Packaging Design

What is a good packaging design?

The design of your package has to accomplish many important strategic goals in your branding.

First of all it needs to grab the attention of the customers in the crowded retail environment. It also needs to be distinctively recognisable to make it easy for people to find it in the shops and memorable enough to get people actively searching for it during their routine shopping.

It is also one of the main tool you position your brand with. So you need a design that is in-line with your branding goals and communication strategy.

What is the first step?

Simply get in touch to book a free, no commitment Discovery Session. This is the first conversation we have with you to understand your story, your business, your brand, your goals and also your dreams. We also introduce ourselves and explain how we work.

I am launching a brand new product.
Can you help me with that as well?

Absolutely. The first step of launching a new brand is to create the whole brand’s visual identity. The logo, the style and the whole look&feel. Usually with new brands the identity design is done simultaneously with the packaging design. As the packaging is the no1. media of the brand anyway.

What is the price of a Package Design?

We do not have a fix price list.

Every project is different, therefor after understanding what you are looking for at the Discovery Session we can send you a detailed proposal for your packaging design project, customised to your needs and goals.

How long does a packaging design project take?

It depends on a number of things. Wether you are launching a new brand or you are just adding to your existing product line.

From consultation to you holding your product in hand takes an about 8 to 10 weeks. This time is necessary not just to come up with the finalised creative design, but to get all the information on the back label, get it signed off by everyone, picking the right container, submitting the design for production. etc.

Can you help me picking the container as well?

No. That is a different profession. We design what goes on the jar/bottle/label/bag etc. But for selecting the ideal container for your product we recommend you to contact with a company that specialises in supplies of packaging solutions.

Don’t worry we have worked with many packaging suppliers before. You can connect us later and we will submit the graphics to them the way they require.

What is included in the project?

A packaging design project have 2 seperate phases: The creative design and the back label design.

The aim of the creative design is to have a nice, distinctive, recognisable front label that your customers will love. That is what we can quote you and that is what will be included in our project fee.

The back label design is when we have to add all the details that is required by law. (Bar code, Manufacture date, Best before date, nutrition information, warnings etc.) This phase will be done on our hourly fee as it is impossible to tell how many variations and modifications will be required.

How many creative versions can I choose from?

On our Initial Design Presentation we will show you 2 creative versions. Both of which are created by a separate design team and both of which we consider a good solution to your requirement.

Based on your feedbacks we do the Finalisation of the design to making sure that every element of your new identity tells your story in the right way.

If the 2 versions sounds too few for you, trust us, it isn’t. You don’t need many different versions to chose from. You need ONE GOOD version for your brand. From decades of experience we concluded that having more initial options doesn’t make the choice and the project easier. It make it harder.

What happens if I don’t like any of that?

We put a huge emphasis at the beginning of the project to make sure that we understand your taste and what you are looking for. We always create a Design Moodboard collection and start the project with a design kick-off meeting to discuss the style we imagined. We do all these to minimalise the risk of designing something that you don’t like or you don’t think its a good fit for your brand.

If however for any reason after the initial presentation you like neither version, and you don’t think that tweaks or modifications would help, we go back to the briefing and the moodboard, try to understand what went wrong and will come up with a completely new version.

What is the process of having the actual package in hand?

Once you’ve chosen the container for the product (like bag, jar, box etc.) you have to get from the supplier a so called ‘dieline’. That is what we add the design to and will server the basis for production.

After that if you approved the creative design we add that to the ‘dieline’ along with all the necessary information that should go at the back label.

We then send the final dieline to the supplier which should enable them for start the production. If they have special request re the design we will provide that as well. We strongly recommend to get a proof printed and get the back label signed off by a lawyer before mass production.

Can you tell me what needs to go on the back label?

No. Unfortunately that is also a different profession. You will have to supply us with all the information that needs to go on the label.

Will I need to pay further royalty?

No. You will have the full worldwide ownership of the designs. No further royalty payment will be required ever. Even if you start selling in different countries or in mass quantities.

We only retain the right to publish the project in our own creative portfolio, be named as the creators of the design and be able to submit the work for creative awards.

What happens after the project? 
We will need a lot of stuff designed.

Don’t worry. We understand that having a nice identity is only half the job done. Every brand needs consistent communication and be visible to their clients.

This is why we serve as a design partner for our clients once the identity design project is completed. Either on a monthly contract or on our ad-hoc design hourly fee.

Having created your brand, we understand your style, your graphic elements, your communication goals. So every time you need a new post or a new flyer or exhibition stand, you can count on us to be there and do everything ‘on brand’ for you.

How are you better than a freelancer or other studios?

There are lot of extremely talented freelancers out there, who can do beautiful stuff. However working with a Studio may be a bit more expensive, but has many advantages.

We pride ourselves of the methodology we developed over the years to ensure that our clients not only get some nice design, but brand identity that helps position their brand exactly the way it needs. Something we call Strategic Design

Also, when the main creative part of the project is done, we are always available for the less creative, but necessary design work as well. Something many companies who try to work directly with a freelancer creative always struggle with.

I don’t have a brand name yet.
Can you help me with that as well?

Yes we can. We have helped with the naming of many-many brands. However naming is a tricky thing.

It is incredibly subjective if you like a proposed brand name or not. Therefor we don’t have a paid service for finding a brand name for you as we can’t guarantee success. What we do usually as part of the Identity Design package, is do a brainstrorming session among ourselves that normally results in 3-4 brand name suggestions, which we send over to you in a presentation with a reasoning of why we think that name would work. If you like one of the names, you are welcome to use it and we can proceed to the design. If you don’t like either of them then we will expect you to come up with the final name before proceeding to the design phase.