How colors Affect Our Consumer Choices 

Colors play a huge part in the choices that consumers make, far more than you would think. Colors play a part in about 85% of the different reasons that push consumers to get products. Some researchers even found through a study at Delaware university that people actually associate colors directly with emotions. 

Colors and Communication 

Colors along with emotions leverage together in order to boost sales. 

The results of a test that was published by the College Student Journal showed the following connections between emotions and colors. Green was found to be associated with relaxation and calmness, blue with a watery, peaceful feeling, red with dominance and the feeling of love, yellow and orange with happiness, and finally black would signify power. 

In another study that was found, some even found that colors have keywords that work together, to create a unique connection in people. 

Those who looked at red had passion, anger and energy.  Those with yellow and orange were found to be happy, while blue and green were associated with relaxing, clear, calming and quiet colors. 

Some found black to be associated with death in a lot of cases. White, innocence and life in many instances, even euphoria as well.

Pink was associated with femininity by nearly ¾ of the participants that were pollened.  Purple, brown and gray offered a variety of different associations, many of which weren’t seen in a lot of cases as useful.

However, based on this, we surmised that yes when you design packaging, you must link these colors together, using the appropriate one to convey the correct reactions that are there, as there is a strong link between the colors and sensations aroused from this. 

So that you can boost sales and send messages to these customers, you want to make sure that these c companies which are high-performing are able to achieve effectiveness, along with efficient methods of communication for a person to use. 

Examples of this 

So let’s look at a few examples of colors and how they play a part in communication. 

Let’s look at dental care items.  Toothpastes for example, tend to be mostly blue, as this represents cleanliness, and the promise of white, clean teeth as well. 

Foods tend to usually be yellows and greens if they’re more natural products. That is due to the fact that the color green gets associated with a natural, genuine, and healthy aspect of the products. 

Yellow typically is associated with optimism and happiness, something to consider when choosing brands. 

An example of this in marketing is Harrods, which is a British brand known for teas that have a black packaging. While you might think black is a negative type of color, in fact when used correctly, it can show exclusivity, luxury, and some high quality content that a person wishes to communicate. 

Colors and Brands 

Colors are actually great for bolstering brand recognition, and in fact, it will facilitate such. Packaging that has colors and shapes also does need to be seen by the buyers. 

Some researchers have found that color boosts the recognition of a brand by 890% in a lot of cases. Even just 3 seconds of commercials will help people recognize items based on brands. 

Brands have a lot of impact on users, and if you want people to buy your stuff, you’ve got to use the right colors, as this creates a more effective means to identify the product and the packaging, giving recognition, and a competitive edge over other products.

When companies are identified specifically by colors, it will be changed in a strategic manner for a short period of time, strengthening the interest of consumers. 

Disguise Packaging for High-Value Shipments 

Packaging that you put out does need to tell people what they’re getting, unless you don’t want people to know.

Disguise packaging is important for items that are expensive, for a multitude of reasons.  Any people won’t look twice at a bland, mundane piece of packaging, or something that looks really unappealing. Making it uglier can help to deter the theft that occurs with many people’s types of packaging

So how do you make disguise packaging work? Well, using a box that’s had to house the items, some foam and other dunnage for protection, and then having a very minimalistic label to it works.   Even leaving the brand off the outer packaging is important.

The goal here is to deter theft by showing it’s some ordinary packaging, and nothing of value. 

The applications 

The applications for this disguise packaging are especially seen in high-value items. 

Electronics are one of them.   if you have an electronic, then you’ll probably want to ship it like this, since it will look bland and boring, and customers won’t want anything to do with it.

Luxury items are another.   You can have a luxury item in something that’s a generic box or crate. Some have even hidden luxury items in various snack food containers. 

Valuables are the final one. Basically, anything with some kind of price should probably have the disguise packaging in place, and some other factors that will really improve the overall means in which your packaging is hidden. 

The Best Examples of How to Do This 

Now, one good way is to make the box generic and boring. This in fact, is the most common way to make the packaging a good disguise from thieves. 

But some people take it a step further. They make the box resemble old, low-value items, such as some books you might find in the cheap goods section, or even a box of playing cards. 

Crates are good for the larger items that can’t fit into something that’s small.

Don’t think those items will fit in any of those? Sometimes adding it to everyday items works. Some have  even hidden jewelry and other fine valuables inside garbage bag boxes! 

Overall, it’s just something unremarkable, or something that doesn’t seem interesting, but is really something special. 

The Benefits 

The biggest benefit is that it reduces the presence of thieves grabbing these items during transit. It doesn’t stand out, so they will overlook it if it’s in some generic food box.

The other one is a reduced risk of tampering. Again, because it doesn’t look all that interesting they don’t try to grab it, which in turn helps to protect these items throughout the transit process. Overall, you’re reducing the tampering and also helping with ensuring that theft doesn’t happen with these high-value items. 

The Future Innovations 

There are some marked future innovations that are in place with disguise packaging.

The first is leveraging AI. AI generated designs that camouflage these items can be used as a box wrap, made to help protect the item all across.   Ai can work in some amazing ways, and as a company, leveraging such might be the answer to the packaging that you have going on, and really makes it something special for your own personal needs. 

With so many ways to make the packaging boring and blend, it can be a bit overwhelming for some companies.. However, when you give them the proper disguise, it creates the ultimate camouflage, providing your packaging with the protection it needs to get to where it belongs to the customer’s hands. 

