AI packaging design – top tools and use cases for brands

Packaging design is much too important to be rushed. It’s a key part of any product marketing strategy that wants to get everything  right. But there’s no denying that artificial intelligence (AI) is making a big difference, helping brands create designs they love in a fraction of the time.

So in today’s article, I’m going to unpack the relationship between AI and packaging design. 

We’ll see how some of the world’s most iconic brands are using AI marketing tools to enhance their product packaging. We’ll then outline the benefits and limitations of AI in packaging design, before wrapping up with a look at some of the best AI packaging design tools to help you launch your own products faster. 

Lots to talk about, so let’s dive in! 

Four ways brands are using AI to elevate their packaging designs

AI comes in a bunch of different shapes and sizes, and there’s more than one way to use it in your packaging design process. From forecasting competitor designs to creating hyper personalized product packaging, brands big and small are upping their game with the help of AI software. 

Here are some real-world examples of how AI comes in handy for brand product packaging design. 

1. Coca-Cola futuristic Zero Sugar packaging 

Coca-Cola has remained relevant for decades while staying true to its heritage and brand. So it’s pretty cool to see how they embrace new technologies to create something that’s both fresh and fondly familiar. 

In 2023, the brand launched a limited edition Coca-Cola 3000 Zero Sugar product, featuring packaging co-designed with AI. This playful concept aimed to explore what Coke might look and taste like in the year 3000.

But it didn’t stop there. 

Consumers could venture into the future by scanning a QR code on the can, which gave them exclusive access to the Coca-Cola Creations Hub. Here, they could use the brand’s custom-built Y3000 AI Cam to virtually explore the year 3000. Mind. Blown. 

Speaking more about the activation, Oana Vlad, Senior Director of Global Strategy at The Coca‑Cola Company, said: 

“The ‘Real Magic’ brand platform celebrates unexpected connections that make the ordinary extraordinary, so we intentionally brought human intelligence and AI together for an uplifting expression of what Coca‑Cola believes tomorrow will bring.”

2. Nutella Unica seven million jar designs 

Source: Dezeen

If you’ve worked on a product packaging project before, you’ll know how much time and work goes into creating and delivering just one knockout design. Now imagine multiplying that by seven million! 

Indeed, in a bid to put AI to the test, Nutella used an algorithm to craft SEVEN MILLION unique versions of its jar design for their Italian consumers. A sea of bright colours and popping artistic styles then lit up grocery store shelves across Italy, causing quite the stir. 

The real beauty of this concept was that each unique jar design then became a collector’s item of sorts.  

You can hear all about the project and the results in the video below.

3. L’Oréal’s Packaging Lab

L’Oréal consists of a whopping 36 different beauty brands, which requires a whole lot of packaging design. This led the company to set up five dedicated Packaging Labs, employing over 500 people. 

These Labs are a hub of innovation, from the materials they choose to the way they design and engineer their packaging. 

L’Oréal says it hasn’t created product packaging using AI alone, instead it’s focused on using it as a tool alongside human skill and creativity. One of the Lab’s designers shared some insight on how they mindfully integrate AI into their day-to-day design workflow:

“….we input terms like ‘elastomer’, ‘Gen Z’, ‘bottle’, and ‘soft’, and AI comes up with images. But you need a designer’s eye to identify what is viable in industrial terms. AI does offer solutions, but it’s our interpretation that makes the difference. [AI] is a tool that is of no interest if there aren’t people behind it, just like 3D printing,” 

4. Amazon’s Package Decision Engine

Source: Amazon

When you think about the billions of products bought and sold over Amazon, the environmental impact of its packaging becomes a real concern. But in recent years, Amazon built its own AI software designed to reduce the amount of packaging. 

The Package Decision Engine uses machine learning, language processing, and digital visualization to pick the most efficient type of packaging and sustainable materials for each item. 

For example, the software is able to predict when durable products like a towel or pillows don’t need protective packaging, or that fragile items like a set of wine glasses might need a sturdier box. 

This makes sure that every product is sufficiently protected without the use of excess packaging materials. 

While this example is about outer packaging rather than product packaging itself, I’ve included it here as I think it’s still one of the most innovative solutions when it comes to creating more sustainable packaging.

The key use cases of AI in packaging design

There’s no doubt that AI is rapidly transforming the way we work. And if you’re not using it to elevate your packaging design workflow, you’re going to struggle to stay ahead of your competitors. 

While speed is probably the most talked about benefit of AI, there are lots of other ways it can help you create better packaging. 

With that said, here are some of the biggest pros of using AI for package design. 

Large scale design testing 

Nutella’s seven million unique jar designs is a brilliant example of how brands can use AI to quickly generate different design iterations for their packaging. While Nutella actually produced all of these iterations, most brands choose from their pool of concepts, and refine the ones that align with their brand identity. 

AI also allows for virtual prototyping, where packaging designs can be tested digitally without the time, cost, and environmental impact of being physically produced. 

