Packaging Design: The Forgotten Marketing Medium

Consider for a moment, the packaging design of a ring box.

This traditional form of packaging creates the stage that presents the glorious product to the (hopeful) bride-to-be.

The design of the product box is simple - understated and inconspicuous.

But the packaging is also elegant, opulent and pleasing to the eye.

This is a perfect example of design and the medium of packaging working together to create an experience that enhances the product.

Packaging of the world is vast, dynamic and a very very creative medium. They can be simple mailing boxes, it can be a polymailer, mailer bag or it can be a tube, just like you see above.

Product boxes fulfil many roles like identification, protection, marketing and transportation. So with these many roles to fill, you can see how quickly and easily the topic gets complicated.  

In this article, you'll take a deep dive into the relationship between physical packaging and package design.

You'll also see:

• What is packaging design?
• How to pick the best packaging for your product
• How to design packaging for your brand
• Package box design inspiration

Let's clear up the definition, first.

What is packaging design?

Packaging design is the process of designing product packaging to securely contain, identify and deliver a product.

Whether it’s food boxes from McDonald’s, Apple's iPhone packaging, the box that your new fridge comes in, or even tea bags, just about every product in a store has packaging.

Most of it is good, some of it bad. 

Graphic designers, packaging engineers or just about anyone can design packaging, regardless of their skills or expertise.

Click here to see how to use Packhelp's online designer to design your packaging online

Designing packaging for goods and products

Designing packaging for products is a little more complicated than slapping a sticker on a cardboard box. First of all, you need to identify the packaging medium. 

Will it be a simple custom printed cardboard box, or will it be a high-end rigid box?

The medium of your packaging is very often overlooked.

Once you've decided on a material, consider the following:

• Graphic design and packaging
• Physical packaging design
• Marketing and design

Each one of these defines design in a different way.

Understanding these various points of views will also help you find the best packaging for the products you're selling. 

Graphic design and packaging

From a graphic designer’s point of view, design is how the brand's design is reflected in the product boxes.