For luxury products, the sale starts outside the box

​When we're talking about people, it's what's inside that counts.
 
When it comes to luxury brands and products, the story—and the sale—starts outside the box. Along with packaging materials and design, print plays an important role in identifying very high-end products and connecting to their audience. Luxury packaging is an extension of the product itself, and the consumer should find that the package introduces and raises expectations of the product inside. 

​Consider these characteristics of luxury packaging and the crucial role of specialty printing:

​Weight. Just as gold is heavier than tin, and diamonds are heavier than glass, luxury packaging creates a reassuring weight in the consumer's hands or shopping bag. A thicker quality of paperboard can play a role in this, especially boxes with a completely separate lid or covers such as telescoping or slide-type boxes. Embossing, color foil and lenticular printing can all add weight to a box – even a uniquely designed cutout can give the impression of weight.

​Brand identity. Consistency and clarity count for a lot in the luxury packaging experience. The brand doesn't need to jump off the box, it simply needs to be clearly associated with the product. This means the brand's identity on the package needs to be consistent from run to run. Often, luxury packaging is produced in smaller runs as the products are exclusive by design. An experienced printer like Carlson Print Group can ensure identical color match, special effects and calibration on each run.

​Color and tone. Often luxury products are associated with understated logos and color palettes. Luxury brands—especially well-established ones—are not looking for every customer. They are looking for a specific audience willing to shop for an exclusive product at a higher price point. 

​But an understated tone or palette must never be muddy or bland. Crisp images, tone on tone, fonts and specialty printing effects can all be showcased in a simplified, monochrome or duotone color scheme. In fact, special effects such as embossing, debossing and metallic accents can elevate a design with an understated color palette without making it busy.

​Differentiate with luxury packaging. Luxurious print and packaging aren't just for perfumes, cosmetics and jewelry. It's a way to differentiate a product line within a brand or a brand within a vertical or industry. Luxury print and packaging elements can be used to advertise quality or justify a higher price point in almost any industry.

​Consider luxury packaging for shoes, books, corporate gifts, even baby accessories. Luxury packaging has long been used to elevate stationary, pens and art supplies. Hotels use specialty print and luxurious packaging to reinforce their brand, and also to signify hygiene and position single-use products as gifts.

Specialty printing is only truly special if it's innovative and embraces a little bit of risk for a huge reward: being seen by the right customers and valued by the right purchasers. Combined with upscale packaging and a quality product, luxury packaging is worth more than the sum of its parts.
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Our specialty print techniques combine the latest equipment, substrates, inks, coatings and finishes with vision and imagination to create beautiful, customized print pieces. Using reflective and refractive foils, 3-D lenticular technology and dimensional treatments, and tactile surface finishes, specialty projects from Carlson have the power to reach out, demand attention and encourage interaction. Call or click today to add that special spark to your package design.