Thousands of items stare out at the average shopper in a grocery store today and sometimes the only feature a company has to rely upon is the eye-catching nature of a product's packaging. Some companies go with garish designs in vivid colors like lemon yellow and fuchsia. Other companies change the shape of their packaging to elicit curiosity in buyers. 

According to design advice website Hongkiat…

First impressions make all the difference, especially in a fast-paced age when everyone is just too busy to take a step back to wait and see.

Today's packaging isn't solely an instrument for protecting a company's products or making them suitable for transport. Creating packaging with interesting visual elements invites curiosity and attention from buyers, which makes the design process incredibly important.

Also, creativity in packaging design often also means that a useful design is incorporated into the product's wrapper. Condiment and ketchup maker Heinz recently boasted of its "packaging innovation" regarding its new ketchup packets.

The new Heinz Dip & Squeeze product marks the first ketchup packet makeover for the foodservice industry in 42 years. Our new packet means more ketchup when it’s wanted and where it’s wanted with less mess and a better overall dining experience.

Examples of Clever Packaging Ideas

Anti-Theft Lunch Bags. Anyone who's walked into the break room at lunch only to find his or her lunch has been absconded by a coworker would love the fun and innovative Anti-Theft Lunch Bags. The plastic sandwich bags have colors on them that make it appear as though any piece of bread inside the bag is covered in mold.

Gubble Bum. A designer managed to make the imaginative "Gubble Bum" gum packaging as colorful and fun as the gum inside the packaging. The designer said of his packaging that…

Packaging design concept for a fun and twisted bubble gum brand. Beneath the cutesy, colorful exterior lies an unexpected twist: removing the outer box reveals the skeleton of each "bum."

Hanger Tea. The idea of Hanger Tea is one that combines a traditional hanger with a bag of tea and places a selection of teabags along a rod, just like a row of shirts in a closet. The concept not only looks appealing, but it's actually useful, too.

When a user places his or her teabag in a cup full of hot water, the loop at the top of the hanger sits outside the cup so the teabag won't fall completely into the cup and may be removed after fully steeping the tea.

Kleenex. In an effort to make their ordinary product a little more exciting, tissue maker Kleenex came out with a box shaped like a wedge of fruit. The company wanted to ward off falling sales during the summer (when the flu disappears) and created tissue boxes in vibrant summery designs of oranges, limes, and watermelons.

An article on "Brand Channel" labeled the effort:

a lesson in classic brand marketing: When seasonality adversely affects sales, use a gimmick to turn things around.

Fridgeezoo. Just about any product that's made to look like an animal is appealing. A design idea from Japan called "Firdgeezoo" turns cartons of milk and other products in the refrigerator into little rectangular animals like walruses, cats, and penguins.

NYC Spaghetti. Although the design was just a project for Alex Creamer's college class, the "NYC Spaghetti" concept was an inspired combination of food and a famous landmark. Creamer placed spaghetti in a long, rectangular tube where the pieces of spaghetti could be lifted upward into a design that resembled the Chrysler Building in New York City.

Creative Doesn't Mean Wasteful

A package that begs an observer to inspect it or pick it up doesn't need to be heavy and wasteful in materials. Companies today have been able to combine creative packaging techniques alongside "carbon neutral" packaging that places little stress on the environment.

For example, computer makers Dell recently said its "AirCarbon" production process would have a net positive result on the environment by "sequestering" more carbon from the atmosphere than the manufacturing process would produce.

Show Creativity in Your Own Company's Packaging

Using creative techniques to reach customers displays a forward-thinking and imaginative business. A memorable packaging design can mean growth, popularity, and sales for any business.

Market your company's brand through sustainable packaging options from Howard Packaging. If your business is interested in using modern packaging solutions, let us know! Find out what we can do for your business. Request a Free Catalog and Sample Kit Today!