Packaging design can make or break a new beverage. Not only does good packaging impact how your drink looks on the shelf, but it can also be key to the functionality of your drink. Certain labelling may also be essential to satisfy customers and even avoid accidents and lawsuits. Below are 5 examples of mistakes to avoid that will help your beverage to be a success.
Mistake #1: Selecting the wrong material
The most fundamental thing to consider is the material. Get this wrong and you’ll fail to capture the right market, plus it may negatively affect the quality of your product. There are four main options for drink packaging with each have their pros and cons:
- Plastic: Plastic bottles are ideal for cheap drinks as they cost very little to mass produce. They’re also light and robust, making them good options for kids’ drinks or sports drinks. However, if eco-friendliness is important to your brand, you may want to avoid plastic.
- Glass: Glass bottles are an excellent choice for premium drinks. It’s the best material for preserving taste and it’s sustainable. As it can break easily, it is not recommended for beverages that are consumed on the go.
- Aluminium: Aluminium is lightweight and recyclable and used for many types of drinks from beer to soda. Cans can provide a more durable alternative to glass bottles, but can give some drinks a metallic taste, making them less popular for premium drinks.
- Cardboard: Cardboard cartons are a cheap, green, lightweight solution. They are typically reserved for inexpensive non-carbonated drinks. Due to high risk of damage, they are less suitable for premium drinks.
Mistake #2: Using unclear branding
A strong visual brand can help your drink to stand out. But it needs to clearly communicate what type of drink you’re selling.
Think carefully about your brand color scheme and logo. Certain colors are likely to be associated with certain flavors, while certain fonts may suggest a certain type of audience. For example, don’t use orange coloring for an apple-flavored drink, or formal serif fonts for a child’s drink.
Pay close attention to the name of your drink. The logo should be striking but also legible – if you choose something too unusual, it might be hard to read and consumers may not order it or remember it because they don’t know what it is called.
Mistake #3: Getting the shape wrong
A growing number of beverage companies are starting to use quirkier bottle shapes to grab the attention of customers. It’s an effective marketing trick, but it may not always be appropriate for some drinks.
For example, certain shapes could make packing or stacking your drink harder, limiting the amount of drinks you can shift in bulk. Bottles that consumers will drink straight out of also need to be ergonomically designed so that they can be easily held and sipped. Consequently, unusual shapes are typically best reserved for premium drinks that can be sold profitably in smaller cases and that are designed to be poured into other containers for drinking.
Consider the fact that certain materials may be better suited to certain shapes. Plastic is generally the easiest and cheapest material to form into various shapes, while cardboard cartons are very limited in form.
Mistake #4: Forgetting important safety labelling
Certain safety information must be labelled on drinks by law. Beverages that do not print these labels on the packaging can be heavily fined and have their product recalled.
A few examples of information that must be printed on drinks includes:
- Alcohol volume: All alcoholic drinks must clearly state the alcohol volume so that consumers know how much alcohol they are consuming.
- Allergen warnings: If a drink contains common allergens like sulfates or gluten, this must be included on the packaging.
- Expiry dates: A used-by date is required on most forms of drink packaging.
The type of information required on drinks labels can vary by country, which is something to consider if you are planning on selling your beverage overseas – make sure it always complies with local packaging laws.
Mistake #5: Not providing clear instructions
You might not think people need instructions to use your drink, but there are certain instances when serving and storage instructions could be vital for flavor and correct consumption.
Examples include instructing consumers to ‘shake well’ before opening or to ‘mix with hot water’. Certain drinks containers may also need to be stored a certain way or in a certain temperature to prevent sediment or spoilage. Even if it seems obvious, such instructions could still be important for countering complaints and lawsuits.
