You want your packaging to stand out when your product is in the store. If your product does not stand out among the many other items that are sitting on the store shelves your product will simply blend in. Make certain that your packaging has that certain pop that will attract the attention of the consumer when he’s walking through the store and will grab their attention. Being able to attract the attention of consumers so that they stop and look at your product will make it sell better.

You also need the packaging to be practical so that it makes the product easier to use. This rule deals with the physical appearance, shape and dimensions of the packaging. For example, when designing a packaging for a product that is used up a little at a time but still needs to be kept fresh as it’s being used, you might want to make certain that your packaging is re-sealable. Another way a package can be practical is to make certain that the packaging makes your product easy to carry and store when not in use. Many packages for products that are heavy do not take this into consideration. If your product is too hard to carry around then the consumer might choose another product simply because they install a pull out handle to make it easier to carry.

You want your packaging to be easy to understand, so the packaging must show two things. The consumer must easily be able to see what the brand name of the product is and it must show what the product actually is. The simple truth is, if you get too clever with your packaging the consumer might not know what it is that you’re trying to sell.

1. Use the canvas of the packaging to paint a picture. Use images and blurbs directly on your packaging that relate back to the story of your company. These images should walk customers through your origins and also entertain them while they use your product. No need for dense text and lengthy sentences when a picture can speak dozens of words.
2. Focus on any personal connections to your target consumer base. Is your company based on providing products for people who are just like you? Show your customers what you and your business have in common with them. It’s easy for consumers to forget that companies are run by people who often have the same past times, lifestyles, and values as they do.
3. Make the packaging an extension of your core values. If your business started creating products to promote environmental responsibility, create your packaging from sustainable materials. Put your foundation into the packaging to lend validity to your story and help cement the image for your business in the mind of the consumer.

Packaging should not only entice customers to purchase your product but also allow consumers to discover the story behind your business and the very things your company stands for through the tale unveiled in your packaging design.

Re-sealable Packages

The idea of having a package that is re-sealable for food products that need to be kept fresh was a brilliant concept when it was first created since it kept food fresh in its own packaging and people no longer had to worry about keeping food fresh once the package was open. It’s still a great option today, and people have realized that resealable doesn’t have to stick to the food market. It works well in a variety of other industries too.

Inverted Squeeze Bottles

The face of ketchup changed forever when Heinz introduced the inverted squeeze bottle in 2002, and they’ve never looked back. Many other industries, like the world of cosmetics, have since followed suit. Companies turn to this packaging style because it makes things far less annoying for consumers, a huge plus in packaging.

Cat Litter with Built In Handles

As any cat owner can tell you, a container of cat litter can be quite heavy since it’s often as heavy as 35 pounds.  This can make carrying a box of cat liter difficult so when the first cat liter container came out with a built in handle that made the container easier to carry, consumers rewarded those companies with their business.

Protective Seals

The idea of protective seals in packaging for food or medicine was a very effective packaging idea since it gave the public confidence in what they were buying.  Consumers now knew they could trust the product to be not tampered with and sales soon went up for those companies who used this packaging. It’s become regulation in some industries, and it’s just a good idea in many others.

Retro Packaging

Another effective packaging design look that has taken off is the retro look in packaging.  Often consumers want products that they perceive to be homemade or handcrafted.  This comes from their desire for freshness in food, trust in handcrafted products, or their belief that things used to be done better in the past. It’s a great way to promote your brand’s story, too!

Eco-friendly packaging is usually made from recycled materials, which are beneficial for the environment. It helps reduce the waste of natural resources and minimizes the negative impact your company has on the earth’s natural land. At Performance Packaging, our packaging envelopes and mailers have environmentally safe inks and some of our packaging options are recyclable.

Another benefit of eco-friendly packaging is the reduction of harmful plastic usage. Packaging with plastic materials contributes to global warming and other environmental concerns. This traditional packaging also contains petrochemicals which are linked to health problems when used with food. That’s why we supply eco-friendly packaging in order to reduce the dangerous use of traditional packaging.

The last benefit of eco-friendly packaging is their versatility. You can find uses for this packaging in many types of industries. You can use this packaging for baked goods, cosmetics or electronic devices. We at Performance Packaging have flexible packaging products for all of these various needs. Whether you are looking for plain LDPE bags or recyclable roll stock films, we have the capabilities to meet your needs.

Eco-friendly packaging is beneficial for the environment, versatile and safer than packaging with plastic materials. These benefits aids your company and its product. There’s no better place to look for this type of packaging than at Performance Packaging. Visit our website for more information on our services.

Could Spout Packages be right for your brand?

When you have your own product, you must have your own brand. One of the decisions company owners face regarding their products is packaging. We at Performance Packaging have various types of packaging materials which are custom converted to meet your needs. One of those types of packaging happens to be spout pouches. Could these packaging materials be right for your brand? Here are three benefits to choosing spout packaging for your company.

