Flexibleplaybook 2013 r6 Opt (1)

7/28/2019 Flexibleplaybook 2013 r6 Opt (1)

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packagers playbook serieseducation for packaging professionals

FLEXIBLEPACKAGINGPLAYBOOKHOW TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING PROJECTS

8 Essential tools, analyses, & resources

8 Limits o research, design, & lling

8 Speciying fexible packaging equipment

8 Trends and advances in orm/ll/seal

2013Edition

ALL-NEW

& EXPANDED

DESIGNSECTION


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packagers playbook serieseducation or packaging proessionals

Sponsored by2 / 140
http://www.trianglepackage.com/http://www.starpackagingcorp.com/


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FLEXIBLE PACKAGING PLAYBOOK

Contents 3 / 140

5 All the packaging experts who contributed to this Playbook

Contributors

8 A exible approach to exible packaging

Introduction

11 Ten guidelines or eective ront-panel design

16 Top-level considerations when revitalizing packaging

22 Consumer research and its limitations

27 Twelve tips or selling new packaging ideas to retailers

Design

31 Principal exible packaging perormance characteristics

35 Trends in exible packaging

40 Flexible packaging polymer primer42 Top 12 actors in the digital printing equation

46 Implementing brand protection strategies top considerations

Materials

51 Best practices in exible package development

56 Flexible packaging specication guidelines

60 Measuring commonly specied lm attributes

64 Understanding oriented lms

72 Common ways exible packaging projects can ail

Development


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Contents 4 / 140

75 Trends in orm/ll/seal equipment78 Best practices or speciying exible packaging equipment

82 Six tips on nding the right orm/ll/seal supplier

84 Tips or working with exible packaging machinery suppliers

86 What NOT to overlook on orm/ll/seal equipment projects

89 Vendor evaluation methodology or orm/ll/seal equipment

92 Six actors to consider when choosing between premade bags and a //s system

95 Best practices when speciying ow-wrapping equipment

98 Key ood saety actors driving equipment upgrades104 The key role o equipment and packaging

106 Roadmap or a successul orm/ll/seal Factory Acceptance Test

110 Determining when to rebuild or replace a orm/ll/seal machine

112 Tips or a successul exible packaging line start-up

115 Six common pitalls to avoid on bagging machinery projects

Equipment

118 Glossary o additives and modiers

121 Detailed properties and attributes or lm structures

126 Flexible packaging polymer selection guide

131 Cast vs. blown lm characteristics

Appendix

133 Flexible Packaging Gallery Selected examples o exible packaging innovation

Gallery
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Contributors 5 / 140

Tim Bohrer

PresidentPac Advantage Consulting

Dr. David Acheson

Managing Director, Food and Import

Saety Practice, Leavitt Partners LLC

Paul Zepf

P.Eng., M.Eng., CPPZarpac Inc.

Adam Bushong

Global Commodity Manager, PackagingDell, Inc.

Remon Zakhary

Senior Packaging EngineerBayer Healthcare, LLC

Robert C. Collins II, CPP/MH

PresidentGlobal Packaging Optimization, LLC

Stan Walulek

Vice PresidentMichels Bakery, Inc.

Paul Redwood

Senior Research Engineer

Church & Dwight

Jeffrey Loth

Senior Manager Global PackagingMicrosot

Derrick Lawrence

Senior Packaging Engineer

Seventh Generation

Shawn French

Engineering ManagerSun Products

Mark Brennan

Senior Sta Packaging Engineer

Energizer Holdings

The following brand owners, consultants, and design experts contributed greatly to this Playbook:
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Rob Wallace

Managing PartnerWallace Church Inc.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix

President

Shikatani Lacroix

Pamela Long

Partner & Director o Client ServicesLittle Big Brands

Robb Ziegler

President & Creative DirectorBrandimation

Hernn Braberman

Partner & Design Director

Tridimage, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Christine Ray

President & Creative DirectorMaximo Branding

Sal Pellingra

Director o InnovationAmpac

Brad Rodgers

ManagerSustainable Pkg. &Advanced Materials ResearchFrito-Lay

Shawn French

Engineering ManagerSun Products

Sandra Krasovec

Associate ProessorFashion Institute o Technology

Dean Lindsay

PresidentDean Lindsay Design Inc.

Adam Pawlick

Director o PackagingBay Valley Foods

Douglas C. Moyer

Researcher, Anti-Countereitingand Product Protection ProgramMichigan State University

David Hoenig

PrincipalDH Technical Consulting LLC

Several other brand owners were

interviewed for this Playbook onthe condition of anonymity.

Additional Contributors:


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Disclaimer

This Playbook s objective is to supply basic inormation on lm requirements and material and processing options that can assist the reader in their selectionand specication o lms that meet converting, lling, and end-use requirements in a cost-eective, consistent matter. It is not intended to be a comprehensive,

complete source, and will be superseded by new lm options soon ater publication; it is, rather, a starting point and guide or gathering more detailed and

current inormation. From that inormation, a diligent user can quickly winnow down the wealth o options to those most likely to meet their needs.

The inormation contained herein is believed to be valid at the time o publication, but as innovation and commercial supply are continuously evolving, it is

incumbent on the user to ensure its accuracy and relevance or a specic application at a specic point in time. Inclusion o inormation on materials or processes

does not represent a recommendation or representation that they oer the best, or even a workable, solution to a specic packaging challenge, and the author

and Packaging Worldaccept no liability or decisions made as a result o the use o this Playbook.

We gratefully acknowledge the expertise of these supplier contributors:

Axon, Avery Dennison, Berlin Packaging, Bosch, Carolina Color, Cenveo, C-P Flexible Packaging, Cryovac, Dexcom, Esko, Exact Packaging,Formost Fuji, Fort Dearborn, Graphic Measures International Ltd., Grin-Rutgers, ID Technology, IDTechEx, INX International, IPN,Kaleidoscope, Label-Aire, LPS Industries LLC, LSI, The Matlet Group, Placon, Sacmi USA, Sonoco, Steinhauser Inc., TricorBraun, Unisource,Weatherchem, Web Resources Intl., WS Packaging

Other sources:

Engineered Materials Inc., The Freedonia Group, Paco Underhill, Perception Research Services, Tobii Technologies, Packaging & TechnologyIntegrated Solutions, Pira International
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Introduction

FORWARD PLAYBOOK RETURN TO CONTENTSADD COMMENT

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A exible approachto exible packaging

There oten is no one, single best answer. But we can help; youre among riends and

colleagues here.

Each Playbook in the series has been growing every year with valuable, useul inormation.

For instance, the Detailed properties and attributes or lm structures and Polymer selectionguide or exible packaging sections by themselves are worth the short time it takes to

download this Playbook.

Ater interviewing and consulting with over 50 sources or the 2013 Playbook series, we

updated many o the existing sections and developed completely new ones. Most o the

legwork involved in-depth phone interviews with experts in the eldengineers and

managers at leading consumer packaged goods companies, seasoned packaging service

providers, and respected package design specialists.

