1. How to Make Your Product Packaging Stand Out

    In a crowded retail environment — whether physical or online — packaging is often the deciding factor between a sale and a pass. When a customer is choosing between two similar products, the one with more compelling packaging wins more often than not. Good packaging doesn't just protect what's inside; it sells it. In this guide, we share the most effective strategies for making your product packaging stand out.

    Understand Your Competitive Context

    Before you can stand out, you need to know what you're standing out from. Research how your competitors' packaging looks — on shelf, in product photographs and in unboxing content online. Identify the visual conventions of your product category and then make a deliberate choice: do you conform to those conventions (signalling that you belong in the category) or do you subvert them (signalling that you're different)?

    In most crowded categories, differentiation is the more powerful strategy. If every competitor uses dark, moody packaging, clean and bright packaging will stand out immediately. If the category default is busy and information-heavy, minimal and restrained packaging will feel premium and considered by comparison.

    Lead with a Strong Visual Identity

    Packaging that stands out starts with a strong brand identity — a distinctive logo, a clear colour palette and a consistent visual style that is immediately recognisable and differentiated from competitors. If your brand identity is generic or inconsistent, no amount of packaging design will compensate.

    Invest in your brand identity before investing in packaging. The two need to work together — your packaging is the most physical expression of your brand identity that a customer will encounter.

    Use Colour Strategically

    Colour is the fastest attention-grabbing tool in packaging design. Key strategies:

    • Own a colour — if you consistently use a distinctive colour across all your packaging and brand materials, that colour starts to become associated with your brand in the customer's mind. Think of the specific shade of orange associated with certain luxury brands — the colour itself becomes a brand asset
    • Contrast with the shelf — if your product will be displayed on a retail shelf alongside competitors, choose colours that contrast with the dominant colours in the category. A bright, clean colour in a category dominated by dark packaging will stand out immediately
    • Use colour consistently — across all your product range and packaging variants, maintain colour consistency so that your products are immediately recognisable as a family on the shelf

    Always design packaging in CMYK. See our guide: What is CMYK and Why Does it Matter?

    Invest in Premium Finishes

    The finish on your packaging communicates quality before the product is even opened. Premium finishing options that add significant perceived value include:

    • Matt lamination — a smooth, non-reflective surface that immediately signals premium quality. The default finish for luxury and premium product packaging
    • Spot UV — a raised, high-gloss coating on selected elements (logo, product name, decorative motif) against a matt base. Creates a visual and tactile contrast that is immediately compelling in the hand
    • Foil embellishment — metallic gold or silver foil on selected design elements. Communicates luxury and premium positioning instantly. Pairs particularly well with dark backgrounds and uncoated stock
    • Velvet lamination — an extraordinarily soft, tactile surface that makes packaging feel as premium as its contents

    Even a modest budget can accommodate one premium finish — and a single well-chosen finish can elevate packaging significantly beyond what the base cost would suggest.

    Typography as a Design Element

    Typography on packaging does more than communicate information — it contributes to the overall visual personality of the brand. A distinctive, well-chosen typeface used consistently across your packaging range becomes a brand asset in its own right. Key principles:

    • Choose fonts that reflect your brand personality — elegant serifs for premium and traditional brands, clean sans-serifs for modern and minimal brands, distinctive display fonts for creative and artisan brands
    • Use typography boldly — don't be afraid of large, confident type as a primary design element
    • Limit your font choices to two — one for display headings, one for body text and information. More than two looks unplanned

    See our typography guide: Typography and Fonts: Essential Tips for Effective Print Materials

    Consider the Unboxing Experience

    For products sold online or in premium retail, the unboxing experience has become a critical brand moment — and a significant source of user-generated content on social media. Packaging that creates a genuinely impressive unboxing experience gets shared, and sharing generates reach that paid advertising cannot buy.

    Think about:

    • The outer packaging — what does the customer see first when their order arrives? A branded outer box or mailer sets expectations immediately
    • The opening sequence — how does the packaging open? Is the experience intuitive and satisfying?
    • What's inside — tissue paper, inserts, swing tags and personalised notes all contribute to the overall impression
    • The reveal — the moment the product is first seen. Is it presented in a way that makes it feel special?

    Eco-Conscious Packaging

    For a growing number of consumers — particularly in Brighton & Hove's independent and environmentally aware market — sustainable packaging is not just a nice-to-have but an expectation. Consider:

    • FSC-certified paperboard for boxes and bags
    • Uncoated or recycled stock options
    • Minimising excess packaging material
    • Communicating your sustainability credentials on the packaging itself

    See our guides: Eco-Friendly Print Products for Businesses and Sustainable Print Options for Businesses

    Packaging Products at Dipol Print

    Dipol Print produces a full range of printed packaging products for product businesses across Brighton & Hove and the wider UK:

    Collect from our print shop at 97 St James's Street, Brighton BN2 1TP or order online for UK-wide delivery. Need advice on packaging design or finishing options? Get in touch with our team.