From Concept to Creation: Inside the Mind of a Packaging Designer

Packaging design is a crucial element of any product’s success. It’s the first impression customers have of a product, and it plays a huge role in shaping their perceptions of your brand.
But what goes into the process of creating packaging that stands out? How do packaging designers balance creativity with functionality while meeting the needs of both the business and the consumer?
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the mind of a packaging designer and explore the entire process—from the initial concept to the finished product.
By understanding the steps, challenges, and creative decisions involved in packaging design, you’ll gain insight into how to develop packaging that elevates your brand and resonates with your customers.
1. Understanding the Product and Brand Identity
The first step in creating effective packaging is gaining a deep understanding of the product and the brand behind it.
This isn’t just about knowing what the product does, but also about understanding the story behind the brand, its values, and how it wants to be perceived by consumers.
For packaging designers:
This means working closely with the business to grasp the target audience and identify key selling points that need to be highlighted.
For instance, a small business selling eco-friendly snacks may want packaging that emphasizes sustainability, while a luxury skincare brand may require a more premium, elegant design.
At this stage, designers often create mood boards and conduct research to gather inspiration and identify the colors, typography, and visual elements that will best represent the brand’s personality.
2. Brainstorming and Sketching Initial Concepts
Once the designer has a strong understanding of the product and brand, the brainstorming phase begins. This is where creativity truly takes flight. Designers will sketch multiple concepts, often exploring different shapes, materials, and visual styles that can complement the product’s identity.
It’s not unusual for a designer to start with a rough sketch on paper or a digital drawing before refining it further.
The idea is to explore various options and visualize how the design will work in practice. This is where you start to see how design elements like color palettes, fonts, and images come together to form a cohesive look.
Additionally, designers need to think about the functionality of the packaging.
- Is the product easy to access?
- Does the packaging protect the contents well?
For example, when designing custom jerky bags, the designer has to balance aesthetics with durability to ensure that the packaging not only looks good but also keeps the jerky fresh and protected.
3. Considering Materials and Sustainability
Packaging design isn’t just about what it looks like—it’s also about what it’s made of.
Designers must consider the material of the packaging carefully to ensure it aligns with the product’s positioning, protects the contents, and is cost-effective.
For example, if you’re packaging products like jerky, you’ll need materials that ensure the food remains fresh and sealed, such as moisture-resistant options.
A packaging designer might choose from a variety of materials like plastic, foil, or paper-based products depending on the specific needs.
Furthermore, sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers.
Many businesses are shifting towards eco-friendly materials to appeal to environmentally conscious buyers. Designers often have to find a balance between practicality and sustainability when selecting materials for packaging.
This could involve opting for recyclable options or biodegradable packaging solutions.
For instance, when designing packaging for snack brands, many designers use lay flat pouches that provide excellent sealing while being easy to store and transport. These pouches are also available in eco-friendly materials, ensuring that your brand is aligned with sustainability efforts.
4. Developing the Design
Once the concept is solidified, the designer starts to work on the actual design.
This includes fine-tuning all the visual elements, such as colors, typography, images, and logos. At this stage, the designer might work with graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to bring their sketches to life.
Packaging design is often a collaborative process, where feedback is exchanged between the designer, the brand, and sometimes even customers.
The designer will make adjustments based on input, refining elements like the placement of text or ensuring that the design scales well across different product sizes.
Another important factor to consider is how the design translates across multiple touchpoints.
- Will it look as good on an online product page as it does in physical stores?
- Does the design maintain its impact when viewed from different angles or distances?
5. Prototype and Testing
Before finalizing the design, it’s essential to test how the packaging will perform in the real world.
This often involves creating a prototype or sample that gives the brand a tangible look at how the packaging will function in practice.
Prototypes are tested for durability, ease of use, and visual appeal. In some cases, the designer may need to make revisions based on how the prototype performs.
For example, the packaging may need to be adjusted to ensure that it holds up during shipping or remains sealed properly.
Testing the design also includes gathering feedback from potential customers to assess its effectiveness.
This can be done through focus groups, surveys, or even A/B testing with online ads to determine which design resonates most with the target audience.
6. Finalizing the Packaging for Production
Once the design is tested and approved, the final step is preparing the packaging for production.
The designer will work with manufacturers to ensure that all design files are correctly formatted and that production runs smoothly.
This is also the time to finalize the choice of materials, colors, and finishes to ensure that everything meets the brand’s quality standards.
At this point, the packaging design is handed off to production teams, who will print and assemble the packaging according to the specifications.
Depending on the type of product, this could involve a variety of production techniques, such as flexographic printing, digital printing, or embossing.
7. Launch and Evaluation
Once the packaging hits the shelves, the work isn’t over.
Designers, along with the brand, must continue to evaluate how the packaging is performing in the market.
- Are customers responding to the design?
- Does the packaging enhance the overall customer experience?
Feedback is essential in this phase to determine whether the design meets the brand’s goals and customer expectations.
If necessary, the packaging can be adjusted for future runs to ensure continuous improvement.
Conclusion
The journey from concept to creation in packaging design is a blend of creativity, technical knowledge, and strategic thinking.
As a small business or entrepreneur, understanding this process can help you make more informed decisions when creating packaging for your products.
Whether you’re designing for various jerky packaging, snacks, or beauty products, working with a packaging designer who understands both aesthetics and functionality can help bring your vision to life and create an impactful, memorable product.
By following these steps, your packaging can make a strong impression on your target audience and help differentiate your brand in a competitive marketplace.