A Guide to Can Labeling: Custom Beer Can Labels

We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But when it comes to the products you buy and consume, perhaps we should. People are naturally drawn to interesting packaging and unique brand aesthetics. Because of this, It’s important to make your label stand out from the competition, especially for something as common and popular as beer.

Your unique flavor profile and brewing process make your drink special, unlike any other, and something people should enjoy. All you need to do now is draw attention to your brand with custom beer can labels that gauge interest.

If you’re new to the digital label printing game, you may be wondering, “How does can labeling work?” and, “What are the best ways to make your product stand out?” Royal Label is here to answer the call! To effectively market your craft beer with a custom label, there are just a few steps you’ll need to take. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make a custom beer label.

Know Your Limits

You might have the perfect design in mind already, or you may still be figuring it out. Either way, it’s important to know what you can and can’t do before getting too invested in an idea. If you have a limitation like budget or can size, it’s best to find a way to create something that fits within these parameters. Even a minimalist design can work wonders if you have a smaller can or less money to spend on ink. A more ambitious idea, on the other hand, won’t pan out well if you’re being a bit too unrealistic. Consider these points before preparing your product label design:

• How big is your can? Larger printed beer labels mean you have more room to dedicate to the design, but bigger cans can pose some challenges when it comes to label application.
• What is your budget? If you have more money to spend on colors, graphic design, and unique material, then you can be more ambitious about your idea. However, if you have a smaller budget, find a happy medium of creativity and budgeting. Make use of things like pre-printed cans or smaller but distinctive color palettes.
• What label materials are you using? There are many materials available for label printing, from textured paper to pressure-sensitive labels. Your chosen material will affect the rest of your budget.
• How are you printing and applying the label? You can get your designs made and printed digitally and apply them to the cans with a machine. For the best results, consult a reputable digital label printing company.
• How long are you selling the products for? Not all brands are designed to stay on the shelf permanently. If you are selling a limited edition beer for the holidays or a special occasion, then you can consider using a shrink sleeve label. While these are more expensive to print on, they’re an excellent choice for a short-term product. Plus, they make your limited edition beer even more special.

How to Make a Beer Label

Once you know what you’re working with, it’s time to get creative and make the design itself. If you don’t have any ideas yet, start by thinking about your brand and how you want it to be represented. Here are a few things to consider.

Colors

The colors you use can make your can stand out compared to competitors. Choose colors that work well together and catch the eyes of potential customers. Your color palette should demonstrate your brand’s unique style and embody the qualities your customers love. If your beer is best enjoyed on hot beach days – like Corona, for example – use tropical colors. Alternatively, if you’d rather market your beer to sports fans watching from home, you can use local team colors to try and appeal to that demographic.

Font

You may be surprised just how powerful your font choice can be. It may just be words on a label, but how those words look can really affect the customer browsing experience. Whether you want large bold letters or a design that resembles an old-school brewery, you should match your font choice to your brand’s aesthetic.

Illustrations and Imagery

Depending on how large your label is and how much space is taken up by the font, you may not have much space to spare for artwork. However, that doesn’t mean you should skip out on graphic details. If you can incorporate art onto your label, do it. This is what can really make or break the look and feel of your beer. However you incorporate artwork, be sure it aligns with the feel of your brand to enhance the customer experience.

Embellishments

For a clean finishing touch, you can embellish your label with the use of textures, metallic foil, lamination, and even specialty inks. While these things aren’t strictly necessary, they can make your labels stand out to the consumer and give you a leg up against the competition.

Royal Label understands that your brand has a unique style and product to advertise. We want to help you make your dreams a reality with professionally made labels and advice about label design and product packaging. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our digital label printing services.

At the end of the day, it’s your job to sell your product and make your company grow, and our goal is to help you do that by taking the guesswork out of the printing process and ensuring your labels look their best.