We thank them again or their time and expertise. You can nd a list o those individuals and

companies that contributed on the pages beore this Introduction.

All o our Playbooks are designed to be read easily both on screen and in printed orm.

The entire cost o producing and distributing this Playbook has been underwritten by the
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Introduction


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companies that have sponsored it. We thank them or their support, and we thank you

or reading.

This Playbook is designed to serve as a handy reerence to be valued and shared with others

throughout the lie cycle o your package development project. Moreover, this Playbooklike

others in this seriesis a living document. At the bottom o this page and all content pages,

youll nd an Add Comment link that invites you to oer comments that will help advance

best practices, uel improvements or uture editions o this document, and strengthen the

canon o packaging knowledge.

Heres a sampling o reader praise or our previous editions:

The Playbooks are an excellent introduction to the package design phase or non-packaging

proessionals... a great resource to share with senior management to help them understand that

the product package can make or break a product in the crowded market.

Brilliant presentation, allows a really unctional step-by-step approach.

The inormation the Playbook contains provides a helpul guide to improve our selection process

and justication or new equipment requests.

It is unortunate that many packaging engineers tackle their projects alone with minimal

eedback rom diferent stakeholders. Senior management should read this Playbook to help them

reinorce the idea that the product package is a critical key to a successul product launchnot an

aterthought!

continued

A exible approachto exible packaging
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Introduction


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Melissa Larson

Contributing Editor

Ron Romanik

Contributing Editor

Ron Romanik was the ounding Editor-in-Chie oPackage DesignMagazine, where he covered package

design, research, and consumer behavior around brands,

packaging, and retail or eight years. He has presented

sessions at packaging conerences on topics relating to

Sustainable Packaging, Purpose-Driven Innovation, and

Brand Protection. Ron is currently principal o Romanik

Communications outside Philadelphia.

Melissa Larson has been writing about the packagingand converting industries since 1984. She was senior

editor oPackaging magazine, was the ounding editor

oPharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News,

and was managing editor oConverting. She has also

blogged or PMMIs Connected Communities and other

packaging industry clients. Melissa currently resides in

Barrington, IL.

Our Editors:


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Design


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Ten guidelines or eectiveront-panel design

Branding, marketing, and advertising all converge on the ront panel o a retail package.

Dedicated package designers would argue a package does all o that and more, and that

nothing represents the brand more than the retail package. Thats because the package is the

last place the consumer interacts with the brand prior to making a purchase decision.

There are certainly no hard-and-ast rules in ront-panel package design, and some categories

have much more reedom to experiment. But here are some guidelines that will help you

dene your brand on the ront panels o packages on todays over-cluttered retail shelves.

1. Determine the brand position. Know your company, your brand, and your corevalues. Ask the hard questions again and again, and dont underestimate the savvy o todays

consumers. Is there a unique value proposition? What is the primary product benet, liestyle

advantage, or convenience gain? For a new brand or brand extension, remember that getting

noticed is oten the most important goal.

2. Explore the competitive environment. Use dierentiation in a category or onegoal: to give consumers a reason to pick up the package. Go to the retail environments where

the package will live, and ask these questions rom the perspective o the brand:

Who am I? Do I represent something tangible? Do I inspire trust?

The hierarchy o inormation on any

ront panel should prioritize the main

product and marketing messages

while creating a template or brand

extension to other orms, products,and categories.

Source: Lovelypackage.com


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What makes me special? Where do I t in among competitors?

Why would they buy me? Whats the most important benet or advantage?

How can I connect with consumers emotionally? What cues can I use?

3. Settle on a hierarchy. Inormation organization is a critical element o ront-paneldesign. Broadly, the importance o the inormation hierarchy goes: 1) brand; 2) product;

3) variety; and 4) benet(s). Analyze all the messages you want to convey and put them

in order o importance. This doesnt necessarily mean that theyll be in that order, top to

bottom, on the package, but it s a good reerence point to start with. Having a very organized,

consistent inormation hierarchy across multiple product varieties helps your customer nd

the variety they desire and allows or a satisying experience. Saving the shopper time in

picking out a product should always be a priority.

4. Make one element the hero. Is the personality o the brand strong enough tostand on its own? Determine what is the most important single idea to communicate about

your product. I youre going to own something, what is that something? Align secondary

brand messages under the primary umbrella message. I your brand is the hero, consider

locking in a tagline with the logo. But make sure youre committed to that tagline or the

long haul. Otherwise, look or inspiration outside the category, which can oten lead to

breakout design. Use shapes, colors, illustrations, and photographs to reinorce the hero o

your brand story. Above all else, make it easy or repeat buyers to nd you the next time.

continued

Ten guidelines oreective ront-paneldesign


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5. Keep it simple. Less is oten morecommunication-wise. Be succinct, both verballyand visually. Three main visual cues are all that the typical eye will tolerate. Successul

package design is oten an exercise in constraint. Remove overloaded messages on the ront

panel. Limit marketing claims and benet statements. Any more than two or three, and the

points will be counterproductive. Too many benets will dilute the core brand message, and it

will actually cause the consumer to lose interest in the store aisle. Remember, most packages

have secondary panels or more inormation. Thats where shoppers look when they want to

learn more. Use the secondary panels, but dont skimp on design or those either. I secondary

panels are unavailable, consider a hangtag to tell a deeper brand story.

6. Manage stakeholder expectations. Expect some stakeholders to want toput all the inormation or marketing claims they have on the ront panel. Remind them

that a package is not an advertisement. Be prepared or the counterarguments by having

a repeatable design development process. Back the process up with checkpoints and

transparency and show progress with visual aids. Explain how the process is both expansion

and contraction, and have everyone sign o on the process beore starting. Quickly develop

three to ve options so you can establish a common language to talk about the objectives. Be

prepared with questions and suggestions should a stakeholder come to you with a printer or

converter already in mind beore design begins.

7. Communicate value visually. O course, having a transparent window that showsthe product inside is almost never a bad idea. Consumers want visual conrmation o the

choices they make. Aside rom that, you can say things nonverbally with shapes, design,

graphics, and colors. Use the elements that will best communicate attributes and equities,

sensations and eelings, emotional associations, and textures. Create an association with

continued


Campbells elt that the usual brand-

rst priority could be subverted on

these product extensions in a trade-

o to make sure the consumers

understood the product proposition.


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a sense o place. Suggest use occasions with graphics that have the elements o that use

occasion. Involve a liestyle. Todays consumers judge products in relation to how the values

o that brand t into their values and liestyle. Create a singular reason to believe that is

capable o closing the sale in isolation.

8. Be mindul o category-specic rules. Each retail category has its ownconventions. Some should be ollowed religiously. Some are important because bucking the

convention can set a newcomer brand apart. For ood products, however, the product itsel

should almost always be the hero. Spend the money on production and printing to create a

photo-realistic representation o the ideal serving suggestion. Conversely, or pharmaceuticalproducts, the brand and products physical characteristics can be secondarysometimes

even unnecessary. The parent brand logo may not need to be on the ront panel. Instead,

emphasize the name o the product and what it does. Across all categories, though, its

advisable to err on the side o less clutter on the ront panel.

