Define the review stage
A concept review and a production-artwork approval are different decisions. Tell the client whether this round concerns the visual direction, the information hierarchy, or a particular revision to an agreed design.
Label the product, variant, pack face, and version in the presentation. Include a flat view alongside a mockup when useful, and explain which materials, finishes, or proportions are illustrative. An attractive rendering can hide a question that becomes obvious on the flat artwork.
A sample review invitation
“Please review the front-of-pack hierarchy for the three tea variants. We’re checking which information stands out and how the variants relate. The finish in the mockup is illustrative; production proofs will be reviewed separately.”
Ask what should be noticed first
“It doesn’t stand out” needs a point of reference. Ask what the client wants someone to recognize and where they expect the pack to be seen. The brand name, flavor, product type, and a particular benefit cannot all be the first thing a viewer notices.
“Make the logo bigger.”
Try: “Is the concern recognizing the brand, or finding the product in the range?”
If the client is struggling to tell variants apart, enlarging the shared logo may not address the issue.
“This looks too plain.”
Try: “Which part feels unfinished or is missing something important?”
They may be asking for clearer product information, a stronger visual cue, or a different character. Clarify the intended effect before adding decoration.
Keep variant and range decisions separate
A concern about one flavor should not automatically change the whole range. Record whether a request applies to one pack, one face, or every variant. Note the elements the client wants to stay consistent.
If the feedback mentions both color and text hierarchy, clarify each separately. A decision to increase the prominence of the flavor name does not settle which color should distinguish it.
Show revisions in the relevant context: together as a range, on their own, or at the intended presentation size. Treat claims about shelf recognition as questions to evaluate, not as results proved by an attractive mockup.
A worked example
Fictional example for a three-variant tea range. Sample questions illustrate a review conversation, not guaranteed AI responses.
The initial feedback
“The packs all look the same, and the front feels crowded.”
- Designer
- What do you want someone to tell apart more easily?
- Client
- The flavors. The small color strips are easy to miss when the packs sit together.
- Designer
- Should the shared brand mark and layout stay consistent?
- Client
- Yes. We want them to look like one family.
- Designer
- Which information makes the front feel crowded?
- Client
- The serving suggestion competes with the flavor name. The flavor should come first.
- Designer
- Is that hierarchy change intended for all three variants?
- Client
- Yes, all three.
The brief for revisions
Confirmed: Make the flavors easier to distinguish across the range. Retain the shared brand mark and family structure. Give flavor names greater prominence than the serving suggestion on all three fronts.
Designer’s next step: Explore a stronger variant cue and a quieter treatment of the serving suggestion. Compare the three revised packs together before developing final artwork.
Keep concept approval distinct from production checks
Stop asking when the affected pack, intended hierarchy, desired change, and shared constraints are clear. Send a short recap and identify any decisions still waiting on the client or production team.
Use Siftback to review supported PDF presentations or JPG, PNG, and WEBP images of the work. Include labeled pack views and the brief. Siftback can clarify reactions and organize the answers into feedback and suggested tasks, while you decide how to revise the design.
A concept conversation does not verify a dieline, print color, finish, or final pack information. Keep those checks in the appropriate production workflow with the responsible people. Do not treat an AI suggestion or approval of a mockup as production sign-off.