Authenticity, in some ways, means clarity for shoppers. So, elevate your brand easily in the following areas. The more authentic your brand is, the easier it is for shoppers to connect with you on a human level.

 

How Clarity Denotes Authenticity

When you get a bad review online, don’t delete it. Instead, provide exceptional customer service and solve the matter professionally. Why is this the ideal protocol? Because anyone who sees the exchange sees a brand that cares about their customers and wants to make an imperfect situation better. No customer is expecting you to be a perfect company. What they are expecting is a company that respects their humanity and deals with issues head-on. In fact, when a potential customer sees quality customer service online, they’re more likely to discount the negative comment or review and make a purchase.

 

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This principle applies to label design as well. Consider the issues your customers will have with your product, or questions that will come up in the grocery store aisle. Address it clearly and compassionately. It’s not that you have to devote a significant amount of space (unless regulations require you to do so), but that you devote some space to inform your customers. Remember McDonald’s campaign to answer customer concerns and questions with transparency? Yeah, that’s the kind of bold authenticity that your label needs.

 

cruelty free logos that provide brand authenticity

Cruelty-free logos and info from https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/cruelty-free-101/cruelty-free-bunny-logo/

 

Clearly State Cruelty-Free Status

More and more, people are turning to brands that offer cruelty-free products. Since knowing this information takes research, getting stuck in the grocery aisle Googling company information is a frequent occurrence. If your company is cruelty-free, pay the fee and use the appropriate leaping bunny logo. This makes it so much easier for your customers to pick up your product and know they’d be comfortable purchasing it.

Also, consider that your customers want to know if the parent company is cruelty-free. So, while Brand X doesn’t test on animals, it’s parent company, Brand Y does. It also sells in China which means it must test on animals in order to provide its products for that market. For some customers, this isn’t a deal breaker. They see their purchase as supporting the brand that offers cruelty-free items. Others are not interested in supporting a brand with a parent company that tests on animals because they feel that at the end of the day, their money will be going straight to the parent company and supporting animal testing.

Yet, there’s a simple and important solution. Whether or not you opt for using the leaping bunny logo, provide a note about who the brand’s parent company is and whether or not they test on animals. The people who don’t support parent company associations will be doing the research and avoiding your product anyway. Except now when they see your authentic clarity, they’ll make note of that should the cruelty-free status change with the parent company in the future.

 

Digitally printed salad dressing label - great lakes label

Make Health Information A Priority

Last year, GMO labeling regulations changed and put some brands through a redesign tailspin. There are other considerations too. Think about gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian food. How can you provide clear graphics to make it easier for customers with dietary restrictions to shop? These graphics are as simple to include as a small overlay over your product photography. These are your selling points, so put them front and center. This clarity is just as important as incorporating heart healthy and organic food logos. Just like the leaping bunny situation, you want to alleviate time spent in the aisle reading labels and Googling information about your brand. Regardless of if your product is the right fit, customers will appreciate and remember your authenticity.

 

moya wine label - wine traders - great lakes label

Sustainability is Key

No matter what industry your brand is in, lean into using sustainable label stock, like this 30% recycled paper wine stock. Clearly label if your product is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) compliant as well. Packaging already labels whether or not something is made with recyclable material, but can you go a step up? Use a booklet-style label to offer ways to re-use your packaging around the house. For example, glass salsa bottles are a fantastic shape and size for growing plants on kitchen windowsills. Show them how to create that sophisticated look using your product, and how their new cilantro cuttings will enhance their favorite recipes. Believe it or not, it’s possible to design environmentally friendly labeling to also be fun and useful in everyday life.

 

THYK hair label with motion coat - Great Lakes Label

How Self-Care Shapes Shopper Intention

Self-care means a lot of different things and varies from person to person. Whatever your brand is, consider how your products are used in a self-care routine. Yes, authenticity is required. A focus on mental wellness is growing in popularity and emerging as a major trend in luxury packaging. So, safe to say that this trend will permeate all industries.

When designing a label, consider what imagery conveys a sense of calm, care, and relaxation. Or, where can your product take a person? A healthy home cooked meal with loved ones? Can your product help them when traveling to a secluded cottage in the woods? Or, what about rejuvenating nightly bath after a long day on your feet?

Even if the imagery isn’t used to imply those scenarios, you can do so with small graphics and innovative labeling techniques. Small graphics of a basket of vegetables, a car, or a tub create visual associations with self-care routines and experiences. Labeling techniques use haptic labeling to create subconscious positive associations with your brand.

 

Labeling Technology Saves Label Space While Providing Valuable Information

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), NFC (Near Field Communication) and even the humble QR code all provide immense value. Instead of adding all this information on your label, link them to your website. Or, do both! A simple graphic is helpful for those in the know, while customers who want more information can get it with a tap of their phone. On top of providing customers with an image of how to use your jar to plant cilantro and a recipe below, share the video tutorial! Collaborate with a beauty blogger on their top 10 self-care hacks and link the blog right there on your product. Even use a hashtag to see how your customers are enjoying their products. Then, connect with them on a personal level through social media. It doesn’t get more authentic than that.

 

Learn more about the labeling solutions Great Lakes Label offers.  We offer a variety of inks and coatings to create a label that excites customers. Download our e-book, The Resource Guide To All Things Inks & Coatings.

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