9. Dont orget ndability and shopability.Learn how consumers shop theparticular category youre in. Make sure they wont be conused by the ormat or the

inormation hierarchy. Remember, cognitively and psychologically, colors communicateahead o everything else. Next come shapes. Words matter, but mostly as a support role.

Words and typography are or reinorcement, not high-level brand communication.

Findability can be either about having a brand-rst strategy or about creating a blocking

element in the store aisle that draws shoppers in. Shopability is about having a consistent

system o colors, shapes, materials, or ront-panel hierarchy that guides both new and repeat

shoppers in nding the specic product and variety he or she desires. I there are multiple

continued



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lines under a parent brand, consider good/better/best strategies that indicate each value

proposition clearly and succinctly. For instance, the relative strengths o dierent products in

a line can be indicated by strengths, or relative saturations, o color.

10. Plan or uture brand extensions. A brand that is exible enough to extendto other categories also has a core brand identity that it owns. Ater that, a successul brand

platorm is one that can grow by adding product varieties or lines, or by extending outside its

original category. Test the versatility o a ront panels design by applying it to new products

and to new categories. Look at a wide swath o imaginary products and extensions, not just

the agship variety. Make sure they all work together, united as a brand but easily understoodas separate oerings.

Even plan or uture redesigns o your core product line. Dont inhibit the uture growth o

your brand by creating a platorm that is not both extendable and exible.

continued



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Top-level considerationswhen revitalizing packaging

Its not always easy to decide when its the right time to update, or revitalize, packaging.

There are many actors to consider, but the motivation is oten out o many brand owners

hands. The current competitive environment is driving requent package design changes in a

number o ways.

Retailers are asking or new and better packaging, new entries are driving constant

innovation, existing brands are piling on the SKUs, private-label products are changing

the rules, regulations are requiring more inormation on packaging, and sustainability

improvement requests are becoming ubiquitous. Heres what to consider when updating

packaging design:

1. Explore the brand history and its equities. Study the current and pastpackage designs closely. Consult previous design rms or advertising agencies. Marketers

should dig deep or previous brand images in past packaging and advertisingand in

consumers minds. Know what the brand represents to its loyal consumers, where it has

been, and where it can go. Andjust as importantlyknow what the brand is NOT. A brand

shouldnt try to be everything to everyone. Its totally possible that the brand exists as an idea,

or a value, that is not tied to words, colors, or shapes. It may have no tangible visual or verbal

equities, but that is rare. What is the brand story that consumers connect with? How can you

Beore

Ater

The revitalized Purex packaging built

on the brand's heritage oundation as

it blossomed into ull bloom, creating

a dynamic and contemporary look via

some skillul pruning and nurturing.


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enhance that emotional experience? What are the equities, the key visual messages, and the

brand aspects that need to be uture-oriented?

2. Expect the politics o heritage. Change can be difcult. Many brand ownershave a sentimental attachment to the past. They believe that their brand logo or primary

colors are a large part o their success, when the truth might actually be that those design

elements are holding the brand back. In addition, some brand owners believe package design

is an additive exercise, where more is better, when the opposite can oten be true. Too many

marketing messages can inhibit brand communication. And nally, some brand owners

believe the package can do everything single-handedly. As much as a package represents abrand, most times a signicant packaging change will benet greatly rom brand activation

support rom both marketing and advertising campaigns.

3. Understand loyal customers. What are your customers loyal to, exactly? Howmight they react to a change? Understand what consumers expect and what they look or.

Learn how consumers shop or your product. Be aware that todays consumers are less brand

loyal than in previous generations, so it s a delicate balance to create new excitement while

remaining amiliar and trusted. Sometimes it can make strategic sense to rely on the brandlogo to carry a lot o weight. I you nd that consumers have great loyalty, trust, and reverence

or your brand in isolation, you may have greater leeway to experiment with bold designs.

4. Understand the strategic objectives. With every strategic decision come risks,so try to identiy and target the brands specic problems. Keeping ahead o private-label

competition and keeping ahead o countereiters are both good motivation, but requent

changes can dilute brand attachment when not managed with care. Deending your brand

continued

Top-level considerationswhen revitalizingpackaging


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doesnt just mean security eatures or hard-to-copy eects. Deending brand value today

oten means oering something new. Is there new ownership or management? Are you

planning a new campaign, expansion, extension, or direction? Will there be room to revitalize

again in a ew years? Step back and remind yoursel: Dont change merely or the sake o

change. Any change has to make strategic sense.

5. Know when NOT to revitalize. Should you deend your brand beore you ndyoursel in a deensive position? Look at the competitive set. Does your package look dated?

Notice how print quality has been improving on many retail packages. Has your category

let you behind? The truth is, not many products or packages look cheap today. I yoursdoes, youll stand out or the wrong reasons. Even i your packaging avoids communicating a

wrong message, nd out i it is communicating the right one. Maybe a new shape, structure,

or material will help your package stand out. But will the investment result in a quick return

on investment? Market research can sometimes tell you i theres opportunity or quick ROI by

exploring new market territory. I you have the resources, pilot tests in limited markets oer

the best evidence o ROI potential.

6. Hit the store shelves. One o the biggest mistakes in package design is designing apackage without context. Packages rarely appear alone, even online. Most oten, they live in

hostile retail environments on overcrowded shelves. Make designers and marketers get out

to the stores, experience real shel sets, and understand the distinct challenges o dierent

retail environments. And when revitalizing new packaging, test the new designs on mockup

shelves or on virtual shelves online. Dierentiating your brand rom the crowd is oten about

going against the norm. Minimalist brand expressions can stand out amidst a sea o loud,

continued


Educating a consumer about

packaging changes can sometimes

make the new ormat less jarring to

loyal customers.


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colorul packaging. But the opposite is also true. Whatever the setting, dont oversimpliy.

The simplicity pendulum has swung ar out recently. Its now swinging back, but with caution.

7. Decide on evolution or revolution. Take the long-range perspective. Whereis your brand going? Is the risk o change manageable? Evolutionary designs are helpul or

brands with a large, loyal ollowing that do not want to alienate but still require a acelit

to drive relevance with a new consumer group or to clariy on-package communication.

Revolutionary designs are great or brands that want to set themselves apart rom the

competition or brands that are introducing a new product category because these types

o designs are oreign to consumers. Since consumers have nothing to relate them to, thedesigns will be disruptive; however, they can also be unrecognizable i they dont look

like they belong in the category. I youre reormulating a amiliar product, thats another

opportunity or a revolutionary design change. A package design change can communicate

that something important has happened, and heres where marketing and advertising can be

helpul reinorcement. Explain the reason or the revolutionary change directly to consumers

in straightorward language. Dont make them stop and thinkyou risk losing them that way.

8. Reexamine the goal. What were the strategic objectives? How much change makessense and mitigates risk?

Was it a shopability issue? Did the category grow around you?

Look at the competitive set.

What do you want to communicate? Whats new? Are you adding an extension?

