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In this issue: Totally Sweet - Fresh & Easy Raises the Bar for Private Label Brands; Strategic Food Photography; Walmart's Wholesome Push; "Stripped Down" Done Right; Digital Printing Widens Scope.
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Packagedesignmag.com
Jan/FeB 2011
also:
strategic Food Photography
Walmart’s Wholesome Push
“stripped down” done Right
digital Printing Widens scope
Totally SweetFresh & Easy raises the bar for private label brands
STYLE & FORMAT
Indu
stry
Exp
ert
Q&A
STYLE & ENHANCEDGRAPHICS & PHOTOS
REFRESHED AND RE-ENERGIZED You’re holding in your hands the newly redesigned and refocused Package Design magazine. We listened carefully to subscriber feedback and have renewed our commitment to being a lively forum for package designers everywhere.
THE REDESIGN INCLUDES:
IMPR
OVED
Reorganized & prioritized content
Keep it coming by renewing your FREE subscription today. Just visit www.packagedesignmag.com/renew.
New to Package Design? Sign up for a FREE subscription by visiting www.packagedesignmag.com/subscribe.
EXPANDEDCase Studies
PRODUCTSSECTIONN
EW
To reserve your exhibit space, contact your sales representative today.Ellen Evers, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Kevin Roach, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE [email protected]
Emanuela Treneva, INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
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connectionNetwork with top buyers & more than 16,000 beauty professionals
“I truly enjoyed the experience – it was A+!”Shirley Dong
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communityMeet face-to-face with new lead prospects“I found the show & the seminars to be very
informative – look forward to next year!”Terri Winters
SENIOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CHEMIST
BENEFIT COSMETICS
NEW DATE:June 28-30, 2011Jacob K. Javits Convention CenterNew York, NY
Where Beauty
Meets BusinesscommerceBoost your return on investment for 2011
“Being a direct decision maker, I can meet with vendors directly to
talk about my specific needs.”Lisa Francoise SchaferOWNER, SWEET BEAUTY
� january/February 2011
cover story
18 PrivateLabelwithPersonalityby Ron Romanik
London’s P&W design firm helps Tesco’s U.S. Fresh & Easy convenience
stores expand premium brand messages using different personalities.
Features
�� TrackTested,MotherApprovedThe CAG BrandFirst firm felt strongly that black could provide Combos
with a compelling billboard at retail.
�4 Q&A:WholesomeGoodnessThe designer behind a new all-natural brand in Walmart Canada stores
elaborates on “better-for-you” branding.
�8 DigitalWeighsInNew digital technologies, printers, and packaging substrates make digital
freedom more accessible to designers.
34 StrippedDownDesign“Simplified” packaging should deliver the brand, the product, and its
values in a clarified and succinct manner.
36 PhotoShopLearn the five strategic types of imagery
to achieve specific goals in food packaging
photography.
39 CaseStudy:GreenDreamNew CD and DVD packaging treads very lightly
on the planet.
columns
10 designer’s cornerby Eric Zeitoun
Package design requires close
attention to context and
authenticity.
1� sustainability updateby Wendy Jedlicka
The case for carbon accounting.
14 research: shrink- sleeve labelsby Matt Dudas
Full-body labels deliver aesthetic
appeal and emotional impact.
DePartments
4 From the editor
5 Front panel
4� new product FocusCaps, handles, grips, tips,
and zips.
46 datebook
46 index oF advertisers
48 globespotting by Lynn Dornblaser
Heinz Beanz, UK
n Godiva sweetens Valentine’s Day collectibles
n Sustainability gains through flexible automation
n Social media and branding, by John Miziolek
contents JAN/FEb �011
This monTh on PackageDesignmag.com
vol. 9 no. 1
oN thE covER Tesco’s new Fresh & Easy
Imported Belgian Chocolates line (close-up
of the 4˝ x 9-½˝ x 1-¹⁄8˝ paperboard box).
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4 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
The turning of the New Year marked a fresh start for Package Designmagazine and its loyal readers. Just like the redesigned packages we
often pro� le, a healthy makeover from time to time can be refreshing and energizing. The staff at Package Design is looking forward to serving its readers more thoroughly by presenting our content-rich editorial in a bet-ter organized and more accessible format.
Rest assured, our popular features will remain topical, tapping into the fast-shifting trends in design, structure, research, materials, pro-cesses, and branding. But by “better organized” we mean that opinion columns will look like opinion columns, for instance, and they’ll have a dedicated slot in each issue. In-depth features, on the other hand, will have more freedom to explore the � ner details of the design projects being analyzed. We’ve also added a section called New Product Focus, which will highlight the latest technologies and innovations in speci� c categories each month.
By “more accessible” we mean that new styles and formats will en-gage the eye and interest of our readers and invite them into the maga-zine to explore more. As you’ll quickly notice, the design template has an openness that achieves both comfort in its structure and anticipation in its freedom.
We’ve constructed Package Design to provide both a sounding board and a call to action for ideas that are tested for success in the market-place. We also know that we’re a resource for our readers in many differ-ent ways. Only eight years young, Package Design has quickly matured into a re� ned trade magazine that bridges the gaps between strategy and design, between raw materials and realization, between ergonomic struc-ture and branding, between ethnographic insight and shelf impact, and between design briefs and the design professionals who implement them. As open dialogue fosters great design, we now renew our commit-ment to being a lively forum for package designers everywhere.
FROM THE EDITOR BY RON ROMANIK
Page-Turners
FROM THE EDITOR
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRon [email protected]
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ART DIRECTORLaura [email protected]
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PUBLISHERJulie Okon317-564-8475 / Fax: 513-744-6909 [email protected]
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PRESIDENTTedd Swormstedt
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PACKAGE DESIGN (ISSN 1554-6772) is published 10 times annually by ST Media Group International Inc., 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242-1812. Telephone: (513) 421-2050, Fax: (513) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualifi ed individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to non-qualifi ed individuals in the U.S.A.: $48 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions in Canada: $76 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $98 (Int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by ST Media Group International Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Package Design, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to Package Design, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Debbie Reed at (513) 263-9356 or [email protected]. Subscription Services: [email protected], Fax: (847) 763-9030, Phone: (847) 763-4938, New Subscriptions: www.packagedesignmag.com/subscribe.
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Chaudfontaine, a thermal hot mineral water brand owned by Coca-Cola, has switched to a clear self-adhesive label as a way to make the brand
stand out at restaurants, bars, and hotels. The product, available in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, offers consumers refined water with a complex balance of minerals.
In 1983, the brand’s distinctive mineral taste was attributed to hydrologists’ discovery that the water makes a 60-year journey through protective and purify-ing rock layers from a depth of 1,600 meters before emerging at the surface at 98.6° F (37° C), according to www.FoodBev.com. To make the brand more dis-tinctive among its competitors, increase brand awareness, and build upon cus-tomer loyalty within the out-of-home market, Coca-Cola set out on a packaging redesign strategy that would enhance the brand’s identity in an innovative way.
In 2004 Coca-Cola unveiled a new Chaudfontaine logo featuring a simple illustration of a dove, a universal symbol of peace, purity, and faith. More re-cently, Coca-Cola felt there was additional potential in the labeling execution on the glass bottle to emphasize positioning cues based on affection and friendship. Last year, the company switched from wet glue-applied labeling to a clear self-adhesive label developed by Avery Dennison, under the Fasson brand, that would ensure that consumers could immediately identify with the Chaudfontaine brand at restaurants, bars, and hotels.
“Bottled water has a significant place within the European restaurant in-dustry,” says Gregory Bentley, Coca-Cola packaging innovator, Europe. “Re-search shows that nine out of 10 Belgians find the surroundings in a restaurant very important, and seven out of 10 Belgians appreciate a visually pleasing bottle of water on the table. Consumer loyalty starts from consumption out-side of the home, which then stimulates consumption within the home.”
For more on the Coca-Cola Chaudfontaine case study, visit www.packagedesignmag.com/content/clearly-distinctive.
FRONT PANEL
Clearly DistinctiveCoca-Cola adorns mineral water brand in clear self-adhesive labels to match consumer expectations.
“ More and more men are picking up items at the grocery store. But they are frequently following the instructions of the female in the household. Tradition-ally, the woman was the decision-maker and shopper. Now the female is still the primary decision-maker, but the shopping is more often shared.” —DaviD W. SteWart, the robert e. brooker ProfeSSor of Marketing, the MarShall SChool of buSineSS at the univerSity of Southern California, in an artiCle titleD “loSt in the SuPerMarket: Men Without liStS” by Daniel Denoon at WWW.MeDiCinenet.CoM.
QUOTE
6 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
FRONT PANEL
QSLD Is Chillin’ with Johnnie WalkerWhen Johnnie Walker decided to create a new way to savor its Gold Label Whisky—sipping it chilled, that is—the brand owner selected QSLD Paris to create the outer package and to realize and com-municate this new user experience. After chilling the bottle in the freezer, users can keep it chilled in the Johnnie Walker Ice Pillar.
The Ice Pillar is encased by a metallic gold an-odized ring with embossed logos. The inner box was inspired by frosted gold leaves, symbolizing Gold Label, and the transparent outer box depicts imaginary ice encasing the bottle.
“To make this new consumption ritual visually conveyed, we have symbolized gold con� ned into ice,” says QSLD principal Denis Boudard. This case structure repeats the slanting dynamics of Johnnie Walker Gold’s emblematic label, making the product and brand immediately identi� able. “We have created an object that shows in a clear way Johnnie Walker Gold Label’s new consump-tion ritual,” Boudard says.
Beer Cans Through Designer GogglesThe brand new book features 480 different beer cans in alphabetical order, with ex-treme, full-page close-ups of the authors’ favorites. Dan Becker and Lance Wilson, both professional designers, originally shot Dan’s stepdad’s collection of 1400 cans over three days. In determining which made the cut for the studio-quality individ-ual presentation, the goal was to � nd visu-ally interesting samples that crossed a breadth of brands and origins.
Becker recalls how he was often sur-prised by little details, text, or illustrations that he had initially overlooked. If he had to pick a “golden age” of beer can design, Becker said he admires how many cans from the ’40s and ’50s created an authen-ticity through simplicity. (Available at www.chroniclebooks.com; $19.95.)
BOOKS
�PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
MORE TEQUILA DESIGN…
Luxury Design AwArD winner
The Casa Dragones tequila brand recently
accepted the most prestigious luxury design
award in France, the Grand Prix Stratégies du
Luxe. Inspired by traditional Mexican apothecary
bottles, each Casa Dragones bottle is unique and
individually crafted using pure, lead-free crystal.
Skilled artisans sculpt, bathe, and polish every
bottle to a lustrous shine by hand using a semi-
automated process before each bottle is signed
and numbered.
