The business of packaging business

As the director of a busy creative agency I work with a diverse range of businesses operating in many sectors. Each of these businesses requires something individual, something bespoke, something carefully tailored to its particular needs.

Whilst working with a local food producer recently on some packaging, it struck me that all of our clients who have a physical product to sell, regardless of the type of product - whether is is Crab Paté or Drill bits - understand that their product needs packaging to make it distinctive. They appreciatiate that it needs to be appealing, that it needs to be memorable and that it needs to be eye-catching. In short, they all 'get' the need for good design.

This can't always be said for businesses that don't have a 'physical product' to sell which is a big mistake. All types of businesses, whether they are accountants, law firms or even schools and colleges are competing in a marketplace - it might not be the aisle of a supermarket where similar products sit next to one another vying for attention - but it is a marketplace none-the-less and the need for good design is just as important for them as it is for any product-based business.

So next time you are out shopping and are choosing a particular brand ask yourself this: 'what prompted me to pick this?'  and then ask yourself 'Is my business packaged properly? is it distinctive? is it memorable?' and importantly, 'is it something customers will pick?'