Reconsider the brand proposition.

continued



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Can the brand keep up through gradual evolution? Is the package at risk o appearing

old, dated, or tired? Find the right compromise o new vs. old.

Have you lost touch with consumer? Are you introducing a new ormulation?

Is there a new nutritional benet? Then you can leverage a revolution.

But always maintain relevancy, visibility, and shopability. And make sure the brand promise o

the packaging matches the value proposition that the brand delivers. For instance, it can be

risky to overpromise with high-end packaging on a commodity product.

9. Create an emotional visual language. For a brand looking to revitalize theirpackaging, its important to identiy a visual language and dene the key principles that

exempliy the emotional connection that your brand has with consumers. To get noticed

in an overcrowded retail environment, brands need to stake out a unique emotional space.

Packaging should be considered rom a holistic viewpoint, including orm, graphics, unction,

and communication. Sometimes, its useul to identiy a prototypical user, even i thats an

oversimplication. Characterize that persons liestyle, dene it in words and images, and

create a cohesive brand personality. Create visual mnemonics that will unite a brand under a

single emotional ramework.

10. Dont orget the basics. Brand recognition is still the rst priority. But its anemotional connection, not a cognitive one. Push It! Being a category leader in consumers

minds means leading in a way that addresses consumers wants and desires. At the same

time, caution is advised. Any change in brand position is a risk; only hal o all packaging

redesigns increase sales. Remember to synthesize a single primary message across all brand

continued


Walkers revitalized this sub-brand

with bright colors and a less ormal

personality, knowing well enough that

its previous design did not hold

much equity.

C G G OO


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touchpoints. Distill marketing messages to two or three, at most. And, i possible, create a

destination eel in the store. Whether or not you can secure placement in an endcap or a

POP display, devise a packaging strategy that will create a successul place on shel. This

means creating a blocking eect, organizing the SKUs in logical ways, and making variety

navigation easy or all shoppers.

11. Plan ahead, way ahead. First, make sure your new brand platorm afrmsconsumer expectations. I you disrupt the cues that consumers use, then you will rustrate

them, and they will move on. Planning ahead means planning or potential brand line

extensions and brand expansion into new categories. Even i you dont go in those directions,the brand platorm will be strengthened by the exercise. To take it to another level, plan the

next redesign ater the redesign youre doing. And i youre using a good/better/best strategy,

conrm that it makes sense to consumers. For instance, make sure the bargain line doesnt

tarnish the potential o the high-end line with reduced expectations.

12. Double-check that your communication comes through. Return to thestart and the primary objectives. Packaging needs to answerimmediately and intuitively

two undamental questions rom a communication standpoint or a shopper: What am I?and Why am I right or you? I a package ails to communicate a clear answer to these two

questions, then uncertainty rules the day, the shopper may become conused, and he or she

may opt or a dierent brand. Visually, the goal is immediate brand and benet recognition.

I consumers cant recognize your brands colors, shapes, or graphics instantly, you might be

headed down a wrong and unproductive path.

continued




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Consumer researchand its limitations

Many graphic and structural designers make a useul distinction between exploration and

validation. Though these proessionals might be wary o letting consumer research dene

exploration, they are usually more than willing to admit researchs valuable role in validating

the eectiveness o new design ideas in their ullest expression.

The efcient use o research oten benets rom recognizing the limits o what a researcher

can learn and not over-interpreting results. Here are more best practices to ollow when

embarking on consumer research campaigns.

1. Identiy what you hope to learn. Choosing a research method should rst startwith setting clear objectives. And get specic. What are the precise questions youre trying to

answer? I you cant put the questions into words, it s unlikely that youll know the answers

when you see them.

2. Dont be research-driven. Use research in the right context. Research can inormthe process, but it is dangerous to let research dictate or create design early in the process.

Research can actually hold back a brand. Risk-averse companies tend to create research

campaigns that reinorce preexisting attitudes and biases. Choosing which method to pursue

will come down to weighing the pros and cons o each option against the objectives and the

cost. Know beorehand whether or not you will get actionable results rom your eorts.

The Baked Naturals Cracker Chips

package represents Pepperidge Farms'rst commercial application o this

reclosing eature that is intuitive and

easy to use.



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3. Choose careully. The type o research you should conduct is dependent on thebrand and the risks associated with a change. Are you embarking on a major departure

rom what the brand has typically represented, or is it a small evolutionary change? A mix o

qualitative and quantitative research is oten advised in gauging the potential rewardsand

risksinvolved in a substantial revitalization project.

4. Know the limitations. Focus groups have limitations. Consumers dont understandtheir own motivations and can rarely articulate them well.. Also, ocus groups oten get

dominated by a group leader, and participants responses become heavily inuenced by

that individual. Research requires great discipline to look at the right things the right wayin the right context. Benchmark the consumer experience to gauge the success or ailure

o proposed packaging improvements or updates. Have ways to assess i your research is

actually answering the questions you set out to answer.

5. Keep exploration open. Its human nature to reject the unamiliar. By and large,consumers cant envision new ideas or predict how they might respond to them. Do not

interpret data literally; that alone can lead to risk aversion. Add intuition and instinct to create

new value. Ask open-ended questions, use rating scales to probe preerences, and engage inconversations. Use qualitative research on the ront end to explore options or possibilities, use

quantitative research to back up qualitative research and to prove that the insights are real.

continued




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6. Get out in the eld. Get consumers to engage with you with diaries, in-store shop-alongs, in-home ethnographic observation, and personal demonstrations. Interviewing

consumers at the point o sale can yield great insight into their purchasing motivations. In-

home, ethnographic observations also yield telling insights into how consumers actually

use the packaging and product. Check out homemade unboxing videos o your category

to discover whats working, whats not, and opportunities or innovation. But dont ignore a

valuable resourceyour own employees. Their amiliarity with your product or package may

bias their opinions, but it does not preclude them rom being inventive. I you remain highly

vigilant o skewed bias and political inuence, their amiliarity may actually prove to be a

positive.

7. Convert bries into visual languages. Packaging development and design briesare usually all words. Brand experiences are mostly visual. Something has to budge. Mood

boards, liestyle cues, and personality proles are a ew ways to map out an area o ertile

brand exploration. I possible, immerse designers and strategists in global cultures early, and

create a vision o where the brand can go. Better to have unied vision o a strategy you can

validate rather than trying to piece together validatable pieces o strategy.

8. Remember that packages dont live in isolation. Packages are almost neveraloneon shel, on countertops, in cupboards, or in the recycle bin. Eye tracking can be

useul to gauge both where consumers eyes go to rst on a package and where their eyes go

on crowded store shelves. Explore the principal motivations o purchase in your category. Try

to discover what benet claims spark motivation.

continued


Individually wrapped bananas,

potatoes, and eggs are not new, but

precooked, single-serve cobs o corn

recently showed up at convenience

stores in Japan.



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9. Use prototypes eectively.Try to get immediate, knee-jerk reactions to shapes,colors, or graphics beore critical thought takes over subjects opinions. Take advantage o

the nation o proessional consumers in the U.S. Get as many reactions as you can rom each

iteration, and, i possible, use requent mockups to recheck reactions and compare data.

