A product’s role in the market should be defined before packaging concepts begin. Otherwise, color, typography and imagery become matters of personal taste.
What should the brief answer?
Who buys the product, what problem does it solve, which price tier and competitors define the shelf, and where is it sold? Separate the one message shoppers must understand immediately from the evidence they need before purchase.
Balance category recognition and differentiation
Shoppers should quickly recognize coffee, serum or supplements. Study established category cues, then build distinction without copying competitors blindly.
What is the deliverable?
An approved brief records audience, position, primary promise, supporting messages, SKU structure, mandatory copy, channels, substrates and production limits. Concepts are evaluated against these criteria.
How is success assessed?
Compare routes for category recognition, brand recall, legibility, thumbnail performance and manufacturability—not preference alone.