Your Packaging Isn’t the Problem. Your Strategy Is.

Companies often think a packaging redesign will fix everything—sales will skyrocket, customers will fall in love, and the brand will suddenly “feel fresh.”

But here’s the truth: Bad packaging isn’t usually the real problem. A lack of strategic thinking is.

A redesign won’t fix poor brand positioning. It won’t save a product that doesn’t meet customer needs. And it definitely won’t work if it’s just change for the sake of change.

So before you even think about updating your packaging, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Are You Solving a Business Problem or Just Chasing Trends?

• The Wrong Approach: "Our competitors updated their packaging, so we should too."
• The Right Approach: A great packaging redesign solves a business challenge. Are you struggling with low shelf visibility? Customer confusion? A perception issue? Your redesign should be driven by an actual business need, not FOMO.
• Hot Take: If you can’t define a concrete reason for your redesign, don’t touch your packaging.
• Action Step: Before making changes, audit your sales, customer feedback, and brand positioning. What specific problem does new packaging need to fix?

2. Are You Thinking About Packaging as a Marketing Asset?

Too many brands see packaging as a necessary expense instead of a 24/7 marketing tool.

Your packaging is often the first and last brand interaction a customer has. It’s a billboard on the shelf. It’s an unboxing experience. It’s a silent salesperson.

If your redesign isn’t enhancing how your brand is perceived and remembered, you’re wasting the opportunity.

• Hot Take: Packaging isn’t just a wrapper—it’s part of your brand’s storytelling.
• Action Step: Treat your packaging like an ad campaign. What message should it communicate instantly? What emotions should it trigger? How does it tie into your broader brand strategy?

3. Is Your Packaging an Experience or Just a Box?

Most redesigns focus on looks—but great packaging goes deeper. It should create an experience.

• Is your packaging easy to open, hold, and carry?
• Does it evoke emotion? (Think about the pop of a Pringles can or the magnetic close of an Apple box.)
• Does it reflect how customers interact with your product in real life?

Hot Take: The best packaging doesn’t just look good—it feels good.

Action Step: Prototype your redesign and test it with real users. Watch how they interact with it. If they struggle or don’t react emotionally, you have work to do.

Your packaging isn’t the problem—your lack of strategy is.

A redesign should never be about making things look “cooler.” It should solve a business problem, enhance brand perception, and create a real experience. Otherwise? You’re just slapping on a new coat of paint and hoping for the best.

Before you redesign, ask yourself: What’s the REAL problem I’m trying to solve? If you don’t have a clear answer, maybe your packaging isn’t the issue after all