Submitted by Amy Rice on
From the moment a CD or DVD leaves the factory, it's in competition for interest in a basket of other CDs or DVDs. Hurried shoppers with short attention spans will rifle through them making their quick selection within four seconds before they choose. They may be waiting in line at the grocers or they may be in a hurry to move on to their next purchase, either way, you have only about four seconds for your CD or DVD to be the one that is chosen. Whether your CD packaging is on the store shelves or in a busy office, you'll need to have a great packaging that grabs the shoppers eye before the other Cds or DVDs grab it first.
While there are no obvious rules as to what makes up the ideal pacakgaing, you'll want to remember these next three things.
Consider Your Target Audience
Know that your product and its identity will help to identify the target audience. You'll want to make it stand out to this audience. Example, if you're marketing to teen aged girls, you'll want to grab their attention with photos that they like and colors that speak to them. Parents looking to educate or entertain children will be seeking things that appeal to them. Meanwhile you'll have to consider the male market as well as the retired who may be looking for safe investments for their future. If you're not marketing to the right market, you hard worked on CD or DVD isn't going to go anywhere.
Know that your packaging influence sales. If a company is going green you'll want your packaging to reflect living greener by using recycled product packaging.
Keep in mind that the packaging has limited space in which to work with. Keep it simple. Too much will overpower your work and can be off putting. If people can't find the information they want to see on the product, they're not going to buy it. Put that information where it can readily be found and keep it front and center.
Provide Information and Quality
If you're a big company, make it obvious. If you're local, state that as well. Use your company colors or a logo for branding. Make it obvious to the buyer that you're who you say you are. If you're offering training DVDs or a band you'll want to make that as obvious as you can on the packaging.
Deliver what you say you will. Be honest about what you have to offer. Avoid misleading statements that can lead you into murky waters (both legal and otherwise). If it's a food product you'd list the ingredients as well as the nutritional value. In the same fashion, your CD packaging should list what the buyer needs to know. As well as the catalogue information and bar code and credits, list likely audiences, genre's and the like.
Emotion Sells
Have fun and be creative. Find out what's selling and what isn't.
Observe other CDs and see why they sell. A Simpsons movie had a shiny doughnut shaped package. It was unique and sold well.
A South African band had a scratch off design with a guitar plectrum to scratch it off. While these styles may not fit your budget, you'll learn that you have to think outside of the jewel case to be creative and unique.
Lastly, consider color. Color can produce a lot of emotion in the music world. Many colors can remind people of specific times of year such as red and green for Christmas or red and pink for Valentine's Day. If you're wanting to express simplicity, consider white. White also shows as clean or pure. Back stands for power or mystery. you get the idea. Gold and silver are reflective of wealth or luxury. Go ahead and make your statement.
Citations:
Amy Rice enjoys writing about many subjects, when not writing she spends time with her daughter and play adventure golf.
