Using Color to Reach Your Target Market Through Your Packaging

How big of a factor does color selection play in your package design process? From a consumer's perspective, the color of your packaging can greatly, or gravely, impact the decision to purchase your product over your competitors. Buyer demographics like age, culture, gender identity and global location should all play a part in selecting the colors that will represent your product on the shelf, or on the web. 

Research your target market to get a better understanding of who they are. The more specific you can be, the more targeted your packaging design will be. Grab your ideal consumer’s attention and emotion with colors that speak to them as well as to your product and what it can do for them.

What different colors mean to your brand identity on the shelf:

Black: Black represents authority and luxury

Using black as a main color in your packaging exudes a top-tier product identity.  It also represents elegance. Globally, black exemplifies a wide range emotions—from trust to evil, and also mourning. Selecting different colored packaging for different locations may be worth considering when selling globally. Align color selection with your product and its intended retail geography.

White: White represents cleanliness, purity, and simplicity

White packaging exudes simplicity in your product. The clean and pure color (or lack thereof) allows for clear and concise messaging, and exudes peace and calmness. White can also induce thoughts of creativity, likened to a white canvas with endless possibility.

Red: Red represents passion and boldness (and appetite!)

Red packaging is bold, and is a great color to use to grab attention. Additionally, red gets the metabolism going! This is good for foods, as a moving metabolism creates an increased appetite. Red can also create feelings of excitement and passion.

Orange: Orange represents fun and low-cost
Orange is the color of fun! Several studies have found that orange, yellow and brown are correlated to inexpensive or affordable products, but also showed as the least favorite of colors among adults. Children are most drawn to orange as well. It is also related to satisfying foods.

Green: Green represents growth and nature

Simply put, green is natural. Green is often correlated with health, wellness and money. Use green to connect your product with the environment. In some countries like Indonesia, however, the color green is actually forbidden. Be sure to check the significance of color in your global endeavors. 

Yellow: Yellow represents optimism and hope

Yellow is the most visible color in the color spectrum.  When used as a main color in your packaging, yellow exudes excitement and positivity. Yellow is a good color to use in retail displays to draw customers in to your product. It also exemplifies happiness and a light-hearted product.

Purple: Purple represents imagination and success

Purple invokes imagination in consumers.  It also exudes success and uniqueness. It isn't gender-specific as it used to be, but still tends to garner more attention from females and children. It is a bold color that entices consumers to look further.

Blue: Blue represents trust and reliability

Blue is the color of trust and reliability, and the different shades give even more depth of meaning. Bolder blues represent a more serious or professional product. Lighter blues present more creativity and lightheartedness. Blue also contributes to calmness and security.

Now that I've given a brief rundown of some of the colors on the packaging spectrum, how will you utilize this in your marketing strategies?  The shape of your package can also play a role in a consumers decision to purchase your products, so keep this in mind while you design! What other colors do you want to know more about? Have you done color-testing with your product?