The preferences of consumers change as quickly as anything in the world around us. Consumer trends can no longer be divided into decades but rather single years, and, in certain industries, even by season. So it is no wonder that companies that are trying to keep up choose rebranding, or at least the gradual revival of their packaging design.

Rebranding vs redesign

Rebranding is a broader term that may involve not only modifying the appearance of the packaging but transforming the whole company image, marketing strategy, the entire visual identity, the company’s objectives, assumptions and mission, and even the target group. A redesign, on the other hand, applies only to changes in the areas of graphics and design.

Should companies invest in redesign?

Many companies believe that packaging redesign should only occur before entering a new market with specific requirements. However, there are many more reasons to do so: identification of a new market niche, changes in consumer trends, digitalisation of the purchasing process and general rebranding activities. In recent years, decisions to revisit the packaging have stemmed from research results suggesting that consumers register only 3-4 elements of a product at a glance. There are also analyses showing that changes to just the packaging design as a form are more effective than the revision of entire brand strategies. The now iconic Coca-Cola bottle is the best example of the redevelopment of form over the years.

Examples of redesign

Several companies in the Polish market have recently redesigned their packaging in collaboration with packaging manufacturers. The appearance of Łowicz cream was changed because the functionality of the box needed improving, which led to modifying the graphics. Zbyszko redeveloped the whole packaging design so that the brand could emphasise the refreshing quality of the beverages, with elements associated with fruit being added both to the graphic elements and to the very shape of the packaging.

The most recent rebranding campaign, also involving a change in the packaging, was carried out for Farmona. This hair care cosmetic brand decided to revisit the Radical line. In addition to the ingredients of the product, the graphic design of the label and the packaging was also changed. The company requested slightly longer, semi-translucent red bottles, and all together this gave them a slightly exclusive look.

How can we carry out effective packaging redesign?

Both the company that delivers finished goods to customers and the packaging suppliers must carry out a redesign or even rebranding from time to time if they want to improve what they offer and move with the times. Still, such activities stem from a thorough examination of the existing situation, based on quantitative and qualitative research into the current state of affairs. Such research should strive to determine the perception of the product and packaging, its crucial positive feature, the opinions on the design of the packaging and the associations created by the brand, by the product packaging and also by the graphic elements. Only once the facts have been established can one contemplate how much the results differ from the expectations. Next it is important to define the objectives, assumptions, associations and values one would like to achieve for the brand after it is refreshed, and the distinguishing qualities it should have.

The design of the packaging and decorative elements should also involve rethinking the key catchphrases. Current trends have moved away from listing all the fancy advantages to instead focussing on several crucial elements that the customer can register. This includes the decorative elements of the packaging, which should not be too abundant so as not to distract the consumer.

In short, modern redesign now values keeping it simple. Still, everything needs adapting to meet the target group and then implemented reasonably. After all, there is a thin line between simplicity and off-putting austerity. Testing the changed packaging before its launch is also important, by having it examined by a focus group and thoroughly analysing the results to make sure that the new design will be appreciated by the brand supporters.