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August 2, 2024

The Role of AI in Making Packaging Designs

Let’s explore how AI can revolutionize your packaging design and give your products the edge they deserve.

Imagine spending countless hours perfecting your product, only to see it overshadowed by bland packaging. Or perhaps you've dreamed up a stunning design but lack the resources to bring it to life.

These challenges are all too common for small business owners. But what if there was a tool that could transform your packaging dreams into reality without spending a fortune or sacrificing your time?

AI is rapidly transforming industries — and packaging design is no exception. Creators now use AI to make music, illustrations, and video content. And the sky is only the limit with the technology.

Businesses also benefit from AI. By harnessing the power of AI, business owners can now create stunning, effective packaging designs efficiently.

Let’s explore how AI can revolutionize your packaging design and give your products the edge they deserve.

Why AI is Essential for Small Businesses

Being a small business owner means wearing many hats. From product development to marketing, you're juggling a lot. Packaging design can often fall by the wayside, especially with limited resources. This is where AI becomes a game-changer.

Challenges faced by small businesses in packaging design include:

Limited Resources — Investing in high-quality design software can be costly.
Design Expertise Shortage — You might not have an in-house packaging designer or the capacity to outsource the work.
Time Constraints — Dedicating time to packaging design can be challenging.

How does AI address these issues?

Cost-Effectiveness — AI-powered design tools are often more affordable than traditional design methods.
Increased Efficiency — AI can automate many design tasks, saving you time and effort.
Access to Design Expertise — AI can provide design suggestions and insights, even if you don't have a design background.

By leveraging AI, small businesses can overcome these hurdles and create packaging—like shipping and mailer boxes—that truly stands out.

Benefits of AI in Packaging Design

Packaging is your product's first and last impression. After all, you've invested a lot of time searching for a design that truly represents your brand. This is where AI can be a lifesaver.

We asked Adobe Firefly to create a logo for a fictional company. Using only our description of the business and relevant details, it came up with several examples. We could use any of the designs as inspiration. It's also possible to refine our query to be even more specific.

The results aren't perfect. AI still struggles generating text in images. But these results always provide a starting point.

Here's how AI can revolutionize your packaging design:

Improved Design Quality — AI can generate countless design options, helping you find the perfect look for your product. It's like having a team of expert designers at your fingertips, constantly experimenting and refining until you achieve the ideal design.
Enhanced Brand Identity — Your brand is your business's personality. AI can help you maintain consistency across all packaging elements, ensuring your brand message is clear and memorable. It can also analyze your brand and suggest design elements that resonate with your target audience. This helps you create a stronger connection with your customers.
Optimized Packaging Functionality — Product protection and shelf appeal are crucial. AI can help you choose the right materials and packaging structure to keep your product safe while enticing customers.
Faster Time to Market — Time is money in the business world. AI streamlines the design process, allowing you to bring your product to market more quickly. You can spend less time on design and more on growing your business.
Data-Driven Decision Making — AI can analyze consumer behavior and market trends to help you make informed design choices. This means your packaging is more likely to resonate with your target audience and drive sales.

By harnessing the power of AI, you can create packaging that looks great and helps your product stand out on the shelves.

How AI Tools Help Create and Improve Product Packaging

As mentioned, AI can help with packaging design and copy. Let's dig deeper and talk about the specifics.

Create Design Concepts

Traditionally, brainstorming new design concepts could involve sketching countless ideas or hiring a designer. But with AI, you can create fresh designs at a consistent rate.

Here's how:

Input Your Vision — AI tools allow you to provide key details about your product, brand identity, and target audience.
Generate New Ideas — Based on your input and the vast amount of design data it has analyzed, the AI tool generates a variety of unique design concepts.
Explore and Refine — You can browse through dozens of options, each offering a fresh perspective on your packaging design. AI tools allow you to refine your initial input and generate even more specific concepts.

Break Through Creative Blocks — AI can help overcome creative roadblocks by suggesting ideas you might not have considered.
Save Time — Compared to traditional design methods, AI can generate a multitude of concepts in a fraction of the time.
Save Money — AI design tools are often more affordable than hiring a professional designer, making them a great option for small businesses with limited budgets.

Below is a prompt we made using Google Gemini. We asked it to provide color schemes for a fictional medical device company. Not only was it able to give suggestions, but it also explained why it chose those colors.

By leveraging AI-generated design concepts, you can unlock a world of creative possibilities and find the perfect packaging design to make your product stand out on the crowded shelf.

Come Up With Packaging Copy

AI can be a valuable tool in crafting compelling packaging copy. However, it's important to understand its role and limitations. Let's look at the ways AI can assist you in creating effective packaging copy.

Keyword Lists — Based on your input, the AI can generate lists of relevant keywords and phrases that describe your product and resonate with your target audience. These keywords can act as a springboard for crafting your own unique copy.
Brand Voice — Some AI tools can analyze your brand voice and suggest keywords that evoke specific emotions. For example, it can suggest you make your copy "joyful," "luxurious," or "sustainable" based on your target audience.

Packaging Copy — Use AI to create compelling packaging copy from scratch based on parameters that you set.
Copy Analysis — The AI can analyze your existing copy and identify areas for improvement. This may include suggesting stronger verbs, removing unnecessary jargon, or being more concise.
Style Variations — Depending on the tool, the AI might suggest alternative versions of your copy with different phrasing or sentence structures. This helps you explore different creative directions.

Here we use ChatGPT to create copy for a fictional donut shop in Los Angeles. We gave a brief explanation of what makes the donut shop unique. It even tells where on the box you should place the copy.

If you provide more details, it'll come up with even better results.

And there are other generative AI tools you can explore. For example, you have GitHub Copilot for coding, Writesonic for content creation + SEO, and Jasper AI for marketing.

Remember:

AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity. While AI can generate ideas and improve your existing copy, you're still in charge of your brand tone and messaging.

Below are just some of the reasons why your input remains crucial.

Understanding Brand Nuance — AI may not fully grasp the subtle nuances of your brand voice and messaging.
Emotional Connection — Effective packaging copy often evokes an emotional response in the consumer. AI can struggle to capture this human element.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance — Packaging copy needs to comply with various regulations. AI might not be aware of all the relevant legal requirements.

A couple of things that you should remember. While AI is impressive, it's never a good idea to rely solely on AI-generated copy. Use it to improve or find new ideas. You still need to proofread its results. Also, don't forget to check its results for factual accuracy.

Conclusion

By harnessing AI technology, small businesses like yours can finally compete with larger companies. You can create packaging that's not only visually stunning but also strategically effective.

AI streamlines the design process, saves you time and money, and unlocks creative possibilities. It empowers you to make data-driven decisions, personalize the customer experience, and ensure your product stands out on crowded shelves.

So, embrace the power of AI. Let it be your creative partner, your design assistant, and your secret weapon.

And when you have your design, call or chat with one of our packaging experts. We can help you find the right packaging for your products. You can also email us at hello@packm.com

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