Whether we walk into a supermarket, a clothing store, a newsagents, or are simply walking down the street, we are confronted by labels. Labels impact our everyday lives; they influence the products we buy, the shops we visit, the cars we drive, and warn us about the dangers around us. The fact is labels are important. Not just for marketing purposes and influencing the products consumers buy, but also for providing information, warnings and advice to people.
Influencing consumer behaviour
The main reason businesses use labels is because they are proven to influence consumer behaviour. Research has found that people make a subconscious judgement about a product within 90 seconds of the initial viewing and, along with packaging, a label is a major factor in this decision process. In fact, it is estimated that 90 per cent of purchase decisions are made just by looking at the label on the front of a product. It is, therefore, easy to see why companies will invest a lot of time and money in designing and producing labels for their products.
When producing labels for marketing purposes it is important to really consider what you want to convey about the product to the consumer and ensure that this comes across on the label. For example, if you want your product to be considered trendy and fun consider using fashionable and vibrant colours along with youthful fonts; alternatively if you want to attract a more mature and sophisticated consumer, think about using neutral tones and elegant fonts.
Essential information
Along with attracting customers, labels are also used for providing essential information to consumers. Labels are a chance to communicate with potential customers, so it is vital that you use your label to convince them that your product is superior to your competitors, while also conveying information that they will need and want to know. If a consumer is seriously considering buying your product they will want to know the name and price, as well as any other details specific to that product.
When it comes to food labels a lot of the information you add will be required by law. Details like the food name, ingredients, quantity, and use by date are legal requirements and it is important that you research exactly what you need to put on a food label before the designing process begins.
Warnings and dangers
Along with essential information, labels are used to warn people about potential dangers. Often this will be on potentially hazardous chemicals or medicines th
at could cause harm if used incorrectly. Again it is vital that any potential harm that a product can cause is clearly identified on the label, therefore informing people about the dangers posed.
Other types of information
It’s not just businesses that use labels, however. Labels are used for a wide range of other reasons. Travellers will use labels on their luggage in case they get lost, while tourist information boards will often use labels to let visitors know about historic details or places of special interest.
In short, we are surrounded by labels for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they are used to persuade us to buy products, other times they are needed to provide essential information or warn us about potential dangers, while sometimes we simply use labels to convey personal details or to let others know about general information.
