‘Tis the season for cozy blankets, warm drinks and of course, candles. If you’re in the business of making candles, you know better than anyone how steep the competition is. With over 2,000 candle labels on the market, how do you set yours apart? Here are some professional tips to make your candle labels pop on the shelves!
It’s All About the Aesthetic
A study found that 94% of first impressions are design related. Picture this: you’re walking through the candle aisle at you favorite home store. Amongst the aisle full of jars from all different kinds of brands, you choose one to take off the shelf and smell. Why did you choose it? Be honest, it was the packaging wasn’t it? It’s human nature– judging a book by its cover– so to speak. When creating your label design, think about what draws you to a particular candle. Here are some things to consider when designing your candle label:
- Can you read the brand name and scent from a distance?
- Is it too busy?
- Do the colors compliment each other?
Everything in good design is about keeping it simple. Doing too much can actually hurt your brand and make it confusing for consumers to recognize your products against all others.
Naming your Scents
What else makes you want to pick up that candle and give it a good whiff? An enticing scent name of course! Possibly the most important thing to highlight is the scent of your candle. You want someone to read the label and think, “ooh I bet that one smells amazing!” Any candle brand is going to have “cinnamon spice” or “fresh linen,” so it’s up to you to change it up and draw attention to your name. For example, instead of your basic “apple pie,” go with something more intriguing like “fresh baked apple pie,” or “warm apple strudel.” These names paint a better picture of what the candle might smell like, increasing the desire to pick it up and see if it lives up to the name.
Once you’ve chosen the name for your scent, you’ll need to make sure that it is highlighted on the front label. You don’t want anyone to have to guess what scent your candle is!
Too Much Imagery is a No-No
Again, when designing your label, keeping it simple is your best bet. Using images you found on Google of linens or apple pies can often make your product look cheap, as a cleaner look evokes elegance and professionalism. You want your customer to be able to envision your candle in their household, whether it’s the perfect accessory to their bookshelf, or their everyday kitchen candle, you want your design to be universal. Too much color, as silly as it may seem, can prevent someone from purchasing a candle–even if it smells amazing. Why? It simply does not fit into their space’s aesthetic.
Keep in mind that consumers want classic and simple, something that can easily fit into any space and not distract from their interior’s aesthetic.
Choose Your Font Wisely
A good font is essential in good design, especially when it comes to something that people need to see from a distance. While it may be tempting, avoid using fonts that are too elaborate, too curvy or curly. Using any cursive font is going to decrease legibility and make it difficult to read your label quickly. Your font conveys the tone of your brand, so think carefully about what you want it to say. Is your brand fun and quirky, or is it clean and basic? These are all things you need to consider before choosing a font. Fonts like “Poppins” or “Playfair, ” have a little bit of a curve to them and give off a lighter vibe, while fonts like “Montserrat” or “Open Sans” exude more professionalism and seriousness. Do your research before determining what font is best for your brand!
We hope that this guide to candle label design has helped you better understand how to set your labels apart from the crowd. Ready to get your labels made? Contact us today to get started!