Casa Dragones’s Maestro Tequilero hand-fin-
ishes the contents of each bottle by gently balanc-
ing platinum tequila with a hint of extra añejo. “We
are extremely proud to be able to represent the
craftsmanship of modern Mexico on an interna-
tional stage,” said Casa Dragones cofounder and
CEO Bertha González Nieves. For more, visit
www.casadragones.com.
reneweD respect for History
Good as a shot; good for sipping; high quality; rele-
vant; distinctive. That’s what Beam Global Spirits
wanted to reinforce when they asked brand develop-
ment and marketing firm Armstrong Associates to
refresh the heritage label design for Sauza Tequila.
The Sauzas, widely considered tequila’s “first
family,” are credited with naming the spirit and
were the first to export it to the U.S. The package
design utilizes rich historical elements from the
brand’s past to reinforce Sauza’s authentic tradi-
tion and distinctive heritage, updated with refine-
ments that emphasize purity, contemporary
relevance, and fun.
A new privAte LAbeL brAnD
Sam’s Club wanted to develop a tequila brand that
delivered an authentic Mexican experience at an
unbeatable price. In developing this brand, the
core target consumer became the “CEO Mum.”
The creative direction of Calle Azul was inspired by
the idea of “affordable craftsmanship,” and the
name Calle Azul (translates to “Blue Street”)
embodied this value proposition. For more on
Calle Azul, see Page 10 of this issue.
Antigua Cruz Tequila Hits Premium CuesMexico’s Tequilera de Arandas company recently chose the Buenos Aires-based Tridimage design firm to completely redesign Antigua Cruz tequila’s structural and graphic packaging for a global audi-ence. The previous squat, square bottle had been used by other tequila brands, which deprived Anti-gua Cruz of differentiation and unique positioning, and the label design was not competitive in the cur-rent international tequila market.
Tridimage created a glass bottle structural design with premium personality, standing out from the competition by using sophisticated and expressive resources of high visual impact. The new screen-printed graphics introduced a new icon and a logo redesign that conveys the polarity between classi-cism and modernity. The structural and graphic de-sign of the new presentation case plays with the bright-vs.-matte opposition on the surface finish.
“By keeping the graphics to a minimum, you achieve a great integration of graphics and bottle,” explains Hernán Braberman, principal at Tridim-age. Braberman believes the bottle strikes a perfect balance of traditional moods and contemporary as-pirations. The design also leaves the back of the bottle clear, moving the product information to a side panel.
The angular shape and neo-Gothic font logo convey an accessible premium personality while borrowing design sensibilities from the perfume and cosmetics categories. The coffin-box-back pa-perboard case is assembled with a tabbed design that doesn’t require glue, overprinted on foil with spot UV varnish.
� january/February 2011
FRONT PANEL
Old Evamor Is NevermoreEvamor Products Inc., a subsidiary of Wm. B. Reily & Co. based in Covington, LA, asked the Detroit-based firm flowdesign to redesign its product’s brand packaging around its core brand value of “balance.” Evamor Natural Artesian Water uses water from an aquifer located in Covington one-half mile underground in layers of imper-meable rock. The water source is one of just a few infused naturally with alkaline. This means that Evamor’s Natural Artesian Water has a desirable basic pH of 8.8 due to the specific mineral content of the aquifer.
The unique property of the water was the primary focus of flowdesign in the rede-
sign of Evamor’s original logo, which featured a grey ball balancing on a grey horizon-tal plane to repre-sent the pH balance. “We used the original design concept as a springboard so that the product iden-tity would not be lost,” says Dan Matauch, founder of flowdesign. “We transformed the ball and plane into a flowing color bar that is representa-tive of a pH bal-ance color scale. We then enhanced
the brand name with a custom white font on a dark blue background. The new brand logo flows naturally with its new custom-shaped PET bottle.”
Jacob Brand Mushrooms, 1940A year of consumer research, competitive analysis, and design development went into the brand refresh of Jacob Brand Mushrooms in 1940. An article in the December 1940 issue of Packaging Parade details how the retail environment was changing rapidly then, with the growth of “serve-yourself” and “super market” stores.
Designer Ben Nash trademarked his research methods “Pre-Search,” and stressed information-heavy labels. The goals were a better “self-selling” package that would take ad-vantage of “impulse buying,” which were relatively new con-cepts at the time. Great attention was also paid to the color tones of the mushrooms to achieve an exact representation on the four-color labels of each variety in the line. PD
…percentage of consumers who stick with store brands
Once people make the move from the national brand to the store-brand product… We’re finding that 91% of
the time they stay with the store-brand product. I think that gives us a real strong foundation for the future and, importantly, helps us feel very confident about where this business is going.”
—JOe PaPa, CeO Of PerrIgO COmPany, the WOrld’s largest manufaCturer Of Over-the-COunter PharmaCeutICal PrOduCts fOr the stOre brand market, durIng the COmPany’s 2010 quarterly earnIngs COnferenCe Call.
FAST FACT
DESIGN REWIND
“
Whether introducing a new offering, refresh-ing an iconic brand, or revitalizing a brand
due to a repositioning, a design exercise should never be undertaken in a vacuum. Too many package designs attempt to create something new without context.
A successful design needs to be purposeful. It needs a clear strategic objective and it must be evaluated and challenged in the proper context. When strategy doesn’t drive the process one can succumb either to the pitfall of the process becom-ing a beauty contest or to the easy excuse of equity protection. When strategy drives the process, these issues can be avoided and then design can do its magic—purposefully.
The following three case studies address three distinct objectives: a brand creation, a brand re-fresh, and a brand repositioning. Each one shows the importance of framing a package design devel-opment through the appropriate business objec-tives of brand strategy and consumer trends.
Palmolive: RefReshing an authentic bRand globallyPalmolive is one of Colgate Palmolive’s largest rev-enue generating brands. Although mostly known as a brand of dish soap in the U.S., everywhere else in the world it is widely known as a leader in personal care. The brand includes a line of shower gels, hand soaps, under arm protection, and men’s grooming products that is sold on three continents (Europe, Asia, and South America).
The brand has been visionary in bringing key personal care trends to market, starting with the democratization of the concept of spa treatment at home. The line of shower gels, named Aromather-apy, is a market leader in multiple geographic loca-tions because of its promise of a lavish scent and foaming experience.
Palmolive was looking to evolve the global look and feel of the Aromatherapy shower gel. A distinct brand identity was created by clearly communicat-ing the experiential nature of the ingredients used
january/February 201110
DESIGNER’S CORNER
Design with a PurposeDefining context can help new and old brands find unique territories.
By Eric ZEitoun
This brand restage called on “straight from the source” and “me and my ego” platforms to make consumers feel better when indulging in products that use natural ingredients.
Design with a Purpose
11PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
manage time, budget, health, and well-being. The CEO Mum views her visit at a Sam’s Club as a fun expedi-tion for unique finds and discoveries.
The creative direction of Calle Azul was inspired by the idea of “af-fordable craftsmanship” and the name Calle Azul embodied this value propo-sition. Calle, Spanish for street, builds on the story of Rue 33, which is: “fol-lowing the road to perfection.” Azul, Spanish for blue, speaks to the unique color associated with the agave plant and also refers to the authentic distil-lation process of pure agave.
The upfront determination of the unique territory of the brand steered the creative development toward a color palette and an illustrative style deeply associated with the traditional language of tequila. Meanwhile, as many brands of tequila rely heavily on heritage cues (e.g., medals, awards, coats of arms), the traditional ap-proach addresses the under-leveraged trend of “personal daily indulgence” as a way to create distinctiveness for the brand.
Premium SPiritS From Sam’S Club
Rue 33 was Dragon Rouge’s first foray into creating an alcohol brand for Sam’s
Club, built around the concept of “French premier grand cru vodka.” The premium
Rue 33 was created for Member’s Mark, a Sam’s Club brand known for premium
quality and exceptional value.
The packaging mixes recognizable design cues from both the premium vodka
category and wine categories to reflect the contemporary elegance and charm of
the spirit while also referring to its French origin.
A frosted background and see-through effect borrows from the vodka tradition
while a line of poplars is a traditional iconic representation of wine estates. Dragon
Rouge constructed the packaging and pallet in concert to create a prominent
brand mark, a seamless packaging billboard, convenient access for the consumer,
and efficient sell-down for the retailer.
“The Rue 33 signature identity was created to reflect authenticity, personal
craftsmanship, and sophistication associated with vodka making,” says Marcus
Hewitt, chief creative officer of the New York office of Dragon Rouge. “A cool blue
glow combines with the red of the brand and the white highlights on the trees to
reinforce the French heritage.”
» continued on page 47
in all its product formulations. Two key platforms help express the idea of simple natural beauty.
The first, called “straight from the source,” makes the natural ingredient the hero by linking the product to its natural source. This design cap-tures the macro trend of “conscience,” recognizing that consumers feel better when indulging in prod-ucts that use natural ingredients.
The second “me and my ego” platform recog-nizes that, in a time of recession, consumers are looking for simple pleasures in life to escape from day-to-day reality. Thus, the design alludes to the luscious extract of pure ingredients as a way to in-dulge in daily luxury. Early sales indicate that con-sumers have connected with the new sensorial experience that transports them to an exotic forest without leaving the comfort of their own home.
Calle azul: Creating authentiCity from sCratChSam’s Club wanted to develop a tequila brand that delivered an authentic Mexican experience at an un-beatable price. The store’s goal was to follow on the successful introduction of Rue 33, a premium vodka produced in France (rue is French for street). In de-veloping these brands, the core target consumer be-came the “CEO Mum.” This imaginary consumer is a multitasking woman in her early 40s who hopes to
The Calle Azul design forged a path away from traditional tequila heritage cues to own a modern, yet still relevant, brand space.
january/February 201112
In the past few years, we’ve seen companies make incredi-ble strides forward in following through on their environ-
mental initiatives, while at the same time the U.S. Senate stalled on moving forward on a House approved Climate Bill. The same party here in the U.S. that was pushing “Drill baby drill” also had its leader (a Texas oil man) accuse the American public of being “addicted to oil.” The same party that has relied heavily on votes from people dedicated to en-vironmental protection also supports expansion of coal-based energies. (By the way, there is no such thing as “clean coal.”) If you’re slavishly following trends, you would have whiplash by now.
In the case of resource overconsumption and manmade pollution there’s not a single person nor a single group to blame. For those of us in the business of making and deliv-ering products and packages, change must be calculated in years and decades, not fiscal quarters or the microsecond space between opinion polls. We have to think ahead, plan ahead, and invest for the long haul.
When we talk about sustainability, the reality is: If it were just a fad or trend, someone would have come up with a much snappier name. It is, in fact, a paradigm shift, and the new reality all companies will be working in forever.
