When it comes to package design, first impressions can make or break your brand’s ability to form a connection. Just like a first date, you don’t want to cut short a (visual) conversation and potentially ruin a budding relationship.
So how do designers, like those at DeanHouston, create a package design that’s strong enough to spark a conversation? We begin by understanding the power of visuals, and the psychology behind the effects they have on a consumer’s thought process.
With this in mind, here are four of the visual statistics we consider before we get started on any package design project:
It only takes 3 seconds to form a first impression.
You need to engage and connect with consumers quickly. If your first impression rubs people the wrong way, odds are slim you will have the chance to change their minds, because it takes 20 encounters to repair a bad first impression.
The average person sees 5,000 marketing messages a day.
In our media-rich world, we are conditioned to tune out the flood of marketing messages. This makes starting a visual conversation even harder. Designers must find a way to creatively cut through the visual noise to make a connection, and do it quickly.
In our current culture of instant gratification, the erosion of the average attention span is one of the biggest challenges facing designers. You’ve got to spark interest, grab attention, tell your story and make your promise in less time than it takes most people to tie their shoes, because the average person’s attention span is now 8 seconds.
90% of information processed by the brain is visual.
Visual information is simply faster and easier to retain. By making visuals the prominent component of your overall design, you are making it easier for consumers to connect with your brand.
If your package design visually stands out from the competition (and you’re able to show – not tell – why your product solves their problem) consumers are more likely to remember your brand and reward it with positive feelings, because visuals improve retention by 400%, and memories are 80% visual.
Nine times out of ten, visual appearance determines an emotional reaction to a product’s package.
Research supports the idea that color has a powerful effect on human emotion. In 1947, Swiss psychotherapist Dr. Max Lüsher created a color test to prove this theory. His test verified that our perception of color is objective, measurable and universal.
The colors you decide to use in packaging can have a major impact on your audience and impact a customer’s ability to connect emotionally with your product. Thus, the importance placed on the colors you choose for branding and packaging cannot be overstated.
It makes good business sense to think strategically when choosing brand colors, because 85% of consumers will purchase a product based on its color.
There is a whole lot more to package design than just pretty pictures. Those who do it well find creative ways to break through the visual clutter to make an emotional connection with consumers. At DeanHouston, understanding these challenges is essential to helping you put your best creative foot forward to package your brand, sell your product, and build your business.
Have questions about package design? Contact us here.