​Prestige vs. Mass-Market Package

What makes a package “mass market” versus “specialty retail”? Actually, there is a big difference in what packaging design should communicate about the price of the product and, interestingly, about the people who buy it. Here are some tips which can help you position the products at different levels.

Mass-market package is immediately recognizable and always accessible. The design must feel familiar and inclusive; it must appeal to a broad range of people without excluding any major customer group.

The design for a supermarket-brand water looks different from the one for Evian

The mass market needs a package able to tell quick, clear and concise messages. That doesn't mean bad or cheap-looking design, it simply means a more approachable design: friendly colors, clear fonts, readable illustrations, and understandable graphics. Conveying the product's affordable price may require an additional message that says "new," "special" or "natural".

Lipton bags versus Tazo fine teas

The specialty market, on the other hand, tends to educate their consumers by engaging them in conversations and helping to find the product that best fits their needs. Brands must look exclusive and they need to have a quality that is supported by subtle details. Graphics must be impeccably placed, both with unusual or fashionable colors and clear or hand-drawn fonts.

One challenge with prestige brands is how to arrange minimal information in an interesting way. Usually only the essential elements are used: logo, texture, finish, and color.

Zest soap versus Aveda cleansing bars

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Written by

Liudmila Pape