Initial impressions matter. How many times have you been in a store and picked up a box based on the packaging? Maybe it was colorful or had an interesting diecut, foil, or coating. Whatever caught your eye can help influence your buying pattern. Let’s take a look at some common household products and our initial impressions.
Wool dryer balls
This lock-bottom package was 9” x 3” x 3” with a 1.75” circle diecut so the consumer can see and touch the dryer ball. The package was 16 pt. cover and printed with large solids of earthy green inks and just the right amount of text to explain the product and its features. They also used a dull coating which fits right in with the understated product. The real star of the show was the diecut access to the product. This was the first time I ever bought dryer balls so being able to see it and touch it was helpful. They look and feel like a white tennis ball.
Toothpaste
Most of us are familiar with Crest toothpaste and its blue, red, and white logo and packaging. This straight tuck folding carton is 8.75” x 2” x 1 5/8”. Pretty straightforward packaging – printed in full color with heavy doses of Crest blue and red along with a gloss coating. Most of the toothpaste companies on the shelf are very well-known so most consumers purchase based on their favorite brand or flavor or specialty type (i.e. cavity protection, sensitive gums, dentist recommendation, etc.).
Pump hand soap
Dial is a manufacturer of body wash, hand soap, and bar soaps. I happen to like their foaming pump hand soap. The straight tuck carton is 7.25” x 3.25” x 1 7/8”. The printing was in full color and included quite a bit of text including the benefits (free from various chemicals, soap kills more bacteria than other soaps, hypoallergenic and antibacterial), hand-washing instructions, and ingredients and warnings. What made me buy this product was the three diecuts – one on the front and one on each side, so I could see exactly what was in the box. Being able to see the product can have a huge impact on buyer’s likelihood to purchase a product.
Contact lens solution
Bausch & Lomb is a leader in contact lens products. This box, an every-day contact lens cleaner is a straight tuck box and is 6.5” x 5” x 2 3/8”. The box was printed full color and instead of a loose paper insert with directions, etc., Bausch & Lomb printed on the inside of the carton. There were instructions on the side flaps to look inside for more information and a image of a pair of scissors and the words “Cut Here” to show the consumer they need to cut the box open to see the additional information. The box was large and substantial enough to fit two bottles of contact lens solution. What I liked about the folding carton was they embossed the large bottle on the front of the box and also used a spot gloss uv there and on a few other places on the box. It made it really stand out.
Air freshener
I recently bought some Renuzit air fresheners. The 9” x 3” x 3.5” box was very colorful and included a diecut for each of the three bottles. The diecut helped keep each bottle in place and there were perforations around the rim of each bottle so the user could pull out each bottle. The other unusual feature was a score on each side of the carton to help “bow” out the carton as the air freshener bottles are tear dropped shaped. The carton was very functional and aided in the transportation of these unusually shaped products. The box was specifically designed for shipping and stacking on a shelf.
Bar soap
The scented soap box from Australia was actually a piece of art from an Australian artist. The 4” x 2.5” x 1 3/8” straight tuck carton had his design printed on it and the box told a bit about him. The box is so colorful and the design is gorgeous. They also used gold foil in two places: on the front to tell the type of scented soap and on the side was the artist’s name. The soap was heavy – so box was sturdy. Great job at making a bar of soap such a pleasant buying experience. I would keep the box just for the art.
Creating Custom Packaging with Ritter’s Printing & Packaging
Each brand is responsible for finding ways to sell their product to clients and of course, some do it better than others. Whether it is making the package with a special diecut or adding foil or specialty artwork, companies should do all they can to make their packaging as appealing to consumers as possible.
At Ritter’s Printing & Packaging, we excel in the art of creating highly impactful custom packaging designs. For additional information on our full range of services give us a call at 954-771-7204 or complete our online contact form and provide us with details on how we can partner with you on your next project.