To take just one example, cities around the U.S. and whole countries around the world are banning plastic one-way tote bags—not because it’s a trendy, feel-good thing to do but because they’re tired of a product that creates more
SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE
Predicting TrendsAre our lawmakers acting on the will of the people?
by Wendy Jedlicka, cPP
The New Zealand Wine Company’s new line of Mobius wines has a Carbon Trust label on both the front and back panels. This bottle claims 140 grams of CO2 reduction per 125-ml small glass.
ResouRces
CALIforNIA STrIkES DowN ProPoSAL To BAN PLASTIC BAgS
http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-votes-plastic-bag-
ban/story?id=11526792
ITALY INTroDUCES PLASTIC BAgS BAN
http://www.packagingeurope.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?ArtID=294
STormY wEAThEr: CLImATE ExTrEmES ShAkE CoNSErvATIvES
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/201101/grapple.aspx
ThE NEw ZEALAND wINE ComPANY STArTS CArBoN LABELINg
http://www.carbon-label.com/our-news/in-brief/australians-
can-now-start-track-carbon-footprints-products
13PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
problems than it solves. The plastic bag constantly de-mands resources and money to use, needlessly impacts the environment, is expensive to clean up, and has handy and easy alternatives already available. Having lawmakers—and citizens—reexamine how their needs are served in this small area is only the tip of the pack-aging iceberg. For our industry in general, which is pri-marily devoted to producing one-way goods, what will be the next trend focus?
In the U.S., one could argue that the statewide bag ban failed in California, so why worry? The state Sen-ate voted down the bill, even though it passed in the state Assembly and had the support of the governor.
Does this mean that California citizens don’t care about the impacts of plastic bags and only care about having the convenience of one-way totes? Probably not. Municipalities across the state are imposing their own plastic-bag bans anyway, with little citizen pro-test. In addition, California spends $25 million a year to clean up plastic bags. At some point, legislators will have to agree that the clean-up money would be better
spent to remedy cuts in health, education, infrastruc-ture, and so on—and ban bags.
Sustainability information for consumers, such as carbon footprint labeling, is becoming more and more available in forms the consumer can use easily. Are you or your clients willing to gamble that they won’t use that information to make their direct vote heard where it re-ally matters, at the store checkout line? In the mean-time, though, it’s up to those of us producing the goods and packages people buy to start to move in a direction that benefits all of us today, and in the future, no matter what the “trend du jour” seems to be saying. PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Sustainability Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.
Wendy Jedlicka, CPP, is with Jedlicka Design Ltd. (www.jedlicka.com), o2 International Network for Sustainable Design (www.o2.org and www.o2umw.org), Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s groundbreaking Sustainable Design Certificate Program (www.mcad.edu/sustainable). Books include Packaging Sustainability and Sustainable Graphic Design, available at www.PackagingSustainability.info.
shrink-sleeve label products require less material for complete coverage compared with other labels and they prevent distracting curved-edge “smiles” and “frowns” at the tops and bottoms most high-shrink labels.
Though shrink-sleeve labels expand package aesthetics and design potential, research suggests that consumers can perceive them as a relatively expensive label type, causing them to suspect an unnecessarily heightened product cost. However, shrink-sleeve labels provide secondary, unseen sav-ings by allowing brand owners to eliminate tamper-evident drop bands, remove colorant from closures and bottles, and reduce or eliminate UV inhibitors in the package. Total package value should be con-sidered, both when spurring consumers to try your product and when building loyalty.
Mintel’s GNPD IRIS database provides anec-dotal evidence that many successful brands are dressed in shrink-sleeve labels. In some categories, most of the leading brands are in full shrink-sleeve labels. For example, Campbell’s V8 V-Fusion is one of the most successful new beverage product launches in the past several years. Figures from the Mintel GNPD IRIS database illustrate that midway through its first two years on the market, V8 V-Fu-sion’s 46-oz. packages sold at a rate 10 times that of the average new juice product launched in the U.S.
During this same period, average sales for all new juice products labeled with shrink sleeves out-
january/February 201114
Because the average shopping list usually men-tions a product type rather than a specific
brand, many times a brand choice is made in-store. Research suggests that even when a consumer goes into the store looking to buy a specific brand of spray disinfectant, for instance, that consumer is still vulnerable to an eye-catching product with a uniquely shaped bottle or brightly colored label. When scanning the shelf of cleaning supplies, it is difficult for the consumer to ignore a dramatically differentiated product with enhanced shelf pres-ence—regardless of brand.
Improvements over the last 10 years in high-shrink-sleeve label technology have made full-body coverage more aesthetically pleasing and more cost efficient. The newest shrink-sleeves permit greater than 75% shrinkage, meaning that the label can ac-commodate a four-inch wide package that tapers down to one inch. This provides exceptional con-tainer design freedom by allowing brand owners to differentiate products with compellingly contoured shapes that attract shelf attention and more ergo-nomic designs for user-friendliness.
Proven success on the shelfPrior to the growth of the full-body high-shrink-sleeve label market in the 1990s, top-to-bottom decoration of contoured packaging was impossible for bottles and jars, and designers had to avoid compound curves in container design. New
consuMer reseArch
More than Just a LabelBeyond design freedom and expanded billboards, research discovers an emotional connection to shrink-sleeves.
By Matt a. DuDas
The 46-oz. V8 Fusion bottle
achieved tremendous
success as a new product
introduction. Improvements to
shrink-sleeve technology allow for deeper bottle
contours while reducing “smiles”
and “frowns” at the edges.
the power of options
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options plus
It’s both personal and professional. Every phone call answered, suggestion given, package designed, order placed or delivery made is important to us. Our individualized approach is focused on listening, so we can provide you with useful options for your rigid packaging requirements. We call it Options Plus. The plus is our people and we’re ready to help. Call today.
integrity
TB_PkgDesignFullPgTab-Mike-1.indd 1 1/5/11 10:39 AM
create stronger consumer emotional connections than traditional labels and act as a key influencer of initial product trial and long-term sales.
For this particular study, product packages of soft drinks, functional waters, shampoos, and juices were evaluated. Research methods that neu-tralize brand preference were used to isolate the packages’ effects on measures of empathy, persua-sion, and communication. In the functional bever-age segment, the Nielsen study analyzed consumer responses to containers with a range of bottle and label types, including plain bottle with plain label, contoured bottle with plain label, plain bottle with shrink-sleeve label, and two contoured bottles with shrink-sleeve labels.
Results showed packages with shrink-sleeve la-bels on highly contoured bottles consistently ranked higher than those with plain labels in all five categories: package impact, attention, unique-ness, empathy, and appeal. All shrink-sleeved pack-ages ranked positively in empathy and impact, setting them above any bottle with a plain label.
A surprising, compelling story about emotional response is revealed here. Shrink-sleeve labels combined with high-contour bottles not only pos-sess a superior overall appearance but also create a stronger emotional connection to consumers. In addition, results demonstrate that women and early adopters were up to three times more likely to indi-cate a desire to purchase—and even a willingness to pay more—for high-contour, shrink-sleeved products in the functional beverage category. As a result, reaching these primary shoppers and trend-setters is key for revitalizing brand performance or maintaining it in the face of enhanced competition.
These findings reinforce the benefits of full-body labels both in inducing initial product pur-chase and in building brand loyalty. Brand owners can simultaneously increase point-of-purchase product appeal while creating a emotional con-sumer connections with differentiated consumer packaged goods. PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Labels Chan-nel on PackageDesignMag.com.
Matt A. Dudas is the global market development manager for the shrink film resin segment of Eastman Chemical Company. Dudas has more than 20 years’ experience work-ing with glass and plastic containers, plastic closures, and decoration methods. Eastman manufactures the Embrace LV copolyester shrink-sleeve label, among others. He can be reached at [email protected].
paced the average of those with other label types, including wrap-around plastic, paper, stretch sleeve, in-mold label, and self-adhesive. The Campbell’s story was exemplary; however, addi-tional primary research confirms the added value of shrink-sleeve labels for other products in the bever-age segment.
Covering Consumer emotionsTo isolate the effect of shrink labels and quantify the value of the package, Eastman Chemical Com-pany commissioned AC Nielsen to conduct a study of 800 consumers to help understand consumer preference for label format. The study confirmed on-shelf effectiveness of, and preference for, high-contour bottles featuring shrink-sleeve labels. The study also demonstrated that shrink-sleeve labels
Consumer reseArCH
Cost-Benefit AnAlysisBecause not all the benefits of full-body shrink-sleeve
labels are knowable and quantifiable, some consumers
and brand owners perceive the labels as a relatively
expensive label type. It’s easy to calculate the higher per-
piece price of a shrink-sleeve label compared with an ori-
ented polypropylene (OPP) wrap, but more difficult to
compare the sum of other packaging savings from using
shrink sleeves (e.g., eliminating tamper-evident seals,
removing colorant from closures and bottles, lightweight-
ing, reducing UV inhibitors). It’s also difficult to quantify
the total value of creating an emotional connection that
may spur initial product purchase and build brand loyalty.
Nevertheless, a simple price comparison can shed some
light on the tradeoffs between traditional pressure-sensitive
and shrink-sleeve labels. Customary pressure-sensitive
labels can be economical in price (from approximately 2.1 to
2.6 cents per piece on average), but they require brand
owners to use two labels to cover both the front and back of
a package, or 4.2 to 5.2 cents total. In contrast, shrink-
sleeve labels range in cost from 3.7 to 5.7 cents.
In terms of the raw “real estate” value, traditional labels
typically allow 40% coverage while shrink-sleeve labels
provide nearly 100% package coverage and a compelling
billboard effect. This translates into 150% more container
coverage and greater opportunity for emotional connec-
tion for only an approximate 25% cost increase. And, of
course, these labels provide designers with the freedom
to design containers in new ways that grab attention and
expand a brand’s reach.
january/February 201116
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18 january/February 2011
Private Label with PersonalityFresh & Easy’s newest branded products use color, luxury, and whimsy to catch the American shopper’s attention.
Tesco’s design brief for its Fresh & Easy stores in the U.S. was an immense, all-encompassing
directive that boiled down to this: Yes, we’re the third largest retailer in the world behind Wal-Mart and Carrefour. But forget everything we’ve done before. This has to be different.
The Fresh & Easy concept is small-format stores in local neighborhoods that feature fresh products from local suppliers whenever possible. And every component of the brand, including package design, had to be built and created from the ground up. For the design of Fresh & Easy’s own-brand grocery products, Tesco turned to Lon-don-based design consultancy P&W, with which the grocery giant had worked for 20 years.
Fresh & Easy launched its first stores in Califor-nia in 2007 with bold expansion plans. After a mod-est start, the brand has grown to more than 160 outlets across the western U.S. P&W has designed the Fresh & Easy own-brand, private-label packag-ing since the beginning, and in 2010, it again de-buted a number of product lines. Faced with a uniquely changed consumer—the pre- and post-re-cession shopper—P&W paid close attention to what would be most appealing to Americans’ new mindset. Let’s take a look at three of these lines and dive into how, and why, the packages work.
