The Science Behind Apple Packaging & How To Mirror It?

If you are an Apple fan then you must have an idea about how exciting it is to unbox the new gadgets. Right? The excitement of buying the product is much more than the thrill of unboxing it. Product boxes are not merely a way of protecting the product, but this packaging is a marketing strategy that multi-billion brands do, including APPLE. 

In this guide, we will discuss what packaging Apple uses that makes it a premium brand, the science behind them, and how to use the same Apple packaging to give your customers an Apple-like unboxing experience.

This blog post covers everything you need to know before entering the market. Read it to the end. Let’s get started!

Apple Stats That Impresses You Even More

Before discussing Apple packaging, let’s have a look at the Apple stats that shock me and you, too. Apple has sold over 2 Billion iPhones, and that is only for iPhones; watches, AirPods, and other accessories that we use in our daily lives are not included.

And here is the most impressive point, 28.8% of buyers keep the Apple boxes forever, while 59.5% keep them until they replace their phone. This shows how the company uses luxury packaging.

To create Apple-like packaging and give your buyers a unique and unforgettable unboxing experience, you must consider what makes Apple packaging unique, the attention to detail, and the understanding of customers’ pain points.

What Makes Apple’s Packaging Premium

Apple stands for as a company; Simplicity and Creativity in products and packaging. This statement is that if the products and packaging do not fit properly in these things, it’s not Apple.

The approach of this company is also that the product packaging of the products should be sleek, light, intelligent and is also a testament to the brand’s minimalist design that reflects the sophistication of the products packed inside and gives buyers a feeling of buying something extraordinary. Apple is not just a brand; it represents a promise of quality and luxury. People purchase Apple products not only for their quality but also for the value they offer, characterized by sleek designs and an ambiance of exclusivity.

But how did Apple achieve this? This question probably comes to your mind. Many of you answer this question in simple two words, “Packaging Team”. Yeah! It’s right, apple has a huge and dedicated packaging team that manages everything related to packaging ranging from design and conception to testing and quality control. But here is the point, for new start-ups and small businesses that do not have too much budget Apple has to invest in its packaging to hire a team, does this mean they don’t get Apple-inspired custom packaging? Why not?

As a business owner, you know about the 3 genius strategies behind Apple’s packaging.

Principles That Use In Its Packaging

If you are a brand owner or want to create exceptional packaging like Apple’s, you must use these 3 principles.

Here are three principles Apple used in designing its packaging.

Empathy

Deeply analyze, find and understand the customer’s desires, preferences and pain points.

Focus

Eliminates all unnecessary opportunities, only focuses on limited products and plans good marketing strategies.

Impute

Make products higher in quality while packing them in exceptionally designed packaging for brand storytelling and gain customers’ trust.

Keeping all the strategies in view, Apple designed their packaging but the question remains here, what style, materials and design they actually use, right? So let’s dive into this.

Steal Packaging Strategies That Apple Use

Here are some of the Apples packaging strategies that every brand learn from it:

1: Consider Packaging Materials

Packaging is just like an introduction and first impression of your products, the more positive and powerful this interaction will be the greater the chances of getting customers and sales. For this marketing strategy, Apple is a perfect example.

Rigid is one of the most commonly used materials among premium brands including Apples. Apple packaging box material provides no room for doubt about the protection and presentation. Rigid packaging boxes used by Apples are committed to protection and practicality that ensures the protection of valuable products packed inside and brings a first positive impression on customers’ faces.

2: Stimulate All The Senses

Like to design truly exceptional packaging? If yes, then you need to look at your packaging with a new lens or creativity and market packaging standards.

For your inspiration, the former head designer of Apple Jony Ive said:

“Steve and I spend a lot of time on the packaging. I love the process of unpacking something.”

Moreover, a well-known article by Read Trung points out that Apple uses the psychological phenomenon of “synesthesia” in its packaging, and that’s the apple packaging philosophy.

In this process, you need to consider 2 main things that make the designing process easier, such as:

• How should it feel in touch?
• What emotions come to customers’ faces when unboxing the box?

