When the United States Postal Service creates content that addresses packaging design, we can’t help but take notice and peruse it immediately. This was the case this week and what we found was this:
UNWRAPPING PRODUCT PACKAGING DESIGN: 3 BIG TRENDS IN 2016
Now mind you, we were pretty psyched to see that the USPS was shining its light on Packaging Design. But as we began reading we became a little disappointed – it was reading fluffy, simplistic and seemingly targeted at having to explain Packaging Design to someone coming out of the jungle after 100 years.
For instance in the 2nd paragraph we learn that the author has identified the “unboxing” experience as being something new from a Top Trends perspective. Well not for nothing, we were working on “out of box” experiences in 1996. As a matter of context, about that time Apple set the bar and redefined what that experience could deliver, so there isn’t much news there…
Further identifying “Geometry” as taking center stage, this USPS article identifies “sparse graphics and bare-bones branding” as current trends. And on it goes.
Now we are not hating on the USPS, but as promised in website copy we were expecting expert business knowledge and insights. Honestly, we were not expecting a rehash of a Dieline article.
Now in terms of what we have seen in Packaging Design for 2016, we might offer up some observations from our own studio during 2016.
1 – Structure – clients are newly interested in structures for contender brands: containers and merchandising.
2 – Simplifying of on pack message and graphic presentation – less is more, with the shelves being so cluttered.
3 – Bigger branding elements – brand is more important than ever.
4 – Heritage – for the past few seasons “retro/heritage” inspired graphic presentations have been in favor.
5 – Environmental sensitivity – in packaging substrates and product formulation.
But trends are not something we can afford to pay much mind. Consumer tastes ebb and flow in unpredictable directions and as Packaging Designers, we can’t afford to chase trends, the cost is too high – but we do need to be on top of, and in tune with fashion and style tastes.
What we do at The Biondo Group is translate marketing and communications objectives into visually relevant solutions that work for our client’s brands at POS.
Now – that’s something that is ALWAYS on trend and in fashion!
-sb