Spout packaging has become popular amongst brands selling liquid products such as beverages and syrups. This type of packaging are lighter and portable for people on the go. Performance Packaging has various options available to accommodate your spout packaging needs. Our pouches are available in many styles.

Spout packaging is also very eco-friendly. By using spout packaging for your liquid products, you will use approximately 60 percent less plastic than rigid plastic bottles. This packaging also produces less landfill waste and requires less energy to produce. Our pouches at Performance Packaging are available in many films including biodegradable to meet your eco-friendly requirements.

The last benefit to using spout packaging is it gives your brand a competitive advantage. In the business world, you will be faced with competition. Some of the ways spout packaging makes your brand competitive is it provides shelf impact, visibility, and a wide range of convenient features. At Performance Packaging, we have Three Side Seal Pouches, Stand Up Pouches, and Spout Pouches to give your brand a competitive edge.

If your company sells liquid products such as beverages and syrups, you might want to invest in spout packaging for your brand. They are lighter and portable for people who are always on the go. Performance Packaging projects are customized for you to meet all of your spout packaging needs. If you want Performance Package for all of your packaging needs, visit our website to fill out a contact form.

Should you consider Child-Proofed Packaging?

When you’re deciding on the type of packaging for your company, there are several details to consider. One of those details is whether or not it should be child-proof. This type of packaging usually comes with hard to open bottle tops which are formulated to be child-resistant. There are advantages and disadvantages to using this type of packaging for your company. In this article, we are going to weigh both sides of the coin.

Child-proof packaging is especially beneficial for aspirin pills and vitamins that are not to be used by children. By putting child-proof seals around pill bottle tops, this protects your medications and reduces the dangerous risk of a child consuming them. At Performance Packaging, we have safe flexible options within the health and beauty industry. We customize our packaging for your product for maximum impact.

While child-proof packaging does have its safety factors, it also has its disadvantages. Opening these packaging could be a difficult for adults as well. According to a report in the journal of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, up to 90 percent of adults struggle to open child-proof packaging. It could be that patients taking these pills lack the strength or dexterity to open them. That’s why you need Performance Packaging because our various packages are made with high quality materials and skilled craftsmanship. This makes our products easy to open.

In addition to these options, Performance Packaging also has SipP Cap. This consist of four strategically placed holes which acts as an active air passage for better infant and toddler safety. If one of these caps were to be swallowed by a child, they come with safe turbo arms designed for air flow from the child. These caps are normally used in Performance spout packaging.

Should you use child-proof packaging for your company? It depends on what type of products you are selling. They have their disadvantages, but their benefits certainly outweigh the negatives. For your child-proof packaging needs, visit Performance Packaging website for more information.

– See more at: http://test.maxaudience.com/pplv/how-eco-friendly-packaging-could-help-your-company/#sthash.TBtJU5hh.dpuf

The food retail market is swamped with competition these days.  It’s harder than ever before to be found among the masses of new foods, beverages, and snacks.  However, through proper cooperation with your packaging manufacturers, you can get the look that is sure to capture the attention of buyers.

This isn’t a place to skimp, however.  After putting ample amount of time, effort, and capital into the product, too many companies make the mistake of trying to get away with cheap food product packaging.  If the package is what the consumer sees first, and uses as a primary way to judge the worth of your product, then your product is no better than the package that contains it.  Therefore, cheap plastic pouches, in the consumers’ eyes, likely translates to a cheap, unworthy food within.

That isn’t to say that you can’t get great packaging without breaking the bank.  It simply means that you should be prepared to invest properly in your packaging designers and the pouch packaging that will make your product look as great as it is.

The trouble, especially in this day and age, is that the marketing experts become overly concerned with digital advertising, and therefore throw a huge portion of their marketing budget at it.  That means there is less to spend on proper packaging of the food or beverage.  Yet, even the best advertising isn’t going to sell a product that doesn’t appeal to the consumer.

So, remember, as you lay out the new marketing plan, 65% of customers admit that they have tried a new food or beverage just because of the packaging.

The jars, of course, are eco-friendly, and there is an element of tradition tied to them that cannot be attributed to stand up pouches, but there are also many disadvantages of buying food in glass jars.

1. They can break.
2. Self-feeding baby cannot handle the jar.
3. A spoon must be used to deliver food from jar (or plate) to mouth.

The plastic containers, developed by a packaging company, dealt with one of these issues.  No longer were the containers likely to break, but the snap lids could also pop off in a diaper bag, which would make for a tremendously large mess.  There was still the issue needing to bring a spoon along for feeding.

Pouch packaging answered all of the problems.  The packaging designers can create very kid-friendly design on the package, which can be easily handled by toddlers.  The spouts at the top allow for food to be consumed directly from the pouch, instead of relying on a spoon.  The flexible packaging is convenient for parents on the go, who may have to feed their kids in the car or in a stroller, due to busy schedules.  They aren’t breakable like the glass jars, the tops screw on an off, so there is less chance of spills in diaper bags, and they have a streamline design making them easy to stash in a small bag or purse.

