What Are Product Boxes and How Can They Strengthen Your Brand

Last Updated on November 17, 2023 by Packoi Team

From the materials to the design and even the shape and size of the box, these should be well thought out because they make all the difference in your sales.

This isn’t just about creating beautiful packaging. It’s about having branded packaging that can solidify your winning position despite a competitive market.

In this article, you will learn how custom box designs for your products, in particular, can enhance your brand’s reputation in the market.

What Are Product Boxes?

The lamination of your product packaging provides extra protection for the box itself. It can protect the surface from scratches, scuffs, etc. Because of the lamination, it’s easier to clean up dirt and smudges that may end up on the box.

A product box is a type of branded packaging that’s used in business. As the name suggests, this is where you put your product. What happens after the product is put in the packaging will vary.

For most businesses, the packaging of their product will dictate the first impression that the customer will have of the brand. For e-commerce businesses, the packaging should protect the product while it is in transit. Then, it should provide the customer with a memorable unboxing experience.

When designing product packaging, you have to define its purpose first. It’ll help you choose the right elements that will complete your custom packaging.

Different Materials for Product Packaging Boxes

One of the things that you have to think about is the materials that you’ll use for your product box.

Should you use corrugated cardboard, kraft paper, metal, types of corrugated paper, or plastic material for the box? You must consider what your customers or online shoppers would expect from your brand.

You should also consider the type of custom boxes that you’ll use. You have shipping boxes, mailer boxes, product display boxes, etc. Which of these will you use to promote your brand and product?

Options to Create Sustainable Packaging

If you want your custom packaging to impress your customers, use eco-friendly materials. You’re not just doing the environment a favor.

Studies reveal that people are willing to support companies that practice sustainability.

If you show customers that you’re using sustainable packaging materials, they’ll be more inclined to choose your product. If they like the eco-friendly causes that you represent, that could encourage them to stay loyal to your brand.

4 Ways Your Product Packaging Can Improve Your Brand

Most people think that their product packaging is only meant to be functional. As long as it can protect and market the product properly, then it should be good enough.

But your packaging has a deeper role than that, specifically in brand positioning initiatives for your business. How you present your product in the box will play an important role in developing your brand’s reputation.

Here are four different ways that a proper packaging strategy can improve your brand.

1. Makes Your Brand Competitive

Branded packaging gives you a competitive edge. Imagine being in a sea of products on a display table or shelf.

If you use standard packaging, that won’t make your custom product box stand out. But if your brand is on that packaging, people will see the difference. They can pick you out among the rest.

You can combine your brand elements with different design strategies that are both intriguing and visually appealing. This will ensure that eyes will land on your product.

2. Defines Your Brand Identity

Think about Nike’s swoosh logo. You don’t have to see the brand name, but once you see that logo, you already know the brand behind it.

This is something you can do with product packaging. In packaging box design, use it to show the different elements that make up your brand’s identity.

In one package, create a monogram of your brand logo. If there’s a pattern that you want to be unique to your brand, use it regularly. The more you use it, the more it becomes associated with your brand’s identity.

That’s how you set up your packaging to increase brand recognition.

3. Tells Your Brand’s Story

If you want your customers to know your brand’s story, your packaging is the best way to make that happen.

Your branded packaging can show it through colors and artwork. Or you can put it as a comic strip. Use text to give a gist of how your brand came to be.

Narrating your story increases the chance of connecting with your customers. It makes the unboxing experience more memorable.

Through your story, you can help the customer take the first step towards stronger brand loyalty.

4. Promotes Your Brand’s Advocacies

Product box solutions can also be used to promote your brand’s advocacies.

For instance, you want to establish an eco-friendly reputation. You can do that by using recyclable materials. Or you can put short messages on the packaging to encourage your customers to practice sustainability.

You must realize that every little thing you put on your packaging means something. Make your product box send the right message to your customers so they know the advocacies you support.

If things go well, they might be encouraged to support the same causes as you do.

10 Tips to Create Custom Packaging that’ll Benefit Your Brand

Product box design is the key to establishing brand recognition. You want customers to look at your branded packaging and immediately know that it’s yours.

Once they recognize the brand, only two things can happen.

First, the customer will feel good about your brand because of a positive review or experience that they’ve had before.

Or, the customer can remember the bad experience that’ll make them turn away from your product.

Obviously, you want them to feel the former. If they remember the positive encounter with your brand, they’ll want to buy again. The right product packaging and labeling can promote your brand.

The question is, how can you custom box packaging that can make people feel positive about your brand?

