The Simplicity of Successful Packaging

Brand specialist Yolanda ‘Yo’ Santosa, of the design firm Ferroconcrete, discusses why less is truly more.

by Yolanda Santosa

Beauty packaging is often ahead of the trend, typically setting standards and breakthroughs in design. There is no other industry with the sole purpose of making women look and feel good. And to make a consumer feel good about a product, it all begins with the way that product looks and feels in their hands.

A majority of this packaging is eye-catching, bold, colorful and often designed to be different or solely to draw attention and scream ‘look at me!’ But in a market continually inundated with more products, more options, and of course more confusion – perhaps less is, in fact more.

Subtle Design
Good packaging starts simple and ends simple; from selecting the right materials, to letting the form of the product shine, to the placement of just the right amount of graphics with intelligent, concise copy. In the end, subtlety in itself can communicate a lot, i.e. we are a confident brand, our product is pure and/or we are sophisticated.

The goal is for the brand, the product and their intended messages to be seemingly and effortlessly conveyed to the viewer. But simple does not have to mean easy or boring. Imagery, typography, information and colors are all carefully designed to create an overall look that is streamlined and introduces the product effectively, resourcefully, and of course, beautifully.

Consumer Connection
As shelves are lined with product after product, perhaps the eye is more naturally drawn to that which is less confusing. By not overwhelming the customers, an emotional connection can be more easily established between them and the package. They feel at ease and instinctively like what they see; ideally they’ll have the impulse to reach out and pick up the package. This introduction is key for new customers, and continued customers can instantly recognize the product and feel a connection to it.

Packaging designed with simplicity in mind can also put a stronger focus on the quality of the materials used to create the package, or merely the perception of this quality. When the viewer sees quality in a product’s packaging, they will also tend to elevate the value of the product itself.

Ultimately, a product’s package is a uniquely powerful marketing element that has the direct ability to create an immediate and tangible bond between the consumer and the product. And in a continually growing market, this visceral consumer/product connection is imperative to any company’s sustained success.

AUTHOR BIO: Yolanda ‘Yo’ Santosa graduated from Art Center Pasadena, and began her career designing main titles for film and television projects like “300,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Ugly Betty.” She loved storytelling and couldn’t ignore a growing fascination for branding; so in 2006 she acquired the then infant Pinkberry account and founded Ferroconcrete (www.ferro-concrete.com). With her recent network redesign of TBS, Yo has come full circle, turning Ferroconcrete into a unique, full service branding and motion design firm. She has created her own retail brand – früute (www.fruute.com), a contemporary West Hollywood pastry shop serving handcrafted mini tarts. Yo has earned numerous accolades, including 3 Emmy nominations and is sought out as a national guest speaker and branding expert.