2020 brought with it many new packaging design trends but here are 8 of the most popular.
1. Subscription-Influenced Packaging
The Dollar Shave Club has been around a while, but new subscription services are popping up all the time. From the “Bagel of The Month Club” to the “Dive Bar Shirt Club”, there’s something for everyone. For these businesses, the delivery experience is the most important interaction with their customer. The unboxing experience has to strengthen subscriber’s bond with their brand.
2. Packaging with Tech
It seems technology is everywhere these days and packaging is no exception. Interactive games, QR codes, social media tie-ins and other augmented experiences have all been used on packaging. This trend elevates the package to more than just a container and provides a branded experience.
3. Minimalism
As the saying goes, “less is more” and a minimalist design allows you to draw attention to those elements that are important. This approach is most popular with natural products such as Target’s Good & Gather brand. This trend will continue to thrive in many areas of packaging design in 2020.
4. Eco-friendly Packaging
Half of the plastic produced every year (150 million tons out of 300 million tons) is disposable plastic. The public is now fully aware how bad packaging is for the environment. Sustainable packaging will continue to be a huge trend as more non-plastic packaging alternatives become available.
5. Use of Bold Patterns
In response to minimalist packaging, some brands are opting for a bolder approach by using intricate detailing on their packaging. This won’t work for every brand but if yours is strong, using strong patterns just might work. Repeating patterns using a color scheme usually works best.
6. Luxury Packaging
Consumers will always be distracted by packaging that looks expensive and this trend isn’t going away any time soon. With everything that’s going on in the world today, people are looking for a distraction. Luxurious textures, metallic lettering and graphics, holographic foil elements all contribute to luxurious design styles.
7. Flat Illustration
Apple introduced their flat icons in 2013 and the trend never stopped. In keeping with the minimalist trend, flat illustration can be adapted successfully to represent many unique brands. It’s also relatively easy to print on a wide range of packaging mediums.
8. Transparent Packaging
By “transparent” here we don’t mean “full disclosure” but rather packaging that is literally transparent so that you can see the actual product on the inside. This is achieved by deliberately leaving portions of the product revealed or using physical cut-outs that show a product’s texture. These days, authenticity is everything and many brands are embracing transparency.
How many of these trends could you see incorporating into your package design? As tempting as it might seem, remember that the most important purpose of packaging is to communicate your marketing message and differentiate yourself from the competition. Please contact us for any of your packaging research needs.
Related Articles
Packaging Trends for 2019
The Power of Packaging
