Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #20

Check out what’s working in the marketplace. Do a little ad hoc market research on what’s working and what trends are in the marketplace for custom stickers. Grab something you can record notes in and spend a few days really paying attention to custom labels. What colors, shapes, and fonts are hot? For example, lime green, orange and brown weren’t on the radar a few years ago, and now they’re all over the place. Are you seeing different uses for custom labels and stickers than before? What catches your eye?

Custom labels and stickers go through trends with the marketplace. With the surge in custom everything (tee shirts, for example), custom labels have seen an upsurge. You want to make sure your custom stickers don’t look like you pulled them out of the attic, unless you’re going for the retro look. Hmm… Maybe they should look like you pulled them out of the attic given how hip it is to be retro in the marketplace right now. Spending a bit of time could pay big dividends for your custom labels.

Custom labels and stickers- Design Tip #21 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #19

Test your options. Don’t feel locked in on the design of your current custom labels. Change some things up and test whether your buyers like the new look. We recently printed some new custom labels for Horsetooth Hot Sauce, (www.horsetoothhotsauce.com) where they are testing out using a matte laminate. They have a great custom label design to begin with, but they aren’t afraid to test out a new look to see if they can make it even better.

Custom labels and stickers are made to be just that – custom. Keep trying new things with your custom stickers, in small quantities, to see if you can make your design more effective, more fun, more appealing. Give your buyers a choice and see which custom label option they prefer. If you have the opportunity, ask them why; what did they like and dislike about each option. Change it up!

Custom labels and stickers- Design Tip #20 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #18

Make me laugh.Yesterday we printed tiny moose stickers for Clean Air Compost ( check out  www.cleanaircompost.com to see the moose). They were so darned cute they made me laugh, not just once but every time I looked at them. I’m thinking of sticking one on my car’s dashboard so I have something to make me smile when I’m stuck in traffic. When our teen-aged daughter saw one she immediately stuck the tiny custom sticker on her cell phone because she liked them so much. Now that’s a powerful custom label!

Custom labels and stickers that can evoke an emotion like happiness are worth their weight in gold. We both wanted to take action and put the label where we would see it frequently. That’s a powerful reminder of your brand and product if you can get your custom labels to have the same effect. What emotions, if any, do your custom stickers evoke when people see them? Laughter and happiness are always a good goal!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #19 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #17

Go with a theme- part 2! I had to pass these  3 finds along, because they are a fantastic examples of using a theme in custom labels. Killibinbin winery uses a vintage movie poster theme for their custom labels. Think B horror movie posters and you’ll get the idea.  Mash winery uses a comics theme, in the old Superman style. And locally, we just heard about Grimm Brothers Brewing.  I’m sure you can guess what their custom labels theme will be… And we must say, we’re quite excited that Northern Colorado is adding yet another  craft brewery!

Custom labels and stickers are a great way to have some fun, and using a theme only adds to silliness. We can think of so many options it’s mind boggling. I tend to think in themes and catch phrases, Todd’s a bit more literal, but is incredibly goofy (yes, that’s possible), and Casey and Jeff are all about irony and pop culture. Give us a call if you want some thoughts!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design tip #18 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #16

Design your custom labels and stickers with ’stand alone’ power in mind. If you are going to use your custom stickers as promos or give-aways, please think through how your custom label looks off your product. Does it have ’stand alone’ power, or does it look weird when it’s all by its lonesome self? If so, you might want to consider designing special custom labels for that purpose.

Custom labels and stickers don’t have to be good for both on the product and off the product use. However, you want to protect your brand by making sure your custom labels can wow customers and potential customers whatever their use. Using your custom stickers as viral marketing via give-aways is an inexpensive way to get your brand ’stuck’ everywhere, but that’s no good if they look ugly. Tweak your custom label design as needed to make it super-groovy as a stand alone, and you’re ready to rock and roll!

Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #17 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #15

Go with a theme. If you have more than one product that needs custom labels, a theme is a great way to go. Let me use wineries as an example. One vineyard uses old-fashioned circus characters as their theme. Different varietals are the strong man, the ring master or the trapeze artist. Another vineyard uses the alphabet as their custom label theme.

Custom labels and stickers that will be displayed in some way (on a shelf, at a trade show etc) together really benefit from the theme idea. Although Lexi is our mascot, we get to have a lot of fun with the lizard theme for our custom stickers here at Leapin’ Lizard. What can you play up? How can you have some theme fun with your custom stickers? Ask some friends and customers; they’ll probab;y have some great, creative ideas for you!

Custom labels and stickers- design tip #16 next time!

Custom labels and stickers – Design Tip #14

Outline your words. Not in the English 101 sense, of course. Rather, think how words pop when they are outlined in another color. As much as it pains me as a Wisconsin grad to point this out, think about Michigan’s “M”. Their letter design really works; the navy blue outlined in yellow really is eye catching. Your custom stickers can have the same look. 

Custom labels and stickers that are at all associated with education really benefit from color outlining, but they are not the only market this works for. Any words on your custom labels that you want to stand out can be color outlined. Stay away from blocky looking typeface on your custom stickers if you don’t want the academic references to come to mind and you’ll be just fine.

Custom labels and stickers – Design tip #15 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #14

Use white space in your design. White often gets overlooked in custom labels. White is powerful, clean, and easy to see so it makes for a great center-point for custom stickers. Think Target and their logo, or the power of a Nike swoosh on a white backdrop. The white makes both designs ‘pop’!

Custom labels and stickers are often loaded with color, with no white space to speak of. Many of these custom labels are great, as long as you’ve thought through your use of white. White is kind of like your best friend down the street; you tend to forget about how great they are because they’ve always been around. Use white in the color palette of your customer stickers and you’ll probably like the results, just like when you remind yourself of how fabulous that friend down the street really is!

Custom Labels and Stickers- Design Tip #15 next time!

Custom Stickers and Labels – Design Tip #12

Have some fun with holidays. This isn’t as much a design tip as an encouragement to have some fun. Custom stickers and holidays are like milk and cookies- they belong together. There are some many ways to create fun, custom labels for clients, friends and family that make them feel like you’ve done something unique just for them. Custom stickers with someone’s name on them are worth their weight in gold and, really, what’s not to love about making someone happy?

Custom stickers and labels can also be a great positivity boost for the people around you. A few years ago Todd, the kids and I were skiing Crested Butte (I highly recommend you go) on St. Patrick’s Day.  We covered our ski helmets (I highly recommend you wear one) with custom stickers: shamrocks, leprechauns and the like. We were the rock stars of the slopes! Everyone was smiling when they saw us; some were actually cheering us on. It’s amazing the power that a small custom sticker can have!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #13 next time!

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design Tip #11

Use cut-outs. Custom labels and stickers can take on extra functionality when you use cut-outs. We recently printed custom labels for an equipment manufacturer who had 3-4 cut-outs designed into their custom stickers. In this case, the cut-outs were there so equipment operators could read gauges through the label.

Custom labels and stickers with cut-outs also have the ‘wow’ factor. I love seeing custom labels that have a cut-out that allows you to see the product peek-a-boo style through the label. It’s juts plain cool. It’s also an underutilized aspect of custom label and sticker design.  Ask yourself: are there any cut-outs you should be considering for your custom labels and stickers?

Custom Labels and Stickers – Design tip #12 next time!