by T. GISKI

Created on: March 09, 2009

Is there such a thing as love at first sight? I'd say that packaging and creative directors know that there definitely is some truth to this notion. The most successful companies don't just put a cover on their products. They dress them up, they package them to convey an feeling, a sense, and an appeal to consumers who may (or may not!) be in need of the product they are peddling.

Package design is as much a science as an art form. Colors, sizes, and even shapes can have a positive or negative impression on the consumers. Whether we realize it, or it is purely a subliminal, sub-conscious decision, all consumers have at one time or another picked a particular product over another because of the way it looked.

Colors and shapes as well as ease-of-use of the package have immediate impacts in the consumers psyche. Particular colors convey very particular messages. A few very simplistic example of this is the color pink which tends to convey a sense of femininity over masculinity, or the color sky blue which happens to create a sense of peacefulness or tranquility.

In a world filled with consumer materials, and an endless variety of very competitive products, packaging could be the edge that sets one product apart from another. Even if the products in comparison are virtually the same, having the same ingredients, the same benefits, or even the same manufacturer, the product packaged to look prettier, more appealing, more genuine, or perhaps more professional will often win out.

Choosing a package on design alone, while not always the best choice, is sometimes the only thing we consumers have to go on when it comes to picking a single product in a sea of similar goods. Don't believe this is true? Look around your home at the products you purchase. Compare them with other products that are of similar quality or value. What sets them apart? Is it perhaps the sub-conscious attraction to the packaging? Another experiment: Walk down the shampoo aisle at your supermarket. All of the products essentially do the same thing (clean your hair), and yet, some products readily stand out from others because the design style or the color naturally appeal to your aesthetic sense. If you consider yourself young and hip, perhaps the brightly colored bottles are attractive. A professional may perhaps choose a classic "clean" and thoughtfully designed bottle in a subtle color.

While there are standard "rules" about certain colors and packaging designs, no one design in particular can appeal to absolutely every person. A box is a box is a box, but country cousin might be attracted to the box with package art that is a little more folksy, whereas city mouse might like contemporary stylings. Women and men will be attracted by different things, and young and old populations will prefer different looks as well. Because of this, marketing departments and packaging experts try to best reach the specific audience they are trying to attract with the colors and styles they choose to display on their products. They do so by researching and analyzing their specific audience's preferences, like, dislikes and tendencies to make the most appropriate decisions for their package design.

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