There’s other products, and then there’s yours. This is product branding in its simplest terms. 

Product branding can be defined as the strategic measures a business takes to differentiate their product from the competition in the market. The goal is to give a product a unique identity that resonates with the intended target audience and in turn increases their share of the market.

As we’ll showcase here, product branding extends far beyond the name or logo you choose. It ties back to how compelling the overall product design and messaging is (packaging included).

How Design Feeds Into Product Branding

The moment you see a Coca-Cola bottle, you recognize it. The unique curvy glass bottle, paired with the signature red and white color combination, immediately stands out on the store shelves.

In a market flooded with similar products, a creative and thoughtful product design can have a positive impact on the way buyers perceive your product. This encompasses everything from the color palette and fonts you opt to use, to the shape of the product and the illustrations used.

Consider this: Research shows that color can improve brand recognition by up to 80%. To this end, using consistent colors in your product branding and corporate branding makes you more identifiable in the marketplace. 

In conversations around product design, it’s also important to think about the other senses of potential customers — specifically, touch. A product design not only needs to look the part, it also needs to be built with high-quality materials and precise manufacturing techniques to carry out a positive end user experience.

How Messaging Feeds Into Product Branding

While Nike is well known for its signature check mark logo, the same can be said for the brand’s signature tagline “just do it”. Nike has leveraged that company branding messaging to guide the branding strategy for specific products — with “become legendary” being one example for their popular basketball shoes, Air Jordans.

This is a great example of how a business can create cohesive yet unique messaging for their different product lines. Universally, the two taglines from Nike are intended to drive consumers to associate their shoe purchases with the positive feelings of achieving athletic accomplishments.

The better able businesses are to communicate the value proposition and key messaging for their product, the more likely they are to evoke an emotional response from prospective buyers and move the needle toward a purchase decision.

Packaging is a Natural Extension of Product Branding

Product packaging is more than just a storage space — it’s an integral part of a product’s brand story. Successful brands like Coca-Cola and Nike have integrated packaging into their branding process, using the right design and messaging to establish an even stronger brand presence in the marketplace.

Research supports the efforts of these and other like-minded companies. 72% of Americans report their purchasing decisions are influenced by the packaging design of a product. What’s more, 40% of consumers will share images of unique or branded packaging on social media, further extending the reach of those brands and their products to a wider audience.

As a designer and manufacturer of custom case solutions, Cases By Source is in the business of helping companies build innovative packaging for their products. Whether your product is in the space of electronics, luxury items, sporting goods, or cosmetics (to name just a handful of examples), we have the experience and expertise to bring your custom case solution to life.

Interested in connecting with us about your product branding? Request a free consultation!