The aesthetics of front of package

The front of a package gives food companies an opportunity to communicate differentiation, nutrition and social responsibility. These messages tell consumers what the product is all about whether it’s food safe for those with celiac disease, a good source of protein or made with GMO-free ingredients. With only three seconds to make a good impression, food marketing teams must be judicious with what they choose to promote and can find the answer in consumer research and whatever claims the product lends itself to. In the end, the front-of-package message should be clear.

“The goal shouldn’t be to make it difficult for people,” Mr. Sklar said. “We’re pretty proud of our nutritional information, so we want people to see that.”

The front of a food package carries with it a lot of responsibility. With this limited real estate, food marketers must convey a brand message, product name and any claims they think will win over consumers. “It starts with the front of package and catching consumers’ attention because we’re all in crowded categories,” said Dan Letchinger, product manager, Dave’s Killer Bread.

For a product as visual as Dave's Killer Bread, it's important to the company to balance the need for promoting nutrition with claims with the logo and white space to show off the seeded bread itself.

The company balances the logo, certifications and color equity between those competing graphics. All of this encourages the consumer to pick up the loaf of bread and turn the packaging over where they will discover the Dave’s Killer Bread story, a company dedicated to second chances and organic, GMO-free whole grain breads. All of this storytelling about the company and the nutrition of the product sells a loaf of bread, but Mr. Letchinger said the company’s biggest selling point is the bread itself.

“Our products are visually arresting,” he said. “We always want to balance the branded space with clear space so the consumer can look at the loaf and the seasoned grains and take it all in.” The company dedicates much of its front of package to clear space so that consumers can see the actual product. “We make breads that look different, and we want that difference to show and not be concealed by a package.”