Packaging Objectives• To communicate brand values of honesty, good
value, straight talking, health-conscious…
“great food you can trust.”
• To create shelf impact and attract customers
from other retailers.
• To be unique.
• To be clear and easy to navigate in a cluttered
market.
• To help establish loyalty to the Fresh & Easy
range among target shoppers.
By Ron Romanik
PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM 19
20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
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AN EVOLVING PERSONALITYThough Tesco left behind its successful UK package design sensibilities—to a degree—when coming to America, the company brought its corporate culture of attention to detail in execution. The company ad-heres to strict quality standards and pushes for tech-nical innovation at every level to reinforce the quality brand promise and stay ahead of the game. Adrian Whitefoord, founding partner of P&W, re-calls that they had to educate some U.S. suppliers about what Tesco expects in maintaining a high level of packaging performance.
Without an advertising campaign, the packages of Fresh & Easy products have played the pivotal role in building customer loyalty and in changing the spending patterns and habits of U.S. consumers. Tesco’s realization that U.S. consumers are brand loyal to a fault informed its approach. Tesco’s goal was to establish a distinctive private label design sys-tem that would communicate the core brand values and establish loyalty among typically over-stimulated U.S. consumers.
Whitefoord recalls how Tesco approached the U.S. market with respect and cautiousness. “Fresh & Easy really looked at what consumers wanted in-stead of trying to impose a philosophy on the con-sumers,” Whitefoord explains. “The beauty of Fresh & Easy has always been simplicity.”
The Fresh & Easy hybrid convenience-market concept creates an easy-to-navigate experience that is not overwhelmed by choice. The hierarchy of the package designs is the visual glue that holds an own-brand together, says Whitefoord. For instance, the Fresh & Easy logo is always at the entry point of the package, there are consistent “holding places” for product information, and the “clean” aesthetic makes navigating labels and store sections easier.
Tesco and P&W keep a wide, mass audience in mind when developing products and packages. There is no tiering of “good, better, best,” as all products are “better-for-you at a good price.” The value is always that there’s value in the product itself, and the pack-age designs support that brand promise.
Whitefoord explains how P&W tries to be engag-ing with both design personality and the copy on la-bels. The goal is to talk to—not shout at—the shopper. Instead of being pushy, the Fresh & Easy packages invite the consumer, as a friend might, into a larger “process” of matching food choices and life-style needs.
A degree of rigidity in the early designs has given way to some experimentation with looser, more play-ful personality traits. “You can’t remain static,” says Whitefoord. “A brand is a living thing. But we’re still very true to the brand principles. With Fresh & Easy, we have the license to look for the ideal solution.”
THE PRODUCT
Children’s Cereal
THE PACKAGING GOAL
Fun appeal to both kids and
parents.
P&W’S ADRIAN WHITEFOORD:
“There’s so much choice within
breakfast cereals in the U.S. that
it can be fairly bewildering for
parents who just want to give
their children a nutritious start to
the day. Our work with Fresh &
Easy has been all about helping
U.S. consumers choose top-
quality products.”
1 The package promotes core Fresh
and Easy values—no artifi cial color-
ings or fl avors and less sugar—with
a sense of fun.
2 The bold, bright graphic style is
unique to the category, and uses
the entire box to create the oversized
characters.
3 Copy on the back panel highlights
simple, achievable ways to help the
environment, such as recycling and
conserving energy in the home.
4 100% recycled paperboard limits the
box’s environmental impact and rein-
forces the all-natural brand promise.
THE PRODUCT
Simmer Sauces
THE PACKAGING GOAL
A spirit of international
discovery.
P&W’S WHITEFOORD:
“It was important to convey
the convenience and ease of
cooking using a simple three-
step process on the back. The
elegant solution not only
stands out but also uses the
whole of the package to com-
municate the quality of ingredi-
ents and ease of use.” PD
1 Premium cues include the jet-black
background, bright color combina-
tions, and hits of silver metallic.
2 The “World Cuisine” seal promotes
the concept of ethnic recipes that are
inspired by traditional cuisine from
around the world.
3 The vivid ingredient imagery,
presented in bowls common to
the recipe origin, make each
package unique.
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1 Dark, luxurious photography screams indul-
gence while ensuring the product is the hero of
the pack.
2 The photography is enhanced with a backdrop
of the product’s ingredients, communicating
high quality.
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PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM 21
THE PRODUCT
Imported Cookies
THE PACKAGING GOAL
Explore premium appeal.
P&W’S WHITEFOORD:
“The design treatment
required for this range was
that of indulgence and ele-
gance. Merchandised in the
store, these would be identifi -
able as a top-tier choice, with
the dark background blocking
them out as a group and the
matte varnish eliminating any
glare from store lighting. The
design solution uses the entire
pack, showcasing the cookies
and, through romance copy,
describing what makes these
cookies the fi nest choice.”
3 Other premium cues are delivered through
minimal contemporary type in bright colors
balanced with a warm, luxurious metallic silver.
4 To communicate Fresh & Easy brand values,
P&W emphasized the “no artifi cial preserva-
tives, fl avors, or colors” message through an
icon on the front of package.
The typical Combos consumer is pretty simple to describe: He’s an on-the-go young male,
looking for an easy-but-hearty bite to � ll him up be-tween meals. Mars Incorporated has played di-rectly to that consumer, billing Combos as the “perfect hunger management snack.” Though Combos owns its corner of many convenience stores for this particular snacker, Mars wanted to boost grocery store sales with moms, as well. The tricky part was designing a package that both de-mographics would reach for.
Mars brought in CAG BrandFirst design � rm, Hackettstown, NJ, to tackle the challenge of a brand refresh and identity update with bold new packaging graphics. Amy Happ, creative director at CAG BrandFirst, says that Mars had been a long-time client, but not for the salty snack category. Both the client and the design � rm agreed that the previous packaging had some appetite appeal, but it wasn’t executed particularly well. The design � rm started with 14 concepts and went through four rounds of review before settling on the new design platform, which is now the basis of all brand communication moving forward.
Fade to blackCAG discovered that the Combos brand already had a lot going for it as far as a loyal consumer base. With no traditional advertising, Mars relied on grass roots campaigns, such as sponsoring Kyle Busch’s NASCAR #18 racecar. The loyal consumer saw Combos as a good value: Packaged in a smaller bag, full and heavy with the product, Combos ap-pears much more substantial than an air-� lled bag of chips. But the snack has unique challenges. Happ explains that, in a way, Mars was looking for the kind of shelf presence that Doritos has estab-lished. “Combos is two tastes in one, and that’s dif-� cult to express on a package,” says Happ. In addition, the brand needed to convey that it’s not just a snack you eat in your car or at a ballgame—but also at home.
The CAG � rm pushed hard from the beginning to incorporate black to rede� ne the brand. The de-sign team believed black would provide a bolder billboard that would stand out by contrast in any retail environment. “With black on top, we really struck gold,” says Happ. “It was weird to us that no one was using it.”
TRACK TESTED, MOTHER APPROVED
22 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
TRACK TESTED,
TRACK TESTED, MOTHER APPROVEDCombos moves beyond its core market of young men with wider “meal” appeal. By Ron Romanik
23PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
Aside from the black � eld, the remainder of the redesign retains the core Combos “feeling,” says Happ, to keep loyal consumers at ease. The logo stays close to the original, although some weight was added to the letters. The “racetrack” around the logo has evolved, expanding to a vortex or ripple effect.
CAG tried to � nd a nice balance between bet-ter-for-you and great taste in the packaging. The design locks up the “Baked Snacks” phrase with the logo to emphasize the better-for-you brand message. Similarly, the “Made With Real Cheese” message is emphasized with better contrast. The � avor color-coding is also similar to the previous design, with increased color saturation and in-creased color coverage on the back panel.
Tried and trueAlso added was a “what’s inside” indicator on the front of the package, listing the calorie content and the percentage of daily value (DV) per serving. Those are not yet required by the federal govern-ment, but Mars is making it a priority to have all its products compliant in 2011 nevertheless.
Happ explains that the design had to consider
that the packages would be printed � exo for the most reliable and � exible printing at the numerous venues. Designing for maximum impact with � exo put limitations on the amount of shadows in the graphics and the tightness of the register. “We had to design a package that they could print well,” explains Happ. “The printing really drives these packages.”
Craig Hall, Mars Chocolate North America general manager of ice cream and substantial snacks, explains how carefully considered the Combos redesign was. “We did extensive consumer research while developing the new Combos pack-aging, including focus groups, eye-tracking, and shelf impact studies,” Hall says. “The results were very impactful, and our new packaging showed a dramatic increase in visibility and purchase intent.”
Hall explains that the equities of the red Com-bos logo combine well with the modern element of black. “We also reached out to all of our major re-tailers for feedback during the redesign process,” he says. “And they were very happy and aligned with the redesign.” PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Flexible Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.
One conspicuous absence on the front panel of the new package is the individual “fl oating”
pieces of Combos. It’s diffi cult to say whether these were initially supposed to be falling from a bag, fl ying, or raining from the sky in an exciting,
party-like atmosphere. CAG decided that the scattered pieces weren’t serving a defi nable
purpose, so the designers limited the fl oaters to one or two per package, and only at the bottom.
BEFORE
24 january/February 2011
A Question of TasteA new brand in Walmart Canada stores aims to cut through consumers’ secret resistance to better-for-you foods.
The line between burgeoning na-tional brands and private label lines
is blurring more and more each year. Walmart Canada recently debuted an 80+ SKU natural product brand called Wholesome Goodness that will stand toe-to-toe with national brands. The Wholesome Goodness brand owners partnered with the united* dsn design firm to define the “better-for-you” seg-ment and fully realize its potential in package design.
To consumers, this brand is probably going to be seen as a Walmart private label brand because of the number of SKUs and the consistent, straightfor-ward branding. However, the brand owner has not limited future agree-
ments and is looking for partners in the U.S. for distribution. Wholesome Goodness brings to retail an original brand concept that seizes the opportu-nity the brand owner saw in the better-for-you segment.
Perry Seelert, managing partner at united* dsn, with offices in New York and San Francisco, sat down with Pack-age Design to discuss the project and how this brand developed.
PD: What was the difficulty in previous attempts at “better-for-you” private label?
Seelert: There’s tremendous health awareness happening, but there’s also an
irony. Many consumers claim to want healthier food, but few actually follow through on it with purchases. People won’t sacrifice taste; that’s all there is to it. It’s fixed in people’s minds that better-for-you has a horrible taste association, and product and package design have not provided a compelling new story.
