Packaging design gets most of the attention, but the words on a pack do essential work. They name the product, explain what it is, make the case for buying it and carry the brand’s voice into someone’s kitchen or bathroom. And they do it in very little space.
1. Know the job of each panel
- Front panel: be found and chosen. Brand, product name, variant and one key benefit. Very few words.
- Back panel: confirm the choice and build the relationship. Story, details, usage, required information.
- Side panels: often for required information, secondary claims, or a little personality.
Do not try to tell the whole story on the front.
2. Lead with what it is
Shoppers need to understand what the product is instantly. A creative name is great, but pair it with a clear description. “Moonlight” means nothing; “Moonlight — lavender sleep balm” works.
3. Pick one benefit for the front
Choose the single most important reason to buy. If you list five benefits, none stands out. Put the others on the back.
4. Write in your brand’s voice
Copy is one of the strongest expressions of brand personality. A playful snack brand and a clinical skincare brand should sound completely different. Decide how your brand speaks — warm, witty, precise, poetic — and stay consistent across every product.
5. Tell a short story
The back of a pack is a good place for a brief story: where the recipe came from, why the brand started, how the product is made. Keep it short — two or three sentences — and genuine. Specific details are more believable than broad claims.
Zia Nina‘s jars are a good example of words and images working together. Vintage illustration and clear messaging emphasise the sauces’ authentic Italian roots and organic quality — the story is told quickly, and it is believable.
6. Be accurate and careful with claims
Claims like “natural”, “healthy”, “organic” or “clinically proven” may be regulated, depending on category and country. Make sure everything you say is accurate and can be substantiated. Overclaiming damages trust and can create legal problems.
7. Make it readable
- Size: text needs to be legible at actual size, in real lighting
- Contrast: light text on light backgrounds disappears
- Length: short sentences and paragraphs
- Hierarchy: headings and spacing help people scan
Print a sample and read it in a supermarket aisle or a dim bathroom. If it is hard to read, revise.
Bonus: small moments of delight
Some of the most memorable packaging copy appears in unexpected places — inside a lid, on the bottom of a jar, on the inside of a box flap. A small, well-written line can make someone smile and remember you.
Write with the designer
Copy and design should be developed together, not one after the other. Word length affects layout, and layout affects what the words need to do.
If you want packaging where the words and design work as one, get in touch.