So you have started a new food company with revolutionary packaged food, the likes of which don’t exist in the market yet. Everything is all set from an online store to tie-ups with local stores and the product is ready to hit the production line. You know your food product can disrupt the market and become the next big thing.
However, the global packaged food market was valued at $1,925.7 billion in 2020 and is projected to touch $3,407.2 billion by 2030. The market is huge and there are thousands of brands already present in the market. So how do you ensure that your product stands apart from its competitors in the market and etch your brand in the mind of customers?
While there are channels like marketing and advertising to promote the brand and product, the packaging is often left on the back burners. However, the packaging of the product is what grabs the attention of the customers in the supermarket aisles or retail stores. As such, the importance of product packaging cannot be stressed enough.
Food packaging not only preserves and protects the product from elements but also serves as a marketing tool. Apart from this, it’s also a means of information transmission like origin, price, nutritional content, and more importantly, expiry date. Here’s why designing a nifty food labeling is important in 2022.
Establishing Brand Identity
There’s a reason why the modern consumer is called a smart consumer. The new-age consumer is looking for a product that matches their preferences, principles, and lifestyle. And instead of wasting time researching a brand, they rely on product branding to figure out which one fits their needs.
This is where the food labeling strategy comes into the picture. The product branding should reflect the ethos and mission of your company to the consumer and strongly reflect your brand. This way you’ll be able to effectively convey to the consumer who you are as a brand.
For instance, if you are targeting the younger demographic use brighter colors, graffiti, and quirky fonts to appeal to them. On the other hand, use formal fonts, clean lines, and muted colors if your demographics are business class. A well-designed label will immediately click with consumers whether it resonates with the lifestyle they lead.
Well-defined Product Identity
This goes without saying that the market is full of products that are similar to your own. Moreover, identical products often have similar brand packaging making them nearly identical. Good labeling will eliminate the need to read the fine print and inform the customer from the get-go about what your product is all about.
To illustrate, cash in on the growing eco-friendly lifestyle by adopting eco-friendly labeling and packaging for the product. This will resonate with customers who are planning to lead an ecologically aware lifestyle. Pick recycles and natural fiber packaging with minimal ink to connect with eco-conscious buyers and so on.
This way when a customer looks at your product with a packaging that reflects trends, it will resonate with their lifestyle choice. They wouldn’t even have to read the label and know right away what’s in the packaging.
Make Your Product Attractive
According to basic marketing 101, if a consumer touches the product, they are more likely to make a purchase. The sensory feeling of touch imparts an emotional feeling of belonging, making them more likely to buy the product that they pick. It’s therefore imperative to design a product packaging that’s more likely to make consumers touch the product.
This can be achieved by designing an attractive-looking product label and packaging. It’s even more crucial when designing a product label for a food product. An enticing food product label is akin to eating with your eyes and lures the consumers to your product.
Establish Product Differentiation
When it comes to a marketing standpoint, there’s something even more important than just an attractive label. While a beautiful label ensures that the consumers pick your product above other options, a design that stands out from the crowd is more effective in grabbing attention.
Product differentiation from other similar options happens to be the most important factor when it comes to driving sales. For example, there are 100s of granola bar products in the market and all of them are stacked together on the same shelf. Naturally, the consumer will pick that one product that has stand-out packaging from others.
This product differentiation also helps in developing brand loyalty for customers. It’s natural for buyers to form a purchase habit once they have chosen a brand. Therefore, it makes more sense to have a stand-out packaging so that existing customers can look for and buy your product, while new customers are tempted to pick out your product from the rest.
A well-designed product packaging not only protects your product but also represents your brand to potential customers. Understand the popular trends in the market and strive to reflect those trends in the product packaging to build a loyal customer base and drive sales.
