Minimalist packaging design: beware of the trap Minimalist packaging design is everywhere these days. Brands use it to look stylish, sustainable, and accessible. But here’s the problem: when everyone does it, nothing stands out anymore. Instead of grabbing attention, minimalist packaging can blend into the background and become a sea of sameness on the shelf.Minimalism started as a way to cut through the clutter of loud, busy designs. The clean look, soft colours, and simple layouts were fresh and elegant. But now, it’s so common that it’s lost its impact, leading to monotony rather than distinction. How do you catch someone’s eye when every product around you blends in? Why recognisability matters Your packaging needs to be instantly recognisable and based on consumer expectations because people have certain ideas about how packaging should look. For example, if you’re selling tomato soup, the label should show tomatoes. It sounds obvious, but minimalist packaging designs often skip these clear cues, leaving people unsure about what’s inside.What looks clever and cool in a design meeting doesn’t always work in real life. Shoppers want packaging that’s clear and easy to understand. And here’s another twist: super simple designs can make premium products seem cheap, especially when not every step in the customer journey follows the same principle. Studies show people often associate minimalism with lower-cost or generic brands. So, even if your product is high-end, minimalist packaging might send the wrong message. The irony is unmistakable: brands invest heavily in high-quality materials and refined minimalist aesthetics, only to reduce the product’s perceived worth. Boardroom vs shelf The appeal of minimalism often stems from how it appears in controlled environments, like boardrooms, presentations, or design reviews. Clean, uncluttered mock-ups shine under studio lighting or on a designer’s screen. But on retail shelves, these designs face fierce competition from more vibrant, informative, or expressive packaging.The challenge is even bigger online. On e-commerce sites, for example, the limited resolution and scale of product thumbnails can make minimalist packaging design almost invisible. Also, packaging that performs well in-store doesn’t necessarily grab attention online. The key to balancing in-store and online is taking a broader, more integrated perspective on branding. First-time buyers vs brand loyalty Another layer of complexity in packaging design is the balance between appealing to first-time buyers and holding on to loyal customers. Minimalist packaging often intrigues and draws in new customers through its sleek and modern look. However, this effect diminishes with repeat purchases. Once the initial intrigue wears off, the packaging must offer something more, like recognisability, trust, or clear product benefits. Broader view on PACKAGING DESIGN At June20, we believe packaging should do more than just look good. Sure, we would love to win more design awards. But we’d rather win you some customers. Packaging should tell your brand’s story, stand out in any setting, and make sense to your audience. Great packaging strikes a balance: simple enough to look modern, but detailed enough to be clear and recognisable.The good news: there are ways to achieve minimalism without falling into its pitfalls. To nail it, your packaging should align seamlessly with your product and brand identity. Take Apple, for example. Their minimalist packaging design works because product and packaging offer one cohesive experience. The sleek, understated design complements the premium feel of their devices, reinforcing the brand’s identity. Now imagine a Blackberry packaged in Apple’s signature style: it wouldn’t feel right. Apple triumphs by using subtle but effective design cues that enhance product perception and recognition.The key lies in finding the balance: stripping back unnecessary clutter while keeping enough detail to catch the essence of your product and brand. Combining minimalism with strong brand elements, relevant visual cues, and multi-channel adaptability can elevate packaging from simply looking good to working effectively. How can June2O help you? At June20, we approach packaging design as part of a brand’s bigger picture. By considering consumer behaviour, market positioning, and channel-specific requirements, we ensure that packaging not only looks appealing but also performs across all touchpoints. Whether it’s adding recognisable product cues, creating adaptable designs for digital platforms, or combining a beauty with functionality, we help you avoid the minimalism trap.Ready to rethink your packaging design? Get in touch with our team today Biography Lim Sijmons Lim Sijmons currently serves as Design Director at June20 and has been with the company for over 10 years. Lim has extensive experience having previously worked with agencies like TBWA and notable clients like PWC Belgium, Etex, Beaphar and Smeg. Lim’s expertise spans brand identity, webdesign, and typography, making her a versatile and skilled design director. The post Minimalist packaging design: beware of the trap appeared first on June20.

