in
stock Vol. 3 • Issue 2
SEE this FEEL this
Boost consumer appeal by tapping into the senses. p. 5
AN ‘EGG’-CELLENT PARTNERSHIP
ALL WRAPPED UP WITH EMOTION
WHAT’S UNDER THE LID?
A team approach solves the challenge of packing fragile products. p. 2
The best packaging becomes part of the consumer’s brand experience. p. 13
A luxurious promo sample inspires auto market agency designers. p. 16
W O M E N Like Photo-worthy and Fun-to-open PACKAGING
Luxury packaging for cosmetics, fragrances, and gourmet goods has been transformed in recent years. Now, to appeal to women, packaging has to show off on store shelves and social media.
WOMEN ARE DRAWN
to products in interactive packages: unwrapping mechanisms, scent-infused paper, and magnetic closures. https://www.easyfairs.com/packaging-innovations-london-2017/packaging-innovationslondon-2017/visiting/sector-luxury/
Women associate SLEEK BLACK PACKAGING—in both matte and metallic finishes—with premium products. https://soopak.com/blog/trending-colors-2017-packaging-run/
GLOSSY OR FOIL-STAMPED PACKAGING THAT LOOKS PARTICULARLY PRETTY ON SOCIAL MEDIA GIVES BEAUTY BRANDS A BOOST IN SALES. https://www.packagingcosmetics.com/cosmetic-packaging-social-media/
(800) 860-2482
www.millcraft.com
JustAsk@Millcraft.com
Publisher’s Note Table of Contents
The Power of a True Partner In today’s business world, it helps to find “your” people. People who know your business—day in and day out— and can help you understand the latest trends, newest technologies, and competitive landscape in which you operate. It’s the difference between working with a vendor and benefiting from a true partner. At Millcraft, our main goal is to provide you with valuable ideas, technology, and tools that make your job easier. Are you looking to expand into new print or packaging markets that will complement your existing cycle of business? Do you want custom sheets of paper developed from locally sourced materials to support your brand strategy? We can make it happen. We’ll even offer
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Case Study An ‘egg’-cellent partnership solves a packaging problem for a manufacturer and its clients.
Feature The best packaging becomes an integral part of the brand experience.
suggestions based on how other like businesses are growing and gaining momentum. Take, for example, this issue’s first feature, “See This. Feel This.” (page 5). The article explores the role that our senses—especially sight and touch—play in print and packaging, and how these sensory reactions can ultimately influence a consumer’s buying decision. If you want to improve the impact, recognition, recall, and response you get on your next project, appeal to the senses. But don’t stop there. “All Wrapped Up with Emotion” (page 13) examines the multiple roles packaging must play. In addition to protecting your product, packaging
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‛Just Askʼ in Action Pliable and printable banner material ingeniously becomes a major garment retailer’s tool-of-the-trade.
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should compel consumers to buy your product and deliver the kind of experience that, when opened, validates the buying decision. Creating memorable experiences for your customers is easier when you have a partner— like Millcraft—who understands the power of materials and knows the options that are available for each and every project. It makes perfect sense. Respectfully,
Travis Mlakar President mlakart@millcraft.com
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Feature Boost consumer appeal by tapping into the senses.
Great Uses A luxurious promo sample inspires auto market agency designers.
THIS ISSUE IS PRINTED ON: Cover: Neenah 100# CLASSIC CREST® Cool Gray Smooth Cover | Text: Neenah 100# CLASSIC® Techweave Solar
White Text, pages 3,4,13,14; Neenah 100# CLASSIC® Linen Solar White Text, pages 7,8,9,10; Neenah 100# CLASSIC® Stipple Solar White Text, pages 5,6,11,12; Neenah 100# CLASSIC® Woodgrain Solar White Text, pages 1,2,15,16; and Neenah 100# CLASSIC CREST® Imperial Red Smooth Cover, insert | Envelope: Neenah 81# STARDREAM® Sapphire Text.
PUBLISHER: Travis Mlakar | SENIOR PUBLICATIONS ADVISOR: Courtney Enser EDITOR: Mimi Bell | CONTRIBUTORS: Lorrie Bryan, Laurie Hileman, Liberty Kontranowski, Kathryn Lynch-Morin, Darin Painter, and Jim Romeo ART DIRECTOR: Chad Hussle | PHOTOGRAPHER: Doug Julian InStock, Volume 3, Issue 2, Ocotber 2017, is published by The F.P. Horak Company. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The F.P. Horak Company, 1311 Straits Dr, Bay City MI 48706. Copyright© 2017 at The F.P. Horak Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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Case Study
AN ‘EGG’-CELLENT PARTNERSHIP A team approach to solving packaging problems creates value for manufacturers. By Liberty Kontranowski
are responsible for making sure your little shelled wonders are delivered safely to their final point of purchase.