How do you break out of that mindset?The challenge is that behavior hasn’t followed desire. But when you step back and look at consumers, the desire is still there. From preliminary research, it was clear to us that everyone still wants bet-ter-for-you, so we saw a tremendous op-portunity. Our goal was to look at what
The design hierarchy of Wholesome Goodness, a new brand in Canada’s Walmart stores, introduces a straightforward language format that reinforces benefits without dominating the package.
Perry Seelert
Perry Seelert is strategic partner of
the united* dsn design consultancy
(NYC and San Francisco).
Q&A
25PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
So how was Wholesome Goodness created in a different mold?We realized that, functionally, we had to create better products. The debut was going to be 80+ SKUs, and the brand owner was committed to rethinking every product to produce tasteful prod-ucts that are all-natural. This also led to completely new, customized product variations. The mission that became the tagline was: “Bringing delicious and nu-tritious together like never before.”
How did you translate that mission to the package design?Everything we’ve done from a branding perspective expresses the product. By offering the initial launch to a retailer exclusively, it allows Wholesome Good-ness to really own the brand experience. A strong and well-managed brand ap-proach was always the goal. Branding is about telling cohesive stories. Though we were not the product developer, we guided the story of each product so we could tell each story palpably.
was done in the past and throw to the wayside what was clearly not working. One way to do that is to leave the puri-tanical mindset of denial behind and embark on an approach that’s more celebratory.
How much did competitive product exploration inform the design direction?The design approach came from a thor-ough observation of the better-for-you offerings currently on the market. Wholesome Goodness is about cracking the code for something that’s been tried several times. The food has to taste right first. After that, the package design must reinforce the quality of every product.
Why has the better-for-you message not been communicated well previously?Better-for-you has failed for a number of reasons, but it’s not for a lack of com-munication. In fact, it’s the opposite—too much information and the resulting consumer confusion. Government agen-cies, community councils—even retail chains—have their own agendas.
Has package design failed at delivering on the promise as well?There’s a very imitative marketing lan-guage—often based on greens and blues. Healthy Choice started the green trend, and several Canadian retailers have chosen blue for their private label better-for-you products. Many brands and private label lines have created a controlled language—both verbally and graphically, that reinforces a perception that is sterile, joyless, and almost pharmaceutical.
The brand owners spent time creating unique products that
could deliver on being both all-natural and tasty.
What makes the marketing language different from competitors?Consumers don’t like preachiness or being told what to do, especially if it’s opposite their nature. The common language being used in the segment was literal and polarizing, suggesting right/wrong moral choices such as Eating Right, Eatwell, and Healthy Choice. Wholesome Goodness is more positive
and approachable. The design hierarchy breaks out of the language format and reinforces bene� ts without dominating the package.
What role does product photography play in developing this brand?When photography becomes heroic is a category-by-category consideration. The reason for purchasing reluctance in con-sumers looking for better-for-you prod-ucts is the taste factor. The photography makes the case for a great-tasting prod-uct. If the product backs up the prom-ise, consumers will trust the brand regardless of the category it’s in. What you see across the line, for the most part, is that the product is the star.
Did the dual-language (English and French) requirement affect how you approached the design hierarchy?In Canada, because Quebec is French speaking, the two languages have to be equal size by law. The centered brand logo and consistent placement of prod-uct names and descriptors allowed us to include everything and still allow ample space for food photography. The hierar-
chy also gave direction to the photogra-phy shoots, knowing that the bottom corners would also be occupied by the heart logo and bene� t statements.
What purpose does the logo in the bottom left of the package serve?The small circular “bug” distills the brand promise to a heart, a wheat stalk, and the words “Simple; Naturally Deli-cious.” The heart is a shorthand symbol that reinforces the brand philosophy of nutrition that eliminates bad ingredients and emphasizes the positive.
What brand traits does Wholesome Goodness have that other better-for-you brands might not have?We did not want the brand to be exclu-sionary or elitist. These products are for everyone, across every category in the store. The brand creates an ownable and distinctive identity that re� ects its posi-tioning accurately while being warm and approachable. We believe that this will break down the reluctance of consum-ers that are hungry for better-for-you products. PD
WHOLESOME GOODNESS PROMISE:
Every Wholesome Goodness product
is developed with the following basic
guidelines:
• All-natural ingredients.
• Simple recipes with a homemade
style and approach.
• Nutritionally minded: Lower (or no)
sodium, sugar, and fats. Emphasis on
benefi cial nutrients like fi ber and
antioxidants.
High-end photography was essential in communicating
the appetite appeal and better-for-you appeal of Wholesome Goodness.
“HEALTHY EATING” PERCEPTIONS
Today Future
strict lifestyle fi t
depriving satisfying
too expensive affordable price
complex straightforward
just if you have a problem for everyone
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201126
E-MAIL [email protected] 1-877-977-5177 VISIT www.wspackaging.com
Is your label just Is your label just ink on sticky paper, ink on sticky paper, or is it poweor is it powerful, cost-effective fective marketing?marketing?
WS Packaging is North America’s leading label WS Packaging is North America’s leading label converter, providing innovative solutions that converter, providing innovative solutions that can create impact for youryour brand on the shelf.your brand on the shelf.your
• 17 locations nationwide reduce transportation costs 17 locations nationwide reduce transportation costs and provide manufacturing redundancyand provide manufacturing redundancy
• R&D and engineering deliver innovation and speed to market R&D and engineering deliver innovation and speed to market
• Single-source supplier of both labels and application equipment Single-source supplier of both labels and application equipment
• Award-winning sustainability solutions Award-winning sustainability solutions
28 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Digital Weighs InDigital presses open new opportunities to add value through creative application.
By Patrick Henry
Add packaging to the lengthening list of high-value applications for digital printing.
PRIMIR, a leading source of market trend research for the graphic communications industry, has fore-casted soaring compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for the digital production of labels, folding cartons, and � exible � lm through 2014: 50%, 61%, and 41%, respectively.
According to PRIMIR, conventional production will continue to dominate in these markets, but with only modest annual growth. Digital printing is driving its own momentum both as a production solution for package manufacturers and as a cre-ative resource for package designers.
It’s by no means a wholesale market shift. The overall share of packages produced on digital equip-ment is tiny, and in the high-volume realms of mass- produced packaging, digital printing’s short-run emphasis limits its usefulness. But in packaging ap-plications where digital’s unique capabilities can be leveraged, only imagination limits what can be done.
Until recently, digital print for packaging has been concentrated in labels and prototyping, not production runs of cartons and containers. Mark Vanover, vice president of sales and marketing, Allen Datagraph Systems, notes that manufacturers of corrugated boxes and folding cartons continue to in-vest heavily in conventional equipment and, for that reason, have been slow to adopt digital alternatives.
In fairness, he says, it can be dif� cult for these high-volume producers to think in terms of the smaller quantities in which digital presses excel. But a few carton printers, says Vanover, are begin-ning to experiment successfully with � atbed digital printing systems.
Boon for brand owners“People are set in their ways,” agrees Randy Paar, product marketing manager, Océ North America. “They don’t know that there are other ways to do it.” He adds that brand owners and print service providers that have switched to digital sometimes can be reluctant to talk about it, for fear of giving away a competitive advantage.
Beaute de Maman needed
the quick turnaround of
digital printing to be ready for gift-
giving season with this gift box sleeve—both for production and
for an urgent promotional
shoot.
29PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
But Filip Weymans, business development manager for labels and packaging applications at Punch Graphix-Xeikon, notes that brand owners—most of all those with hundreds of SKUs to man-age—are coming to appreciate digital printing as a cost-effective solution for maintaining brand diver-sity, especially in shorter runs.
Jay Dollries, president of ILS Labels, says that his company is still � ghting the perception that prototypes are the only kind of packages produced on digital presses. In fact, prototypes represent only a “very small percentage” of the work that the company runs on its HP Indigo WS6000 presses as it seeks to mainstream digital printing for all of its packaging applications.
CL&D Digital uses roll-to-roll digital printing equipment from HP to produce bags, shrink sleeves, stand-up pouches, carton, and boxes. Bob Scherer, vice president, says that there’s a produc-tion gray area—a linear output range of 15,000 to 40,000 feet—in which his presses compete well with conventional processes for � exible packaging applications.
Although the success stories are multiplying, packaging producers are still trying to understand the production economics of going digital, says Willis Reese, global director of business develop-ment for INX Digital, a supplier of inkjet inks and printing systems. His colleague, Karla Witte, vice president of product development, urges printers
not to base decisions on “how fast you can go,” since it’s a given that digital production speeds will never match those of offset, � exo, and gravure.
In any case, says Weymans, it’s neither the speed nor the output resolution of a digital press that en-ables creativity. It’s the leeway that it gives designers to enhance brand messaging with variable content in short runs, affording them creative options that they don’t have in conventional production.
Consider the possibilitiesFor example, one Xeikon customer, Odyssey Digi-tal Printing of Tulsa, OK, custom-prints golf ball cartons in small quantities with course-speci� c words and images, including pictures of the holes that golfers most like to play. For Yankee Candle, Odyssey’s Xeikon presses turn out small runs of custom labels and packaging for fundraising, spe-cial events, and other promotions.
Digital printing, says Scherer, is the way to “react instantly” with packaging that can capitalize on rapidly transpiring events such as sporting con-tests: a playoff decided on Friday, for example, with packages bearing the victor’s imagery ready to ship on Monday. In ultra-quick-turnaround applications like these, notes Scherer, price usually isn’t an ob-ject for customers who covet the bragging rights of being � rst to market with distinctive packaging.
Gary Bernier, director of strategic business and brand development for HP’s Indigo and inkjet divi-
Bullwater Health & Fitness printed black over a metallic substrate to create a ghosted effect with only 1.5% of the metallic showing through.
HP asked the Gravity design fi rm to create a fi ctional brand that would show off what digital printing can do on paperboard, a still under-performing segment of the digital market.
30 january/February 2011
sions, points to Estée Lauder’s Grassroots body products line as one that has taken full advantage of digital print for packaging. Each of the line’s 76 SKUs is graced with a different high-quality image—a kaleidoscope of versioning that would be impossible to manage in conventional production but is a “piece of cake” for digital, Bernier says.
The Indigo-printed container for the Pomology Anti-Aging nutraceutical supplement from Bullwa-ter Health & Fitness features a label in which black over a metallic substrate lets only about 1.5% of the metallic surface show through, conjuring an eye-catching ghosted effect.
Vanover says that one of his customers, the Ca-nadian maple sugar producer White Meadows Farms, now uses digital equipment from Allen Da-tagraph to produce intricate labels on demand for its 50 SKUs. The customer formerly relied on ex-pensive dies and conventional production, but now, says Vanover, it can produce its own labels in just-in-time quantities and “never have to throw an-other label.” He estimates that about one-third of his business comes from small brand owners who want to do their own production in quantities of 5,000 or fewer.
