How To Attract Customers With Holiday Packaging
The secret to selling during the holidays: Create that intangible, magic of the season in very tangible ways. Find out how to attract customers with holiday packaging to earn more for your business.
Without glowing lights and shiny gifts, the holidays would be just another family gathering for most of us. The same is true of holiday packaging. What we see and feel on the outside, instantly transforms an ordinary product into something magical.
But it takes more than adding some glitter or red and green boxes to get holiday packaging right. You need to evoke emotions which compel shoppers to buy. It means using the right materials, colours, and design that tells buyers there’s something truly special inside.
Here’s how to do it in 2022.
Attract Customers With Vintage Holiday Packaging
Let’s be honest: the past two holiday seasons have been tough. This year, many of us are experiencing a strange feeling of déjà vu as festive music plays and we plan big Christmas dinners once again.
That desire to celebrate ‘like the old times’ can be seen through the prevalence of vintage patterns and themes. And it’s not done solely for artistic reasons. Brands know that creating a sense of nostalgia persuades consumers they’re ‘reclaiming’ the holidays with each purchase.
Cute, child-like design and characters embody both an end to challenging times as well as a hopeful outlook on the future. Bright primary colours and simple styles are also incorporated into this theme and signal that buying such products is a nod to better times to come.
Vintage Holiday Packaging Circa 2022
Repeated geometrical patterns of traditional holiday themes—think Christmas trees, reindeer, snowflakes and ornaments in bold colours
Serif lettering and cursive script
Cartoonish & cute illustrations
Some of our favourites
This gift set from Happy Socks instantly made us smile, and we’re sure we aren’t the only ones. It has everything you could want from a holiday box: simplicity, rich colouring, and festive design.
Attract Customers With Sustainable Holiday Packaging
Sustainability has gone from a nice plus for novel brands to a mainstream selling point. In fact, 40% of consumers in the UK claim they purposely opted for sustainable brands in 2021. Furthermore, 65% of consumers claim the top hallmark of a truly eco-friendly product is whether it is produced using sustainable materials and methods.
Going green means paying attention to form and function. 88% of consumers say they reuse packaging when they can. It means your new spice kit box can transform into your little one’s art supply kit. That translates into simple, durable design and fewer pieces of packaging.
By switching to sustainable materials and production methods, customers perceive your brand as less opportunistic and more responsible. This helps justify their purchases, even if it means spending more. Case in point: a recent survey revealed 65% of Gen Z respondents were willing to pay up to 48% more on purpose-driven brands.
Sustainable Holiday Packaging Circa 2022
Recycled materials and reusable packaging
Sustainable printing methods
Some of our favourites
What is not to LOVE about the plastic-free holiday chocolate box from Love Cocoa? We (almost) crave the outside more than the inside!
Attract Customers With Chic Holiday Packaging
Splurging on something extra fancy this time of year never goes out of style. But this holiday season, luxury is more about a subtle shimmer and shine, as brands strive to carve out an effortlessly modern, too-cool-to-care image.
Another way companies are showing off in ‘22 is through custom illustrations and high-contrast colour combinations. Not only does it catch shoppers’ eyes on a shelf among dozens of other products, it also hints at being novel and slightly avant garde.
This sort of understated sophistication and eccentricity appeals to customers looking to level-up and impress someone, without seeming like they tried. It coaxes buyers into buying something overpriced or outside their budget by convincing them the quality (and status flex) make it well worth their money. If brands can pull that off in this economy, they can do anything.
Chic Holiday Packaging Circa 2022
Muted sheen & basic metallics
Barely-there glitter
Ornate design
Some of our favourites
We cannot resist the way Sómas Studio oozes sophistication without even trying. Subtle sheen, rich colour and a unique shape strike the perfect balance between classic and modern style.
How To Attract Customers With Holiday Packaging: Key Takeaways
Consumer trends are undoubtedly changing and packaging is the language brands use to appeal to ever-evolving shopper preferences. Here are some primary points which provide valuable insight when making packaging decisions.
Colour matters
The shades and combinations of colour used in your brand’s packaging affect consumer behaviour even more than clever slogans and slick copywriting. A survey on packaging and customer purchasing revealed that 79% are strongly influenced by colour vs. 73% for language used on the product.
Sustainability is evolving
As eco-friendly packaging moves mainstream, companies need to think beyond the brown paper box and twine. Consumers might be willing to pay more for sustainable materials, but they still expect exceptional quality and attractive design.
Experience is everything
Remember tearing wildly through your holiday presents as a child? All that mattered was what was inside. As adults living in an Insta World, unboxing a gift is oftentimes just as important as its contents, especially when used as a marketing tool. Gorgeous colour, thoughtful presentation and uncomplicated design are all crucial elements of today’s packaging when delivering these memorable moments.
Sophisticated Design and Sustainable Packaging Is For Every Brand
CoLab is on a mission to bring beautiful, eco-friendly packaging to every brand. From startups to industry stars, we provide streamlined solutions that help your company put its best face forward and sell more. And we do it like this:
Full Customisation
If you can dream it, we can make it happen. You give us the specs, and our friendly design team delivers plenty of options to choose from.
Personalisation
Take unboxing to the next level by adding a name and customised colour palette to instantly add a personal touch to any gift.
Short, multi-design runs
Creating seasonal, limited-edition packaging doesn’t need to be complicated with minimal order quantities. CoLab delivers fast on short-runs and saves you from excess supply, long wait times, and unnecessary waste. Got multiple designs? We got you covered.
Sustainable Solutions
With CoLab, sustainability has never looked so good. We combine recycled paperboard, vegan inks, and cutting-edge digital printing to produce gorgeous results that don’t kill the planet.
Interested in learning more? We’d love to answer your questions. Reach out at hello@colabpackaging.com for more information.