Eggs: They’re often what’s for breakfast—and sometimes even dinner. In fact, it’s estimated that Americans eat 76.5 billion eggs per year. Thankfully, farmers keep up with the demand, and the eggs magically find their way into our supermarkets and onto our plates. But, wait! What exactly happens during that “magical” time period between when an egg is laid and when we fry it up for our families? Have you ever thought about that? Millcraft—along with its partner, BestPack—sure has. The two
THE BACKGROUND As with any industry, the egg segment has its own unique challenges. BestPack, an expert in the packaging sealing business based out of California, recognized the need for customization in order to help its egg-producing clients run more competently. The company decided to consult with
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“ [BY LISTENING TO THE CUTOMER], YOU’RE HELPING THEM GET PAST A ROADBLOCK OR FRUSTRATION THAT COSTS THEM TIME AND MONEY.” ~ Randy Miller, Millcraft packaging specialist
Millcraft, a 97-year-old independent distributor of paper and packaging headquartered in Cleveland. In assessing the opportunity, Randy Miller, packaging specialist for Millcraft, asked BestPack questions such as, “If you could change anything about what you do, how would you make it better?” and “If I were able to design a way to get you past this challenge, would that be of value to you?” From there, the brainstorming began and solutions were created.
Further, it needed to include a bypass mechanism for clients that requested specific tape closures. (For example, one client might want both the tops and bottoms of boxes to be taped, while another may want only the bottoms taped.) The idea went into concept, development, and testing. The end result was a Millcraft-made packaging machine that is flexible enough to run different amounts of products at one time. As an added bonus, the machine features replaceable tape heads that can be changed quickly, reducing downtime and room for error. In addition, Millcraft wanted to add long-term value and ongoing benefits, so it created a program that gave customer credit for tape purchases. These credits could then be applied to buy replacements parts in the future. This was a win-win-win solution for all involved.
THE PROBLEM Handling huge quantities of fragile products is a delicate task that requires precise timing and close attention to detail. There are risks of packaging inconsistencies—and the costs associated with fixing them—as a result of human error. Efficiencies must be in place to maximize throughput and manpower, without compromising the product. There are also risks of packaging inconsistencies (and the costs associated with fixing them) as a result of human error. If the labor-intensive task of boxing up egg cartons at the end of the production line could be handled by a machine, the workers could then be moved to the front of the line to feed more eggs through the process, driving up throughput and profitability. But a machine that could gently handle each egg client’s unique specifications did not exist.
THE RESULTS It turns out that something we’re all taught to do—listen to our customers in order to find out what they need—is pretty solid advice. “[By listening to the cutomer], you’re helping them get past a roadblock or frustration that costs them time and money,” says Miller. Because BestPack paid close attention to which efficiencies were missing between egg manufacturers, a long-term partnership between Millcraft and the company was “hatched,” with clients on all sides being happy. The egg manufacturers’ throughput has increased, and manpower has been reallocated to more advantageous locations within the process. “With the same amount of people [packaging eggs], they’re getting so much more done and doing it better,” says Miller. And that’s a prime example of an “egg”-cellent partnership.
THE SOLUTION During an exploratory meeting, BestPack introduced the egg industry’s packaging concerns to Millcraft and proposed a potential fix: a first-to-market machine that could run at great speeds without jostling the eggs and causing them damage.
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A BETTER WAY TO MEASURE UP When an overseas vendor of measuring tapes could not meet the needs of a major garment retailer, Millcraft successfully sized up the challenge. By Jim Romeo
Employees of a U.S.-based garment retailer walk about their retail space with tape measures draped around their necks to assist customers in determining the correct apparel size to purchase. This toolof-the-trade is used every day, and must be durable and easy to use. The retailer had been sourcing the tape measures from China, but, over time, it had issues with the product quality and availability. The material wasn’t quite right because it wasn’t durable enough. When the retailer wanted to replace the tape measures, it ran into sourcing problems. Although the company wanted to buy a U.S.-made product, the time from order to delivery took longer than any domestic manufacturing source could provide.