3: Unique Structural Formation

Have you ever deeply analyzed the packaging boxes used by Apple to pack their iPhones and Macbooks? Yeah!  It looks premium but the other thing to consider is that they are totally simple and mostly consist of a separate lid and a base. Apple believes that simple packaging makes products more attractive.

Moreover, as compared to other mailer boxes, which allow customers to quickly open the box, the lid of two piece boxes slowly and smoothly glides off the base when opening the box which looks very satisfying at first glance. And a strong marketing strategy lies behind it, as the iPhone box slowly opened, it brought excitement and curiosity among customers about what the products look like.

4: Color psychology

The use of colour combination and theory plays an important role in designing packaging that is ideal for telling your brand story and making your brand recognizable with just packaging.

A well-designed packaging with vibrant, sleek or bold colours brings imagination and emotions to your packaging. The colour theory of every brand depends upon brands, and what they offer to their customers.

Let’s take Apple as an example, it uses minimal white design, what do you think is this a coincidence? Nope!

As we discussed earlier, Apple symbolizes simplicity, creativity and humanity and the white colour shows purity, simplicity, and safety. This makes balanced colours (white and black) a good choice for Apple.

5: A Touch Of Branding

Imagine two products packed and placed in front of you; one is packed in simple and sleek designs and the other is in bold, messy printed packaging. Which one attracts you and which do you prefer? I am sure you pick the first one that is simple and sleek, right?

It is human nature to appreciate simple and modern designs. I am always amazed by the brilliance of Apple’s packaging. Apple utilizes a minimalistic white design that features a clear image of the product inside, serving as a mirror to what is packaged. That’s all there is to it.

For further giving packaging a touch of branding so people feel the true standards, a brand logo is embossed on the front and the sided walls, which is typically raised by utilizing embossing and debossing techniques that give packaging a sophisticated appearance and buyers spend big money on products without hesitation and feels proud to show off.

Once the box is ready it is time to pack the product and other accessories inside the packaging effectively, in this Apple beat all the competition.

The Role of Pulp Inlays

Have you ever found the unboxing experience of Apple products frustrating, especially when accessories like AirPods and chargers are misplaced? Sounds funny! It’s impossible, as Apple is very meticulous with its packaging and the customer unboxing experience.

Apple uses pulp inlays inside the packaging, which makes the packaging outstanding. But what exactly is it? They are simple paper trays that your accessories are safe and well-arranged, similar to custom boxes with inserts. 

The final shape of the inlay depends on or is determined by the mold used in the production. Designing them is not a simple task, it requires careful measures and is costly approximately USD 4000 per mold.

Pulp inlays are not further malleable or flexible, once the mold is created, which means the shape is fixed and doesn’t do any additional size changes, even if it’s a minor difference of 1-2 mm. For example, if you want ups and downs in the measurement, it will demand a new mold and of course new charges. Apple pulp inlays are precisely designed with the correct dimensions for creating a perfect place for keeping everything ranging from the iPhone to AirPods in its tray.

Sustainability in Apple’s Packaging

In recent years, customers have preferred to buy sustainable packaging products, and as a leading company, Apple captured its first and made a positive brand image in front of customers.

Recycled Materials: Apple has introduced 100% fibre-based packaging materials in its packaging to reduce the toxic impacts of plastic and other harmful materials.

Recyclable Pulp Inlays: Apple pulp inlays are not just premium but are also recyclable made from paperboard, cardboard, or foam, which is considered one of the most expensive packaging inserts.

Apple Packaging Supplier To Replicate Packaging

See, what psychology and how marketing genius utilizes customers’ preferences to create elite packaging that becomes the dream of every person. That’s all because of premium packaging.

Here are the main points; do you want packaging the same as Apple packaging or looking for a similar one? CustomBoxesMarket, a well-known Apple packaging supplier,  is here to help you replicate Apple packaging, allowing you to experience the real magic of luxury packaging, improve the perceived value of your products and create an unforgettable experience for your customers!

Ready to make your packaging outstanding? Visit CustomBoxesMarket, browse your wide range of custom boxes for luxury products and level up your business.