When deciding how to make your product stand out on the retail shelf, the label is obviously very important, but your choice of container will also have a big impact on the visibility of your product. There are literally thousands of containers to choose from – where do you start?
I would always start by looking at your competitors. You don’t necessarily need to have a very different container. In fact if their packaging is very plain you could choose a similar container and use the product label as a way to really stand out. Alternatively, you could choose an innovative container shape that will become part of your brand. This is the route that Method has done with their product containers with significant success. Or you could use an unusual container with an eye-catching label to really stand out from the crowd.
At the same time you are choosing your container you should also consider the kind of label you want. What size of label is best? Do you want a front and back label, a wraparound label, clear or white? These are the questions you need to ask. Another important factor is the shape of the container. If you have a really curved container you may be limited to the size of the label. Your label needs to be applied to a flat surface in order to avoid wrinkling. You also need to be aware of where your container starts to taper in as it rounds at the bottom – you will need to keep your label above the taper line.
Most packaging companies will be happy to send you sample containers so feel free to experiment first. You could narrow it down to two or three containers and then request a hard copy proof with your label order and stick one of the label proofs on each container to see what looks best.