“Aha moments” for designersIt all goes to show, says Dollries, that a digital press “is not just a piece of production equipment.”
Package designers, he says, have “aha moments” aplenty when they realize that with digital printing, they can achieve creative effects that would be im-possible or impractical in conventional production. Eric Knop, director of business development for ILS Labels, adds that as customers get to know the potential of digital printing better, the company’s conversations are taking place mostly with brand managers and marketing specialists—not purchas-ing personnel.
As in other applications, the two main processes for digital package production are toner-based elec-trophotography and inkjet. Toner, says Witte, does a “fabulous job” in short packaging runs and is be-ginning to be used in a surge of applications be-yond simple prototyping. In inkjet, she says, it will be “just a matter of time” until improved printhead technologies and other advancements optimize this process for packaging. Inkjet, she adds, is increas-ingly being used for packaging in hybrid press con-figurations that place variably-printing inkjet units inline with conventional cylinders.
HP Indigo presses are unique in their use of ElectroInk, a liquid ink containing electrophoto-graphic toner particles. With ElectroInk, says Ber-nier, an HP Indigo press can achieve an “everyday resolution” of 812 dpi x 1,219 dpi or, for the most demanding jobs, addressability of up to 2,438 dpi x 2,438 dpi—equivalent to a screen ruling of 230 dpi.
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32 january/February 2011
Bernier says that HP’s flagship press for packag-ing, the HP Indigo WS6000, “is not a press just for labels.” He says that users running it with stocks ranging in thickness from one-half-mil to 18-pt. are producing a variety of packaging applications in-cluding flexible packs, folding cartons, pillow packs, single-serving sachets, shrink sleeves, and labels.
Océ’s solutions for package production are fully inkjet-based. Its Arizona series of flatbed UV inkjet printers and the ProCut cutting systems that finish their output can create instantly cured prototypes on designated packaging stocks, or they can be used for short-run production. Packaging forms may be cut from their die lines after printing, or cut first and then printed within the cutout shape—which-ever method best suits the requirements of the job.
Offset lithography, says Weymans, still sets the benchmark for reproduction in packaging, and ink-jet, in his opinion, “is not up to speed at all” as an alternative to offset. Xeikon presses are electropho-tographic printers, and Weymans says that when their output resolution went from 600 dpi to 1,200 dpi a few years ago, eyes popped at the improve-ment in print quality. Another advantage of presses like Xeikon’s, he says, is that their odorless dry toner can be certified for direct contact with the contents of food packages.
Targets of opportunityCause marketing programs that, for example, use packages to solicit aid for disaster victims are also opportunities for users of digital printing to quickly react to consumer demand and current events, ac-cording to Bernier. On a more convivial level, there are promotions such as the one offered in Europe by Heineken, which lets beer lovers order six-packs of bottles sporting Indigo-printed shrink labels cus-
tomized with their own uploaded photos and text. The labels can even be customer-designed entirely from scratch.
Because its output can be personalized, says Witte, “digital will just kill other printing types” in packaging applications where personalization can add value. She also points out that digital presses can be installed in smaller print shops and other sites where local opportunities for personalized out-put exist. And, because digital printing reduces waste by making it possible to run packages in small, targeted quantities, the technology lets its users demonstrate environmental responsibility as well.
More demand for digital packaging will come, says Weymans, from brand owners’ web portals where consumers can design and order their own personalized packages. He thinks that the rise of private label brands will also drive demand, espe-cially among big retailing chains that want to offer store-branded products that their competitors don’t carry. At a different level of retailing, says Weymans, upscale food markets selling artisanal vegetables and other specialty items will like the idea of presenting them to shoppers in custom-printed packaging.
Nowhere to go but upScherer observes that there is still a vast gap be-tween conventional packaging volumes and those produced digitally. Nevertheless, he sees digital printing as smaller companies’ best hope to make themselves “nimble” as packaging producers, re-sponding quickly to whatever dynamically occur-ring trends come their way.
At ILS Labels, which started as a flexographic printer and still uses that process, digital printing now predominates. Printing more SKUs digitally
ILS Labels relies on digital printing for about
70% of its output and derives about 50% of its revenue from this work.
33PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
than it produces conventionally, the company relies on digital printing for about 70% of its output and derives about 50% of its revenue from this work. The changeover has been swift, says Dollries, noting that the production ratio was 70% conventional to 30% digi-tal just a year ago and 80% to 20% in the year before that.
Even as cartons and other kinds of containers emerge from digital presses in increasing quantities, label produc-tion probably will remain the bread-and-butter application for most printers. “Labels are an easy place for digital to start,” says Paar. There’s good business to be done in short-run label produc-tion, agrees Weymans. “Printers usually are surprised that they can easily � ll up a digital press with labels,” he says.
But advocates of digital printing for packaging also acknowledge that much work remains to be done on its behalf. Scherer says that designers for big con-sumer product companies often have to work on the scale of a million potato chip bags and must concentrate, like ev-eryone else, on growing the brand—an imperative that can distract them from looking for creative opportunities in in-cremental markets with the help of digi-tal printing. In simplest terms, says Vanover, digital printing is “a good solu-tion to people’s pain” in situations where conventional production doesn’t suf� ce.
Dollries agrees that digitally printed packaging remains underutilized as a brand communicator, but he’s con� dent that this will change. ILS Labels is evangelizing vigorously for digital print-ing, and according to Knop, it’s working. Having found the quality of digital re-
Xeikon equipment is used frequentlyfor golf-ball cartons that can be personalized with images of sponsors, celebrities, or golfers’ favorite golf holes.
production to be exceptional, customers are switching to it speci� cally because of the creative latitude that it gives them. “It’s just unlimited, what can be done,” says Dollries. PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Print-ers Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.
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34 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Stripped-Down DESIGNGetting simple packaging right is about consumer connectivity. Simplify” has been the rallying cry for a while
now, and consumers continue to place more value on products that deliver real solutions in sim-ply stated terms. What helps deliver those solu-tions? Simpli� ed packaging.
But there’s an important point about simplicity that’s often lost on package design creatives. While many see simple package execution as a fresh de-parture enabling them to create something that’s striking or beautiful, that really isn’t the point at all. The focus should be on delivering the brand, the product, and its values to the consumer in a clari-� ed, succinct manner. Not for the sake of aesthet-ics, but because that’s what the consumer wants and expects. It’s what they’re responding to now.
Concise and succinctA company should be able to distill its brand and each sub-brand in its portfolio down to a few short words. From there, the most important asset, or as-sets, of every branded product must be communi-cated on packaging. Often, only one or two assets need be communicated. Focus, clarity, and brevity matter. Why? When consumers shop, studies show they make choices in a very short time and ignore up to two-thirds of category products in retail envi-ronments. These statistics point to the reason so many products fail in the marketplace. There’s way too much noise at retail and nothing stands out. Do marketers really think throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their packaging is going to induce consumers to purchase their products? Think again.
In this era of complicated messaging, clear and succinct brand communication stands out—and stands apart. Companies that establish successful brand strategies emphasizing a central concept can own their space. Its products or services are an ex-tension of a simple idea powerfully communicated.
Think about dominant brands like Google, Apple, McDonald’s, Ikea, and Gillette. Then think of umbrella brands with portfolios of sub-brands like Kellogg’s, Heinz, L’Oreal, Disney, and Kraft. All of these do a masterful job of simply but powerfully communicating a brand message by using effective brand communication in their product packaging.
One reason for the Kellogg’s brand’s success as an umbrella brand is that its stripped-down brand essence travels well. Because the brand cues are applied consistently, the same brand promise always reaches out to consumers.
“
that’s often lost on package design creatives. While many see simple package execution as a fresh de-parture enabling them to create something that’s striking or beautiful, that really isn’t the point at all. The focus should be on delivering the brand, the product, and its values to the consumer in a clari-� ed, succinct manner. Not for the sake of aesthet-ics, but because that’s what the consumer wants and expects. It’s what they’re responding to now.
Concise and succinctA company should be able to distill its brand and each sub-brand in its portfolio down to a few short words. From there, the most important asset, or as-sets, of every branded product must be communi-cated on packaging. Often, only one or two assets need be communicated. Focus, clarity, and brevity matter. Why? When consumers shop, studies show they make choices in a very short time and ignore up to two-thirds of category products in retail envi-ronments. These statistics point to the reason so many products fail in the marketplace. There’s way too much noise at retail and nothing stands out. Do marketers really think throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their packaging is going to induce consumers to purchase their products? Think again.
In this era of complicated messaging, clear and succinct brand communication stands out—and stands apart. Companies that establish successful
By Ted Mininni
2 Häagen-Dazs Five
“Just fi ve ingredients” and no
added chemicals in premium
ice cream, innovatively im-
plied strongly—but indirectly.
GETTING IT RIGHTSome brands are clearly doing an
excellent job of communicating one
overriding message and extending
it into their product packaging.
Some are successfully demonstrat-
ing the value that consumers are
hungry for. These brands say
“Here’s the solution to your current
need” in simply communicated
terms with packaging to match.
uIf it were easy…You may ask: Given the power of simple clarity, why don’t more marketers strive for it? For one thing, it’s hard work to be simple. It takes consider-able effort to whittle brands down to their essence. And often, brand managers think the more com-munication they impart about their products, the better. If one message doesn’t resonate with con-sumers, another will…right?
No, that isn’t right. Let’s remember that the idea of trying to appeal to everyone makes it impos-sible to hit the mark with anyone. It’s critical to � nd the answers to these questions before under-taking any packaging refresh: Which aspect or as-pects of the brand do consumers value most? What solution does the product provide or what need does it ful� ll for the customer? Which aspects of the packaging do customers associate with this brand and product? Which aspects fail to make that connection?
Simple has to be done right, as Tropicana and Kraft have demonstrated. Tropicana tragically traded the visual brand assets that distinguished the brand for a generic, minimalistic, trendy pack-age design. That experiment lasted mere weeks. Similarly, Kraft “contemporized” its shredded cheese packaging with a generic-looking package where chunks of cheese appeared on a white back-ground. The impact of Kraft’s familiar, bold colors on the immediately recognizable blue background was lost completely, and Kraft had to reconsider its move away from its heritage.
This leads us back, full circle, to the impor-tance of leveraging brand value, and to demon-strating that value to the customer—both simply and effectively. Expert design teams employ signa-ture color, icons or imagery, package structure, ty-pography, and perhaps tactile packaging substrates along with a strongly placed brand mark to create one-of-a-kind packaging within a product category. Every package element, along with carefully cho-sen brand communication, adds up to a dealmaker or deal breaker.
The key to success is deleting what isn’t abso-lutely necessary while retaining the heritage as-pects identi� ed with the brand, even as it’s distilled to its core essence in new packaging or a package refresh. If packaging doesn’t connect with the tar-geted customer, it’s a failure, no matter how beau-tifully it’s designed. PD
Ted Mininni is president of Design Force Inc. (www.designforceinc.com), a brand design consultancy to consumer product companies.
