Brand Identity 101: The Do's and Don'ts Of Product Mockup

In today’s digital world, product mockup plays a significant role in the success of a product launch. Product mockup allows marketers to present their products from many different angles and views, helping them show them in the best light. A good example is how print-on-demand mockup generators, like Placeit mockups, enable designers and entrepreneurs to create designs, see how they’ll look in real life, and test them without printing anything.

However, as easy as it may seem, creating a product mockup can also make or break your brand’s identity. This is because if not designed or edited properly, product mockups can provide an impression that the brand behind the product is amateurish and unreliable.

Product mockups currently serve as the basis of a user’s first impression of a brand. So, you must make sure that you create the best possible product mockup that’ll impress your users and gain their trust. But, how? Read through this article as it lists the dos and don’ts of product mockups to ensure that your brand identity will be kept intact even through the presentation of your product.

The To-Dos Of Product Mockup

To ensure that your product mockup will stay aligned to your brand identity and, therefore, make a good first impression in the minds of your users, you may want to consider the following:

Display Your Product From A Different Point Of View

Product mockups should depict products from as many perspectives as possible. This will help buyers visualize how a product will look, especially if they’re using the product for different purposes.

One of the best practices is to create product mockups that depict your product from at least three different angles or views. This way, you can be sure that your customers will see how it, indeed, looks from all sides.

Incorporate Your Brand Logo As Much As Possible

Nothing says that a product belongs to a particular brand better than a well-designed logo. So, when creating your product mockups, be sure that they have a place for your logo.

Will it be at the front? Back? What about side views? How big is the logo going to be in comparison with the entire mockup? Will it be on a separate layer from the product?

These are some considerations that you must make when designing your unique brand logo. And, as much as possible, ensure that it’s visible in all your product mockups.

Differentiate Products

Since people will inevitably compare products, especially for similar items, you should design your product mockup to look different from others. One way of doing this is to depict your products with small details that set them apart from the rest. This way, you can ensure that users will instantly identify which product is yours, even if there are other similar products available in the market.

For example, if you sell t-shirts, you can create product mockups wherein your designs are printed using signature colors. This way, users will instantly know that the design they see on a red-colored t-shirt, for example, is from your brand, even if other brands sell similar shirts in white or black.

Take advantage of product mockup tools that allow you to easily adjust your product or design to fit different colors and perspectives. Doing so will enable you to create a unique presentation of your products, and ensure that each one will stand out from the other.

Keep Colors Consistent With Your Brand Identity

One of the first things that users see in product mockups is colors. That’s why your product mockup’s color must match what you’re trying to convey in terms of brand identity.

If your products are all shades of blue, for example, then use similar tones for their mockups. On the other hand, if you have different products that require different tones or shades, be sure that the color difference is clear and consistent so your presentation won’t confuse users.

Be Authentic

Although product mockups should be edited to look professional and attractive, these should be genuine representations of the actual products. You don’t want to create mockups that are made to look better than they are because this will only make you appear unreliable in your users’ eyes.

You may achieve authenticity by creating a mockup that shows the negative aspects of a product. However, you have to do this carefully because you don’t want to make your product’s faults obvious.

If, for example, the color of an item isn’t as bright in real life, highlight this in your mockup by depicting it under dim lighting or with a banner saying that the product’s color may vary in real life. Detail is essential for authenticity, so make sure that you show minor but essential features in your product mockups.

Give Your Brand’s Identity A Subtle Look

Your brand’s identity should always be subtle but evident as it creates the first impression of your brand in the minds of users. Product mockups should be designed so that your brand’s identity won’t look out of place or intrusive on the product.

You don’t want to give users an impression that you’re trying too hard to show off your brand when they see your product for the first time. They need to feel like using the product isn’t an imposition on them, but a delightful experience that they can enjoy.

Take Note Of The Lighting

Lighting is always a crucial element in product photography, so it’s essential to note this when creating product mockups. The way the light reflects on your product will significantly affect how good or bad your brand identity will look in stills.

For example, if there’s too much light in the background behind your product, you may need to edit this out to highlight your product correctly. Otherwise, it’ll appear too bright, and everyone will focus on the light in the picture rather than the product’s designs.

Edit Photos As Much As Possible

Sometimes, mistakes are inevitable during the creation of a product mockup. When this happens, don’t hesitate to edit your photos until they present the product mockup in a professional-looking manner. But, when using a photo editing software, such as Photoshop, be careful not to overdo it.

The Don’ts Of Product Mockups

While product mockups are one of the best ways to get attention from your target market by showing rather than telling what your brand is all about, you should never use them in a way that violates or abuses your brand’s identity or values.

Don’t Disregard The Quality Of What You Are Promoting

As much as possible, try not to promote products that are of inferior quality. If your products are terrible, then it’s best not to use product mockups at all so you won’t deceive people into thinking that the products are good.

Never use a product mockup if you don’t have a real-life version of what you want to promote, as it means that you also don’t know what your product will look like in real life.

Don’t Be Deceitful

As mentioned earlier, never use product mockups if you don’t have the real-life version. If your brand doesn’t have a physical or tangible product, stick to using static images and not product mockups.

People won’t buy from you again if they feel cheated after buying a product from you. If they discover on their end that the mockup you used to promote your product isn’t an accurate representation of what they received, they’ll feel like you’re trying to deceive them.

Don’t Use Too Many Images

This means presenting too many photos from different angles to your potential customers. In most cases, only one or two images are enough to give your audience a clear idea of what your product is all about. So, avoid using more than three images to ensure that you don’t overwhelm them with unnecessary information.

Don’t Upload Unedited Photos

It’s crucial that before you upload the photos, you thoroughly edit them. Editing will ensure that images are free from light imperfections and minor distractions, such as dust and tiny particles. Remember that consumers will read between the lines and be able to determine how much work you put into your product, so make sure to polish even the tiniest details.

Don’t Forget The Thumbnail

Forgetting to include a thumbnail is one of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating their product mockups. In most cases, this will make your presentation look incomplete and would give off a negative impression. So, don’t forget to include a thumbnail before uploading your images online.

Don’t Forget The Shadows

Another common mistake entrepreneurs make is not including shadows in their product mockups. This usually makes it seem like the product is floating in midair, which can be a huge turnoff. Thus, always remember that adding shadows (also known as drop shadows) to your images allows you to highlight the shape of your products.

Conclusion

Although product mockups can be incredibly useful for branding and in making a great first impression in the minds of your target market, you should also consider the do’s and don’ts listed above to create something that matches your brand’s mission and vision. Remember that your products’ and brand’s success depend on how well you present them to your potential customers. Authenticity and quality are always better than just faking it.