Four Tips for International Packaging

Product packaging that stays on-brand and in-budget while still appealing to customers is an everyday challenge faced by marketers around the world. And as the Internet and modern transportation continues to advance the global economy, more and more companies are considering selling across country borders. The decision to go global with sales can be a profitable one, but it’s much more complex than just translating the words on the packaging.

Many countries enforce stringent packaging standards, regulations and restrictions that, when not followed, can lead to fines and force your packaging off the shelf. Not only will you lose sales, but you might also be forced to reprint and repackage, potentially costing your company millions. When developing packaging for international sales, you have to use caution and understand the challenges in both design and production that can play a part in the success of your international efforts.

Here are four key considerations for your next international packaging design project:

#1: Know the Market You’re Selling Into
Sounds like common sense, right? But it’s important to understand the trends in design, consumer purchasing patterns, and the competition of the market you’re selling into. Beyond that, you’ll need to be aware of the culture of the region. In some parts of the world, certain colors, images and symbols hold meanings contradictory to those in the United States. For instance, in the United States, black often symbolizes death and mourning, but white is the traditional color of mourning across Asia. Similarly, Americans generally associate trust and stability with the color blue, while Koreans associate those characteristics with pink and other pastel colors.

In some cases, your research might tell you that not adapting your packaging design to the local trend is what buyers find most appealing. For example, in China, imports are generally considered to be a better value and quality. Brady Communications took this into consideration when redesigning the Chinese-market packaging for PPG’s interior paint line Master’s Mark Distinction. Because of the positive perception of imports in China, it was important to clearly show the line’s American origin. To convey the feeling of a legacy American brand, Brady Communications designed the labels entirely in English, and after printing, a sticker with the required Chinese disclaimers and warnings was placed over the English version, further reinforcing the paint’s status as a U.S.-based brand.

#2: Don’t Get Lost in Translation
Translating the packaging copy into the market’s native language is almost always required by law, but be cautious. Scrutinize the translations; maybe even get a second opinion. Language is subjective, so it’s easy for translators to make mistakes or even confuse meaning due to personal interpretation, linguistic nuances or regional accents. And because there are multiple ways to interpret the same phrase, important copy like your tagline or a repeating headline might vary from translation to translation and package to package. To help manage the process, Brady Communications builds translation dictionaries for its clients to ensure consistency of messaging from project to project.

#3: Play by the Rules
Regulations for each country will ultimately dictate the design of your package and the material that can be used. Brady Communications faced a design challenge when Philips Respironics wanted to start selling its popular line of goLITE therapy lights in Canada. The original packaging was created for sales within the United States and included all English copy. But Canadian regulations require packages to give equal prominence to both French and English copy. To stay within the company’s branding guidelines, the four-sided package was designed with two English sides and two French sides. Because French phrasing is longer than English, our designers worked hand-in-hand with our writers to cut down the English copy so that there would be enough room to accommodate the French.

The material used for the packaging may also be limited by regulations. Many countries charge a manufacturers’ fee for using environmentally unfriendly materials. For example, because plastic takes longer to degrade in landfills, the fees for using it are significantly higher than for glass or paper packages. Similarly, some countries charge substantial fines for larger-than-necessary packages that include a lot of empty space, which means more material was wasted.

#4: Plan Ahead so You Don’t Have to Stop the Presses
Once the packaging is designed and ready for production, there’s still another hurdle in the production process. And we’re not even talking about shipping (or getting through Customs!). Depending on logistics and the size of the package or point-of-sale display, you might end up printing with an international vendor. But be aware that using printers outside the U.S. means different standards. For example, color standards are universal throughout the United States; Pantone 186, or basic red, will produce the same color in New York as it does in Los Angeles. But Asia and the Pacific Rim use very different color calibrations, resulting in a surprising difference of color that depends on the printing location. This variation interferes with your ability to maintain brand standards and consistency. That’s why Brady Communications works closely with overseas vendors, providing detailed guides to color calibration standards to ensure consistency across the globe.

There’s a lot to take into consideration with international packaging, but the task isn’t insurmountable. The best tip of all is to partner with a design firm that understands the rules and can make sure your company is playing by the rules.