Packaging
Packaging profoundly influences marketing by enhancing product visibility, conveying brand identity, and affecting consumer perceptions. Effective packaging can drive purchases, reinforce brand loyalty, and differentiate products in crowded marketplaces.
CPG design is prized among designers because the possibilities are endless. You do need to have manufacturing and printing experts on your team to ensure success and make the most of the medium.
Packaging has witnessed significant innovations in the last decade, driven by sustainability concerns, technological advancements, and evolving consumer preferences. Here are ten of the most notable innovations in packaging from the last ten years:
Eco-Friendly Materials: With the increasing awareness about environmental issues, there's been a move towards using biodegradable, compostable, or recycled materials. For example, mushroom-based packaging and seaweed packaging have emerged as sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics.
Smart Packaging: Incorporating IoT (Internet of Things) into packaging allows products to communicate information. This includes QR codes that, when scanned, provide more product details or augmented reality experiences.
Minimalist Design: Brands have opted for simpler, cleaner designs both to reduce waste and to appeal to modern consumer aesthetics.
Edible Packaging: Especially in the food industry, innovations like edible cutlery and water bottles have been developed to reduce waste post-consumption.
Child-Resistant Packaging: With the legalization of cannabis in various regions, there's been a need for child-resistant packaging to ensure safety.
E-commerce Ready Packaging: The rise of online shopping has led to packaging designed specifically for e-commerce, ensuring products can withstand shipping while minimizing waste.
Personalized Packaging: Leveraging digital printing technologies, brands can now offer personalized packaging, enhancing the unboxing experience for consumers.
Active and Intelligent Packaging: These are packages that monitor the condition of products, especially food, to ensure freshness. They can indicate if a product has been tampered with or if it's past its best-before date.
Flexible Packaging: Pouches and other flexible packaging forms have grown in popularity due to their lightweight nature, which reduces shipping costs, and their ability to be sealed and resealed.
Water-Soluble Packaging: This innovative packaging dissolves in water, reducing waste. It's especially useful for single-use items like laundry or dishwasher pods.
These innovations underline the industry's focus on sustainability, efficiency, and enhancing the consumer experience. As environmental concerns continue to take center stage and technology advances further, we can expect even more groundbreaking developments in the packaging sector.
See also CROWN’s design shop, Something Forever for additional packaging designs and inspiration.