From unique product names to eye-catching materials, custom coffee labels are becoming more creative and diversified than ever before. Coffee’s competitive market has increased the need for brands to have appealing labels in order to gain a competitive edge. Like wine, a coffee label’s design is an influential factor for not only attracting coffee lovers, but keeping them coming back. Whether you need help designing a coffee label or enjoy looking at pretty labels, our design tips will give you a jolt of creative inspiration.
Beauty is in the Eye of the (Label) Beholder
According to the National Coffee Association’s 2013 survey, about 83 percent of adults drink coffee in the U.S., with 63 percent who drink coffee every day. This large demographic can be an opportunity and challenge when designing custom coffee labels. Below are some considerations to help you create labels that not only appeal to coffee buyers but fit your brand as well.
- Colors – Having one or two pops of color can catch customers’ attention and also make your brand/product appear energetic and cheery. Colors like orange, yellow, blue and green are bright enough to stand out without being overly aggressive. You can also use different colors for multiple label versions to distinguish related coffee lines thanks to digital’s variable data printing abilities.
- Type Style – San serif fonts (i.e. letters and symbols without lines at the end of the stroke) can give labels a modern feel that speaks to younger coffee drinkers. On the other hand, cursive fonts can add elegance to custom coffee labels but may be hard for some consumers to read if the font is too thin or compact. There are a variety of free fonts available for download on the Internet if you can’t find the right one within your design software.
- Animals/People – Incorporating animals or people can add personality to your label design so your product becomes more memorable. Animals/people can also be used as a visual aid to share your brand’s origin, company culture, supported causes, etc. with a story to go with it on the back label so consumers can make a deeper, personal connection.
- Scenery – Coffee beans are often exported from exotic or tropical locations – so show that off in your label design! Whether your coffee comes from Jamaica, Costa Rica or Hawaii, there’s plenty of picturesque imagery you can use for design inspiration. Using scenery and stating where the coffee is from gives valuable information to consumers even at a quick glance.
- Photographic imagery – Make an impression with your label design with photographic images of the product – like a brewed cup, coffee beans or flavor ingredients (e.g. vanilla beans, chocolate). Photographic imagery can make it easier to tempt buyers since they’re better able to visualize the product or imagine how it tastes.
- Unique label shape – The majority of labels we print are rectangular, however, there are other label shapes you can go with – like circle, oval or custom – to add visual interest to your packaging. A unique label shape can complement a design and enhance the packaging’s overall attractiveness.
- Label materials – Like a canvas is to painting, label materials are the foundation to your coffee label’s look. Semi-gloss paper is a popular material for coffee bags and bottles because of its cost-effectiveness, print quality and sheen. For a show-stopping look, metallic materials are a great option since they’re highly reflective and can be tinted to any color.
There are a lot of creative paths you can take when it comes to coffee labels. Before you start designing, it would be helpful to have a solid vision of your brand so your coffee labels fit with your marketing and sales strategy. Designing custom coffee labels admittedly has its challenges; however, working with a professional label designer can help make it an easier process. Feel free to check out our artwork guides if you need help properly setting up label artwork for high-quality printing.
