Question 1

What is a packaging design company?

Accepted Answer

A packaging design company is a company that specializes in creating the visual appearance of a product’s package. Its team of creatives is knowledgeable in various design elements, such as form, materials, color, imagery, and typography. They collaborate with your marketing team to ensure the packaging designs they develop align with your branding.

Beyond aesthetics, a packaging design company ensures the entire design aligns seamlessly with the client’s established brand guidelines and marketing strategy, creating a cohesive brand experience for your customers. They act as creative partners who help brands develop packaging that achieves several key goals:

Protection: The packaging should safeguard the product during storage, transportation, and handling.
Brand identity: The design should visually communicate the brand’s message and resonate with the target audience.
Marketing and sales: Attractive packaging can grab attention on store shelves and influence purchasing decisions.
Functionality: The packaging should be easy to open, store, and dispose of – ideally with sustainability in mind.

For a product to stand out, the business must effectively convey its identity in the packaging. Partnering with a creative packaging design company is the first step in capturing your audience’s attention and gaining their trust. Those companies play a key role in enticing customers and ensuring better customer interaction. It is important to keep brand perception fresh and attractive.

Question 2

What do packaging design companies do?

Accepted Answer

Packaging design companies offer a range of services to bring your product's visual presentation to life while considering its look and functionality. Moreover, your packaging design is the first element consumers notice when they see your products. It is the key differentiating factor between you and your competitors. Packaging design agencies help you elevate your product through their wide range of services, including:

Conceptual design: Brainstorm unique ideas that perfectly capture your brand's essence and resonate with your target audience. They'll translate these concepts into initial sketches and mood boards, giving you a visual roadmap of potential design directions.
Graphic design: Craft the visuals to make your product stand out on the shelf. Packaging design companies develop eye-catching elements like logos, illustrations, and typography, along with a color palette that perfectly complements your brand identity and makes it eye-catching.
Structural design: Plan the physical form of your packaging, considering the product’s size and shape to maximize shelf space while also ensuring its safety. Material selection also falls in this service as packaging design companies weigh factors like durability, sustainability, and cost to find the perfect fit. They also design features that make the packaging easy to open, reseal, or stack neatly on store shelves.
Prototyping: Translate packaging design into physical models, allowing clients to see and interact with a tangible representation of the packaging. This is a crucial step for testing the look, form, function, and user experience. With these insights, the designers can adjust and refine the final packaging design before finalizing the perfect packaging for your product.

Some packaging design companies also offer additional services, such as:

Printing and production coordination: Work with printing companies to ensure high-quality production of the final packaging.
Regulatory compliance: Ensure the packaging adheres to relevant labeling and safety regulations.
Sustainability consulting: Advise on eco-friendly materials, minimizing waste, and incorporating recyclable or reusable features.

One example of an effective end-to-end packaging design is the case study of Perdue Farms, a livestock provider. The client wanted a new brand that caters to its customers’ growing interest in international and ethnic flavors. It contacted PKG Brand Design to start conceptualizing the brand and packaging.

PKG Brand Design started with a brand analysis of the audience. Based on gathered insights, “World Chef” was conceptualized. It presented the brand as a knowledgeable resource about global traditions and international flavors.

The packaging design used the concept of a culinary “Road to Adventure” with imagery that evokes exploration and discovery. High-quality photos showcased the ingredients used and encouraged consumers to try new flavor combinations. The use of worn textures and engraved icons complements the colorful ingredients and emphasizes the quality of the product.

Through comprehensive copy and a resealable packaging design, World Chef bridged the demand for more inclusive flavors in its product roster. The collaboration resulted in satisfied clients and customers, boosting Perdue Farm’s brand identity further through packaging design.

Question 3

What is the difference between product design and packaging design companies?

Accepted Answer

The difference between product design and packaging design companies is the focus of their work. Namely, the two focus on different stages of a product’s life cycle and areas of expertise, as illustrated in this table:

Product design	Packaging design
Focuses on creating the core product users will use or interact with.	Focuses on forming the product’s shelf appeal, influencing the customer’s first impression of the product through packaging.
Creates a good product with the goal of adding value to consumers.	Designs the cover or outer shell that houses the product with the aim of making it visually appealing, informative, and functional.
Specializes in developing the product itself, defining its form, functionality, usability, and aesthetics.	Visually complements and enhances the product’s brand identity, emphasizing its features and unique selling propositions (USP).

Question 4

How much do packaging design companies charge for their services?

Accepted Answer

Packaging design companies can charge from $300 to $3,000 depending on the project’s complexity, company size, and their designers’ expertise.

