Packaging Designs That Drive Consumer Purchasing Decisions

Package Design That Drives Consumer Purchasing Tasarist Creative Director Musa Çelik evaluates Pentawards' 2023 package design trend forecasts. Package designs that significantly shape consumer purchasing decisions are expected to have a bright future in the new year. [caption id="attachment_147412" align="aligncenter"] Musa Çelik[/caption] 1. The rise of tin containers: Canned packaging is expected to become increasingly popular across food and beverage sector categories. As seen in previous years, new and differentiated approaches to traditional packaging continue to emerge. Tasarist Creative Director Musa Çelik commented: "The main reason tin containers remain trendy is that they present a strong sustainability story while providing numerous functional benefits. At the same time, bringing different interpretations to traditional packaging helps stand out from the crowd."   2. Packaging as product: The function of packaging is being redefined. Rather than developing separate packaging design for a product, the trend is to transform the product into the packaging itself. This way, the product's functionality reaches 100% while aesthetics and function are brought together. Musa Çelik emphasizes that sustainability is no longer just a trend but has become a fundamental part of the package design process, noting that this trend particularly takes an environmentally conscious stance regarding waste.   3. Sustainable packaging that informs consumers: Brands and designers are looking for ways to reduce packaging impacts. They are turning to recyclable packaging, but consumers also need to know how to recycle these packages. Brands are shifting part of the responsibility to consumers by educating them through design on how to transform packages within the consumer-focused sustainability trend. Musa Çelik predicts that this trend, which creates a shared sense of responsibility for the planet, will certainly increase brand loyalty and create an opportunity to develop closer relationships.   4. Extremely bold visuals: Today brands need to stand out not just on shelves, but across multiple platforms. Therefore, they need to be visible both in physical and digital stores, on the internet and social media. As a result, unique graphics, bold colors, typefaces and symbols are seen. However, Çelik notes that these do not exist as a standalone trend, predicting that simple and bold colors will remain in focus for some time longer.   5. Super premium glass packaging: As consumers and brands continue to think about sustainability, the frequency of use of glass packaging increases. Tasarist Creative Director Musa Çelik notes that glass packaging is expected to move toward circular economy, emphasizing that as conscious consumers become more selective, the importance of the premium feel will be maintained. 6. Accessible and inclusive design: As long as diversity within brands' target audiences and their needs persist, the understanding of accessibility and inclusivity continues to develop in package design as well. Çelik notes that brands that break social taboos, focus on disadvantaged groups and design their packaging according to everyone's needs are drawing attention, commenting: "The consumer we speak of is a human being just like us—this is a point we must remember at every stage of our work. Our job is to work toward easing human needs, not to differentiate."   7. Tactile details: Neuromarketing research shows that touch can influence sensory experience, thereby indirectly triggering feelings of high quality, value and privilege. As brands try to recover from the pandemic period when physical contact was minimal, they are attempting to maintain consumer interest through textured packaging. Regarding the trend, Musa Çelik stated: "As the value of tangible contact persists in a digitizing world, we will see increased physical experiences for consumers through unique and creative approaches. The idea of diversifying packaging from a sensory perspective, combined with the rise of accessible and inclusive packaging design trends, I believe will reach an exciting point."   8. Advanced smart packaging: Creating a bond between brand and consumer has always been one of the most important goals. While augmented reality technologies and QR codes have been used in package designs for some time as interaction methods, more creative work is expected to emerge in coming periods.   9. Packaging diet: Brands focusing on global issues such as recycling, reducing carbon footprint, waste and shipping savings minimize packaging while increasing its appeal and indirect benefits. Çelik notes that he expects this trend to continue long-term, emphasizing that it could be a remedy for many problems and could lead the way for combining with many other trends to produce wonderful results.   10. Sketch packaging: Packaging containing hand-drawn illustrations and handwritten notes is expected to rise rapidly. Tasarist Creative Director Musa Çelik, arguing it is a trend that can appeal to all generations, stated: "The sketch trend addresses the goal of creating an emotional bond with consumers very well. Sketches, which have been part of everyone's life since childhood, bring a very universal and human feel to package designs."