In this edition of our business-to-business blog, we delve into the annals of packaging history to uncover the most notorious packaging fails. Join us as we explore these cautionary tales, learning valuable lessons on what not to do when it comes to packaging design and execution.
Mistakes happen in business all the time - some more costly than others. While you want to be able to check everything to make sure they're all in order as a business owner, it's virtually impossible.
It helps a lot when you know you have people working for you to counter-check everything from quality checks, surveying packaging jobs and proofreading labels to avoid errors along the way.
Take for example the following packaging fails that are a mix of funny and cringeworthy.
1. No Fragments
There are a few things worse than a misconstrued message just because a statement or sentence wasn't delivered or finished properly.
2. Design Flaws
This is where it helps to have a designer or at least a good photo editor. There's nothing really wrong when you first glance at the picture. It's only when you look closer that you realize the milk should be in the bowl, not acting as a cushion below it.
Here's another photo to drive the point home. If you have the talent pool and the resources, make sure you have the proper photos sourced for your packaging. You can't run the risk of having potential customers sniggering away from your products.
3. Lost in Translation
There are a few things more unfortunate than sending out the wrong message on account of the language barrier. When it comes to packaging, be sure to invest in the proper manpower like a translator. We can't really leave everything to online translators when it's for a product that you'll be releasing to the market.
4. Serving Up the Real Thing
These ones are not funny and will certainly lead to unhappy customers especially if your packaging happens to be opaque or a box where your buyers are unable to see what's actually inside. If your business fails to deliver what it promised to do so to your customers, you will end up losing a lot so it's important to make sure that not only is your font, spelling, and typesetting correct but the label and contents match.
To err is human, yes. That doesn't mean that you should be okay with it and you shouldn't settle for it, either. Make sure systems and processes are in place to avoid errors like these.
