Bold Yet Sophisticated Packaging Design Elevates Rocky Mountain Supply Co. Among Luxury Brands
The packaging design of hemp-derived CBD products from Rocky Mountain Supply Co. was created and developed with a simple goal in mind – to present the massage oils, tinctures, lip balms and other products in a sleek, elegant and sophisticated package.
The brain behind this packaging design project is Denver-based agency 5280 Design Co. As stated on their website, the agency specializes in “tailor-made designs to put the clients in the forefront of their industries.”
And that’s exactly what they did with the project for Rocky Mountain Supply Co.
With a strong color contrast, a bold upper portion and sophisticated details at the bottom, including the logo visible under UV light, 5280 Design Co. managed to create a fresh look and elevate these products to the sphere of premium CBD brands with a luxury package design.
Before we dive into further details, here are some important notes about the CBD industry to help you understand some of the factors that went into this design decision.
Understanding The Rationale Behind Design Elements: A Quick Overview Of The CBD Industry
Cannabidiol (CBD) is an active substance naturally derived from industrial hemp. Its popularity as an ingredient in various products has recently skyrocketed. The most popular form it takes is CBD oil, but you can also find CBD in the form of drops, capsules, creams, gels, soaps, vapes and various types of dietary supplements.
The growing of industrial hemp is forbidden on American soil, but hemp-derived CBD is legal to purchase without a prescription throughout the United States because CBD isn’t listed in the Controlled Substances Act.
In fact, hemp-derived CBD products are growing in popularity. CBD products in the US generated sales of around $5 billion in 2019. By 2023, CBD product sales are predicted to reach over $20 billion.
THC is also a hemp-derived substance, but it’s psychoactive. None of the CBD products Rocky Mountain Supply Co. offers include THC.
That’s why the company clearly states “THC-FREE” in upper case on the product packaging – a clear way to instantly let consumers know what the product is and – more importantly – what it isn’t.
This kind of simple, clear messaging makes up the great customer experience, leaving consumers well-informed about each of the products without giving them room for assumptions, misinterpretations or misunderstandings, especially during eCommerce purchases.
Simple Typography And A Black & White Contrast Make Rocky Mountain Supply Co. Products Stand Out
By using a simple font and an easily readable font size, designers ensured that all of the relevant information is instantly understandable from the first glance at these packages and labels.
To add even more clarity, the designers used black letters on a white background. This black and white combination aligns perfectly with the black upper part of the packaging box. And, as always, the black and white design brings a classy, elegant but simplistic look and feel to the product.
The packaging design of CBD products often includes pastel color palettes with excessive use of green to imply the natural origin of its ingredients. Contrarily, the Rocky Mountain Supply Co. products are set apart using only black and white colors.
Packaging designers choose such neutral color schemes to emphasize the purity and quality of the product, while distinguishing the brand from the typically green-dominated CBD market.
Custom Illustrations Are A Clever Addition To The Packaging Design Of These Organic Products
Another important element of this packaging design is the custom illustrations of fruits and herbs to give additional information about the product ingredients. Branding experts often leverage such visual elements to create a direct, subconscious link between the product and its natural origins.
Given that the packaging boxes and labels are black and white, these colorful illustrations add a clever, stand-out factor to the natural and organic products, whether they represent peppermint, tea tree, tangerine, grapefruit or something else.
These elements make the design more visually appealing and bring the ingredients and flavors to life – and to the front, instead of listing them in small letters on the back side.
One of the most important ingredients here is CBD oil. It has become known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties that extend to treating anxiety, chronic or acute pain, skin conditions and other health issues. It's often used in sports, spa and wellness industries and alternative therapies.
Knowing that the CBD industry is expanding, it becomes clear why the design agency included a clear “HEMP-DERIVED CBD” statement up front, along with the illustrations. They’re sending a message to potential customers that these products are in fact, the real deal.
The Spot Gloss On A Matte Background and A Blind UV Logo Give A Final Touch To Rocky Mountain Supply Co. Packaging Design
A glossy finish on the matte surface of these packages, labels and containers looks sophisticated and gives the whole design an elegant final touch.
The boxes are printed as silk matte with spot UV and blind UV coatings, while the labels are pearlescent silk matte with spot UV coatings.
Spot gloss is a print finishing technique of applying a gloss UV coating to selective areas on a printed piece. Here, this technique creates a high contrast with the matte background to give these products an added shiny look while enhancing the existing colors.
Another distinctive element of this packaging design is the logo on the bottom of the package. It’s a blind UV element, meaning that it’s not so visible at first glance, but it becomes revealed under a certain angle or under ultraviolet light.
Altogether, these elements lift up the packaging design of Rocky Mountain Supply Co. products to expand brand visibility, attract more potential customers and increase revenue.
