Apple’s distinctive boxes serve as a prime example of the importance of color in packaging. Image Source: Flickr user Brett Jordan
One of the most widespread concepts in business is the seven-second rule — people make vital decisions within the first seven seconds of encountering a product, and what happens in that time can either nurture long-term consumer loyalty or turn would-be customers off for good.
However, most consumers’ first contact isn’t with the product, but with its packaging. This element is vital to differentiating your brand and its offerings.
For example, many more people would likely recognize the signature blue of a Tiffany & Co. box than the jewelry it may contain. As such, packaging design is often just as important as the product design, shaping consumer perception from the first touch point. With more products than ever competing for space in the marketplace, smart packaging design choices can be the deciding factor in product success, and spectrophotometric analysis helps ensure that your vision becomes reality.
Harnessing the Power of Color in Packaging
Packaging color choice isn’t arbitrary, and it goes beyond simply selecting an aesthetically pleasing color. Instead, designers must draw on both deeply ingrained color psychology and a preexisting visual lexicon of product associations to create packaging that speaks to the consumer in a language they understand.
Brands use colors to project a specific message. For instance, soft drink brands typically use blue for low-sugar options, green for lemon-lime flavors, and red for cola. Similarly, consumers associate green with pine scent in household cleaners and yellow with citrusy aromas in dishwashing detergent. Packaging also shapes consumer choices in prescription drugs, where it can influence perceptions of quality and performance.
Yet, it's essential to remember how these conceptions can shift over time. The sleek, minimalist, white packaging of Apple products is one that brands often shunned before because it was associated with store-brand or “generic” offerings. It's therefore possible to redefine these perceptions while simultaneously becoming defined by specific color choices.