Here are 10 tips you can follow.

1. Prioritize Product Protection

Although you’re designing your packaging to improve your brand, don’t forget that its main purpose is to protect your product.

Even if you give the customer the most impressive packaging design, it’s useless if they open it and see a broken product. That’s the worst customer experience.

Make sure your custom box is made of a strong material, similar to corrugated cardboard. There are many types of corrugated cardboard, you can choose the right one, which can protect the product well.

Ensure your packaging is equipped with the right fillers, like biodegradable bubble wrap or tissue paper, to protect the product.

Choose durable and sturdy materials to protect the box’s contents.

2. Add Enough Brand Elements

Your brand identity should be evident in your product packaging. You can do more than print the brand name and logo on the surface. You can customize different design elements and parts of the packaging.

You can create a customized tape or ribbon with your brand name. Or you can create a sticker with your brand logo.

These customizations can elevate the value of your brand – at least compared to brands that only use standard packaging.

3. Appeal to Your Target Market

Strengthening your brand requires you to appeal to customer preferences. They are the ones you have to impress. So if you want to create product packaging that will help build your brand, think about your target market.

What appeals to them? What will it take to give them a great unboxing experience?

The answer to these questions will help you identify the perfect box design and recyclable materials that you should use for the packaging of your product.

4. Align It with Your Marketing Strategy

Your product packaging is a marketing tool that can help you sell more. This is why it should be made a part of your marketing strategy.

If your game plan to reach customers is to position your brand as trustworthy, your packaging should be designed to win trust. Be transparent with the materials you use. Show details about the product on the packaging so your customers can make informed decisions about it.

Aligning your packaging with your marketing plans will help your business reach goals faster.

5. Create a Great Customer Experience

Your branded packaging is part of the overall customer experience. It’s vital to get your packaging right because it provides the first impression. It shapes the customer’s perception of your brand.

That means if you want them to have a great experience, you have to start by making your packaging impressive. Give customers the best unboxing experience.

The more impressive and memorable the experience, the more they’ll be willing to share your brand with others.

6. Make It Informative

Educating your customers is another goal that your product packaging should try to meet. Use the surface on your packaging to give customers the information they need before buying your product.

If customers are confident that they can make informed decisions about your product, they’ll start to feel a sense of loyalty toward your brand.

They know that they can trust you to give them the right information. They know that you care enough to make sure that your product can help them.

7. Use Clever and Innovative Ideas

There’s always something new when it comes to packaging trends. Creative shapes, innovative designs, and clever ideas heighten the customer’s experience as they open the box to reveal the product.

Do your research and see what your competitors are doing. Mix different ideas so you can come up with an excellent combination for your product.

The more unique the product packaging, the more people will be intrigued about it. The more it generates interest, the more they’ll talk about it.

That’s an effective way to increase the popularity of your brand.

8. Adhere to Industry Rules and Regulations

You can’t strengthen your brand if you don’t adhere to the rules and regulations in your industry. It’s not just about your products and business operations. Even your product packaging should show compliance with these rules.

For instance, if you’re selling food, your packaging should contain the nutritional value and the ingredients used.

Get to know what is required of your packaging so you can work on complete compliance.

9. Choose Eco-Friendly Materials

Sustainable packaging is a trend that’s here to stay. So if you want to impress your customers and build a good brand reputation, make your product packaging eco-friendly.

Use recycled materials. Choosing a design will encourage customers to recycle or reuse the packaging instead of throwing it away.

This will help reduce packaging waste and lessen the customer’s carbon footprint.

10. Consider the Delivery and Handling

This is mostly for e-commerce businesses. As you design your product packaging, consider the delivery and handling. It’s not about the shipping costs. It’s about making sure that your product gets to the customer in good condition.

Online shopping is very convenient, but it puts a lot of pressure on the packaging. It will reflect badly on your brand if you can’t even send a product without it getting damaged.

So make sure it’s built to impress the customers while protecting the product.

Choose shipping boxes that are sturdy enough to withstand the travel. Add cushioning materials to ensure that the product won’t get damaged along the way.

Choose Packoi for Your Product Box Design! You Will Have So Many Choices!

Creating branded packaging for your products is easy if you have a firm idea of what brand image you want to build. It’s just a matter of choosing the right design and materials to represent your brand’s vision.

If you want to brainstorm with an expert, Packoi Printing is ready to assist you. We have designers that can help you determine the possibilities you can use for your packaging.

Get in touch with us with your idea. We’ll get back to you with a quote.