During the final webinar of SFA’s Branding Series, Andy Kurtts of Buttermilk Creative provided guidance in Package Design and Branding. Kurrts shared insights gleaned from over fifteen years of designing for specialty food and beverage brands. Following are five takeaways.
1. Your packaging design is the most important thing. According to Kurtts, no matter how great your product is, if customers aren’t compelled to pick it up off the shelf and buy it, they’ll never try it. “Your brand has just 20 feet and three to five seconds to attract a consumer’s attention at shelf and spur a purchase,” he said.
2. Understand the elements of packaging design. Logo, flavor, product image or flavor cue, and two to three relevant callouts should be used on the front of package, Kurtts recommended. The back of package should include storytelling and any other romance copy regarding flavor, key ingredients, cooking ideas, and suggested uses, he said. Technical content such as nutrition facts, ingredients, net weight, upc, certifications, etc. should be carefully designed according to FDA guidelines, Kurtts said.
3. Use simple direct messaging that really resonates. Consumers are inundated with options and information. About 95 percent of purchases are based on emotion versus logic, Kurtts shared. As a result, it is important to uncover core messaging that the consumer immediately responds to on an emotional level, he said.
4. Develop a well-planned package design system and support it with a style guide. One-off package designs lead to a lack of brand cohesiveness, Kurtts warned.
5. Test your packaging out in the real world. Before you finalize your orders, have your printer create mockups of your product so you can go out and place them on real shelves, said Kurtts. By stepping back and observing where the opportunities are, what is missing, and what is blending in, you can make necessary changes before fully committing. Also, he feels this exercise will allow makers to perform customer research, talking to shoppers and hearing their opinions about a product’s look and feel.
For case studies and examples from brands like Meltemi Premium Greek Yogurt, Whitley’s Peanut Factory, and HA! Snacks, as well as a deeper dive into the topic, access the recording here.
This is the third webinar of the series. All webinars are free for SFA members. If you’re a non-member, you can purchase the 3-webinar series for $50 here or buy a la carte for $19 each.
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