History of Using Labels to attract customers
In the 18th century, some merchants began to generalize the use of labels on products when they saw that they sold better. Then they colored the labels by hand, identified the content and ensure its quality. Today, technology allows almost any type of design – it’s the silent seller at the point of sale that every advertiser must have to stand out in increasingly saturated supermarkets. The consumer needs guidance, and an adequate design can provide just that. That’s how the use of personalized labels emerged.
If we want to know if a design is good and will meet the objectives we have set, we will have to consider the following points:
Attraction capacity
Provocation is the most common way to attract attention when the product is new. In these cases, following market trends only favors the labeled products. It is about knowing how to say better than others; for example, unusual use of color or photography.
Product category identification
The graphic design of the package has to make it clear what product it is. We need to differentiate ourselves from the competition. Playing with the patience of the consumer with a container that hides what it contains can make you lose a sale. Consumers have little time to decide; we must facilitate the task, not test them.
Give rise to expectations
The design must know how to convey pleasant experiences about the product because that is what buyers are currently looking for. It is what is known as experimental marketing, get the consumer to establish an emotional connection with the product and become part of his life.
Need to renew
Development of new products, extensions, complementary products and diversifications. There are many reasons why a company must deal with a label design, and there’s always a need for improvement or redesign. A clear example is in the label of the Campbell brand soups – despite having a very well achieved visual identity, they were forced to adapt to the new consumption habits that tend to make consumer choice easier. To do this, a bowl of soup – the product – was placed on the label on the traditional packaging. It guided shoppers against the rest of the offer, thus increasing their sales.
ADVERTISING
In short, design changes are inevitable. If brands such as Coca-Cola, Gillette or Colgate have maintained their leadership for decades, it is because they have not rested on maintaining their modern and new image over the years.
THE DESIGN ELEMENTS
As noted by the designers, these are the aspects of graphic design that you can play with to attract the consumer.
BRANDING
The brand is one of the main graphic components. The better it appears, the greater the feeling of quality it will give to the product. It’s important to consider that if you market the brand internationally, its name and logo can cause problems due to cultural differences. Dove’s pigeon can cause conflicts in the Eastern countries since there is a funerary symbol there.
TYPOGRAPHY
The typography gives an impression and positions the product as functional, modern or classic. The types of straight lines offer tranquility, solidity and serenity, while some rounded shape letters give an image of instability, sweetness and energy. You should use it carefully not only for the brand’s name but also for other typographic elements, such as product descriptions.
INFORMATION
A great deal of information appears on the labels: brand, name, product variant, features. Offering it in a differentiating way that’s consistent with what you want to convey is the great challenge for the designers. The important thing is that the consumer can quickly recognize the most relevant information. Make sure you highlight the important things first.
LANGUAGE
If you work enough, it becomes a differentiating feature that shows how well you take care of the details. Besides, in the design strategies language is appealing to the client’s emotions. When we properly use it with the right typography and the right information, it plays a fundamental role.
Humor is also an original way of presenting your product.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Although this is usually the most common tip, some packaging and printing techniques do not allow the use of photographs. Therefore, illustrations are also used on other occasions. If it looks natural, some products can include a lithograph to indicate that it’s free from chemical additives.
WEIGHTS, MEASUREMENTS AND CODES
Weights and measures are mostly mandatory information that protects the rights of consumers. On the other hand, the barcode reader relies on adequate color contrasts between bars and spaces. Black, blue, green and brown (dark) are the most suitable for use on the bars; and white, yellow, orange and red (clear) for the spaces between them. Placing the barcode on the bottom of the package allows a better drag when passing through the scanner.
BACK
This aspect may seem minor, but the truth is that paying attention and not neglecting it goes a long way. It indicates that the manufacturer is proud of its product, and they consider the needs of the consumer. Above all, it facilitates the assimilation of information. Add value to the product. You can even use this space to tell a story.
PHOTOGRAPHS
They are very common in the label designs, especially in food products. Therefore, getting highlighted with this element can be difficult. In these cases, choosing an unusual combination between background and photography is a simple but effective way to differentiate yourself from others.
It gets content insight. Photographing the product, instead of resorting to a drawing or illustration, conveys to the consumer a greater sensation of taking home a natural food.
FINISHES AND EFFECTS
There are many alternatives: thermosensitive labels, which indicate the most optimal state of the product; hot stamping to achieve metallic effects; Invisible inks, which are visible only under ultraviolet light, or phosphorescent, for drinks and other items consumed in night environments. However, if abused, you might lose the ability to stand out.
SYMBOLS AND ICONS
Their main purpose is to transmit environmental information, suitability and warnings. They must be so obvious that they don’t need explanation – it must be clear what they mean at a glance. In many cases, they contribute to reinforce the instructions for use. Draw attention as the warning symbols on the possible risks should be the most striking and visible. It is there on aerosols to indicate that the product is flammable.
COLOR
It has a wide variety of uses. Colors can be used to define the identity of a brand visually. If you manage to associate your brand with a color, you have won 50% of the mind of the consumer. If that color does not have any competitor, then, you will be in the first position in that category of products. Here are some more tips to help you attract customers with labels.
Conclusion
The positioning on the shelves of the shops or the shape of the container influence the purchase decision. But the visual appearance of the packaged products, the color, the images or the words become a powerful weapon of sale.
