Best Packaging Designs 2021-2022

Honesty

67% of consumers say they would stop buying a product from a company they don't trust even if the company has a good reputation. That means that consumers want to see brands talking about their products, and showing their products as honestly as possible.

Honesty is the best policy, of course. And consumers aren’t as dumb as you might think. Honesty matters. Transparency matters. Therefore, your packaging needs to be transparent and honest. You can’t claim your product does something it just doesn’t do.

Authenticity

For 86% of consumers, brand authenticity is the key factor when they decide what brands they like and support. They want brands to be true to themselves and their product. They’re not here to be fooled.

When it comes to packaging design, consumers want to know all the facts and want these designs to be in line with the brand as a whole. As we’ve said, consumers are far smarter than some people give them credit for. They want you as a brand to know your brand identity, stick with it and provide them with the products you’ve always provided them with.

Shelf Impact

Thirty-six percent of the global cosmetic market is made up of skincare products. That means that skincare brands need to have a package design that sells and helps them stand out — a package design with a lot of shelf impact.

A product is never truly seen on its own — not when it’s up on a shelf next to dozens of competitor brands. It is always looked at compared to something else. This happens with food packaging like it does with cosmetics. When you go into a store, you see dozens of brands until one stands out.

Scalability

Most brands start out with one concept. One product. This is their bread and butter. Then slowly, they cultivate their audience, grow their brand, and expand their offerings. Brands don’t start out offering the moon and stars until they’ve perfected how they can sell a spaceship.

This means that your design needs to be versatile and adaptable. Just because you sell milk doesn’t mean your design should be in the shape of a cow. What if you then want to start selling coffee or dairy alternatives? A cow just won’t work. That’s why extensibility is key to a good, future-proof design. There needs to be fluidity and flow to it.

Pastel Colors

A research shows that color has a major effect on mood, perception and consumer behavior. All colors can make you feel an emotion, which is why you’ll notice most social media brands use the color blue which is one of the most impactful colors that promotes trust.

Similarly, if you want to make your audience feel a certain way, you have to be careful about colors. A type of color that increases a sense of calmness and comfortability are pastels.

Pastels are light and airy way to add some femininity and subtlety to your design. These colors are simple, elegant and refined — styles that are on the rise this year. This soft and engaging palette of colors opens up your design and gives it space and sophistication.

Vintage Appeal

Vintage design is powerful — because, as they say, those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Vintage designs are timeless because they pull from all the elements that have worked from the past and give them a major facelift for the present.

On top of that, nostalgia is one of the most popular marketing trends, that is equally powerful in 2022 as it was in recent years.

Everyone loves a good throwback, which is why vintage design trends are so effective. They show history, dedication and a commitment to their products and customers. Vintage designs are fun, exciting and bold. They grab attention and instill a level of satisfaction and nostalgia within audiences.

Black & White Package Design

According to color psychology, the color black makes people feel a sense of power, elegance, mystery and formality. The color white, on the other hands, gives off an air of purity, innocence and integrity.

Black and white designs are sleek, sophisticated and strong. They often incorporate elaborate illustrations and intricate designs. And the stark contrast between the two powerful colors makes a tangible impact. Black and white designs often pave the way for bold typography and noteworthy patterns that immediately pull you in.

Eco-Friendly Package Design

67% of consumers think it's important that the products they're buying come in sustainable and recyclable packaging. 54% of them take sustainable packaging into consideration when they choose a product.

With scandal after scandal about environmental mishaps coming to light every day, eco-friendliness has become an increasingly popular trend. Millennials and Gen-Zers, the two most numerous and rising demographics, consider eco-friendly mindset an important consideration. People want products that are sustainable and healthy for the environment. And they’re willing to choose brands based on these green values alone.