TL;DR
- A well-crafted label reflects your brand’s personality, using the right combination of colours, fonts, and imagery to build recognition.
- Bold designs such as minimalist or custom labels help your product grab attention and leave a lasting impression.
- Personalised and collaborative labels offer a unique opportunity to connect with your target market on a deeper level.
- High-quality printing techniques and materials give your label an authentic feel, reflecting the quality of your product.
- Ultra is an award-winning label printer trusted by top brands to deliver custom labels nationwide.
The Importance of Impactful Packaging Label Designs
Label design is an important part of branding that can influence how consumers perceive your product. A great label does more than provide information; it grabs attention, reflects your brand, and helps customers make decisions. Since labels are often the first thing people notice, a well-designed one can make a big difference in getting your product noticed.
It’s something every business and brand struggles with at some point — how do you stand out?
Whether your product is a one-of-a-kind creation or a new, premium version of a common product — standing out, whether in the aisle or on the (web)page, is essential.
But how do you do it? How do you make your brand stand out when you don’t have the time to run buyers through the laundry list of details that make you unique? Through your product labels and packaging, of course.
The Essential Elements of Great Label Design
Your label is a direct reflection of your brand, so it’s important that it aligns with your brand identity. This includes using the right colours, fonts, and imagery that convey your brand’s personality, values, and mission. Consistency is key — your label design should feel familiar to your customers and instantly recognisable across all your products. When your label reflects a clear, cohesive brand identity, it builds trust with consumers and encourages brand loyalty.
The key elements of label design we focus on at Ultra include:
Typography
Fonts influence a label’s perception. Choosing clear, legible fonts that reflect your brand’s personality, be it modern, vintage, playful or elegant, helps maintain consistency.
Colour
Colours evoke emotions and influence consumer behaviour. The right palette can attract attention, highlight key features, and make your product recognisable. Bright colours convey energy, while neutral tones evoke sophistication and luxury.
Imagery
Your images or graphics should complement the product and appeal to your audience. High-quality visuals and identifiable imagery help make your label memorable and professional.
Material
The label’s material affects both the look and feel of your product. From a matte or glossy look, the right finish can enhance your brand, making your product feel premium and higher quality.
Here are 20 product label ideas to make your brand’s product labels stand out.
1. Minimalist Approach
Minimalism in design focuses on simplicity, using clean lines, limited colours, and lots of space to make a product stand out. The goal is to highlight the essentials and avoid unnecessary clutter, making it easy for consumers to focus on what matters.
A great example of this approach is Apple. Their logos and labels are as simple as their iconic company logo, yet they’re easily recognisable and perfectly reflect the brand’s style of simplicity.
2. Bold Illustrations and Colours
An eye-catching label can mean so many different things — but a bold or playful illustration is a surefire way to get noticed. Bold, vibrant colours or exceptionally bright and playful illustrations can become a real point of interest and intrigue for shoppers, whether in the grocery store, browsing your website, or selecting a bottle of wine for their Friday evening.
This is often quite common with wine and spirit labels, where brands use eye-catching designs to stand out on crowded shelves. Many wine producers opt for bold, vibrant colours or unique illustrations that tell a story or highlight the personality of the wine and grab shoppers’ attention.
3. Personalised Labels
Take the classic Coca-Cola campaign, ‘Share a Coke’. The brand swapped out their usual bottle labels for ones that read, “Share a Coke with…” followed by a popular name. According to Coca-Cola, the goal was to, “Create a more personal relationship with consumers and inspire shared moments of happiness.”
Thanks to digital print technology, this strategy is an effective way to set your product apart and engage customers in a fun, memorable way.
4. Vintage Style
There’s a timeless charm to retro design elements that tap into nostalgia. Vintage labels evoke a sense of history and authenticity, drawing on the past to create a connection with consumers.
Brands like Bundaberg Rum and Melbourne’s Moondog Brewery have effectively embraced vintage design, using classic typography, old-school illustrations, and retro colours. These designs not only stand out but also stir fond memories from their target audience, making the product feel familiar and trusted.
5. Transparent Labels
Labels that are transparent or don’t cover the entire product offer an advantage by allowing consumers to see the product inside. This creates an immediate connection between the packaging and the contents, adding to the product’s appeal and authenticity.
Brands like Schweppes and Aesop use transparent labels for their products to highlight the vibrant colour of a beverage or the simplicity of a skincare bottle. This approach adds authenticity and transparency, making the product feel more genuine and premium.
6. Interactive Labels
In a similar vein to creating texture and height on your labels to encourage consumers to pick up and engage with your product, interactive designs can work wonders in getting your product more attention.
Use QR codes to your advantage on your labels or packaging and get creative about the linked information – make it helpful, fun or inspiring for your customers – rather than simply giving them more information about you or your product.
7. Handwritten Fonts
Particularly suitable for organic products, get crafty with your label and introduce a handmade look to make heads turn as they pass your product.
Think text and doodles that look hand-drawn, butcher’s paper backgrounds or a label that seems to be adhered by a paperclip. This style connects with consumers looking for products that feel genuine and unique.
8. Geometric Patterns
Geometric shapes on your label can create a bold, eye-catching design. Simple triangles, circles, or lines can make your product stand out from the crowd.
This style works well for brands looking to add a modern touch to their packaging. It’s all about creating something that’s visually striking yet clean, making your product impossible to miss on the shelf.
9. Monochrome
A black-and-white label design can instantly create a striking contrast, or opt for a monochrome look using your brand’s primary colour.
