Mark Pasetsky shares thoughts on repackaging your brand’s product image

It may be time to update your product in the marketplace; however, it’s important to do your research and revisit how and why the brand was successful in the first place. You may not necessarily need a full overhaul to remain competitive and relevant in the current market space. It may just take a tweak here and there to highlight a timeless feature that consumers still care about.

Taking this approach and reaching out to collaborate with your PR department is a smart way to put your brand over the top for continued success among competing companies in the industry. Below, 14 Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one idea to keep in mind when preparing for a package redesign of an established product that needs a bit of modernization in these current times.

1. AVOID ERASING THE BRAND’S VISUAL AUTHENTIC IDENTITY.

Design is the externalized soul of a brand, so look to the DNA and respect the graphic language that preceded you. Burger King and Pepsi are two recent examples of contemporizing brands without discarding their authenticity. Design should feel current, but iconic brands also need to feel timeless. – Tim Maleeny, Havas North America

2. UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND HISTORY OF YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE.

You need to remember that a product or service is sometimes popular and sellable not because it keeps innovating, but because it remains the same over the years. Ensure you understand the nature and history of the product or service before making packaging and marketing changes. However, if the product has been known to reinvent itself every few years, then, by all means, do so. – Zain Jaffer, Zain Ventures

3. FIND OUT HOW YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS ARE STILL USING THE BRAND.

This is probably a good time to take a hard look at who’s using the product and why. Get out there and talk to your customers and see what they’re doing. You’d be surprised how many brands launch a product and have a GTM strategy that is aimed at the wrong people or highlights the wrong value proposition or features. – Rio Longacre, Slalom Consulting

4. COLLABORATE WITH A DIVERSE TEAM TO PRIORITIZE CULTURAL REPRESENTATION APPROPRIATELY.

As a woman of color, I suggest that business leaders prioritize cultural representation when refreshing a product’s package design. Ensure that there is diversity in the imagery and colors, reflecting various ethnic backgrounds. Collaborate with a diverse team to capture nuanced perspectives, and be mindful of language choices to avoid cultural misunderstandings. By embracing inclusivity in design, you authentically foster a sense of belonging. – Maria Alonso, Fortune 206

5. HIGHLIGHT AND CELEBRATE ONE SINGLE DETAIL FROM THE ORIGINAL PACKAGE DESIGN.

For many old brands, the best idea for new packaging is often to highlight and celebrate a single detail from the original package design. Find that detail. Enlarge it. Simplify it. Then, get rid of all the clutter around it. By giving that original element new space and focus, you will create a design that feels fresh and exciting but familiar and welcoming at the same time. – Barry Fiske, Merkle

6. BALANCE INNOVATION WITH FAMILIARITY.

When launching a new package design for an established product, consider brand consistency. Ensure the new design reflects the brand’s identity and values while both appealing to existing customers and attracting new ones. Balancing innovation with familiarity is key to maintaining brand loyalty and recognition in the market. – Leigh Burgess, Bold Industries Group, Inc.

7. ASSESS THE VALIDITY OF YOUR ORIGINAL ‘PRODUCT, FEATURE, OR COMPANY’ QUESTION.

Revisit the “product, feature, or company” question objectively. Something that was a company before may be a product or a feature now—or may become a feature tomorrow, given the rate of innovation. Generative AI is going to turn a lot of products into features very rapidly—and a lot of companies into yesterday’s news. A sanity check against GenAI and future artificial general intelligence is a must, even if it’s painful. – Jared Reimer, Cascadeo

8. CONSIDER THE FOUR DESIGN ELEMENTS.

When you’re refreshing a package design, there are four equally weighted elements to consider: How does the design look on a screen? How does it look on the shelf (next to your competitor’s packaging)? How does it feel in people’s hands? What is the unboxing experience like? Each of these four aspects should deepen the customer’s awareness and connection with the brand. – Theresa Neil, Guidea

9. WEIGH CONSUMER PREFERENCES WITH MARKET TRENDS.

Strike the right balance between maintaining brand equity and consumer loyalty while infusing freshness into the design. This includes everything from the packaging graphics (visual design) to the out-of-box experience (structural design). It’s important to acknowledge evolving consumer preferences and market trends. When paired with the right design strategy, your product becomes craveable. – Beau Oyler, Enlisted Design

10. BRING YOUR PR TEAM ON BOARD TO STRATEGIZE THE RIGHT MESSAGE.

Bring your public relations team into the conversation as early as possible. They need time to develop a thoughtful PR plan, which includes a PR strategy, identifying top media targets, developing key messaging, explaining why your product needs a refresh, and creating a Q&A document that anticipates questions the media will ask during interviews. – Mark Pasetsky, Mark Allen & Co.

11. CREATE FOCUS GROUPS, CONDUCT SURVEYS, OR LAUNCH A/B TESTING.

Customer perception is the main factor to consider. Before finalizing a design, conduct various market research to understand the customer response. This might involve focus groups, surveys, or A/B testing to see how consumers react to the new design compared to the old one. Your design process should be built upon understanding customer preferences, values, and expectations. – Gergo Vari, Lensa

12. STRENGTHEN YOUR PRODUCT’S POSITION WITHOUT ALIENATING CORE AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

It’s crucial to strike a balance between innovation and familiarity. Use consumer feedback and iterative design to guide the refresh, ensuring new designs appeal to both existing and potential customers. Don’t overlook the importance of market research, understanding user personas, and key features. The goal is to strengthen the product’s market position without alienating its core audience. – Jack Borie, Ubix Labs

13. CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSUMER-BRAND CONNECTION.

When refreshing a new package design, look at modernizing the graphics and adding fresh elements. Include cross-functional team members in the updates to ensure feedback is included. It’s beneficial to have a prototype created so that you can see if the edits for the packaging are produced. Look for ways to connect the brand to the consumer and make sure the refreshed packaging achieves the objectives. – Jo Ann Herold, Herold Growth Consulting

14. COME UP WITH A CHANGE-MANAGEMENT PLAN.

Consider how your ardent fans would feel about it. Change is generally met with resistance, so thinking through how you are doing change management is important. – Kalyan Kuchampudi, Almabase