MESSAGE
ON A
BOTTLE
Labelling…it can be the marketing strategy
that takes your product to new places…
or the reason for its downfall, says editor
Kathryn Calvert
Everyone knows that label design,
16 OCTOBER 2018
colour and style identifies brands
from each other - just meander
down the aisles of wine at your local
supermarket to get intellectually
bombarded with a huge range of label designs that
distinguish products from their competitors. Labels
also communicate directly with the consumer to
present an image that expresses the product whilst
also describing contents and providing instructions.
In other words, first impressions count. For start
up or specialist craft producers, however, labelling
presents a lot of food for thought. Costs need to
be controlled, packaging should have consumer
appeal and a distinctiveness that makes the
product stand out against a hubbub of colour
and designs. If you don’t know your customer
thoroughly, though, any labelling will be void before
it starts. Prepare a profile of their likes and dislikes,
whether your product is budget or high-end, or if
it’s a ‘special treat’ product or used every day.
These days, it’s imperative to understand the likes
and dislikes of Millennials. An American study of
what wine label designs mean to Generation Y
finds 71% of those aged up to 40 confirm price
and label design play the largest role in purchase
decisions (20% say labels are most important);
89% say wine labelling is critical in buying wine;
57% say a catchy brand name is what they go for;
57% say colour palette, typography and graphics
play a strong role; and they prefer sans serif and
decorative typefaces. However, when unable to
see labels, Gen Y generally prefers the taste of
Baby Boomer labels, and when they can see the
wine labels, they suddenly prefer the taste of
the Millennial labels. In order to capture the Gen
Y market segment in the future, the research
says, wine label designs will need to become less
traditional and representative of status, and more
modern and representative of fun.
Keep the following seven tips in mind when you’re
planning your new labelling:
Design Colour is imperative to your labelling. What
colours relate to your product, what do they infer,
how do they translate across different mediums
and different markets? Do they appeal to different
cultures?
Packaging and label shape An unusual shape
can catch the eye, or a customised-cut label. Make
sure they work with your brand sizes.
Work with the customer Would a healthy angle,
environmental or even family-related label work?
Try to include something that will resonate with the
customer.
Be clear Include all the important facts on the
packaging, clearly and accurately, and meet all
health and safety guidelines.