Think Outside The Box: Why WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) Packaging Matters

Sure we might be a little biased, but here at Kendon Packaging we believe that your product packaging really matters. More concisely, we believe that what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) packaging design really matters, where your product packaging accurately and clearly reflects the product itself.

In today’s post, we’ll be showing you exactly why WYSIWYG packaging is so important, demonstrating the effect it can have on both consumer and brand alike and inspiring you with some packaging ideas in the process.

It’s the law

A particularly pressing issue following the recent label mismanagement of Pret a Manger, one of the primary reasons WYSIWYG packaging is so important is because, well, it’s the law.

UK law dictates that all product packaging must display basic product information, including a list of ingredients and any necessary warnings. This distinctive labelling is especially important if your business is in the food and drink industry, where inaccuracy can result in fatal allergic reactions, but should be a prominent part of any packaging design where a product poses any sort of risk. After all, it’s your responsibility as a retailer to ensure the safety of the consumer, and communicating this through your product packaging is both an easy and effective way of delivering on this moral duty.

It can promote a positive brand image

The beauty of WYSIWYG packaging is in its authenticity and honesty - it’s direct and straight to the point.

While this is of a great practical advantage to the consumer, it can also be a beneficial marketing opportunity that allows you to demonstrate a positive brand image. As the public consensus towards environmentalism continues to shift towards a greater collective eco-consciousness, implementing eco-friendly packaging into your business, and ensuring you promote its use on your packaging design is a great way to promote an ethical brand philosophy and positively influence sales.

Likewise, if you’re a food manufacturer selling a healthy food product, ensure consumers are aware of all the positive connotations of your product through positive colour coded labelling, with plenty of green to promote the positive nutritious values of your product.

As the customer becomes increasingly aware of the value of a product, whether that be in its personal impact or in its wider moral and ethical implications, they begin to rely on direct and honest packaging to guide their purchasing decisions. You only need to look as far as the reported surge in the recent sales of vegan-friendly food to prove this. So by combining an ethical brand code with a WYSIWYG approach to your packaging design, you can better appeal to the consumer’s desires through direct, truthful and positive product detailing.

It communicates directly with the consumer

With the value of honesty in your packaging design now established, the final advantage of WYSIWYG packaging is in its ability to directly communicate with the consumer.

With retail markets continuously saturated with branded varieties of the same products, it’s easy for the consumer to be overwhelmed by choice. At first, this led to leading businesses launching huge marketing campaigns and branding projects to ensure it was their product that stood out on the shelves. However, the impact of this has declined drastically as the consumer mentality continues to mature.

As such, packaging that accurately reflects its product is becoming an increasingly popular design approach. The contemporary consumer who is able to make informed decisions about the quality and purpose of a product based on the quality and design of its packaging is more inclined to make a purchase than if they were to choose simply based on branding.

If this post has got you thinking about how your business could adopt the WYSIWYG approach to your packaging design, why not browse our vast range of packaging supplies and get in touch to see how we can help?