(For more tips on using prototypes, see Structural prototyping and the modern design

process in thePackage Development Playbook.)

10. Involve yoursel in the process. Its important to monitor the process early on soyou understand the results later. Only i you understand what the results really mean can you

know what is actionable. Give everyone the tools they need to appreciate and participatein the process. Transparency into the process lets stakeholders track progress repeatedly

along the way. Research might not always reveal how consumers discover unmet needs, but

packaging can certainly reect brand owner objectives, conscientious company cultures, or

overarching human values.

11. Be more ecient online. Eective online research can oten yield more honestqualitative responses rom consumers who politely hold back during in-person interviews.

Also, the speed o usable and actionable quantitative results is oten much aster online.Realize, though, that surveys provide diluted inormation, and case studies should be

considered as a rame o reerence, not an absolute. Social networking trafc and analytical

tools can be inormative, but rarely is any research method prescriptive. Its more important to

understand the actors at play and weigh their importance and relevance on a case-by-case

basis.

continued


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12. You control the data, not vice versa. When you can boil piles o data down todigestible chunks, have as many sets o eyes look at it, across disciplines and departments.

You never know where an insight might come rom. Some rms now have a person dedicated

only to analyzing research results. Closely analyze consumer relations reports, but be careul

not to see things that arent there. Its a natural human tendency across all research and

science to see connections and causations that dont necessarily exist.

13. Consider a dedicated human actors study. Packages convey value byelements such as eects, coatings, and smooth edges. A human actors study can measure

many o these variables as well as unveil opportunities or universal design solutions. Itsalways useul to reduce the ways that a customer can use a package incorrectly. The best

packaging is intuitive to use, but educating users about new packaging types is oten

appropriate. Its always a good idea to simpliy the unboxing experience so that it guides

users through the best order to assemble or use the product.

14. Avoid pitalls that send you o course. Consumer research is directional andsubjectivenot prescriptive. Tightly dene the roles you want your packaging to play. And

continually return to the original research goals and the questions you were trying to answerto keep your eyes on the prize.

continued




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Twelve tips or selling newpackaging ideas to retailers

The biggest retail chains in the U.S. and Europe hold most o the cards when it comes

to negotiating the look and eel o new products and packages or their shelves. When

proposing new products or packages, whether inormally or in person, its critical to be

prepared. Retailers are looking or new ideas, but they have to be truly new. Here are a ew

tips to impress the retail-chain gatekeepers.

1. Oer something new and dierent. Whenever possible, try to create a truly newpackaging/product concept or brand presentation. You need a Wow! rst. Find a niche thats

underserved, or take the lead on an emerging consumer trend. And dont be araid o being

very product-specic. I the idea is a good one, it will be expandable to a broader strategy.

Find a balance between dierentiating rom the current landscape and remaining relevant to

current customers lives. Its a balance that some in the industry call meaningul disruption.

2. Develop a unique story.Think o the marketing angle as a ully realized story,and be able to present it that way. Then explain how the packaging presentation tells that

story. Anticipate your competitors stories, or ones you suspect that the retailer has heard

beore. Rene the story until its brie and conciseand have a strong, committed point o

view. Understand the realities o shel sets and planograms, and make the case or eye-level

placement or niche products.

A Jekyll & Hyde story emerges rom

Joe & Sephs fipped ches hat/top hat,and the popcorn is packaged in a clear

pouch with a die-cut header card to

give the product a premium eel.

Source: Lovelypackage.com



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3. Create packaging that adds new value. Creativity is the only limitation indeveloping packaging that is more unctional, is easier to open, is more un to use, has an

extended lie, or turns into a product o its own. An easy way to add value with boxes and

cartons is to experiment with still underutilized paperboard design eatures such as th

panels, unctional aps, special cuts, surprise interior panels, and engaging sustainability

stories.

4. Dont try to compete on price alone. Understand that most retailers now haveseveral tiers o private-label products. They are constantly thinking about how to compete

on price, which may not be so difcult, especially with their lower margin expectations.Nevertheless, be prepared to explain your pricing structure and tiering possibilities. Dont be

surprised i the retailer asks to inspect your operations, and come prepared with a distribution

plan to supply products just-in-time. Whenever it makes sense, have an environmental story

to tell. Retailers are keenly interested in environmental improvements in packaging and the

metrics behind them.

5. Research the retailer. What is the retailers particular market position? What are their

long-term goals? What consumers are they trying to reach? What target marketing are theyusing? Armed with that knowledge, weave your own story into their story. Do your homework

about the retailers common shelving dimensions, stacking requirements, planogram layouts,

and department delineationsand where your product ts in. Learn how your packaging will

be handled through their particular distribution chain. Explore several merchandising options

as ar as how your package might sit on shel, display, sell down, and restock.

continued

Twelve tips or sellingnew packaging ideasto retailers

A back-to-school promotion pairs

string cheese with the Crayola brand,

resulting in colorul, crayon box-like

packaging or cheese sticks.



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6. Research the retailers customers. Learn how the retailers core customer shops,and respect the knowledge o the retailer. Ask yoursel: How will this new product or package

bring in new business or promote loyalty to the store? Oten, retailers want their own custom

packages o national brands so they can entice customers with exclusive deals or unique

product propositions.

7. Come prepared with ROI projections. Research the bottom line, and makethe case or ast ROI turnaround. Provide projected diagnostics on possible sales volumes

and prot margins. Stick to direct product protability that the retailer can expectnot

secondary or tertiary prots that might come later. Use consumer research to nd a successulcompromise between whats right or consumers and whats right or the retailer. Understand

the private-label competition, and how your product or package will complement the

retailers own products and packages.

8. Come prepared with visual aids. I production packages arent available, have thehighest-quality prototypes. Show visually what need there is in the marketplace that has not

been met yet. Use virtual prototyping to show the package in a variety o store locations, and

in a variety o optimized SKU sets. Show how the package might bring a stale category backto lie with visual impact. Create a platorm or a broader category push by expanding use

occasions, crossing categories, or widening a categorys customer demographic prole.

9. Be responsive. React quickly to any potential issues brought up by the retailer. Followup promptly. Maybe your competitor is having issues meeting the retailers expectations.

Know what you dont know, and admit it. I possible, partner with the retailer in ne-tuning a

strategy, and try to get ace-to-ace meetings with the retailers packaging engineers.

continued


Fresh Take meal solutions contain

two compartments or cheeses and

seasoned breadcrumbs or quick

meat entres in just ve minutes.

The two-compartment lm pouch

transorms into a mixing bowl, held

in a die-cut, peg-hooked paperboard

sleeve with vibrant graphics and ood

photography.



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10. Think seasonally, three seasons ahead. Seasonal packaging is a big driveror retail salesand is planned well in advance. Be aware that custom lms, labels, and

containers can entail advance planning and machine modications. But seasonal initiatives

can also be achieved through secondary or POP packaging. Think about kitting options

or even outsourcing git packs. Be ready, however, or the added complexity that adding

SKUs brings.