Why mobile-first web development can undermine your desktop experience. The mobile-first approach dominates web development pitches. We all proudly showcase our mobile-first philosophy, armed with compelling statistics about smartphone usage and mobile traffic. Yet reality tells a different story: clients request desktop mockups first, finding it unnatural to evaluate mobile designs on a workplace monitor. And users don’t think in terms of mobile-first or desktop-first. They expect seamless experiences that leverage the strengths of each platform while maintaining consistent navigation and brand presence across devices.In short‘Mobile-first’ has become a buzzword rather than methodologyDesktop review remains crucial in client approval processesDifferent devices serve fundamentally different user needsComplex interactions demand sophisticated desktop interfacesDesign decisions impact both platforms simultaneouslyUser-first approach delivers better cross-platform experiences The agency pitch VERSUS REALITY Walk into any agency pitch meeting, and you’ll hear passionate declarations about mobile-first development. Presentations showcase sleek mobile interfaces, responsive animations, and compelling statistics about mobile traffic growth. Yet when design work begins, a familiar pattern emerges: clients request the desktop version to evaluate UX/UI and the web design.This disconnect isn’t just about client preferences. It reflects a deeper truth about digital experiences: different devices serve different needs. While mobile traffic dominates overall website visits, desktop users often engage in more complex interactions that demand a more detailed interface. "Mobile-first has become a presentation promise that rarely survives first contact with real-world design needs." Hans Palmers When your mobile design limits YOUR DESKTOP POTENTIAL Mobile-first development naturally pushes designers toward simplified layouts and streamlined interactions. While this can improve mobile user experience, it can also limit the features desktop users expect and need.Consider an e-commerce platform. For an online shop that sells standardised items like books or electronics, a mobile-optimised interface serves users well. Users can quickly browse, check simple specifications, and complete their purchase. However, this simplified approach falls short when customers need to order custom-made items, like custom glass panels to replace a broken window. While mobile can handle the initial steps, configuring precise measurements, reviewing technical specifications, and validating custom requirements demands a more sophisticated interface. Desktop users need detailed configuration tools and clear technical information that simply can’t be squeezed into mobile-first patterns. When development prioritises mobile constraints, these complex purchasing workflows become compromised, forced into a framework that wasn’t designed to support them.The impact extends beyond just layout:Product customisation tools become oversimplifiedAdvanced specification options get hidden or removedComplex ordering processes become fragmentedRich product visualisation tools are scaled backDetailed technical information becomes harder to access Understand device context User behaviour and expectations vary dramatically between devices. Mobile users typically engage in quick, focused interactions like checking information, performing simple tasks, or making straightforward decisions. Desktop users often engage in longer sessions involving complex research, detailed analysis, and sophisticated interactions.This difference becomes particularly clear in purchasing behaviour. Customers might browse product options and check basic specifications on their phone during a commute or lunch break. However, when it comes to comparing detailed product features, customising specifications, or making high-value purchase decisions, chances are they’ll switch to desktop. The larger screen and more precise controls allow them to open multiple product tabs, study detailed comparison charts, and carefully review customisation options before committing to a purchase. "The best digital experiences aren't mobile-first or desktop-first—they're user-first, adapting to how people actually work." Hans Palmers Embracing user-first design Success in modern web development requires moving beyond the mobile-first mantra to embrace a more nuanced, user-first approach. This means understanding how your audience actually interacts across different devices. For instance, a custom furniture configurator might offer basic colour and size options on mobile, while providing detailed material selection, precise measurements, and maybe a 3D visualisation tool on desktop. Each platform plays to its strengths: desktop delivers the precise control needed for complex configuration, while mobile offers quick configuration and enables features like AR, letting customers visualise that same furniture piece in their actual space.Rather than forcing desktop capabilities into mobile constraints, or simply expanding mobile views to fill desktop screens, each interface should leverage the unique strengths of its platform while maintaining consistent brand experience and navigation patterns. This requires informing clients about the interconnected nature of modern web design.Consider a common scenario: during a desktop design review, a client requests adding a second navigation layer to accommodate additional product categories. On desktop, this seems like a straightforward enhancement, more options, better organisation, clearer product hierarchy. However, this simple desktop addition creates significant challenges for mobile users. That extra navigation layer can double the height of the mobile header, pushing crucial content further down the screen. Or it complicates the hamburger menu structure, potentially adding extra taps to reach important sections. What works as an elegant solution on desktop can quickly become a cumbersome obstacle on mobile.This is why all design decisions must be evaluated across platforms simultaneously. Each proposed change should be thoroughly tested across devices, documenting how modifications on one platform influence the experience on others.When discussing these impacts with clients, it’s important to do so not in isolation, but as part of an interconnected system where changes ripple across all touchpoints. How can June2O help you? At June20, we understand that effective web development requires more than just following trends. Our user-first approach focuses on creating experiences that work the way your audience needs them to, regardless of device.Want to know if your current web presence truly serves all your users? Let’s analyse your digital experience across platforms and identify opportunities for improvement that enhance both mobile and desktop experiences. BiographyHans Palmers Hans began his professional journey as a Web Developer and Mentor. After three years, he joined TBWA, where he led a team in digital solutions for a decade. Following this, he shared his digital expertise at KUL, EHSAL and Thomas More for over ten years, as one of the founding partners. Embarking on a new venture, Hans founded Mundo Digitalis, specialised in digital solutions, and successfully led the agency for over 11 years. Over all these years, Hans did pioneering work in e-commerce and online banking. Recently Mundo Digitalis has integrated with June20, where Hans holds the position of Managing Partner & E-Commerce Strategist. The post Why mobile-first web development can undermine your desktop experience. appeared first on June20.

