While the packaging may often get overlooked in the production process, it’s a very important role within a company or organization. A package designer needs to be able to have the education, experience, and skills to create product packaging that makes a product look attractive to customers, be safe and cost-effective and, in many cases, environmentally friendly as well.
Package designers should be very skilled at thinking of product packaging from several aspects and be able to create a packaging solution that helps to sell more of the product in the end. Not only do packaging designers need to have great design skills, but they also have to be good listeners and collaborate with multiple stakeholders both within an organization and outside of it to meet branding, business, budget, time and safety requirements.
What does a Packaging Designer do, typically?
Package designers need to possess a range of skills, including knowledge of industry-standard software programs and they would ideally have a bachelor’s degree in industrial design or related field. Their daily responsibilities can include:
- Possessing strong interpersonal skills in order to work effectively with accountants and other business employees to create cost-effective packaging solutions
- Collaborating with marketing team members and designers to ensure packaging meets branding goals
- Analyzing market trends, customer needs and product details to conceptualize effective package designs
- Meeting with suppliers and consumer groups to come up with ideas
- Working with engineers, safety groups and accountants to create with packaging prototypes
- Assessing industry standards and requirements to create designs
- Using software and design programs such as Adobe Creative Suite, 3D software programs and photography to bring packaging concepts to life
Common misconceptions about Packaging Designers
Packaging design is not a role to be taken lightly, as there are many facets to it. A package designer needs to create a package for a product that catches the eye, is on-brand, safe for consumers, meets any kind of regulation and does not exceed the organization’s budget. This means the package designer is doing a whole lot more than just designing; they need to be highly collaborative people who understand not just design, but the business, accounting, and health and safety side of things as well.
Important metrics for a Packaging Designer
1. Conversion rate/sales
A package ultimately should compel someone to buy the product, so measuring the purchase rate for a product is essential in knowing the success of package design.
2. Number of revisions
Often with package design, designers will have to go back to the drawing board at some point in the process, but the more a package designer can be informed upfront, the less they may have to re-do designs.
3. ROI
The return the organization gets versus the money and time spent on creating and producing the packaging for a product.
