our team on 0161 820 9686 or fill out a contact form online to learn more about our packaging design services and start your project today.