The more of the five senses you use in branding, the greater your opportunities are to connect with your customers. Decisions to purchase specific products are not tied solely to sight, but our vision undeniably plays a large part in shopping patterns, with color being the first element of packaging we notice.

In Branded by Color, Ted Mininni discusses the advantages of using a signature brand color on packaging. Further in the issue, Color Psychology Differentiates Packaging gives you even more real-life application of color principles in branding.

This advice is not just for brands starting out that are in the early stages of establishing a look and feel. Even if your brand is already established, you can still become associated with a trademark color. Look at the schemes you use now: Is there a shade already in play that makes sense to give more prominence to in your packaging? Or for heritage brands, an abandoned color heavily used in the past and bought back into the present might encourage nostalgia among previous fans and can get a new generation to recognize your brand in an instant.

As always, make packaging choices purposeful and in keeping with your brand’s voice. One great way to do so is to involve as many of the different players as possible both early and often. In Integrated Design: A Powerful Equation in Packaging (p.14), Rob Croft and Martin Short detail the benefits of this plus those of an integrated design approach.

 Searching for some additional help with your brand’s design or desiring a supplier for your client’s pack? Check out our Design Gallery for inspiration and our Design Directory for a listing of branding and design agencies, suppliers and manufacturers. You may find just the partner you need to put all eyes on your brand and packaging.