Author Archives: James Lowry

Nowadays, many Americans are pushing brands to think of the environment, both in the creation of their products and packaging. However, this isn’t a concern globally, which may give brands more leeway as they produce their goods.

For example, many foreign countries prefer metal packaging, which is driving investments in metal industries. Recent innovations in the production of metal are key factors, which with brands in the food, personal care, beverage and healthcare industries using the material for their product packaging.

As Packaging Digest notes, metal containers offer a variety of unique features, ranging from improved storage to low production costs. Moreover,… Read the rest of Packaging for a Global Audience

The old adage “a picture is worth 1,000 words” is only partly true.” In reality, it’s the colors that do the most talking when it comes to images, including label artwork. When consumers’ eyes dart across the various products situated on retail shelves, they aren’t going to be picking up minute details in pictures. A vibrant color, though, may very well catch their attention.

Because one set of colors may speak to one consumer demographic yet fall on the deaf ears of another one, product manufacturers should keep their… Read the rest of Do You Know Who Your Label Colors Are Talking to?

It seems like a no-brainer — if products could pose any danger to users, manufacturers should disclose this information. It doesn’t matter of they make toys or dietary supplements, it’s vital that brands note any potential dangers.

Yet, for some reason many companies forget to do this and have to recall their products — or even worse, they get sued by their customers as a result. Either way, these simple mistakes can cost thousands or even millions of dollars, depending on the size of the company and the popularity of its products. Not to mention… Read the rest of Failing to Put Warning Labels on Products is Risky Business

Golf equipment is somewhat challenging to market. It’s difficult to differentiate brands from each other, as they appear to be offering the same products. Still, some manufactures have extremely loyal fan bases. The reason? They design labels and packages for specific customer groups.

As Packaging Design Magazine notes, golf brands make extensive use of ethnographic research to determine how different consumers interact with various types of products and packages. They study how specific customers react to packaging labels and then design packaging labels based on customer feedback.… Read the rest of How Manufacturers Can Hit a Hole in One by Studying Golf Brands

Many companies view labels as advertising tools — they help the brands encourage customers to choose their products over the competition. However, businesses that use labels solely for this purpose may be missing other opportunities as well.

Nowadays, new technology enables brands to leverage product labels in ways that engage consumers beyond first glance. For example, quick-response codes could be pasted on the front or reverse sides of labels to give consumers more information on products or special discounts.

Meanwhile, other brands have instituted reward or loyalty programs for collecting product labels, further encouraging customers to purchase their goods.

While the economy is slowly bouncing back, many businesses are being forced to cut costs wherever they can. This thrifty mindset extends to every business activity, ranging from marketing to actual production. Businesses looking to save on expensive graphic design costs may also consider leveraging design crowdsourcing websites such as MycroBurst and 99designs.

Let me be clear. When it comes to designing and creating new labels, hiring a local graphic designer is the best way to create high-quality label designs that match your packaging, products, and… Read the rest of How Design Crowdsourcing Websites Can Save You Money