Packaging Design

1) Packaging is a vital aspect or marketing for several reasons. First and foremost, it is the first thing the consumer sees and is what they base their initial judgment on. If packaging doesn’t stick out or is too overwhelming a customer is less likely to consider it if they don’t know what’s inside. Packaging is also important when considering the user and what they will be doing with the product. It’s important for a coke bottle to fit in one’s hand and for a milk carton to stow away nicely in the refrigerator. When considering costs of marketing, a product that takes up too much space is not cost efficient.
When thinking about different kinds of packaging, the first thing that came to mind was bottled water. Upon entering a convenience store, one is faced with the decision of deciding between numerous waters. There’s twist-off caps, squirt caps, round bottles, square bottles, clear bottles, blue bottles, grip bottles, short bottles, tall bottles, and many other designs, not to mention the product inside. With so many choices, certain bottles are bound to stick out a little too much while others go unnoticed. For example, Fiji water, with it’s short, square bottle has always caught my eye, but I’ve never bought one. On the other hand, there’s Aquafina, packaged in bulky cylindrical containers that I usually never notice. More times than not, I don’t choose Aquafina, Dasani, or Ethos, rather I go for the simple, convenient squirt top bottle. The design of these bottles just makes sense, it fits in a cup holder as well as in my hand, I can drink it without having to take the top off and put it back on with each sip, and don’t have to worry about spills in the car or on the run.

2) Other products with iconic packaging include: Axe Deodorant- has revolutionized the deodorant/cologne industry. The packaging is a very modern design, that is eye-catching, but not too much. Designed to be a quick way to apply a fresh scent, the axe bottle utilizes a spray top with a lock position to avoid any accidentally deodorizing. Overall, the Axe design is one that many people have come to recognize and are immediately drawn to; Patron Tequila- as the large, wooden door of the fraternity swings open to reveal a very conventional college party, picture all of the students holding majestic, stout, cork plugged bottles of patron in the place of their normal Keystone Light. Shocking, right? The resulting confusion and awe of the scene is the result of Patron's packaging masterpiece, in addition to their prestigious name in the tequila market.
A very uniquely designed glass bottle, short and stout with the classic patron cork and ribbon, the bottle is the essence of class. The cork portrays a sense of elegance as if conceived from a bottle of the world’s finest chardonnay. Plain and simple, the Patron bottle has become known as the epitome of style and class in a world that has become distraught over the tasteless and reckless consumption of alcohol.

3) Usability is a huge aspect of packaging. Sure the initial design can make a few sales, but if the product is unusable because of its poor packaging, then why would anyone want it? Natural and simple packaging is often the best stimulant for an easy to use product. Examples of user-friendly packaging include Propel Fitness Water and Oreo Cookies. Examples of bad packaging are Capri Sun Juice Boxes and Kool-Aid Bursts.