11. Be retail-ready and retailer-ready. Retailers are becoming more picky abouthow the product arrives at their distribution centers. Retail-ready oten now means going

rom pallet to the shel with almost no unpacking by the store sta, minimal secondarypackaging to clean up or dispose o, and minimal shel maintenance. (For more, see Retail-

ready best practices to be shel-ready in thePackage Development Playbook.)

12. Learn the lingo. Will the initial visual Shel Impact entice shoppers to pick up yourpackage? Will the consumers First Moment o Truth with the package be memorable? Will

they want to learn more on Secondary Panels? Do you have a Unique Selling Proposition that

is truly unique? Is there a Reason to Believe that could close the sale by itsel? Does the ront-

panel design allow or Cross-Selling across categories? Can a group o your SKUs either createa Billboard Eect rom ar away or result in a Destination Eect through Color Blocking and

Shel Set organization? Will the User Experience with the package develop brand loyalty?

continued


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Principal exible packagingperormance characteristics

For many years, packaging proessionals summarized the unctions o packages into three

major buckets: Protection, Utility, and Motivation. Here, we expand on those buckets or

exible packaging and learn how it can perorm many unctions.

1. Protection or delivery. A package protects a productand itselrom the rigorso shipping, distribution, storage, and use. A consumer pays or a product and expects to

receive the ull value. Packaging plays a crucial role in delivering that value:

Hermetic seals that completely contain the product, protecting it rom spilling

or contamination rom the environment.

Toughness that prevents breaching o package walls by outside physical orces

or abuse.

Tamper-evident eatures that help ensure the product integrity or use.

Bundling multiple objects, including packages, together or transport or sale.

Opening and reseal eatures that acilitate multiple package accesses or uses while

securely containing the product.

This innovative package rom

Bolthouse Farms creates an interactive,

unctional experience or kids, who

combine the seasoning with the

carrots just prior to consumption.



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2. Protection or processability. The objective is to minimize waste through the entirechain o production and use o a product. A successul exible package should be able to:

Customize the orce required to slide the packaging material or the package

against other materials.

Be optimized or packaging machine ease o operation or to prevent items rom

sliding relative to each other in distribution.

Customize package sealing response to a wide variety o package machine sealingmethods and conditions, permitting ast, dependable production o sealed packages.

Withstand post-ll processing conditions such as reezing temperatures, high heat,

humidity, and radiation sterilization.

3. Utility or consumer containment, reshness, and tailoredtransmission. Every product has its own needs or reshness and barrier properties.

A exible package can:

Provide tamper-evident eatures that help ensure the product integrity or useor that

its even still there.

Oer opening and resealing eatures that acilitate multiple package accesses and uses

while securely containing the product.

continued

Principal exiblepackagingperormancecharacteristics



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Be able to customize the rate o transmission o gasses through the walls

o sealed packages.

At the high-barrier end o the spectrum: Provide extremely low rates or long-term

storage o sterilized ood at room temperatures or medications in humid environments.

At the low-barrier end o the spectrum: Provide very high rates or breathable produce

packages, with the ability to create customized levels or individual produce items.

Allow controlled venting o steam released in microwave heating to cook product whilemaintaining product moisture and avoiding leakage.

4. Utility or consumer-added unctionality. Flexible packaging technologieshave progressed to improve product storage and add preparation unctions.

Shel lie: Vacuum-packed ood or personal items or long-term storage.

Microwavability: Food that can be warmed or heated thoroughly in the package.

In-package microwave cooking: Packages that can cook a product in microwave

ovens include those or popcorn, brown-and-crisp sandwiches, and reshly made

pasta dishes.

Ovenability: Retail packages that cook roasts, bake whole turkeys, etc.

in conventional ovens.

continued


Watch Video

Ovenable Thermoorms

www.bit.ly/pwt00431

Editor Pat Reynolds takes a look ata resh meat innovation or porktenderloin that can be cooked in

a sel-venting package made on athermoorm/seal system.

http://www.packworld.com/playbook/forward/flexiblehttp://bit.ly/hqUjyWhttp://bit.ly/pwt00431http://bit.ly/pwt00431http://bit.ly/pwt00431http://bit.ly/pwt00431http://www.packworld.com/playbook/forward/flexiblehttp://bit.ly/hqUjyW


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5. Motivation at retail. Packages help motivate purchase decisions by presenting theproduct and its desirable attributes to consumers in a way that the product both stands out

rom the rest and engenders trust in its quality. Packaging appearance and style connect the

consumers needs and expectations to the product, and the package can truly become the

product. The package should be able to:

Provide a smooth surace or high-quality printed images, including the ability to

bury the print beneath the outside package layer or extra gloss and sparkle and or

resistance to abrasion.

Easily incorporate pigmentation to provide uniormly colored packages that protectproducts against damaging light requencies.

Oer options or a variety o label shapes, including whole-body labels that shrink

to conorm to complex primary package shapes.

6. Motivation or repeat purchase. Packaging should reinorce the positivepurchase retail decision in subsequent moments o truth. First, the value o the package

should reect the value o the product. In addition, the package can:

Add unctionality or more comortable or efcient in-home use.

Bring new use occasions to the user to expand or encourage consumption.

Solve an in-home use problem with easier storage, rell, or disposal experiences.

Surprise the consumer with an added-value eature.

continued




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Trends in exible packagingand eatures

Trends oten come and go beore you notice them. Flexible packaging trends seem to have a

longer lie span than most, signaling that the ormat is here to stay. Here are some recent and

developing trends were monitoring.

1. More easy-open, easy-reclose options. A much wider range o openingtreatments, tments, and closures are available today than ever beore, including linear tear

characteristics, reclosable zippers that dont require any tearing o the pouch header to open,

and screw-on spouts or liquid pouches. Machinery has advanced, too, with increased ability

to apply these eatures in-line during lling and sealing, with minimal downtime issues.

2. Clear high-barrier lms. A new generation o clear lms and coatings isbeginning to approach the barrier properties o oil and metallized lms. This provides new

opportunities to showcase appetizing products while avoiding ex-cracking problems

associated with oil and some older coating technologies. These structures also oer the

potential or microwave-compatible pouches.

3. Penetration into entirely new categories. Flexible packaging tends to sweepthrough entire product categories, though admittedly over a period o years. Classic examples

include tuna sh and pet ood, where retort pouches are now common ater decades o can

Watch Video

www.bit.ly/pb-velcro

Lundberg Family Farms new rice pouch

employs Velcro closure technology

that allows easy opening and reclosing

without having to align zippers.

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dominance. More recently, baby ood retort pouches (and thermoormed trays) are replacing

glass jars. Flexibles are also being used or home and garden supplies such as ertilizers,

where resealability is a key eature.

4. A quick look ahead. Now that ketchup in larger retail exible pouches is no longer anovelty, other viscous condiments that can be more efciently evacuated rom a pouch are a

prime prospect. Test market successes in Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America

will tell the early tale. Health and beauty products, such as shampoo and liquid soaps, might

also be ripe or conversion. Further expansion in soups, stocks, and canned ruit is likely

as well.