Whether your product is on a shelf or showcased online, these designs stand out and catch the eye. A simple, bold monochrome approach helps your brand appear distinct and memorable amidst the competition.
10. Illustrative Designs
Illustrations are a great way to tell a product’s story and make labels more visually appealing. Using your own images or other design elements that are associated with your brand adds a personal touch, creating a connection with customers while being distinguishable.
With the right illustrations, your label can leave a lasting impression, grabbing attention and giving your product a unique character that feels authentic.
11. Textured Labels
Textured design labels are made using printing techniques like matte and gloss finishes, embossing, foiling, or lamination.
Combining these techniques adds depth and interest to your label’s design. The textures can give your product a more premium look or a unique feel, making it stand out and catch the consumer’s attention.
12. Seasonal Variants
Seasonal label designs are a great way to generate excitement and create buzz around your product. By changing your labels to reflect holidays, seasons, or special events, you can capture the attention of consumers looking for something unique.
Limited-edition labels for Christmas or summer, for example, make your product feel fresh and exclusive. These seasonal packaging designs are great for gifting products in the holiday season.
13. Thematic Labels
Thematic labels use specific ideas or stories, like travel or culture, to connect with consumers on a deeper level. By aligning your labels with a theme, you can tap into emotions or experiences that resonate with your target audience.
An excellent example of a brand that uses thematic labels is Absolut Vodka with its City Series. Absolut creates limited-edition bottle designs inspired by different cities around the world, such as Absolut New York, Absolut Paris, and Absolut Mexico. These labels blend iconic imagery, local culture, and storytelling, reflecting each city’s identity and engaging with a global community.
14. Metallic Finishes
For high-end, premium products, high-build lamination that emphasises finer details is an exceptional way to showcase your brand.
This technique makes your product stand out by adding a subtle shine to the labels and a tactile feel. The texture catches attention, sparking curiosity and encouraging customer interaction.
15. Pop Art
When we think of pop art, we typically think of comic book illustrations and designs. But pop art can incorporate any combination of quirky colours, designs, and intriguing layouts that aim to engage and stimulate consumers. You could create a label that creates the illusion of an element popping out, elements that exceed the frame of the design, or a fun pull-out feature.
At Ultra, we often see lollies and sweets companies using this style, as well as brands in toys and gifts. Pop art’s fun and colourful nature is a great match for products aimed at young or nostalgic audiences because it’s full of energy and creativity.
Image credit – wolterke – stock.adobe.com
16. Multi-Layered Labels
Multi-layered labels offer a creative way to add depth and tell a story. By layering different materials or designs, you can create a sense of intrigue with hidden elements that encourage customers to engage.
Think of a product where the first layer highlights the product’s key feature, and peeling back the next reveals additional details or a special message.
17. Nature-Inspired Labels
Incorporating natural elements like leaves, flowers, or vibrant colours can help your label stand out. This design style works especially well for eco-friendly or organic products, creating a fresh, authentic feel that resonates with customers who value sustainability.
Think of products from The Body Shop, where the labels reflect the product’s scent and tell the brand’s story. Using imagery like leaves and fruits, the labels perfectly complement the natural ingredients, enhancing the overall product experience and strengthening the brand’s connection with its audience.
18. Collaborative Labels
A trend we are seeing more and more of, and a creative way to make sure your product gets attention is through brand collaborations.
Obviously, this one will call for more effort than just designing and printing labels. However, collaborating with another brand or franchise can be so beneficial in helping your labels stand out. Bringing in another brand’s flavour to your own food product or a kid-favourite character to a classic school lunch snack is an amazing way to get more eyes on your product.
19. Contrast
Add a dash of contrast against your competition’s products. Say you’re a natural product — the typical path to take with your branding and product label is to go for a nice shade of green.
But, if you’re competing against a variety of other natural products, it’s safe to assume you’ll be competing within a sea of green. So, why not play with pink or orange or add a red colour block? Use a contrasting colour and stick out from the rest of the pack.
20. Custom Illustrations
Using characters and mascots in your custom label design helps create a stronger connection with consumers.
Custom illustrations add personality to your products, making them instantly recognisable and evoking emotions that resonate with your audience. The M&M’s mascots are a perfect example —these fun, relatable characters make the brand more memorable and engaging.
Set your brand apart with unique and memorable label designs
We all love unique products that are one of a kind, and creating an exclusive customer experience begins with your labels and packaging. Labels or packaging with details that vary on each product can enhance your customers’ connection with the product and with your brand.
The wonders of digital printing enable you to incorporate design elements, such as text or graphics, that change on every single one of your labels or packaging in each print run.
This bespoke approach is particularly suitable for high-end products – think batch or bottle numbers on limited editions of wine or spirits. However, a product doesn’t need to be expensive to feel unique, and with digital printing, there are endless possibilities to surprise and delight your customers.
For an assured professional look, choose the right label printer
An essential aspect of your labels and their ability to pack a punch is their quality. You need to choose the right label printer to create the right look and feel for your labels.
Whether you’re after a simple 2D design with a matte finish or have a more complex design that involves building techniques and embossing to make it pop… Opting for the right label printer will be absolutely essential.
Ultra creates exceptional quality in every print run we complete. With experience in label printing for cosmetics and skincare, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, chemicals, and wine and spirits, including our award-winning work with Cotes de Hentley at the World Label Awards, we bring a unique blend of experience and expertise to help your brand stand out.
The highest quality custom labels. Ultra is the printing partner behind some of Australia’s leading brands.
Ultra is fortunate to be trusted by some of Australia’s most loved brands to print their custom labels and packaging. We’d love to team up with your brand next.
