Cheap online design is everywhere, and it’s the number one mistake food brands can make. I’ve heard from food brands who have done this and regretted it, then partnered with us to create their food branding and packaging design the right way.
Today, I’m going to tell you the top 4 reasons why these food brands regret getting cheap online design, so you can avoid making the same mistakes.
Why Food Packaging Design is so Important
Food packaging design is your single most important marketing tool. It must strategically inform and sell your product. Design is not simply making your food product look nice. When done right, it is a powerhouse that works hard to sell your product.
Now that you know why food packaging design is so important, here are the top 4 pitfalls of cheap online design that I’ve heard from food brands:
Pitfall #1: “I had to be the creative director.”
Food brands who went for cheap design online didn’t realize they were getting order-taker designers, and had to tell the designer what it should look like. The designers did what they were told, to make the client happy. They lacked the expertise and strategy to lead and guide the project, which was frustrating to the food brands. It did not give the food product its best possible chance at success.
Pitfall #2: “I thought it looked good, but it didn’t perform well.”
When reviewing the designs from an online contest, food brands told me they picked what they thought looked good, only to find out it didn’t perform well. When design is based on likes, versus strategy, goals, and performance, you’re not going to go as far as you could compared to working with an expert food brand design partner.
Pitfall #3: “Store buyers told me the design wasn’t good enough.”
Store buyers at major national retail chains may refuse your food product until the packaging design meets their expectations. Food brands who got cheap online design said this happened to them. Now they have to redesign their packaging suddenly and unexpectedly, which is a nightmare scenario.
Pitfall #4: “It seemed like a good deal, but it was deceiving.”
It may be tempting to get many inexpensive design concepts from different designers, as you can do with some online design sources. Because these designers are compensated very little for their work, they typically do not spend much time on a project, or they may reuse designs that didn’t get selected in the past. Food brands told me they got quantity, not quality, and it was a waste of money.
Learn from other food brands’ mistakes.
If you’re just starting out, learn from the mistakes here and do your food branding and packaging design right the first time. Don’t skimp on this most important step, and don’t get cheap design. When you work with an expert food brand design partner, you’ll be set up for success going forward.
On a related note, I’ll be writing an in-depth article on AI design and food brands, so look for that to come soon.
