What Are Minimalist Labels (and What’s the Appeal)?
Posted by : Mercury Labels Ltd on Monday, December 19, 2022 in Printed Labels.
On the surface, designing a minimalist
label should be fairly straightforward. In reality, it often turns out to be
nothing of the sort.
When you take things back to basics,
the few simple details you incorporate into your design take on a whole new
level of prominence. Unless every visual element of your minimalist label is
equally flawless, it could have the opposite of the intended effect.
Minimalism is the design trend
of the 21st century, as people become increasingly weary of brands’
OTT attempts to win them over with increasingly elaborate marketing materials.
Oftentimes, it is the products with the most basic and understated labels and
packages that stand out on store shelves.
Coupled with the fact that minimalist
labels are more recognisable and memorable than their convoluted counterparts,
it all adds up to a good exercise in brand recognition. That is, if you know
how to go about the minimalist label design process the right way.
When to Use Minimalist Design
Minimalist design is appropriate when
you want the product itself to do the talking. Traditionally, manufacturers
have used complex and excessive visuals as a way to boost the appeal of fairly
lacklustre products. Today, it’s common knowledge among consumers that if a
product is worth buying, it does not need to be showcased in such an
ostentatious way.
When you think about it, the vast
majority of ultra-premium products and luxury brands are presented with
minimalism in its purest form. Expensive perfumes and aftershaves, luxury Swiss
watch boxes, the latest products from Apple – all typically packaged in plain
packages with almost no visual additional and the bare minimum text.
Get it right with minimalist design
and you can create a sense of luxury and exclusivity with your products. Not to
mention, ensure your products stand out from a sea of competitors, by appealing
to the tastes of today’s more discerning consumer.
Key Tips for Minimalist Label Designs
All labels are unique and must be a
true reflection of the brand behind them to get the job done. Even so, there
are three essential rules that must be followed, when designing and printing
minimalist labels for any purpose:
- Keep it simple
As touched upon above, simplicity
holds the key to effective minimalist label design. Think about the way Apple
has packaged and presented its products for years. You simply get a picture of
the item within the packaging, coupled with a brand logo embedded so subtly in
the material that you can barely see it.
Nevertheless, this simplicity and minimalism tells the customer all they
need to know about the exclusivity and prestige of the product they are
purchasing.
- Eliminate the superfluous
In keeping with the above, take the
time to question each and every detail of your minimalist labels. Ask yourself – does any given element really need
to be there, or is it largely superfluous? If it does not bring something
of genuine value and relevance to the label, consider removing it. Include only
the information and visual elements that need to be there and eliminate
everything else.
- Choose fonts and colours carefully
A great way to ruin an otherwise
fantastic minimalist label is to get carried away with font and colour choices.
If you are putting together a consummately minimalist label, you need to keep
things simple with your fonts and colours. Stick with two or three colours at
the most and select fonts that prioritise legibility over elaborateness.
Importantly, ensure that each and every detail that needs to be communicated to
the customer can be picked up at a glance.