Scent-Infused Packaging to enhance Experiences 

Scent technology has come a long way.   there’s the old scratch and sniff stickers that we had back in the day. While fun, it’s become a different type of beast, one that you can integrate into your packaging. Some companies, including noteworthy brands, are using scented packaging for better branding and sensory appeal, allowing for more and more people to indulge in such items. 

This is a unique way to enhance unboxing experiences, and it’s why, because of this, more and more companies are taking advantage of improving their unboxing for customers with such a use. 

How this works 

scent packaging involves using microencapsulated and fragrance-infused inks. So yes, the fragrance is in the inks and coatings.   These are put on the packaging, and when a customer interacts with the packaging, it releases a scent. 

There are also biodegradable scent beads, placed in the product packaging. These are healthy for the environment, as they won’t harm it when released. Ti breaks down naturally, improving the overall state of how it works, and also will make it something special for customers. 

Who Uses this 

A lot of companies are beginning to use packaging with scents in it. 

Luxury items are an example. A lot of high-end goods will benefit from this type of packaging, as it will allow you to improve the experience, giving it a more premium feel to the items as well. 

It is also used in food and foodstuffs packaging, because with food, having a scent that’s similar to what you’re getting inside works well because there’s a lot of people who feel anticipation when they get the food simply because of the scent. 

There is also personalized gift wrapping. A lot of gifts, especially when made personal, use this type of scent-based means in order to make it special for yourself. It’s a great way to improve and really make the packaging shine, so that you can make the packaging as personalized and special as it can be. 

The benefits of Scents 

There are obvious benefits of having this type of scented packaging. 

For starters, it creates the ultimate customer experience, meaning that customers get to have this type of experience however they so desire.   It also strengthens the brand identity. Customers remember those companies that do something unique with their packaging. This is but an example of such a man. 

It also reduces the need for artificial fresheners. While those are good, the problem is that they are not eco friendly, and tend to be too pungent.   With this type of packaging it’s a subtle scent, but it does bolster some excitement for what’s to come, and thereby enhances the overall unboxing experience, however it might be done. 

The future of This Packaging 

There’s a lot of unique and futuristic ways that this type of packaging can offer some different, worthwhile benefits to you. 

AI is used in a lot of packaging these days, and Ai infused and assisted scents will naturally program the scents based on what a customer wants. This is a different, interesting way to make your packaging even more special, and in turn, will allow you to as well, make your packaging really stand out.

Improving unboxing experiences takes a little bit of time and effort, but by using scents, and leveraging such in order to make it something customers want, you’ll be able to enhance the unboxing in its own unique way, and will also, in turn, help customers come back, and really will help you stand out in the sea of other businesses as well. 

Eco friendly ink and Dye Alternatives for Packaging 

Ink is not eco friendly. With many of them made from petrol, some brands are looking for alternatives that are sustainable for your needs. 

With that said, here are some different alternatives to these conventional inks and dyes that are used, in order to reduce the environmental impact of what’s going on. 

The Alternatives 

There are so many different alternatives to the regular eco friendly inks that are out there. 

First, you’ve got plant-based dyes.   These dyes are made from cellulose, and are more sustainable.   With a lot of different plants that can be converted into eco-friendly dyes, it’s a great way for you to really improve your packaging experience. 

The other one is water-based inks. Inks that are made from water is a great one, since it can wash off with well, water.    While it might not work if your packaging is going to get wet, it is an eco-friendly alternative for those looking to have more sustainability.

Finally, you’ve got biodegradable printing methods. These methods print on various products that will break down when you toss them.   You can make it with mushrooms, and other sorts of plants.   This is a safer way than the regular petrol, which makes it hard for the box to be recycled. 

Who Benefits From This 

Pretty much any industry that uses this will benefit from it.   every brand uses inks and dyes for their packaging, so you’ll want to use these different alternative methods. 

However, some stand out more than others.   Food and cosmetics are the two that come to mind. this is because direct contact with your products does happen. Now, if you’re just putting up petrol and other sorts of inks for the packaging, it can train the product. With biodegradable inks and dyes, it makes everything all the more sustainable. Virtually anything that a person touches, however, will want to use this.

Why do This 

There’s a lot of reasons for this. first, there’s a lowered carbon footprint that comes with this.   you won’t have to worry about being unsustainable compared to others with these inks. 

Also, the inks are toxic.   When you use something that’s biodegradable or plant-based, it creates a nontoxic ink.   This is good for packaging as it reduces the overall toxicity of this experience. 

Finally, it’s better for consumer health. When you give the packaging something sustainable, and better dyes and whatnot, consumers will feel better as a result. It works wonders for everyone involved, so it’s something to consider when putting forth more eco friendly experiences. 

The future 

Obviously  this is a new type of technology, in that people are using this to improve their packaging.   There will be more innovations with this, but one way for it to become even more sustainable is 3D printing with sustainable materials. Various items that can be 3D printed can then be tossed, without messing up the ecosystem. Again, this is all down the road, but something to consider. 

Another one is eco-friendly inkjet technology. Some inks and printers are now becoming eco friendly. This type of process is beginning to be seen in multiple other areas, so it’s worth checking out. 

Overall, with a lot of various packaging options to consider, there’s a lot of eco-friendly options to choose from. As a business, it might be time to focus on not just the products and transit, but also the eco friendliness of the packaging that you put forth as well. by doing this, you’ll be able to craft these alternatives in packaging design, providing you with new means to really enhance the overall experience, in order to make it really shine.