Start the year with a new label and give your brand a boost

The beginning of a new year is always a good time for new starts, looking at what can be improved, changed or added to, in all aspects of life.

It is no different with consumables. Now might be a good time to think about the way your product looks and if it needs a refresh to bring it up to date or even better, ahead of current trends. This can be done with a new label.

Branding and design goes through changes in style just like fashion does and its good to stay on top of things and not slog on with a design that is out of date. Even the best package designs can begin to look stale after a while.

You may have expanded your product offering or moved into new markets and need to ensure your branding reflects this. A refresh can help appeal to your broader customer base.

Many well-known brands such as Coca-Cola will make subtle changes to their branding, could be a colour or logo position change or as with Starbucks it could be a new cup for the change in season or upcoming event.

With digital label printing it’s easy to make changes to your labelling at no additional cost. In fact you could change your labels every month and still do this cost effectively.

Here are some design ideas that have been tipped to be hot for 2019.

One of the biggest topics of conversation in packaging at the moment is plastic. So we can expect continued momentum with regards to reducing the use of plastic and ways to use alternative materials in packaging that make a statement.

Sustainability is a big issue for consumers and they are increasing the pressure on brands to take more responsibility and be more conscious of product packaging choices. Expect to see the use of more biodegradable materials such as hemp and paper as well as materials that can be upcycled i.e. bamboo, glass.

If you want to make a first step in the right direction, then start with a more eco-friendly label. Why not consider using paper products that are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, which will tell your customers your label is made from responsible sources, in short that you care. In order to make your labels fully bio-degradable there is now an option to use a waterproof polymer materials (PLA) made from.

In terms of design, 2019 looks like it may be a year of contrasts. One current design theme that looks set to continue is the minimalist look – clear, clean packaging and simple labelling, lots of white space and little clutter. Often showing the product through transparent containers. Less is more.

A variation this theme is bold, simple use of one strong colour and minimal text.

The other extreme of this is the bright, bold and colourful, busy designs that jump off the shelf. Geometric designs, 2D, vintage and illustrations along with colour gradients that have grown in popularity through 2018.

If you don’t want to invest too heavily in a packaging redesign you can add that little bit of difference to your packaging simply by changes to the label. Digital label printing allows you the flexibility to change economically but also in a timely fashion to meet seasonal messaging, events or trends.

Craft brewers have put this to good use, producing labels for limited edition flavours that are seasonal, often printing several types of label on the one roll. label.co.uk customer Tempest Brewery uses this technique with one-off mix and match label types that include foiling and die cut themes.

Or why not go for a subtle colour variation or add in a colour to a particular aspect of your label. You can use multiple colour options on one roll with digital label printing. Theme it to new ingredients you’ve introduced or seasons of the year. Gluten-free, organic cereal producer Seedheart uses colour to distinguish different flavours on its box labels.

So is it time to give your brand a refresh, catch the attention of your customers and let them know your products are maybe even better than they thought they were? If so it may be time to take a look at your label.