21 Best Easy as 1-2-3 DIY Baby Food Recipes

1. Easy to Store We’ve mentioned in previous blog posts that stand up pouches are a perfect fit for stores seeking products that are easy to display. Streamline designs allow them to be easily stacked on small shelves, but the ability to include hanger holes also makes food bags accommodating to the store managers.
2. Lots of Space for Design Cardboard boxes are okay, because there are six sides that allow for design space, but they must be flipped to many different angles, in order for that content to be consumed. Cans and jars have notoriously small labels, which is often claimed, in large part, by the nutrition facts and other such material.  That leaves little room for designers to create eye appealing imagery.  Food packaging bags, though, can be completely covered with those creative designs.  There is plenty of space to be covered with imagery, and the bag doesn’t have to be twisted and turned in order for it all to be seen.
3. Customizable Even the shape, size, and special features of food pouches can be customized to best suit the product contained within.
4. Reseal Capabilities Most consumers love plastic pouches because they can be resealed, and that means that the food within stays good longer. It also means that the pouches can be carried in bags, purses or totes for snacks on the go, without concerns of spills.
5. Stand Up, No Spill Speaking of spills, the relatively new stand up pouches are even better because they can stand on a shelf, counter, or in the fridge without tipping over. It is convenient, but it also means less risk of unintentional spills.

If you are involved in the Dairy sector and you have tried out a new food product package this year, you may want to enter as well, but you don’t have much time left.  The last date to enter is May 20^th, 2016.  There is a link on the website for those who do want to make an entry (or two, or three).  You must select the category that you want to be considered for.  So, if you are in love with your new food pouches, then you should definitely consider entering for design.

In order to be accepted as an entrant, you must provide a 200 word description and explanation of why your product should win.  This should be accompanied by two high resolution photographs of your pouch packaging.  There is a fee to enter, but the exposure received as a result of entering the World Dairy Innovation Awards, an international event, is well worth the expense.

You can learn more about the event on Twitter, where FoodBev Awards (@FoodBevAwards) has been posting about the competition, including judge’s descriptions of what they are looking for from entries.  There is also a video for World Innovation Awards 2015 Competition here, in case you want to get a feel for what worked in the past.

Flexible packaging options make it much easier to be high creative with your packaging design these days.  This competition recognizes the potential, and includes two categories that focus on product packaging: “Best Dairy Packaging Design” and “Best Dairy Packaging Innovation”.  For your efforts, you may just be named a finalist, in which case you can expect to be featured at the main presentation given at the awards ceremony, including an image of your pouch packaging.  Even if you don’t win the grand prize, that exposure is worth a great deal.

However, it is important to remember that plastic pouches and flexible packaging is about more than recreating the look of the past.  The modern advancements have help to protect products during transportation, stocking, and while sitting on the grocery store shelves.

Combining the capability of new pouch packaging with the nostalgic images that attract the customer can result in the perfect equation, and ultimately in an increase in purchases. That is exactly why companies are willing to hire proven packaging designers, and why they will spend large sums on conducting consumer research to determine what look sells the best.

What the research is telling them, recently, is that many people are drawn to the looks of the past — the pictures that remind them of their childhoods, or of good days gone by.

It is understandable, the draw to the past, this love of nostalgic package printing.  Packaging is meant to do more than protect the product.  It is supposed to tell the consumer more about what is contained within.  Concerns over additives, hormones, artificial ingredients, and other such hot button terms are pushing consumers to seek healthier options.  Many associate all-natural products, safe choices with the past.  They look back to the simplicity and the home cooking of eras gone by, knowing that new advancements in food prep and storage has led to the inclusion of more preservatives and other artificial ingredients.  So that sense of nostalgia is about more than fond memories, it can also instill a sense of trust that consumers are actively seeking today.

Graphic design started in the book industry.  Illustrations, ornamentations, and page layout became an important part of appealing to the readers.  But, by the mid-1500s, names and designs were beginning to appear on food product packaging as well.

Today, consumers are more attuned to the look and function of packaging than ever before.  Some experts blame the technology age, and the ever improving look and function of high tech products.  Others believe it is in the interest of personal health and development that consumers look so closely at boxes, food pouches, and other packaging.  Whatever the reason, it is clear that the container must be as attractive as the food that it holds. The ironic part is that with the greater attention to package design, there is an equally great desire for simplicity.

It is said that the consumer can connect better with simple designs, in today’s society, because they associate the lack of flash and pizazz with a transparency on the part of the company.  In other words, a person may feel that they can better trust the brand that have simplistic food bags designs, that don’t overdo the use of color, text, and other visual elements.

It makes sense.  Social media and the internet have broken down the walls between manufacturer and customer.  Yet, they have also removed the personal aspect of shopping, so consumers are looking for companies that understand them, that take their desires into consideration, and who aren’t trying to hide from view.

In order to understand the consumer, you, representing your brand, must know who that person is.  That means defining a niche and working with packaging designers who know how to speak to that market segment.