Social media has a major impact on how companies market and advertise their products – including how they package them. If you’ve ever spotted packaging so cute that you uploaded a picture of it to Instagram or watched an unboxing video on YouTube, then you understand how important social media can be to creating interest in a product. This impact has driven and popularized certain innovations in package concepts and materials, especially labels.
Perhaps the most famous development in labeling that was motivated in part by social media is personalization. Who hasn’t seen the famous Coca-Cola labels with people’s names? When people found a bottle with their name, they’d often upload a selfie with it to their social media of choice, inspiring others to go out and do the same. Other companies offer true personalization for their product labels, allowing people to design custom gifts for birthdays and other celebrations – also very popular on social media.
Another shift in package concepts and materials that you’ve likely noticed is minimalization. Lately, brands tend to favor labels with bold text and images, unfettered by excessive detail. Part of the reason why is that it photographs better and “pops” more when posted online. Rather than loading the label’s image up with detail, designers will invest in glitter accents, metallic shines, or high-gloss coats that catch the eye when people scroll through their feeds. Dig deeper, and you’ll likely find more labeling trends influenced by social media.