Here’s a breakdown of the different pricing tiers of packaging design companies:

Tier	Package details
Basic packaging design	$300-$800 Suitable for small business (10-49 employees) Services Initial briefing call Basic packaging services including logo placement, color coordination, and simple typography Minor customization Limited revisions (1 to 2 rounds)
Intermediate packaging design	$800-$1,500 Suitable for medium-sized companies (50-249 employees) Services Detailed consultation with brand analysis Custom logo placement, color palette, typography Unique packaging mock-ups Moderate revisions (2 to 3 rounds)
Premium packaging design	$1,500-$3,000 Suitable for enterprises (250 or more employees) Services In-depth brand analysis Custom logo design Complex typography, imagery, and graphics Tailor fitted and premium-looking packaging templates according to business needs Extensive revisions (3 to 4 rounds)

Bespoke luxury brands also partner with packaging design agencies to elevate a seasonal campaign or a particular collaboration. These services usually cost $3,000 or more because of the necessary industry expertise for executing an exclusive and intricate project.

On DesignRush, the top 50 packaging design companies charge an average of $117 per hour. Roughly 21.4% of packaging design agencies on DesignRush accept projects with a minimum budget of less than $1,000, while 2.2% require a $50,000+ minimum budget.

Question 5

Why should you hire a packaging design agency?

Accepted Answer

You should hire a packaging design agency to help you strategically design your products that will attract customers and boost sales. Packaging can make your product stand out from competitors and effectively communicate your brand message. A Westrock study emphasized this, finding that 1 in 4 consumers purchase a product because of attractive packaging.

Today’s packaging must ensure safe transportation of products and enhance customer experiences when they arrive at customers’ doorstep. Sustainable packaging also takes the spotlight, with 50% of US consumers willing to pay 1% to 3% more for eco-friendly packaging.

Hiring a packaging design company allows your brand to work with experienced designers, reduce costs, improve brand identity, access resources, and comply with regulatory requirements:

Access experienced designers: With professionals highly experienced in graphic design, marketing, and branding, packaging design agencies know how to design a package that stands out on a crowded shelf. They are well-versed in color psychology, the use of negative space, the hierarchy of information, and know how your product should interact with the neighboring products on the shelf.
Reduce overhead costs: Hiring a design agency is more cost-effective than designing the packaging yourself. Namely, agencies have the experience and resources to complete projects quickly and efficiently. On top of that, you won’t have to pay for overhead costs, such as software or office space.
Improve brand identity: A good packaging design agency will take the time to understand your product, your target market, and your goals. It creates a memorable brand experience that stays with the customer long after purchase. This can lead to increased brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth marketing.
Access design technologies and resources: Design agencies typically have access to a wider range of resources than you might have in-house. These could include 3D modeling software, prototyping equipment, and printing machines.
Regulatory compliance: A good design company will have a team that keeps itself updated on the latest regulations for packaging in different regions and industries. This includes areas like labeling requirements, safety standards for materials, and environmental regulations.

Hiring a package design agency helps communicate your brand to your audience better. For example, the case study of ViaSpa, a wellness brand, describes that perfectly. ViaSpa needed contemporary packaging for its wide range of products, so it contacted Deal Design to create a package design that highlights its ergonomic products and advanced technologies.

Deal Design included different elements in the package design, such as high-quality product photos to showcase the beauty of Viaspa’s items. It also added special effects with informative graphics explaining the features and functionality of the products. To truly stand out from the competition, the design employed soothing water textures and metallic silver accents.

By creating a visually striking presentation of the products, ViaSpa’s collaboration with Deal Design achieved a winning shelf presence in the wellness products market.

Question 6

How do I choose the best package design company for my business?

Accepted Answer

To choose the best package design company for your business, follow these steps:

