Popcorns are everywhere. They are a staple for movie nights, game days, parties such as birthdays and anniversaries, or a random friends and family gathering. Some popcorn lovers even make them a part of the menu for their weddings. What’s more do you want from these tiny and tasty munchies? Well, there is one-way consumers and brands can make a box of popcorn more attractive and relevant. And those are custom popcorn boxes.
The importance of special popcorn boxes for brands is huge. The global market for popcorn currently stands around 7 billion, with an expected increase of CAGR 11% from 2023 to 2032. One-way brands can grab a good chunk of this booming market is by creating differentiation. Custom popcorn boxes can give brands the competitive edge they require by increasing visual appeal, creating a connection with consumers, and personalizing the offerings.
This guide walks you through different steps for creating unique and highly relevant custom popcorn boxes. What makes this guide different is that it discusses steps for both brands and DIYers. So, let’s dig in and learn how to pop up the popcorn game.
How can Brands Design Unique and Sales-Boosting Custom Popcorn Boxes?
Identify Target Market
Popcorns are loved by people of all ages. This is what brands can use to their advantage while crafting boxes. A brand targeting kids must make the boxes kid-relevant. Shops selling popcorn in theaters must focus on movie-relevant packaging. Similarly, the packaging must change if you are selling specific flavors. For example, a shop selling vegan popcorns can use vegan-oriented custom boxes.
Use Appropriate Artwork
The role of artwork on the boxes is central to increasing popcorn sales. Artwork refers to the design or graphic you put on the box. As already explained, the artwork on the box must be specific to your target market.
Moreover, using attractive graphics makes your box stand out from the rest and helps retain customers. For example, you create a unique kid-oriented custom popcorn box and succeed in making an emotional connection with kids. The kids, as we all know, can be very stubborn. They’ll force their parents to buy popcorn only from your shop. Bingo. You’ve locked an entire family as your customer. When a customer visits a particular shop too often, they don’t limit themselves to one item. They also buy other products. It can help you grow sales.
The Right Fonts
Fonts also play a critical role in making your custom popcorn boxes a hit. The font style, size, and alignment are all vital while designing a popcorn box. Many brands, like KFC, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Kellogg’s, have used font styles to their advantage. It has helped them forge a unique brand identity.
Give the Marketing Touch
Apart from the attractive touch, brands must also use custom popcorn boxes as a marketing tool. Make sure you put your brand’s logo, tagline, and flavor options on the box. When someone buys ready-to-eat popcorn, they usually walk a few blocks before throwing the box. The time for which a customer holds the box in his/her hand is your marketing window. Some of the onlookers will surely come to your shop if you succeed in developing a popcorn craving through your packaging design.
Include the Interactive Touch
Modern-day popcorn boxes are getting interactive. Many brands opt to include transparent windows in the boxes so consumers can know how many popcorns are left in the box. Some have a panda on the box with his face wide open, which shows the popcorn coming out of the panda’s mouth. The options here are limitless. Get your thinking hat on and design yourself a box that will mesmerize everyone.
Appropriate Material and Finishing
The material and finishing you choose for your box play a vital role in the shopper’s experience. The best options here are cardboard and Kraft. These are sturdy enough to hold the popcorn for a long time. The second factor is finishing. The different finishing options include aqueous coating, UV coating, spot gloss UV, soft touch coating, lamination, and varnish.
Ensure Eco-Friendliness
Not only in popcorn, green packaging has taken all the industries by a storm. Shoppers now look for recyclable symbols and prefer buying from green and eco-friendly brands. Popcorn shops can use this to their advantage and display packaging information on custom boxes.
How Can You Make Awe-Inspiring Custom Popcorn Boxes for Small Events at Home?
The above section helped brands create spectacular custom boxes. Now let’s discuss how you can make unique and unforgettable popcorn boxes for small events such as housewarmings, birthday parties, anniversaries, movies, or game nights.
Supplies Required
- Cardstock
- Printer
- Scale
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
Procedure
Step 1: Find a Printable Template or Design One
Simply go to your web browser and type (keywords of your choice with words “popcorn box printable template”) what you want to put on your popcorn box. The options here are endless, depending on the type of event you are hosting. For example, you can go for cartoon characters, superheroes, or your favorite players.
The second option is to design a template yourself. This is best when you want images, dates, or other information on the box. For example, you can print wedding or birthday dates, gender reveal date, or any other information that will make your day more personal. White printable templates are also available online.
Step 2: Print on Cardstock
We suggest not going with regular printer paper. It is not sturdy enough to hold popcorn. Instead, go for cardstock. Cardstock makes custom popcorn boxes exactly like the ones you buy from shops. Check before printing that the template fits nicely on the paper and is not cut from any side. Then print 1-2 pages to test the remaining steps.
Step 3: Score the Lines and Cut with Scissors
Use a scale and a pencil to score the lines that need to be folded to create the box. The templates usually have these lines. Just an expert tip: be gentle while scoring; too much pressure can tear the paper.
Grab your scissors and cut along the folding lines. Be careful here, and don’t cut off any tabs or flaps.
Step 4: Fold and Test
Start folding the paper along the scored lines. This may take some time, depending on the size and design. You may need to repeat this step 2-3 times before you become a master of the art.
Step 5: Glue the Box
The last step is to glue the box together. Make sure you go with food-safe adhesive and not common glue. The common glue may melt when you put in piping hot popcorn, so it is better to use high-quality food-safe adhesive.
Step 6: Get Ready to Speed- Up
Once the test boxes are ready, you can speed up the process. Creating a DIY custom popcorn box usually takes 4-5 minutes once the template and dimensions are set. One way to speed up the process is to rope in a partner.
Final Words: The Way Ahead for Popcorn Brands
It is not too difficult to design amazing popcorn boxes. Brands need to brainstorm and focus on the factors listed above, but homeowners can do whatever they like. The options are infinite. These boxes can make your popcorn an overnight success.
Packaging Mania has been around for quite a few years, providing quality packaging solutions to popcorn brands. Get in touch with us today to boost your popcorn sales by creating the wow factor with the best custom popcorn boxes.
