Packaging innovation has long been a magnet for bold ideas. At its best, it’s brilliant: grabbing attention, opening minds, and setting new creative benchmarks. Showpiece designs can spark conversation, attract investment, and help make packaging part of cultural discourse, not just the supply chain. But in recent years, we’ve seen a shift. More concepts are grabbing headlines than solving headaches. More designs are picking up awards for aesthetics than delivering answers.

Somewhere along the way, the idea of innovation became entangled with performance. Not technical performance, but theatre. Packaging designed to impress, provoke and delight, even if it adds complexity without solving a real-world problem.

“Gone are the days of conventional packaging and design methods,” says Lisa Cain, technical manager at Smurfit Westrock. “Thanks to social media, ‘shareable’ packaging has moved front and center in every brief. But great package design isn’t just about creating viral moments; it must solve real-world frustrations. Too often, the hunt for virality trips on practical demands – from jammed production lines to unrecyclable materials destined for landfill and customers who simply won’t return. Real innovation smooths out everyday headaches instead of staging another theatrical stunt for the online crowd.”

It’s a sentiment echoed across the industry. Boma Krijgsman, brand and marketing manager at JDO, is frank: “Yes – and the cost is credibility. We’ve ended up in a place where ‘innovation’ often means ‘make it look weird and hope it wins an award.’ But novelty isn’t innovation. Real innovation is solving a challenge in a way that sticks, whether that’s making packaging easier to recycle, cheaper to produce, or smarter in how it serves a global brand portfolio. When we prioritize visual disruption without substance, we create clutter, not progress.”

This disconnect between surface-level theatre and substantive impact is only widening. “There’s a lot of ‘ta-da!’ energy in the industry right now,” Krijgsman adds. “Concepts that look great in press shots but would fall apart in a real supply chain. The renders are beautiful, the storytelling is slick – but when you peel it back, there’s no actual solution, just an expensive prototype that never makes it to shelf.”

From wow to why

Cain agrees, pointing to a shift in how packaging design is being recognized. “There has been an explosion of niche packaging awards over the last decade. Some focus on sustainability, others on structural design or digital engagement. In the early days, you could win an award by mastering just one pillar. Today’s judges, however, expect designs that tick every box: a low-carbon footprint, crystal-clear consumer cues, a compelling brand narrative and credible end-of-life recycling. Awards now reward the teams that think holistically, embedding circularity and storytelling into every concept, regardless of the award’s original theme.”

But not all awards are equal – and not all judges look beyond the surface. “Awards are great – we love recognition,” Krijgsman says. “But when the metrics are based on ‘wow factor’ alone, we’re missing the point. The danger is that we’re designing for the jury, not for the job. The brands we work with don’t just want pretty pictures, they want impact. They want consistency across markets. They want ROI.”

The risk, according to Claire Hoe, design director at Sun Branding, is that some brands chase trends with too little strategic thinking. “When we talk about trends, sometimes brands follow them just for the sake of it, which can be a trap. You have to ask yourself: does your pack really need to look or be in that format? Are there other ways to draw attention to your brand besides the packaging itself?”

Hoe points to novelty formats as a perfect example of context-driven success – or failure. “Novelty packaging often works better for gifting. For example, Benefit Cosmetics’ Christmas calendar had a retro food-pack look that was eye-catching and perfectly suited to the occasion, but they wouldn’t carry that style across their core lines. It was relevant and timely.”

That situational awareness is key. Hoe emphasizes that when designing for clients, it’s not just about pushing boundaries but understanding priorities. “For some brands, aesthetics are paramount; for others, inclusivity, accessibility, and supply chain considerations come first, especially to ensure durability and usability.”

Design that just works

One brand getting this balance right, Hoe says, is Tilt. “From the opening experience of the box – easy opening, Braille on the front – down to the mascara or lipstick, there’s an easy grip with chunky handles and magnetic closures for refillable items. Tilt is worth checking out because these elements are not only on-trend but serve a real purpose. It’s all about inclusivity, and they’re doing a brilliant job.”

Packaging that resonates must therefore do more than grab attention; it needs to function. “Packaging designers and brands face a difficult conundrum,” says Cain. “Should they prioritize functional packaging or aesthetic appeal? Too often these goals are pitched as opposing forces, when in fact they must work together.”

Krijgsman agrees. “False choice. We shouldn’t have to pick between good-looking and good-working. Great design does both. At JDO, we’re big believers in beauty with purpose — it’s not enough for something to be eye-catching if it’s also creating headaches in production or contributing to landfill.”

Real-world conditions often get left out of the early-stage creative thinking. Hoe notes how the best briefs consider format alongside the whole consumer experience from the outset. “The most successful projects happen when we can influence format decisions early in the process,” Hoe explains. “The best briefs consider visual aesthetics, form and function together – creating solutions that stand the test of time. There’s tremendous momentum around sustainability and recyclability, and there’s an opportunity to extend that holistic approach into format innovation as well.”

Sometimes, clarity is the innovation. “Years ago, we joked that so much information needed to go on the front of packs that designing anything would be impossible,” Hoe recalls. “But now, look at M&S cereals: the honesty and transparency in their packaging is clear, with a list right on the front, yet it still looks good. It’s about creatively adapting constraints to maintain visual appeal.”

It’s a reminder that the most effective packaging doesn’t shout. It simply works for the user, the brand, and the world in which it sits. And as Cain puts it, “In 2025, the real winners will be those who solve everyday headaches and still manage to stop you in your tracks.”

Make it matter

So where do we go from here? “Brands need to be honest, transparent, and genuinely connect with consumers,” says Hoe. “With so much confusion about trust, packaging that is joyful, positive, uplifting, and clear about ingredients and sourcing stands out.”

In the end, perhaps the challenge is less about making packaging “innovative” and more about making it matter. Not just in pitch decks or award reels, but in everyday life. As Krijgsman puts it: “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel for headlines. We just need to make the damn wheel roll better.”

This blog post was produced by EasyFairs, which organizes and hosts events, bringing communities together to visit the future. EasyFairs currently organizes 110 market-leading event titles in 12 countries.