Putting together a creative brief for packaging design is a crucial first step in ensuring your product’s packaging not only looks great but also functions well and aligns with your brand’s goals. Packaging is likely the first thing your customers will see or interact with when they purchase your product and making a positive first impression is essential. Effective packaging design makes your product competitive in the marketplace, keeps customers engaged, and communicates your brand’s message. To develop packaging that delivers on these needs, you’ll need to work closely with manufacturers and designers. This is where a packaging design brief comes in.
A packaging brief is essentially a set of instructions you need to provide manufacturers and designers with to communicate key aspects of the project like a product overview, brand identity, design requirements, and other practical considerations. A well-crafted packaging brief ensures that you, the designer, and the manufacturer are aligned on a vision for the design, ideally reducing design changes and production delays.
How to Write a Design Brief for Product Packaging
As you start to develop a custom packaging design brief, aim for a balance between details and brevity. Provide all necessary information clearly and concisely to help the designer understand your vision without overwhelming them. It’s also important to state not only what you want the packaging design to look like and achieve but also what you don’t want. Being precise is critical for the designer and their ability to meet your expectations effectively and efficiently.
Project Overview
The first step in writing a packaging brief is to outline the main objective of your project. Think about why this packaging design is fundamental to your brand’s growth. Explain how the packaging design and functionality should contribute to those goals. This should be accompanied by background information, such as how long you’ve been in business, where you are located and sell your product, and any other vital elements in your brand’s story or history that will help the designer and manufacturer understand your brand’s journey. During this stage, you should also clarify if you are launching a brand-new product or if you are redesigning packaging for an existing product.
Brand Overview
In this section, dive into the particulars of the brand your product will launch under, such as brand name, story, and ongoing marketing initiatives. Your unique value proposition (UVP) should be outlined here. Will this product offer competitive pricing, sustainability, or an innovative solution to a common problem? Whatever makes your product stand out must be made very clear to designers, as these factors will also become synonymous with your brand. Your packaging should also reflect the brand’s broader narrative, so explain how this packaging fits into the overall brand strategy. Think about the message the packaging should convey, the appeal it should have with target audiences, and if there is a specific story or mission to share.
Target Audience and Market
Next, include a section dedicated to describing your ideal customer along with what they like, dislike, value, and prefer. The designer and manufacturer need to understand your target audience as well as you do for their design to resonate with shoppers. Additionally, use this part of the brief to discuss how you want to appeal to customers through the packaging design. Does the design need to be sleek and modern for sophisticated, stylish audiences or more fun and approachable for family-friendly appeal? Use descriptive words that align with your target audience when writing this section.
Product-Specific Information
Designers and manufacturers also require high-level knowledge of the product itself and how it complements the brand. Aside from dimensions and sizing, think about the logistical specifics that must be accounted for, such as shipping and shelf display. Packaging needs to be both durable and visually appealing, so these details are key. If the product in question already exists, use this section to address current packaging issues that need to be resolved. For example, a product’s current packaging might be too prone to damage during shipping and handling, poorly printed, or too expensive to manufacture.
Design Specifications
This section should be the most technical and precise part of the brief. Discuss all elements you envision for your packaging, such as:
- Materials: Do you have a specific type of paperboard in mind or a preferred folding carton style?
- Typography: What fonts does your brand use?
- Color palette: What are your brand colors and how can they evoke emotions in your customers?
- Graphics and imagery: Are there specific graphics, icons, illustrations, or patterns that will convey your product’s value?
- Finishes: Do you want to include any special finishes like embossing or hot stamping?
Competitor and Industry Research
Understanding what your competitors are doing with their packaging can provide valuable insight for your own project. Include examples of competitor packaging that you like and note what works well for them as well as what could be improved upon. Be clear about how you want to differentiate your packaging from theirs.
Deliverables
Specify how many design concepts you’d like the design to create for you to review. Be clear about what you need back from the designer, such as 3D mockups, print-ready files, or physical samples.
Timeline and Budget
Establish desired timelines, such as the submission deadline for initial concepts, revisions, and final delivery. This is also where other constraints like budget should be discussed. This will help the designer and manufacturer manage expectations from the start.