5. The slow roll o the cereal aisle. While exible packaging has made inroadsat both the high end (think granola) and low end (value cereals), experts agree that

cereal makers simply have too much invested in existing bag-and-box equipment to

expect widespread change anytime soon. Replacement is urther complicated given the

predominance o recycled paperboard cartons made rom renewable resources in this

application. Just because a package converts to exible doesnt mean consumers in a given

countryespecially the U.S.will accept it. The new global perspective means packagingstructures or ormatsincluding exible innovationsoriginate anywhere in the world.

6. More layers in coextrusion. Though it sounds counterintuitive, the addition olayers into a exible packaging structure can actually lead to improvements in economics

and unctionality. How? It allows or more precise control o the layers. Three- and ve-layer

lm coextrusion manuacturing lines are limited by the size o the extruders and by the

continued

Trends in exiblepackaging andeatures



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design o the dies. More converters are moving to seven- and nine-layer coextrusion lines that

provide more exibility or desired unctionality, thickness, and cost without overengineering

the structure. One technique is to use less-expensive resins as bulking layers. Another is

to split the barrier layer into two thinner layers, with one serving as a backup in case a

pinhole breeches the other. This approach also multiplies the number o material interaces

a permeate must cross, urther reducing permeation rates. Several technologies or splitting

barrier materials into many layers are being introduced, with data showing more than linear

improvements in barrier properties.

7. Shaped fexible packaging. The current generation o orm/ll/seal packagingcan produce more bag shapes and styles than ever. Thats important or consumer packaged

goods companies hungry or new shapes that stand out on the shel. Shaped pouches that

cut a mostly two-dimensional, curvy shape have been out or years, though mostly outside

the U.S. Machinery manuacturers are working on efcient equipment or creating pouches

with a conical or three-dimensional shape. A challenge here is to hold down the design waste

inherent in more complex proles.

8. More retortable pouches. A retort package is cooked ater it is lled at high-enough temperatures long enough to kill bacteria and microorganisms that can spoil ood.

Several actors are driving the growth o retortable exible packaging. They are easier to open

than cans, weigh much less, and can have a smaller environmental impact versus metal cans

and glass jars. Additionally, pouches can minimize loss rom denting or breakage and enable

package innovations such as cooking capability. And then there is the taste. Many believe

the ood rom retortable pouches tastes better because o less-abusive sterilization heating

continued


This 1.5-lb package gives the Cargill

sugar substitute brand a category rst,

presents a clean brand image, and

makes it easy or consumers to use

in baking.



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cycles. The at geometry o the exible package means that ood closest to the surace

doesnt need to be heated or as long or at as high a temperature beore the ood in the

center has received the proper time and temperature exposure to ensure sterility.

9. Pouches wide impact. Because pouch structures can be customized to meet awide range o barrier requirements, a host o new product applications are emerging: liquid,

viscous, powdered, granulated, and particulate. This growth will cross multiple markets,

including ood and beverage, cosmetics, healthcare, pet oods, automotive, pharmaceutical,

and agricultural. While pouch-lling speeds are not yet up to par with those o many

conventional container types, this gap is closing, particularly in the dry product arena.

10. Sustainable packaging is taking on new orms. Many people play up therecyclability aspect o sustainability as it relates to packaging at the exclusion o the ront end

o a packages lie cycle. The carbon ootprint o various packaging types has to consider many

actors. For example, pouches oer tremendous energy savings both in their production and

transport. Comparing rigid containers versus pouches, you can ship one truckload o at

pouches that have the equivalent product-holding capacity o upwards o 15 to 25 truckloads

o empty rigid containers. Packagers can also save hundreds o thousands o dollars inpackaging material costs and secondary packaging operations systems due to simplications

o packaging systems, such as the elimination o labeling, capping, etc.

continued




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11. Waste-to-Energy is coming o age. Following a successul track record inEuropean and Asian countries, Waste-to-Energy, or WTE, is becoming a more viable end-o-lie

option or exible packaging materials in North America. Advances in municipal incinerator

technology have tackled issues related to harmul emissions, increasing the likelihood that

U.S. companies will support eorts to turn waste into electricity, synthetic gas, uels, and

recycled materials. WTE can reduce air emissions, landll loads, energy usage, and costs. Also,

by reducing municipal solid waste and generating energy that can be sold back to the local

grid, organizations can help reduce energy costs community-wide. This, in turn, may eed into

larger goals, such as compliance with corporate social responsibility initiatives.

continued



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This copolymer is made primarily rom a nonionic monomer (the most commonly used

monomer or lm polymers) and a small (generally


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Top 12 actors in thedigital printing equation

It may be difcult to see through the hype surrounding digital printing, because the actual

packaging market penetration, by percentage, is still quite low. Its early success has been in

labels or ood and beverage products, but it is poised to move to other categories and other

substrates, such as olding cartons and exible. Its important to plan ahead and think o all

the actors that warrant consideration when preparing to go digital.

1. Run size. Digital printing is growing in markets that require specialized, requentlyupdated labels like wines and crat beers. Small brands or brands with many SKUs benet

most rom digital printing. The short changeover times and reduced material waste can

make it an economically advantageous option. The run numbers are getting higher as to

competitiveness on price, and lower as to competitiveness on speed.

2. Speed to market. Traditional print methods like exographic, gravure, and osetsometimes take weeks to prepare the plates or rolls and get the printer run-ready. CPG

companies these days, whether through poor planning or or a competitive advantage, cant

want to wait more than a ew days beore getting new designs out the door, especially with

seasonal or promotional campaigns.

3. The cost o materials. In a way, comparing digital to exo is comparing apples tooranges, but careul consideration o all the numbers reveals where the cost savings can be

A multilayer fexible bag protects this

air-based energy-boost product, only

about the size o a lipstick canister, and

digital printing on a fexible substrate

gives the brand another boost.


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realized. Settle on the cost o materials rst, and then compare total costs. Waste, as already

mentioned, is a signicant actor in assessing printing costs long-term. Standard overrun

percentages are oten lower with digital, and with the ever-changing demands o customers

and retailers, labels in storage oten become obsolete, and that can be a substantial loss to

absorb.

4. The cost o time. The cost-o-time equation, both short-term and long-term, is beingscrutinized more and more these days. The limiting actor in any production chain can clog up

design and management processes in unseen ways. Its difcult to ocus intently on the next

project when the current one is on hold or held up in prepress.

5. Variability o SKUs. Beverage companies with many avor varieties, diet options, andperormance lines can see the benets o localized, on-demand printing. But even without

a multitude o SKUs, many upstart brand owners are introducing multiple designs within a

single SKU. A wine maker, or instance, packed every case o one varietal with 12 dierent

label designs, albeit all aligned in a theme.

