Luxury Packaging Design Basics: 3 Tips for a High End Experience
Nov 19
For small business owners, packaging is one of the most overlooked but incredibly important aspects of creating a luxury brand experience. So if your brand’s packaging is less than impressive (or non-existent), this video is for you! I’m breaking down luxury packaging design into 3 basic tips you can implement into your own business!
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Tip 1: Luxury Packaging is ‘On-Brand’
This might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often I see small business owners with packaging that is NOT on-brand.
Now, you might be wondering ‘how much does packaging even matter?’
And I’m here to tell you, it matters. A lot.
Don’t believe me? Well let’s take a peek at one luxury brand who’s packaging is one of the most recognizable elements of that brand.
Tiffany & Co.
That iconic blue box is probably more recognizable than the classic Tiffany engagement ring.
Tiffany & Co. has turned their packaging into a vital part of their brand experience. And they’ve created value around the packaging alone.
Seeing a Tiffany’s box under the Christmas tree, is almost as exciting as opening it on Christmas morning.
The Tiffany & Co. box is on-brand, always in the iconic Tiffany blue color. The simple and timeless logo runs across the top of the box. And inside, for this particular piece, there is a suede drawstring bag, again in Tiffany blue, with the logo.
Really, this packaging is a simple concept. A single color, and a logo.
But by using that simple packaging design with consistency, Tiffany & Co. has built incredible brand recognition from their boxes alone!
Tip 2: Luxury Packaging is High-End
Now, let’s take a look at one of my favorite luxury brands, Louis Vuitton.
Ever since I was young, I dreamed of owning a Louis Vuitton handbag—in the classic Monogram canvas print. I remember seeing them on the glossy pages of my favorite fashion magazines—and always thinking “one day.”
And finally when my “one day” came—I realized that buying my first Louis Vuitton was about so much more than just getting an expensive handbag. It was an experience—an experience I had aspired to for nearly two decades.
And that’s the whole point of luxury branding. To create a luxury product or service that is coupled with the perfect luxury experience.
I’ve got a few Louis Vuittons in my collection now—and one of my favorite parts about getting a new handbag is the packaging.
Louis Vuitton Packaging
Louis Vuitton packaging feels luxurious. The bags and boxes are incredibly sturdy, crafted from high-end paper and fibers.
Products are boxed up in the brand’s signature “Imperial Saffron” colored boxes, accented with blue ribbon that read “Louis Vuitton” in gold foil stamping. Within the boxes, most items (like handbags and small leather goods) are protected inside of branded dust covers.
Louis Vuitton also provides a small branded paper folio, in the signature color, that houses proof of purchase and documentation for the product.
These elements all work together to create a very tactile and very high-end experience when purchasing a Louis Vuitton product. More than that, the packaging was specifically designed to highlight the brand’s history and heritage.
Luxury Packaging for Creative Entrepreneurs
Now, as a small business owner, you might be thinking that you don’t have much in common with big luxury brands like Louis Vuitton or Tiffany & Co. but you’d be wrong.
As I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s so important for creative small business owners to market their businesses as luxury brands—because you simply don’t have the time or the resources to be competing on price. So, part of being a luxury brand is having a flawless luxury brand experience—and an important part of your brand experience needs to be your packaging.
The last thing you want to do is disappoint a client who is spending lots of money to work with you. I’ve actually experienced this myself. Several times when hiring photographers and artists, I’ve chosen someone who is more expensive—because I want that luxury experience.
But I’ve actually been pretty disappointed when the products (like albums and digital files) are delivered in mediocre packaging. It made me question the whole experience. And that’s what your clients will be doing too.
So take a peek at some luxury brands to find inspiration for your own packaging design.
Comment below—what’s one brand you think of when you hear ‘high-end packaging?’
Tip 3: Luxury Packaging is “an Experience”
In his book, Purple Cow, Seth Godin, talks about the importance of being “remarkable” when it comes to your brand.
We often think of the word remarkable as meaning exceptional or extraordinary. But Godin simply means creating something that is worthy of remark… meaning, get your audience talking!
One of the best ways to do this is through your luxury packaging! Have you ever noticed how many “unboxing” videos there are online? And how many of them are for luxury items?
You can watch people on YouTube unbox luxury handbags, designer shoes, jewelry, electronics, and more. It’s kind of crazy when you think about it. Why would you want to watch someone else opening the packaging of a Birkin Bag or an iPhone?
It’s because these brands have turned their packaging into an experience. And not just an experience, but a remarkable experience. One worthy of endless unboxing videos, apparently.
So if you want your clients telling all of their friends and family (and even their Instagram or YouTube followers) about your amazing luxury brand, then it’s probably time to rethink your packaging design!
Now you know the luxury packaging design basics that brands like Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton use to make customers fall in love—not just with their jewelry or handbags, but with their entire brand experiences. But I’m sure you know that luxury branding is more than just boxes and bags! So, if you’re ready to dive deeper, grab my free Brand Blueprint—a 20-page workbook to help you create your own epic brand experience.
Wanna know even more about building a luxury brand? Be sure to subscribe to my channel—and I’ll see you in the next video!
