Wines are Judged by the Label

Posted by Robert Howerth on Jun 1, 2016 in Packaging Design, Silkscreen on Glass, Wine Bottle Printing | 0 comments

In a market flooded by sophisticated, slick or trendy labels, how do you make sure yours is the one consumers reach for? The advice may be to never judge a book by its cover, but the truth is most consumers select a wine based on its label.

Label Design Essential to Success 

From a marketing standpoint, an attractive, eye-catching label is almost as important as the quality of the wine inside. Well-designed labels are essential for moving your product from the shelf to the consumer’s home, particularly those customers who have decided to try something new. If you want a label that will “pop” off the shelf, a lot of creative thinking and design must go into it.

Some graphic designers who specialize in wine label design believe your wine label must work on three levels:

1. At least one design element – a logo or icon, burst of color, piece of artwork, or a unique shape – should catch a customer’s eye from across the aisle.
2. The label should contain design cues that tell consumers this is an excellent bottle of wine. Elements like subtle colors, textures, and simple fonts work best, all of which can be easily achieved with silk screen printed bottles.
3. The label needs to sell your brand’s story. Though consumers may not read the entire label at the point of purchase, once they have opened and enjoyed the wine at home, they’re going to want to know more. Direct to bottle printing allows you to use the entire bottle as your canvas when telling your unique story.

How Consumers Choose Wines

The store shelves are packed with bottles of Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, many sporting award labels. Choosing a bottle can be downright baffling for consumers.

A study done by Cal Poly found that wine buyers get their first impression from a bottle’s label. Researchers learned that while people consider the quality, good value and varietal of the wine, they also want a unique, eye-catching and colorful label. So what specific details should you keep in mind when designing a label meant to quickly catch the consumer’s interest?

• The window of opportunity is a short one. Bottles have only a few seconds to make an impression or the consumer moves on. Concentrate on developing a label design that quickly catches the eye.
• Price matters. Lower cost wines (under $20) seem to do best with brightly colored labels, while the more expensive ones attract attention a more traditional bold or contrarian design.
• Distinction also matters, but it can be difficult to define. Some brands find approachable works best, while others swear by a classy and sleek look that gives off a premium air.

You Be the Judge

If your brand wants to develop packaging that grabs attention, does justice to your product, and drives consumer preference, you need to understand what catches the eye and compels customers to pick up your wine on their way to the register. If you’re interested in learning more about how screen printed labels are the perfect way to uniquely represent your brand in the marketplace, contact us today. We’ll show you how we can help set your brand apart from the rest.