Label design is a product’s label that has a narrative woven from colors, shapes, textures, imagery, and text. It’s a story that can captivate and intrigue potential buyers while expressing the essence of a brand. The goal of label design is to engage your audience in the design and buy the product!
How to create a great label? These Five Steps will lead you to an impactful label design.
- Stage 1: Brief Overview: Start by discussing and communicating all the details in a project brief. From your brand’s mission to its target audience, every piece of information is vital to ensure the design is focused. Take notes, ask questions, and ensure you’re on the same page before diving in the project!
- Stage 2: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, and MORE RESEARCH: Time to fuel your creative engine, be it through online resources, books, a conversation, or even taking time away from your desk and going on a walk to let your mind think. Explore the company’s history, study similar products, and gather ideas that will set your label apart. While you are gathering data, it is great to store in a folder, journal, bookmark, or create a pinterest board.
- Stage 3: Mood Board: Picture this as your visual brainstorming session. Compile a vibrant mood board showcasing colors, fonts, and imagery that resonate with the brand’s identity. This handy tool ensures your vision is aligned with key stakeholders before you begin the sketches and designs.
- Stage 4: Sketching and Designing: Let the magic begin! Whether you prefer traditional sketching or starting the design on the computer, it is up to how you work. Bring your ideas to life, experimenting with various designs until you feel you captured all goals. Remember, quality over quantity – aim for a handful of standout options to present (two to five).
- Stage 5: Editing and Approval: The finishing touches are within reach! Once you’ve narrowed down your design, polish it to perfection. Make sure they’re print-ready and reflect the brand’s identity flawlessly. Don’t shy away from revisions, but keep the brief and the mood board close at hand to steer the process back on track if needed.
And there you have it – your guide to crafting exceptional labels that not only captivate but also resonate with consumers. Embrace the journey and enjoy the process!
What are some challenges in label design?
When having a clear direction, solid brief, and strong visual moodboard, the challenges to label design can be slim. But a few challenges can affect the creative process and can cause constant revisions such as forcing an idea, outside input and abundance of alternatives. Below, let’s discuss each and the best way to solve it.
Rushing Ideas: When deadlines loom, sometimes settling for the best available option is necessary. However, when time permits, great ideas require patience. If you find yourself struggling to finalize details like font choice or understanding the brand for unique concepts, it’s wise to step away from the project and give your mind a break. Whether it’s a few hours, a couple of days, or even a week, allowing yourself time to rest can work wonders. A break refreshes your perspective and rejuvenates creativity. Returning with a clear mind fosters clearer thinking and quicker problem-solving, ultimately leading to better results.
Limiting Input: When crafting and sharing your label designs, it’s beneficial to seek feedback from those familiar with the project and its goals. Soliciting opinions from outsiders may lead to unnecessary input, potentially causing confusion and frustration due to their lack of project context. Consider involving external parties only when you’ve narrowed down your options to two or three solid designs, and ensure they understand the project details to provide constructive feedback akin to that of the client.
Abundance of Alternatives: Ever heard the saying ‘less is more’? Well, it holds true when it comes to presenting label design options. Providing more than five designs overwhelms options, turning the process from solution-oriented to idea generating. This often leads to excessive revisions and can create inefficiencies in the design process.
The team with CONRIC pr+marketing have years of experience designing and launching products to market. Let our team put our experience to work for you!
