Aiming to design the perfect ice cream cup? From attracting attention to helping your products stand out from the competition, an effective ice cream cup design can have a range of benefits for your business.
Like all things design related, there are subjective elements to ice cream cup design. However, there are also objective, simple rules that you can follow, whether you’re designing an ice cream cup with lid or a plain, single-serving ice cream cup for use in your shop.
Below, we’ve listed three simple but effective tips that you can use to improve your ice cream cup design and make a bigger impact, whether you’re hiring a professional to design your ice cream cups or taking care of the entire process in-house.
1. Choose a Color Scheme That Matches Your Ice Cream
Here’s a simple way to make your ice cream cups look more appealing to potential customers:
- Pick a color scheme: instead of being generic across your entire range of ice cream flavors, match the specific flavor of ice cream you’re selling at your shop.
- Flavor-specific ice cream cup color schemes: For example, pink for strawberry and brown for chocolate. It can help your ice cream products stand out from the crowd, all while producing a more appealing aesthetic for potential customers.
- While this strategy does incur some additional costs: you’ll need to order a larger variety of cups, for example, than you would with a single cup design, it’s a great way to ensure your packaging stands out from the crowd and results in a more appealing product.
2. Focus on Readability For Essential Information
One of the most common design mistakes, whether for carrying bags or ice cream cups with lids, is trying to squeeze too much information into an overly small space. Ice cream cups are compact, meaning it’s best to focus on essential information rather than every detail about your product.
When you’re designing your ice cream cups, focus on readability. Choose a large typeface for any essential information, such as your brand name and the specific flavor, with smaller text to express minor details.
Then, before you finalize your design, take an editor’s approach to the cup design and cut out any information that isn’t essential to produce a simpler and more appealing design that your target audience will find easy to read.
3. Keep Your Branding Simple, Visible and Consistent
Finally, it’s important to keep your overall brand image in mind when you’re designing ice cream cups for your business. This means maintaining a consistent typeface, visual style, wording, and other details, even if you opt for a different color scheme for every flavor.
Consistency helps consumers identify with your brand, making them more likely to remember it in the future. It also helps your brand stand out from the competition, as consistent design tends to “pop” visually and stand out to people familiar with it.
In short, keep your branding simple, visible and consistent. There’s no prize for having the most complicated ice cream cup design. However, there are significant, measurable financial benefits to opting for a simple, easily visible and consistent brand image.
FAQs
How does cup design impact sales?
Ice cream cup design has a direct impact on your bottom line. Studies show that nearly three-quarters of consumers say packaging influences their purchase decisions. A well-designed cup builds a positive first impression before anyone even tastes the product. Ignoring your cup design means leaving money on the table.
How can I use ice cream cups as a marketing tool?
Think of your cup as a mini billboard. Every time a customer walks out of your shop holding your cup, they're advertising your brand to everyone around them. Add your social media handle, a fun tagline, or a seasonal promotion directly on the cup.
Eye-catching designs also encourage customers to photograph their treat and share it online, giving you free word-of-mouth marketing. We have in-house designer team to help you design your favorite custom ice cream cups.
Should I go minimalist or bold?
Both work, and it really comes down to your audience. Minimalist designs with solid colors and clean logos feel timeless and premium. They are also easier to produce and update over time. Bold designs with vivid colors and illustrated characters trigger impulse buying and work especially well for younger audiences and kids. The key is to pick a direction and stick with it.