3 Absolut Naked
A stripped-down bottle dares to show the
vodka clearly and little else, with the infer-
ence: “basic, pure, clean.” The quality ex-
pression of the brand comes through even
without the familiar logo.
1 Campbell’s basic soups
The simple signature red and white labels
and a clean visual of each offering, signi-
fying: “Back to the simple goodness of
farm-raised produce.”
4 Huggies Natural Care
There’s no need to get fancy or elaborate
when expressing a pure and natural mes-
sage. Simple message: “hypoallergenic
and made of organic cotton with soothing
vitamin E and aloe.”
v
www
x
36 january/February 2011
PHOTO SHOPThe worth of a picture is the strategic role it plays on food packaging.
By Brennan Higgins
Is there any question that package photography carries enormous weight, especially with food
products? My goal at work is not producing a pic-ture that will speak a thousand words—but rather a few hundred million dollars in revenue.
The worth of a picture on a package is ultimately determined by the strength of its composition and how well it represents the brand it’s selling. The composition must be strategically considered, tak-ing into account the competitive set, brand equity, category dynamics, etc. For food products, the pho-tography must create “appetite appeal.” If it doesn’t have that, then it flat-out won’t work.
From the many package design projects that pass through our office, I’ve found that there are five common focuses for effective photography in package design. These are definitive, strategic types of imagery that achieve specific goals. To fig-
ure out which approach works best in each circum-stance, our firm always conducts a positioning analysis to determine the specific strengths of a brand. We dissect the competition to ensure that the brand will stand out on the shelf. Product attri-butes and claims are important to analyze as well, since these can inform or relate to brand equity within the photography.
Of course, consumer and category trends must be considered; they’re changing and evolving con-stantly. And lastly, you have to be up to speed on the intricacies of the specific retail channels where the product is sold. The type of consumer that reg-ularly shops at Whole Foods is much different from the one who frequents Walmart for groceries. In the end, a thorough approach will garner the best results.
37PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
Package design is an important vehicle in initial purchase decisions, but what if the consumer doesn’t know what you’re trying to sell? Big prob-lem. Sometimes, the most obvious things are overlooked.
Fresh Gourmet was seventh in revenue within the crouton category when the brand owner realized the packaging needed a change. De� ning the principle issue was the � rst step in the project exploration phase. Since consumers can’t see what’s in the package, the design and photog-raphy had to be absolutely clear.
Let’s be honest: croutons are not the most exciting product. A little staging was in order. The photography had to show the croutons in an ap-pealing setting, while leaving nothing to chance in making sure consum-ers knew exactly what was in the bag.
Meticulous detail went into the composition and execution to ensure that the product looked as appealing as possible while keeping the crou-tons front and center as the hero. The company states that Fresh Gour-met now leads the category, growing the brand revenue 36% in the � rst year of the redesign.
If the store shopper gets frus-trated trying to interpret in-formation on a package, she’s going to move on to the next product. The three-second rule is always in effect. So it’s extremely important that package product photogra-phy distinctly differentiate each � avor.
Why? Because images resonate much quicker with consumers than copy. Tex-ture and visual appeal can drive a consumer to pick up one product over another. The food photography on the new Durkee spice packages is more appealing and also helps to anchor the overall package design.
FOCUS #1: IDENTIFYING CONTENTS
FOCU
S #2
: DIF
FERE
NTI
ATIN
G FL
AVOR
SBEFORE
38 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Fundamentally, what do you want your brand to stand for? Since High Plains Bison isn’t your typical meat product, there were many factors to consider in determining a strategic direction.
Research found that a “primitive” ap-proach resonated strongly with consumers and that authenticity was a key element of appeal. Research also indicated that shop-pers’ concerns about an unfamiliar taste might hold them back from buying.
The photography on the new bison packages bene� ts from propping and light-ing cues that play up authenticity and taste while simultaneously elevating that primi-tive feel. As a result of the new design, sales tripled and the number of retailers carrying the line quadrupled.
When the food isn’t a ready-to-eat product, the challenge is clear. You can describe it with as many adjectives and descriptors as the dictionary has to offer, but if the pho-tography doesn’t quickly communicate what the prepared product will look like, then all is lost. We simply can’t leave the end result of product use up to the consumer’s imagination.
Beyond that, there’s an opportunity to emphasize quality and how great the product can look with only minimal consumer effort. The Sea Best seafood brand re-alized all of the above and made it a point to take their product photography to another level. “Restaurant qual-ity is our brand positioning, so it was vital that the pho-tography reinforce that concept,” says Mark A. Frisch, v.p. of Beaver Street Fisheries. “The most effective way of doing this was to show the end product in premium set-tings.” Fifty completed SKUs later, there’s no argument that someone looking at the packaging knows exactly what’s going to be for dinner.
FOCU
S #3
: REI
NFO
RCIN
G ES
SEN
CE
FOCUS #4: PROJECTING END PRODUCT
BEFORE
39PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
The � rst hurdle you have to clear when launching a new prod-uct is the consumer’s � rst question: “How do I use this?” Bimbo Bakers USA introduced Arnold Sandwich Thins in var-ious � avor varieties as an alternative to plain old bread. Show-ing the product itself through clear bread-style bags was an essential � rst step, but it needed reinforcement.
The photography had to educate the consumer on when, where, and how to use it. Because it’s a new kind of packaged product, it was important to show how well it worked with common, familiar foods – such as a burger with lettuce and tomato. This immediately tells the consumer what they’re getting. In addition, knowing that the package was going to be printed with � exography made it critical to pay close at-tention to the saturation level of the image colors. The pho-tography needed to be as “clear” as possible regarding texture and vibrancy.
The year of the launch, the IRI research � rm named the product as No. 3 New Food and Bev Product Pacesetter. PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Design Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.
Brennan Higgins is v.p. of client service and strategy at the DePersico Creative Group in Havertown, PA.
FOCUS #5: INFORMING PRODUCT USAGES
BEFORE
40 january/February 2011
Being ecologically conscious in packaging is trendy, but you can’t get any greener than leav-
ing behind absolutely no greenhouse emissions. Nada.
That’s what the brand-new Oasis Zero Carbon Footprint Digipak for CDs and DVDs offers, fea-turing a tray composed entirely of 100% recycled, post-consumer bottles sourced from municipal re-cycling facilities. Recycled polyethelene tere-phthalate (RPET) is a non-toxic plastic on Walmart’s list of preferred materials. The package is being rolled out by Oasis Disc Manufacturing (www.oasisCD.com), which specializes in environ-mentally friendly media packaging and has a long history of using only sustainably harvested board products. The Oasis CD and DVD trays are mounted on printed paperboard of 100% Green Forestry Practices Certified board stock, which is printed using vegetable-based inks. (The board is also FSC- and SFI-certified.)
“This is the next logical step in further greening an offering for our very environmentally conscious client base,” says Micah Solomon, founder and president of Oasis, “and, frankly, for our very envi-ronmentally concerned team of employees here as
well.” The “bottle tray” is the brainchild of Paul Ge-lardi, CEO of Sunlyte Packaging (www.sunlytecer-tified.com) in Kennebunkport, ME, who has been designing and manufacturing media packaging since the early 1970s and was one of the founders of Shape Inc., PolyMatrix, Global Zero, E Media, and Sagoma Technologies. Besides the initial media thrust, Gelardi also hopes to introduce the carbon-free concept to all forms of packaging, even food and medical applications.
“From design to distribution to disposal, Sun-lyte Certified accounts for the carbon costs associ-ated with the manufacturing of CD, Blu-ray, and DVD discs; all printed materials and packaging, even the shrink wrap; and shipping to distribution,” says Gelardi. “We’ve performed the most extensive footprint analysis of media packaging to validate our carbon free certification.”
While the new Zero Carbon Footprint Digipak reduces carbon emissions by 88% overall compared to a jewel case (65% compared to a conventional tray Digipak) through the purchase of carbon offset credits by Sunlyte, the entire package, assembly, and shipping are rendered 100% carbon neutral at a cost competitive with standard CD and DVD
GREEN DREAMNew disc packaging treads lightly— very lightly—and lands a high-profile client.By Larry Jaffee
41PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
packaging. The remaining carbon footprint is off-set by supporting such certified greenhouse gas re-duction projects as the Freund Family Dairy in East Canaan, CT.
The East Canaan farm captures the greenhouse gas methane and converts it into energy used on the farm. The carbon footprint has been analyzed, quantified and reviewed by a third-party carbon management company. This includes the discs, all packaging materials, incoming transport of mate-rial, shipping to customer, business travel, and company operations.
Carbon offset projects are validated and audited according to international standards by Carbon-Fund.org and CarbonNeutral. From design to dis-tribution to disposal, the program accounts for the carbon costs associated with the manufacturing of discs, all printed materials and packaging, and even the shrink wrap and shipping. Furthermore, the tray has less than 3% the carbon footprint of a stan-dard jewel case or Amaray-style DVD box, and weighs half as much as standard packaging.
Gelardi says that Oasis is the first media manu-facturer to adopt the Sunlyte package, but his com-pany is planning to seek other disc replication, distribution, and printing partners for the carbon-free packaging. Top-selling independent artist and four-time Grammy nominee Trout Fishing In Amer-ica, which performs folk rock and children’s music, has expressed interest in migrating its catalog and new titles to the Zero Carbon Footprint Digipak in keeping with their long-running commitment to the environment, according to the band’s manager, Dick Renko, a long-time Oasis client.
Warner Bros. has selected the Sunlyte package for the French DVD edition of Matrix Revolutions. In addition, electronica music artist M-Halo al-ready chose the Sunlyte Certified package for its latest CD release, “The Road of Janus.”
“The carbon footprint of a product is in large part a measure of waste, and waste is not only bad for the environment, it’s bad for business,” Gelardi says. “Through a continuing effort to reduce the es-sential carbon footprint of packaged discs coupled with carbon offsets, we hope to prove that what’s good for the environment is good for business.” PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Sustainability Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.
Larry Jaffee writes about entertainment packaging topics frequently from his home in New York City.