6. International presence. Even i oreign expansion is only on the horizon, it is worthactoring into your long-term printing plans. Foreign language requirements on packagingcontinue to evolve and become more specic. Digital is a go-to solution or national brands

expanding into international markets, because even dominant players sometimes have

to start with small volumes. Plus, they want to appear committed to the market with well-

designed and well-produced multilingual packages. For those companies, asset management

sotware is also a must.

continued

Top 12 actors inthe digital printingequation


M i l 44 / 140


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7. Promotion opportunities. Two examples o consumer-directed, design-your-own packages are telling. Heineken beer in Europe has run several campaigns that allow

customers to order six-packs o beer, through the mail, that arrive with the customers own

personal designs. Jones Soda in the U.S. uses only customer-submitted label designs on their

products. Fans send in pictures, and Jones decides which to use in broad distribution.

8. High-end eects. Digital printing does not allow as much expandability to addeects, embossing, or die-cutting in-line. However, more brand owners are testing out the

cost efciency o combination printing, which runs the packaging substrate through two

dierent print cycles.

9. Comort with your print provider. Be careul that your print provider isknowledgeable in digital printing inks. The chemistry o digital inks can be tricky because o

the way inks adhere to the substrate. Dierent substrates have dierent surace tensions

regarding the energy o the ink transer, its adhesion, and the post-printing treatment.

10. Converter fexibility. Plan ahead. Its common now to start printing on digital and,

as volumes increase, switch over to exo printing. Sometimes digital is used as a test run, aproong process, or as a seamless supplement to exo. Communicate with your printer about

what you should expect their practices to be. Make sure your printer guarantees a seamless

substitution with proo copies and production run samples. Once they have proven a high

level o quality assurance, they may notby agreementalert customers o when they

substitute digital or exo.

continued



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11. Cross-substrate color matching. Be aware that its not always easy to matchwhat was produced digitally with a dierent process on dierent substrates, such as exible

lm or paperboard. Thats why some printers will do a dumbed-down test run on digital

to show whats possible on other printers. Digital on exible substrates has limitations

that include limited web widths, lamination time limits (within 24 hours), and longer run

minimums.

12. Potential hidden costs. One o the commonly cited benets to digital printingis saving the early investments that are oten required with other methods. Aways expect

and require an extensive analysis o every project, apples-to-oranges comparisons, and

transparency into your printers processes as well.

continued



M t i l 46 / 140


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Implementing brand protectionstrategies top considerations

Many brand owners are araid o the perceived high cost o brand protection. Those same

brand owners likely pay high insurance premiums on their actories and businesses. The

brand insurance that brand protection can provide is a minor investment considering the

potential loss to brand reputation and the bottom line in the event that consumers lose trust

in the product on the shel.

Getting started on a brand protection path is made even more daunting because o the

many tactics and technologies that have prolierated in the past decade. Brand owners have

seen many come and go, yet they are still expecting a magic bullet that will solve all their

brand protection needs. This will likely never come, so a layered strategy combining several

technologies is advisable. To help you choose the best tactics, here are the key actors to

consider.

1. Understand the problem. First, step back and understand your brands particularsituation in its entirety. What are the threats? Is there countereiting, diversion, gray market

threats, or all o the above? What investment would alleviate or help alleviate the problem?

What other gains or ROI could you gain rom a brand protection program?

2. Know every situation is dierent. A strategy will only be eective i youunderstand the problemand the mindset o the perpetratorsrst. The best place to start

Brand protection technologies, such

as this color-changing sealant, are

best employed within a multilayered,comprehensive deterrence strategy.


M t i l 47 / 140


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is with the imagined, or real, criminals. What are their motivations? What are the opportunities

they perceive? What are they hoping to accomplish? What lengths must they go through to

achieve their goals? How easily can they be put o their goals?

3. Be aware o intellectual property rights. Try to quantiy the value o the lossto your company in IP terms alone. And know exactly what elements o your brand you

own both legally and in consumers minds. Copycat brands in oreign markets might not

be countereiting in the strictest sense, but they can still do great damage to the brand

reputation just by association.

4. Gauge the urgency. Is countereiting tarnishing your brand right now? Might ahealth risk cause the company to lose substantial market share? What are the worst-case

scenarios? Can you prioritize the degree o damage to your brand o potential scenarios? How

much prevention or deterrence will protect your IP in the most important markets?

5. Rein in your expectations. Brand protection is more about deterrence thanprevention. Its not necessarily about crime with a capital C. Usually, the goal is not to lock up

perpetrators around the globe and prevent uture crime. That is most oten an unreasonablegoal. Its more about criminology, understanding the criminal, and applying situational crime

prevention or deterrence. The goal is to disrupt the nature o the crime and rustrate the

motivations o the perpetrators. Make the eort o the crime more trouble than its worth or

the criminal.

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6. Favor prevention mode over reaction mode. Youve already lost part o thebattle i youre only trying to react to a past countereit incident. You end up targeting a threat

too specically, and wasting investment in one area that would probably be better spent on a

broader strategy. Remember, criminals are resilient and highly adaptable.

7. Know the enemies and their environments.The concept o intellectualproperty can be very dierent in other countries than what many assume as the norm

in the U.S. In some countries, what the U.S. considers a crime may not be a crimeand

countereiting activities may even be subsidized. Instead, think o the problem as broad-

based raud, and as an attack on your company specically.

8. Consider all the possible enemies. Realize that economic motivations mayinspire many possible perpetrators, and try to envision the raudsters that are threatening

your brand the most. The perpetrators may be organized crime or they might be government

sanctioned. They might be opportunists looking or one-o payos with a ast turnaround, or

they might be hobbyists that are just exploring whats possible. They could even be your own

employees looking or a score or looking to settle a score.

9. Plan a multidisciplinary approach. This includes crime science and supply chainmanagement as well as packaging science. This is necessary or several reasons. The more

elements in the brand protection strategy, the more difcult the package or product will be to

countereit. In addition, supply chains are growing in length and complexity, and companies

are oten using suppliers without ever having ace-to-ace meetings. You cant control all o

these actors, but you can have a strategy that works despite the complexitiesand one that

takes advantage o complexities.

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Development


Best practices in exible packagedevelopment

There are many actors to consider when developing and commercializing a new exible,

semi-rigid, or rigid composite package that incorporates one or more lms. Here are 12 best

practices you can ollow to design a exible package that meets your products marketing and

production requirements now and in the uture:

1. Dene all the requirements. Many consultants and converters alike still nd thisstep to be a stumbling block. Dene not only the objectives and parameters or perormance

and cost or the package itsel, but also the equipment angle. Common parameters include

barrier properties, package style limitations, ormat constraints, special product compatibility

needs, regulatory requirements, easy-opening goals, reclosability, graphic impact, and

printing method. Is it going to be packed in one plant, or on six lines on machines rom three

dierent manuacturers in two plants hundreds o miles apart? Knowing all the requirements

can help you engineer the best structure both or today and or the uture.

2. Understand all the product protection needs. Just saying you need a six-month shel lie is not enough. Know what will compromise the product the most in those

six months. Will it be oxygen, moisture, or light? Moreover, when determining shel lie, dont

overlook the distrib

Documents

Flexibleplaybook 2013 r6 Opt (1)