Identify your brand goals: Clearly define your brand personality, target audience, and the desired brand image the packaging should convey. This will contextualize the nature of the project to the package design agency and help them grasp the vision your brand wants to achieve.
Define your budget: Determine what percentage of your overall product launch budget you can allocate to packaging design. Factor in the potential cost of additional design revisions beyond what’s included in the base fee.
Create a creative brief: Outline the type of packaging you need, project size, shape, functionality requirements, and desired materials or art style for your package design. Prioritize the essentials and adjust expectations for “nice-to-have” features based on your budget. Having this document ready before reaching out to package design agencies will ensure a more efficient selection process.
Find potential agency partners: Browse online directories like DesignRush to find packaging design companies. Use filters based on location, team size, and budget.
Assess industry experience: Check the package design agencies’ websites and look for relevant experience in your industry or in the type of package design you want. Evaluate their portfolio to see if their design aesthetic aligns with your brand image and preferences. Consider agencies that showcase a range of styles to demonstrate their versatility.
Ask for client references: Ask about the client's overall experience working with the agency, including communication, responsiveness, and meeting deadlines. Inquire about the agency’s design process, if it was collaborative, if revisions were handled smoothly, and if the packaging company understood the client’s brand vision.
Shortlist candidates: Narrow your options for packaging design companies and contact them to express your interest in future collaboration.
Send a request for proposal: Send them a request for proposal (RFP) and ask for a project breakdown, including milestones, scope, schedule, costs, and other desired deliverables.
Ask about the project management approach: Understanding the project management approach of a packaging design company gives you an overview of how they operate. It also gives an idea about the technologies they utilize, their revision process, and the communication tools they use.
Evaluate soft skills: Evaluating the team’s soft skills requires keen observation and analysis beyond the technicalities of design. Assessing these skills helps you gain insights into the agency's work style, fit with your team, and ability to build a positive and productive partnership for the duration of your project.
Select the package design agency: Choose the package design agency that best aligns with your business objectives, budget, and operational style.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? We can help you get personalized proposals from packaging design agencies — for free. Visit DesignRush Marketplace and we’ll provide you with a list of like-minded agencies that you can interview and find the ideal partner that will turn your vision into reality.

Question 7

How do I find the best packaging design company on DesignRush that fits my budget?

Accepted Answer

You can find the best packaging design company in DesignRush by using our filters. In fact, you can shortlist results based on your specific needs and budget with our wide price range.

If you are looking for packaging design companies on a budget, we have agencies that accept a minimum budget below $1,000, such as:

On the other hand, some agencies offer complex services with a maximum budget of $50,000 and above. For example:

You can also navigate through our Agency Directory to find agencies’ profiles. DesignRush makes the portfolio available so you can explore the niche and expertise of the packaging design company. Many profiles feature client testimonials for you to assess the agencies’ winning qualities and their creative and collaborative processes. By relying on DesignRush as a platform, you can find the ideal packaging design agency that perfectly matches your needs, budget, and preferences.

Question 8

What questions should I ask before hiring a package design agency?

Accepted Answer

Before hiring a packaging design agency, it’s important to ask these questions to know your creative compatibilities. These questions can help you assess the capability of their designers regarding the execution of your packaging vision and handling the project efficiently:

Its Relevant Background

Do you have experience creating package designs for the same product or industry?
What package design project are you most proud of and why?
What is your level of experience in handling the logistics of the packaging?
Do you have a list of trusted manufacturers and printers?
Have you won any awards for a package design you worked on?

Its Services and Processes

What is your creative process in designing packaging?
Do you have sustainable packaging options?
How do you approach packaging design for different target audiences?
What is your typical timeline for developing packaging design from the initial concept to the final delivery?
Will you provide a prototype of the finished packaging design?
Is the number of revisions and prototypes capped? What is the limit?

Related to Your Project

What creative approach will you use to develop our packaging design?
How will you ensure the package design aligns with my brand identity and marketing strategy?
What software and design tools will your designers use for my project?
Are you familiar with the regulations for packaging design in our industry?
How will you handle revisions from different decision-makers in our company and ensure that the package design stays true to the vision and goals of the product?
How do you measure the success of a packaging design project?
How do you handle intellectual property rights for the final design?
Do you offer post-design support, such as assistance with sourcing manufacturers and printers?

Question 9

What are the best packaging design companies in the US?

Accepted Answer

The best packaging design companies in the US are:

Zenpack
- 4.7 stars on Google (3 reviews)
- Top clients: Cambio, Mejuri, NBA, Hally, Disney
Product Ventures
- 4.7 stars on DesignRush (4 reviews)
- 3.9 stars on Google (8 reviews)
- Top clients: The Kraft Heinz Company, Nestle, Frito-Lay, PepsiCo, Cambio Roasters
Freshmade
- 5.0 stars on Google (1 review)
- Top reviews: Delectables, Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Family Tree Farms, Southern Specialties, B&W Baby Leaves
Creme de Mint
- 5.0 stars on Google (9 reviews)
- Top clients: Expressed Juice, Victoria’s Secret, Avon, Theorie, Bliss
Atlas Branding + Design
- 5.0 stars on Google (25 reviews)
- Top clients: Poppy Popcorn, Botanical Bones, Huli Sue’s BBQ + Grill, Guajiro, Lavender Boutique

Scroll up to discover more about these and other packaging design agencies. All the companies were carefully selected based on successful packaging design projects, industry reputation, customer reviews, and team expertise. Personalize your search and sort agencies by location, budget size, hourly rates, and reviews to find the best match.

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