Home - When user personas become a creative straightjacket “I don’t think that Sarah, our Gen Z user persona, would feel an emotional connection with that campaign concept.” A cringe-worthy moment in a company boardroom, when a fictional person becomes the decisive factor in validating or invalidating a marketing decision.This over-reliance on user personas has evolved from a useful strategic framework into a creative straightjacket, limiting both innovation and effectiveness in sales & marketing.In shortPersonas are valuable strategic planners, not operational decision-makersOver-reliance on personas blinds teams to new opportunitiesThe key is using personas at the right moment in your marketing processStrategic planning needs frameworks, but creative execution needs freedom The user PERSONA PARADOX Companies invest significant time and resources in creating detailed user personas, complete with names, job titles, personal interests, media preferences, and buying behaviours, and with good reason! Personas can provide the boost you need to get things moving. Having a clear image of your target audience helps teams visualise who they’re trying to reach and makes decision-making more concrete.However, when these fictional characters are elevated to decision-makers in every marketing project, the added value of personas begins to diminish very quickly. While personas provide valuable frameworks for initial strategy and alignment, treating them as gospel for every marketing decision creates dangerous limitations. The reality of consumer behaviour and choice is far more complex and unpredictable than any persona can capture, with purchasing decisions influenced by countless contextual factors that are impossible to fully account for within a static profile. "Successful brands use personas to understand their audience, not to predict their every move." Tom Vanlerberghe The hidden cost of userPERSONA-DRIVEN DECISIONS When marketing teams over-rely on personas during key strategic moments, there’s a real risk of ignoring important market opportunities or neglecting promising initiatives, just because they don’t align with fictional personas.By filtering major marketing decisions primarily through the lens of predefined audience profiles, companies risk missing creative opportunities that could propel brands into new and bold directions. This doesn’t necessarily result in poor marketing, but it can prevent them from exploring innovative approaches that go beyond the documented preferences and behaviours of their persona frameworks. The key is to recognise that while personas help inform strategic decisions, they shouldn’t become barriers to creative exploration and market expansion. Finding the right BALANCE Experience shows that brands who use personas as guiding insights rather than strict rules are better positioned to spot and act on market opportunities. This success comes from understanding that while personas help frame the big picture, day-to-day marketing decisions require a more nuanced approach.Consider successful brands like Nike or Apple. While they maintain clear audience understanding, their marketing succeeds by tapping into universal human truths and emotions rather than catering to rigid persona specifications. They use audience frameworks as a foundation for understanding but allow creativity and innovation to drive their execution. Are we to BLAME? As agencies, we need to acknowledge our own role in elevating personas beyond their intended purpose. Like any industry, we package our methodologies and frameworks in ways that make them more appealing and sellable. User personas, originally conceived as strategic tools based on solid research and industry trends, have gradually been marketed as comprehensive solutions rather than what they truly are, helpful strategic starting points. In our enthusiasm to promote innovative approaches to audience understanding, we’ve sometimes oversold their use, turning what should be a flexible framework into a rigid system.The path forward is clear: let’s return personas to their valuable role as strategic springboards that inspire creative thinking, rather than checkboxes that constrain it. After all, the best marketing combines deep audience understanding with the creative freedom to surprise, delight, and stand out. Finding the SWEET SPOT Understanding your audience and creating impactful marketing aren’t mutually exclusive goals. The key lies in using personas at the right moment in your marketing process. During strategic planning, personas help teams align on who they’re trying to reach and what challenges they’re trying to solve. But when it comes to creative execution, these same personas should inspire rather than restrict. By maintaining this balance, brands can develop marketing that’s both strategically sound and creatively distinctive. How can June2O help you? At June20, we help brands develop and utilise audience frameworks effectively. We understand the delicate balance between strategic planning and creative execution, helping you create personas that guide rather than restrict your marketing efforts.Looking to reassess your audience strategy? Let’s explore how we can help you develop frameworks that drive both strategic clarity and creative freedom, ensuring your marketing remains both focused and flexible. Biography Tom Vanlerberghe TOM VANLERBERGHE, strategist at June20, began his marketing career on the client side, working with notable companies such as Kursaal Oostende, Enfinity, Smartphoto, Flyer.be, Flyeralarm, and LensOnline. With over €1 million in marketing budgets under his management, he has successfully led and challenged international marketing teams across multiple continents.Passionate about integrating online and offline strategies, Tom has a deep expertise in marketing automation, content marketing, and privacy. His extensive experience of over 15 marketing automation platforms makes him a versatile strategist who bridges creativity with technology. The post When user personas become a creative straightjacket appeared first on June20.