Transparency in design: the importance of more transparent packaging and brands

No one questions the notion that transparency is an essential quality for a relationship to last, right? And if that’s true when we are talking about people, why would it be any different with the relationship between brands and customers?

With consumers that are increasingly more demanding, investing in a clear and sincere communication has become an obligation for all kinds of businesses. And, in design, the application of that strategy must be taken even more seriously. After all, transparency is not important only figuratively, but also literally, as in the products’ packages! Read on and understand.

More transparent brands

Earning people’s trust is a sign of success for any brand. And make no mistake: the best way to earn trust is by being transparent.

For a long time, many companies thought it was possible to establish a positive image in the market even if it didn’t match reality. It didn’t take long for them to realize it didn’t quite work like that.

You know the saying “lies have short legs”? That’s the point, and there’s a very important detail: the moment a brand loses the trust of its customers – and believe it, it happens! – recovering it can be extremely difficult.

That’s why transparency has been in the spotlight nowadays. People are not only more aware and demanding, they are also more suspicious of corporations. And there are reasons for that – you may remember, for instance, recent news about companies collecting illegally obtained data and government agencies spying on civilians, among others.

In this context, brands with a more open and honest positioning have been garnering public admiration. American clothing retailer Everlane is a great example of that. Always highlighting its “exceptional quality, ethical factories and radical transparency”, the company took the initiative of revealing exactly how much it is making from the sales of each item of clothing.

On their website, an image explains in a very simple manner the pricing structure. That makes clients aware of the costs of each stage, from raw materials to transportation.

More transparent packaging

However, it’s not only brands’ behaviors which matter to consumers. The products also need to have a quality guarantee. Therefore, transparency in packages has become one of the main trends for 2019. And here we also mean the literal sense of the word.

Brands need to be more direct, objective and honest with what they put in their labels. Information is essential and customers want to know exactly what they are bringing home. When we’re talking about food packaging, that is even more important.

People have been favoring fresh food, and descriptive texts and pictures of the products on the package are not always enough. Allowing them to see through the labels is a big differential for brands. Several studies back this up indicating, for instance, that customers are up to 600% more interested in buying items they can see at points of sale.

One of these studies tracked eye movements in a buying situation and the result pointed out people are more attracted to the product itself than to pictures and images.

A relevant example of that from here at Pande is our project with Sodebo, a French company which makes ready and refrigerated meals, and which wanted to kickstart the internationalization of the brand.The solution for their pizza packages was to invest in a large transparent section, leaving characteristics of the product in view and highlighting its freshness to customers.

So, liked the article? How about making transparency a fundamental principle of your company? The rule is valid for brand initiatives as well as the products it offers. After all, it can’t be overstated: transparency is the first step toward trust!