Are you considering a packaging design, but don’t know how much it might cost and what you will get with it? – This is what you will find out in our article.
What elements make up packaging design?
Packaging design is not just about preparing a flat graphic and sending a mock-up or electronic file, what you see on your monitor is only a piece of the designers’ work. So what does a packaging design actually consist of?
- Briefing, pricing, contact and consultation with the client,
- Sketches and concepts – often also prepared for the client,
- Creation of the design, its cutting out and testing,
- Graphics prepared by the designers. These are often hours spent on: working out every detail, finding the best quality materials or creating them by hand (traditional drawings and painting, digital painting, photographs), matching the right typefaces, and colours to the project,
- Selection of raw materials and most suitable finishing and printing techniques,
- Specific number of design revisions,
- Pre-prepared mock-ups or packaging wetproofs,
- Preparation of design for print and final production.
What does packaging design look like at Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland?
At Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland, packaging design consists of two major parts – design and graphics, which can be divided into a total of 9 stages. It is not necessary to purchase the entire process, the individual stages can be purchased separately. For this purpose, we will try to explain what they consist of and how much each of them costs.
STAGE 1 – Customer needs research (BRIEF)
The first stage is to obtain information about the product itself that is to be packaged.
At Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland we obtain the information during a meeting with the client. We then conduct an interview, in which we find out data about the product itself: where it is to be distributed, in which cultural code it will be sold, what is the target group – to which it is directed, how the product must be secured, how it is to be displayed, what is the competition of the product. It is also the time to understand the problems faced by the product’s target audience, to know the brand, its value, and the budget the client would like to allocate to the production of the packaging and the timing of its launch.
This is one of the most important stages, as it is the basis on which our future packaging is shaped to fulfil a specific function, such as increasing sales or brand awareness. At this stage, it is also necessary to obtain a physical sample of the product or a 3D visualisation of the designs with detailed product dimensions.
Here we find out what the client doesn’t want or what solution they would like to implement in their packaging.
STAGE 2 – Design team meeting.
At this meeting, we discuss all the information obtained and decide on the main concept of the packaging, its design, graphic style, raw materials used, printing techniques, possible enhancements or environmental impact.
This is another important stage that cannot be omitted, as it is here that the main direction of packaging development is chosen, i.e. the direction we are going in, e.g. ecological, premium, prestige. It is also at this point that the project timeframe needed for the client to receive the packaging by the required deadline is established. This is also where we establish the people responsible for each stage of the project.
After this stage, the client is given a budget and can decide whether or not to commission us with the project and to what extent.
STAGE 3 – construction work.
The findings from the team meeting and any information from the client are passed on to the designers, who create the packaging design based on the client’s requirements, company standards e.g. ecology, and depending on what exactly is to be put into the packaging, and in what quantity.
Finished construction solutions must be tested on mock-ups and improved if necessary. Every construction option is tested by us before being sent to the customer. After this stage, the client receives cut-out unprinted mock-ups of the construction, and/or photos of the finished construction solutions.
The cost of this stage ranges from €450 net to €1,400 net for one construction. The price depends on how complex the packaging is, whether it has additional elements such as a pop-up. Each complicated movable, pop-up, 3D element – requires additional time and work of the designers.
STEP 4 – selection of the construction by the client.
The next step is to send the construction to the client so that they can choose the one they like best and make suggestions and changes. Here, the client has the right to make two amendments free of charge. At this stage, the main packaging construction that will be used for the final production is shaped.
STAGE 5 – refinement of the construction chosen by the client.
At this stage we complete the work with the packaging construction. We prepare technical drawings, re-test the packaging, prepare unprinted mock-ups (on a cutting plotter) on the target raw materials. We then send the finished mock-up to the client.
If the client chooses the construction itself with us, we end at this stage. We then also forward all the technical drawings and files.
Cost of stages 3-5: between €450 net and €1,400 net for one construction.
Duration of stage: between 2 and 18 working days, depending on the complexity of the construction and the occupancy of the design studio.
STAGE 6 – graphics
At this stage, the packaging takes on the colours or individual marks that the client’s brand has. At this stage, the client alone decides whether they want to do the graphics with us or in their own graphic studio. It is often the case that clients work with advertising agencies who are responsible for the visual side, in which case the client transfers all the materials to their studio and the agency applies the graphics. If the graphics are applied by Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland, then the design team works on the graphics on the basis of information gathered previously or materials received from the client.
The finished design must be tested, for which purpose we create packaging samples. We print the graphics and cut out and assemble the packaging. This gives us a finished sample, which can then be sent to the client for approval or corrections. We always suggest 2-3 graphic solutions to the client. To the packaging samples prepared in this way, we prepare a presentation in which we describe our proposals and include photographs of the packaging, drawing attention to its details and original features.
The cost of this stage at Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland varies from €560 net to €1,400 net. The price depends on whether the client has handed over their materials or whether our design studio has to do the graphic design from scratch on the basis of materials acquired by ourselves or developed by ourselves. The price also depends on the degree of involvement of the graphic designers. If the client would like the design to be hand-painted and then transferred to digital, then this will take more time and thus increase the cost. Photographs with rights to use are also an additional cost.
STEP 7 – selecting the proposed graphics.
At this stage, the client chooses the graphic solution they prefer and makes suggestions and changes. Here, the client can make two corrections free of charge.
STAGE 8 – fine-tuning of the graphic version selected by the client.
At this stage, the target graphic for the packaging that will be used for production is shaped. At the end of this stage, mock-ups, photos or films of the packaging are delivered to the client. It is at this stage that the final approval of the packaging graphics takes place. In turn, it ends with the handover of all files and materials.
Duration of stage: 3 to 18 working days, depending on the complexity and scope of work on the packaging and occupancy in the design studio.
Cost of stages 6 to 8: between €560 net and €1,400 net plus any additional material costs.
STAGE 9 – Wetproofs
A recommended solution before the target production, is to order wetproofs, i.e. a few / a dozen pieces produced in the target production process. Such weetproofs are advisable for large-scale production in order to test the packaging and gain confidence in the final printing, finishing, raw material and execution in production.
Cost per stage: from €1,200 net, depending on the materials used, printing or finishing.
Depending on the choice of individual stages or the entire design process, the customer will receive at Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland upon completion:
- Packaging concepts and presentation with raw material proposals,
- Tested design, white unprinted mock-ups, including dispatch,
- Pre-tested design, white unprinted mock-ups, including dispatch,
- Quotation for packaging production,
- Samples produced in the target production process.
Summary
The cost of the project therefore depends on the stages the client chooses. Let’s assume that the client is prepared to hand over all stages, i.e. the entire packaging design process, to us, in which case the total cost will be between €1,200 net and €2,700 net – depending on the options selected. On the other hand, there is always the option of selecting individual stages, e.g. just the construction, in which case the cost will be between €450 net and €1,400 net, but then it must be remembered that the graphic design must be done by the client.
At Purells Innovative / Burgopak Poland, we design and produce sample packaging for some of the most well-known companies in Poland and around the world – Contact us and we will create a unique design for you too.
Source: own study
