A woman shopping in retail for Patagonia jacket in retail display.

Patagonia Hang Tag
Research and Design

The Challenge

"Exactly how important is our hang tag? How can it provide only the information that shoppers require? Does our hang tag make the jacket look fat?" These were just a few of the many questions that Patagonia had bouncing inside their craniums as they approached Capsule to build their new hang tag from scratch.

Using a proprietary process centered around testing and analysis, Capsule helped this legendary brand better understand consumer shopping habits, effective informational hierarchy and elements of design that would resonate beyond the in-store experience.

deliverables

  • Qualitative research
  • Stimuli testing and design
The Patagonia brand packaging design hangtag with Patagonia logo on white tag.

The Solution : GROUNDING THE PROBLEM


Product hang tags remain an industry standard for retail shoppers. Beyond catalogs and online product reviews, there are few touchpoints that influence shopper impressions as much as the hang tag.

global insights

Capsule began with mobile in-store research to inspire hang tag prototype designs to bring into the field. With this stimuli, Capsule then went into retail locations with shoppers to test varying concepts and hierarchies, as well as to understand Patagonia perceptions and hang tag needs in the outdoor industry.

260

interviews

5

countries

4

prototypes

The Patagonia brand packaging design illustration of world map with five areas identified.
The Patagonia brand packaging design chart showing research findings.

asking the right questions

What matters most to consumers when it comes to navigating a hang tag? To answer this question we put the power in the hands of users, asking them to build their ideal hang tag using what we knew were the primary components.

The Patagonia brand packaging design photo of images and hands building hangtags.

“A hang tag shows Patagonia cares about its customers. I want information I cannot get from shopping for the product online. The tag should show me everything I should know at a glance.” — Research participant

The Patagonia brand packaging design showing four hang tag prototype designs.

HARDWORKING PROTOTYPES

As part of our research stimuli, we developed a collection of hang tags to garner a response from research participants. Each hang tag communicated a different brand perspective and contained different supporting elements in order to determine what content, stories, and tone helped them understand, and potentially purchase, a product.

The Patagonia brand packaging design of hangtag front, inside and back on craft paper.

The Eco Tag

This concept utilizes a sustainable material to underscore Patagonia’s commitment to sustainability and protecting the environment.

The Brand Tag

This hangtag utilized color, imagery and messaging to tell Patagonia’s broader brand story.

The Patagonia brand packaging design of hangtag with carabiner and three tags.
The Patagonia brand packaging design of hangtags in blue with three versions and rope.

The lifestyle tag

This tag was designed to inspire a spirit of adventure while emphasizing the different activities a shopper can enjoy while using the product.

The technical tag

This tag was designed to emphasize the technical features of the product. This emphasis allowed shoppers to fully understand the product while giving them clear reasons to purchase.

The Patagonia brand packaging design of hangtag designs with three views and metal tie.
The Patagonia brand packaging design research showing results and findings.

Testimonial

“I really felt the presentation was extremely useful and well thought out, actionable information. Thanks so much for all the hard work and for getting us to this place. It really is good to move the ball forward in a thoughtful way with what feels like well-reasoned information and insights.” — Rose Marcario CEO and President

The impact

Using the research findings, Capsule designers refined and created a hardworking, smart hang tag system, transferrable across multiple Patagonia product lines.

View All Work

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