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42 january/February 2011
1 FlexZiBox www.nordenia.com
Nordenia’sFlexZiBoxpackagingisflexible
androbust,easytocarry,andwell-suited
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Qosmedixrecentlyexpandeditslineof
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3 Twist’n’Use www.neopac.ch
Neopac’snewchild-resistant
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asingle-dosetubewithtamper-
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CCLTubeInc.teamedwithAptar
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Aptar’sSoftipsintoCCL’stubemanu-
facturingprocess.TheSoftipssilicon
valvedispensingtipsareavailablein
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Thisdispensingsystemprovidesgentle
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Whenpreciseapplicationiswanted,the
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6 E-ZZIPReclosableZipperwww.ampaconline.com
AmpacandKHShavedebutedtheir
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|
8 Crown’sTwo-ColorCapswww.crowncork.com
OldOrchardachievesayouthful,
boldlookforitsnewVeryCherre
MontmorencyTartCherryjuiceswith
brightlycoloredtwistclosuresfrom
CrownClosuresAmericasandeye-
catchingsquatglassbottlespro-
videdbySaint-Gobain.Atwo-color
printingprocessonthecapspro-
videsapremiumappealandkey
benefitssuchas“AntioxidantRich”
and“SuperPremium”appearing
aroundtheskirtoftheclosure.
45PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
}
InternatIonal trade FaIr
order your entrance passes online in advance of the show!
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For hotel and travel arrangements:TTI Travel, Inc.Tel. (866) 674–3476Fax (212) 674–3477
For show information:Messe Düsseldorf North America 150 North Michigan Avenue Suite 2920 Chicago, Il 60601Tel. (312) 781–5180Fax (312) 781–5188E-Mail: [email protected]://www.mdna.com
9 DeepGripPETBottlewww.sidel.ch
Thethree-literDeepGripisthefirst
PETbottlewithadeepblow-molded
grip,requiringnoexternalhandle.
ItisproducedusingSidel’spatent-
pendingpunching-conformingtech-
nology.Thedeepgripgives
consumersanergonomichandle,
makingitagoodoptionforlarge
wateroroilbottles. PD
46 january/February 2011
DATEBOOK
OBC brushfoil
insert 17 Hazen Paper
1 Hba Global expo
insert 9 HLP Klearfold
31 IIr Fuse Conference
45 Interpack/Messe Dusseldorf
IBC IoPP
33 Mimaki
IFC Package Design
17 PackageDesignMag.com
41 Payne
13 roland DGa
15 Tricorbraun
27 WS Packaging
3 yuPO
february 2011February 7-9 2011 Packaging Conference aria City Center, Las Vegas, nV www.thepackagingconference.com | [email protected] | 866-509-6001
February 8-10 WestPack anaheim Convention Center, anaheim, Ca www.WestPackShow.com | 310-445-4200
February 9-11 FPA 2011 Environmental Summit and Safety Conference TradeWinds resort, St. Petersburg beach, FL www.flexpack.org | [email protected] | 410-694-0800
February 23-24 Packaging Innovations Barcelona CCIb-Forum, barcelona, Spain www.easyfairs.com | [email protected]
February 23-24 Pharmapack 2011 Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris, France www.canontradeshows.com
March 2011March 8-10 HealthPack 2011 Hyatt regency Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH www.healthpack.net | [email protected] | 630-544-5051
March 9-11 FPA 2011 Annual Meeting The ritz-Carlton Golf resort, naples, FL www.flexpack.org | [email protected] | 410-694-0800
March 9-11 Sino Pack China Import and export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, Guangdong, China www.chinasinopack.com
March 16-17 SouthPack Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL www.canontradeshows.com | [email protected] | 310-445-4200
March 16-18 Sustainable Packaging Symposium Hyatt regency Chicago, Chicago, IL www.sustainablepackagingsymposium.com | [email protected] | 800-355-5595
March 29-31 Interphex 2011 jacob K. javits Convention Center, new york, ny www.interphex.com | 888-334-8704
april 2011April 6-10 NACD 2011 Annual Convention La Quinta resort & Club, Palm Springs, Ca www.nacd.net | [email protected] | 630-544-5052
April 11-13 FUSE 2011 Westin river north, Chicago, IL www.iirusa.com | [email protected] | 888-670-8200
AD INDEX
May 2011May 12-18 interpack 2011 Düsseldorf exhibition Centre, Düsseldorf, Germany www.mdna.com | [email protected] | 312-781-5180
May 18-19 LuxePack New York Metropolitan Pavilion & The altman building, new york, ny www.luxepacknewyork.com | 212-274-8508
june 2011June 7-9 EastPack jacob K. javits Convention Center, new york, ny www.canontradeshows.com | [email protected] | 310-445-4200
June 21-24 ExpoPack Mexico Centro banamex, Mexico City, Mexico www.expopack.com.mx | [email protected] | 703-243-8555 | +52 (55) 5545-4254
June 28-30 HBA Global Expo jacob K. javits Convention Center, new york, ny www.hbaexpo.com | [email protected] | 203-846-0083
47PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM
EVR: REpositioning authEntic pERfoRmancEThe founders of Preventiv Water, a brand of water enhanced with the resveratrol antioxidant, wanted to clarify the relevance and distinctiveness of their offering. This required both strategy and design ex-ecution. The brand had its greatest opportunity in targeting a highly selective group of consumers who are proactively managing their health and are willing to follow an active health regimen. From a demographic and behavioral standpoint, this target is identified as being a woman in her late 20s who maintains an active lifestyle and looks to sustain peak performance through diet.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in red wine that has been proven to have significant health benefits such as anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. The brand concept of “main-taining the pace” became a direct way to appeal to this target without alienating current or potential users. This brand idea inspired the development of a new name, EVR (pronounced “ever”), that speaks to the idea of everlasting health and well-being in a proprietary statement.
Iconic package design brings this new brand name to life and bridges the gap between a core and an extended target. It transcends lifestyles and projects the badge of a healthy lifestyle. The new
One lesson of the dramatic EVR brand repositioning is never try to
appeal to everyone, or you risk appealing to no one.
design features strong visual representations of fla-vor ingredients on white shrink-wrap labels for maximum shelf impact. This also provides room to showcase the EVR brand name along with a lock-up of the word “resveratrol.”
All three of these case studies illustrate how a purposeful design process helps find unique terri-tories for both old and new brands. When writing a brief or evaluating the design developed by an agency, make sure to incorporate the following: 1) Evaluate designs in the context of positioning and brand architecture. Ban any kind of packaging re-search that evaluates new designs using arbitrary brand attributes. Always refer back to your original positioning; 2) Don’t try to appeal to everyone. As much as you don’t want to alienate consumers, a brand and its packaging must be designed in the right context or you risk creating a monster that no one will recognize or find appealing; and 3) De-velop key visual devices that can go beyond the package design and can become an integral part of your brand story. PD
Eric Zeitoun is president of Dragon Rouge USA, a leading international brand and design consultancy based in New York City. Contact him at [email protected] or 212-367-8800.
DESIGNER’S CORNER« continued from page 11
BEfoRE
The ProducTHeinz Baked Beans Fridge Pack
The PersPecTiveIt was during World War II that Heinz baked beans established its hold on the British market, which persists today. Baked beans are, in fact, eaten regu-larly by 80% of all UK consumers, and Heinz leads the category with a 60% market share. The com-pany claims that the UK market consumes one million cans of Heinz beans every single day.
The oPPorTuniTies In terms of product innovation, Heinz has intro-duced baked beans with lower salt, lower calories, and the like while staying true to its traditional baked beans formula and beans’ role in a balanced diet. The company already has smaller “Snap-Pots,” which are microwaveable two-packs of individual portions in yogurt-like cups. These cups contain just enough beans, the company says, for a single serving of beans on toast. (Yes, that’s baked beans on toast. But that’s better than baked beans on pizza, which is also a UK thing.)
The innovaTionsPushing the limits of a larger bean package, the new multi-serve Fridge Pack contains five servings of baked beans. A statement on the front of pack-age says “Once open, stays fresh for 5 days,” em-phasizing the multi-serve benefit. This offers flexibility to families living a modern lifestyle, often eating different food at separate times. The new
Fridge Pack format also allows consumers to con-trol their portions thanks to a graduated see-through window on the side of the bottle.
why we love iTThe company maintains the light-hearted approach it has taken with its beans branding with clever language tied to the see-through window. Each serving has a different comment, such as “Enough for a spud.” The company also gives advice on how to reuse the package—but not for food.
FuTure ProsPecTsWhile a large package size may not be completely unique (e.g., yogurt in a multi-serve tub), the see-through indicator is a clever, accessible addition. The package plus the language that goes along with it also shows how a company can enliven an estab-lished, mainstay product. For the U.S. market, this package type could work for yogurt, pudding, or premium pasta sauce. The see-through window showing the amount left inside might also be use-ful for products such as fruit, fruit juice, or even personal care or cleaning products. PD
For articles on similar topics, visit the Labels Chan-nel on PackageDesignMag.com.
Lynn Dornblaser is the director of the Custom Solutions Group at Mintel International. She can be reached at 312-932-0400 or [email protected].
48 january/February 2011
GloBesPoTTinG By lynn dornBlaser
Heinz dominates the UK baked beans marketplace be-cause it respects how UK consumers regard the brand
and because of its iconic ad slogan, Beanz Meanz Heinz. Be-yond that, Heinz leads the way because the company is clearly focused on product—and package—innovation.
Contents
1 kg; 35.3 oz.
Goals
Convenience, Portion Control
tarGet
Bean-Loving UK Families
ManufaCturer
RPC Group
Jar Material
Polypropylene
label type
Shrink Sleeve
DeCorative
proCess Gravure
environMental
Easily Recyclable
viTal sTaTisTics
This shrink-sleeve square plastic jar offers economies of scale, too.
Beans Family-Style
Playful text on the Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack keeps UK consumers engaged while encouraging daily consumption.
More success.
More recognition
For more information about IoPP and its educational programs, call 800-432-4085. Or visit www.iopp.org.
“IoPP has given me a forum to look for answers when faced with packaging
challenges here at Energizer; whether it’s through the network of IoPP members or
information shared at the local and national level meetings. Energizer has recognized how my
involvement in IoPP has helped improve the viability of the role of packaging development within the
company. IoPP is the first place I turn to when trying to improve my breadth of knowledge in packaging
or to consult with my packaging contacts to advance my role at Energizer.”
Rebecca Oesterle CPPManagerGlobal Packaging DevelopmentEnergizer
Rebecca Oesterle joined IoPP in 2005, completed Fundamentals of Packaging Technology and was awarded the designation of Certified Packaging Professional (CPP). She currently holds the title of Secretary/Membership for IoPP’s Sustainable Packaging Technical Committee and is active in the Missouri Gateway Chapter.
www.brushfoil.com
800-493-2321
1 Shoreline Drive, Unit 6,
Guilford, CT 06437 (USA)
Nothing on retail shelves matchesthe exceptional appearance of
packages and labels with the uniquesheen of Brushfoil. And in today’s
challenging marketplace, Brushfoil is abrilliant performer – commanding
attention, projecting quality and reflectingthe value of what’s inside every package.
Give your next package or label the look of quality it deserves.
Success begins with the finish.
Good Reflections
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Final Good Reflection Ad:Mech 3525 PkgPrint Half Ad 3/16/09 4:16 PM Page 1
