Packaging trends today: From colors to typefaces

A company has perfected its product, tested it extensively and finally created something every consumer needs. But how cool is the packaging? That latter consideration remains vitally important for brands that want to be noticed, especially in today’s digitally empowered retail landscape. Organizations that have gone years between redesigns may find that they are out of step with what audiences expect or want to see on shelves or e-commerce sites.

This isn’t to say that every brand needs to cluster around the same few trends. Too much focus on too few design elements could take away these companies’ unique visual interest. However, there is plenty of value in inspecting the top ideas and determining which of them suit companies’ identities.

Color that pops
According to a recent Business Matters article, one of this year’s major packaging trends is incorporating bright and appealing colors. Rather than keeping things muted, companies are attempting to leave a strong impression on their buyers through dynamic shades that competing companies aren’t using. This is based on the principle that even when a product or producer’s name doesn’t stick in the shopper’s mind, that individual will recognize the combination of hues on a return trip to the store.

The article added that organizations in the food sector are also making sure their chosen colors match their particular items. When the mind makes a connection between a package color and the foods within, the resulting effect strengthens the chance of remembering that item.

Fonts with identity
There is a cyclical nature to font choice. Racked explained that there are a few quirky sans-serif options currently dominating the startup world. These are minimalist and express that there is a no-frills ease to the brand’s products and services. The source noted that for everything from package text to brand’s overall logos, sans-serif is the motif of the moment, but it might not last.

For a clear illustration of font design trends, Racked pointed to Frank and Oak. The company launched without serifs on its font, giving it a simplicity. Next, it decided to communicate class, and added serifs. The next move could only go one way. Now, the five-year-old brand has a new logo, sans serif.

Reactive and ready
Once companies decide which trends they want to implement – and which they want to go against – it’s time to print the actual labels. When brands handle this process in-house, they gain a degree of freedom. However, they need high-quality printers to ensure this doesn’t come at the expense of quality. Check out one such printer, the Primera LX1000, on our U.S. site or our Canadian page.