Consumer psychology: packaging design that gets under their skin

From food and beverage companies over clothing brands to high-tech corporations, standing out from the competition is on top of everyone’s mind. Needless to say, while everyone surely tries, not everyone is equally successful. So, what makes some branding practices better than others? What’s the secret behind powerful product branding? It’s not so much a secret as it is an actual science. We’re of course talking about consumer psychology and the role it plays in packaging design.  

Color is key in consumer psychology

Much has been said and written about color psychology – and with good reason, as it is widely accepted to influence consumer behavior. Blue packaging, for instance, is commonly used by brands to instill a sense of safety, reliability and trust. It must be noted, however, that color connotation can differ depending on consumer demographics. Chinese consumers tend to associate yellow with masculinity, while for most European consumers yellow is a unisex color. Or why localizing your packaging design is crucial when your brand is set to go global …

A touch of texture

Few packaging designers are aware that using consumer psychology to their advantage basically comes down to sensory marketing, providing a multi-sensory experience to consumers. While most designers are familiar enough with color psychology, texture is an often forgotten yet nonetheless important feature of successful packaging design. Most women are intrinsically drawn to packaging that is soft to the touch (textile substrates, intricate embossing, …), while men favor more solid substrates and minimalist embossing.

Getting into shape

Finally, there is no underestimating the importance of the shape. This goes for the fonts as well as the forms you select for your packaging design. Consumers predominantly associate circular and curvy lines with friendliness and femininity, whereas straight and angular lines evoke a feeling of power, strength and masculinity. In other words, the more representative the shape of your packaging design is of the product itself, the likelier you are to reap the benefits of consumer psychology.     Inspired by Packaging News