Brands can even visualize 3D renderings, make real-time adjustments, and predict how a package will look on shelves or in consumers’ hands. 

This large scale, thorough approach to design testing helps companies produce the best packaging for their products. 

Access to more consumer insights

Modern consumers have high expectations for the products they buy, including the packaging. They want style, functions, customization, and more – all wrapped into one sleek design. And AI is helping brands meet these expectations by digging up more consumer insights through data analytics. 

AI tools analyze massive datasets, including:

• Purchase histories
• Social media interactions
• Survey responses

This way, brands can get a better understanding of what consumers want from product packaging. 

We can even use AI to identify early signals of consumer behavior, such as shifts toward eco-friendly materials or retro designs. Customization is another biggie, as AI can help brands analyze certain consumer segments and create hyper-personalized packaging designs. 

Brand consistency

Product packaging is a key brand touchpoint. For some consumers, it might even be the only interaction they have with your brand. Which is why consistency is critical for building trust, loyalty, and brand recognition.  

No matter the region or product line, brands are increasingly using AI graphic design tools to  create packaging that reflects their personality – from messaging to fonts and colors. 

Some tools can also analyze your brand and make packaging design suggestions that resonate with your target audience. 

Key limitations of using AI for packaging design

We can’t thoroughly explore the relationship between AI and packaging design without delving into its limitations. 

Here are some of the key things to be mindful of when using AI for packaging design. 

Lack of creativity

On one hand, AI’s ability to automate routine tasks can give us more time to dive deeper into storytelling, concept ideation, and innovation. But using AI to create packaging designs from start to finish is a recipe for mediocrity. This is because AI’s reliance on data and existing patterns limits its ability to create something truly new and authentic.

Another factor to consider is that creativity often involves understanding and evoking emotions, cultural symbols, and humor – areas where even the best AI copywriting tools will struggle. So we need humans to step in, refine ideas, and add that special touch to AI’s creations.

Data biases and diversity concerns 

AI models are only as good as the data they’re trained with, and this can lead to unintended biases in all types of design, packaging included. 

For example, if AI is only exposed to trends and preferences from Western markets, its outputs will inevitably fail to hit the mark for audiences in other cultural contexts. In terms of packaging design, the finished result could miss key cultural nuances, such as color symbolism or design preferences unique to certain regions.

To counteract this, it’s crucial to train AI models using diverse and inclusive datasets that reflect a broad spectrum of design styles and consumer preferences. By doing so, brands can make sure their packaging designs are more universally appealing and culturally sensitive.

Constant learning curves

AI is evolving all the time, with new tools and features cropping up constantly. Of course, this is exciting as it opens up new opportunities for tech savvy design teams. But, keeping up with new software or algorithms requires ongoing investment in training and development. This can be particularly challenging for smaller teams or companies with limited resources.

This continual evolution demands not just technical expertise but also time and effort to integrate AI effectively into existing design processes. That’s why brands need to mindfully balance how they incorporate new AI features with maintaining efficiency and avoiding burnout. 

Top AI tools for packaging design 

Now that we’ve unpacked all things related to AI and packaging design, you might wonder which tools could make an impact for your team. 

Here are my three favourite tools to help you with different parts of the packaging design process. 

Boxshot 

Perhaps one of the coolest use cases for AI in the packaging industry is the ability to bring your designs to life and test them  in different environments before they’re  produced. And Boxshot has streamlined this process to perfection. 

With Boxshot’s AI image generator, you can create realistic product packaging mockups with customizable lighting, materials, and finishes. Better still, you can then visualize how the mockups will look in different environments. And its drag and drop interface lets you use all these features with ease.

Fotor AI

Fotor is an AI editing and design tool that makes it easy to generate a huge variety of innovative packaging designs in seconds. What’s even sweeter is that its user-friendly interface is a breeze to work with, making it a hit with pros and beginners. 

This tool is known primarily as a photo editor, but it’s kitted out with a bunch of features to help you visualize and edit your packaging designs. All you need to do is type in your concept, choose a style, and let Fotor come up with some stellar design suggestions for you to work with. 

Filestage

We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to AI design generation, but it’d be a real shame to have a clunky review system slowing you down along the way. The good news is that Filestage offers the perfect solution, using AI to speed up your packaging design workflow even more. 

Filestage helps you build a better review process for your AI generated content. You can use it to automate manual tasks like setting due dates and sending review reminders to clients or stakeholders. 

This AI tool can even gather analytics about your team’s review and approval process, so you can optimize your approach as you go. 

Final thoughts

AI and packaging design is a match made in heaven for busy consumer goods companies. But there’s no fear of it replacing human creativity anytime soon. The key is to work with the software to enhance your team’s efficiency and inspire new packaging ideas. I hope this article helps you to make the most of AI in your packaging design workflow. And if you’d like to see how AI can speed up the way you review your next design, start your free trial today.