So the retailer turned for help to Millcraft. Millcraft provided material samples to the retailer. But instead of relying on a standard durable paper, Millcraft’s Mike Barrett, the company’s wideformat printing specialist, suggested using material that was both pliable and printable—held up well to frequent use—and could be fed through a wide-format printer. Banner material to fabricate a tape measure seemed a bit unconventional, but with a tad of ingenuity implemented by Barrett and his team, it became just what the customer needed. Millcraft selected a printer partner that it frequently uses to print wide-
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format banners to help fabricate a prototype tape measure for the customer to try. The retailer was thrilled with the new tape measure, which performed to its expectations. And Millcraft was able to produce the tape measures in quantity with the company logo on one side and legible measurement markings on the other. The solution meant that the customer avoided the cost, time, and hidden headaches of sourcing abroad. Using innovative thinking, Millcraft was able to turn material ordinarily used for other purposes into the precise product its customer needed. A new pliable tape measure fabricated from banner material became the perfect answer to the customer’s problem. By knowing its capabilities and resources—and listening to the need—Millcraft found a better way for its valued customer to measure up. CARLA HOTT, in Business Development, Corporate Solutions for Millcraft, helps corporate end users, creatives, and print sales representatives connect the dots and bring ideas to life. Whether you are brainstorming or looking to concept or complete a project, she will find the sources and materials you need. “Just Ask” Carla at 614-519-1930, or send an email to hottc@millcraft.com.
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WRITER, What do you need? What is it that you want? You need inspiration. You need an open mind. Or maybe one jumbled with thoughts. We know, we know. You need words … And words need ink … And ink needs paper.
Fondly,Your Reader
My aim is to put down on
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“Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism light, white hot, on paper.” ~ Ray Bradbury
Feature
S E Ethis F E E thisL Enhance your brand and boost consumer appeal by tapping into the senses with creative paper and packaging materials. By Lorrie Bryan
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Feature
WE
are bombarded with thousands of messages daily, most of which are competing for the attention of our overwhelmed eyes and/or ears. Meanwhile, our highly sensitive fingertips are increasingly relegated to the mundane role of swiping or typing—routinely interfacing with the world via the overtly functional flat surface of a tablet, computer, or smartphone. As a result, our restless fingers fidget, twiddle, and scroll listlessly.
in ways that sounds, words, and flat images cannot. Many companies today are recognizing the importance of multisensory marketing and adding tactile appeal to their branding message with the inclusion of the appropriate paper stocks and treatments in their print and packaging projects. With the inventory of touch-inviting paper stock options and affordable printing techniques growing, now is a great time for companies to reconsider the value of visually intriguing and touchable printed pieces to refresh their packaging and marketing collateral.
Although we are often unaware of our more subtle perceptions, all of our senses actually affect our buying decisions. The more of our five senses the messaging targets, the more likely we are to become engaged with the advertised brand. But instead of an intentionally rich multidimensional experience, most messaging sent by companies is one dimensional and an afterthought at best. For example, the sense of touch is an underused consumer influencer in marketing messaging. That is why branding and marketing strategies that include a distinct tactile element are so effective. Texture takes our brains to another dimension, imploring our mostly underwhelmed fingertips to take notice, and igniting our neural pathways and delighting our brains
PRODUCT PACKAGING PACKS A PUNCH
Even though consumers are making more purchasing decisions by shopping online and not within brick-and-mortar stores, companies should still make their product packaging a priority. That’s because packaging is an integral element of any brand and an essential marketing opportunity not to be dismissed. While
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“ON AVERAGE, CONSUMERS TAKE FOUR SECONDS TO MAKE A PURCHASE DECISION AT THE SHELF.”
~ Kingsley Shannon, Neenah Fine Paper and Packaging
and strong messaging to help tell a brand story that is at the heart of consumer engagement.” According to Shannon, on average, consumers take four seconds to make a purchase decision “at the shelf.” Product packaging should enhance the brand experience and communicate value in order to grab the buyer’s attention. “In order to quickly capture the consumers’ attention at shelf, product packaging should communicate value. People seek meaningful connections with products because they believe these products reflect their identity. Branding, specifically packaging, helps establish those connections by enticing customers to engage and identify with a holistic brand experience,” Shannon says. She adds, “Use unique paper, printing techniques, and packaging to your best advantage. Heavier weights and textures add to the perceived value of the product and to the consumer’s engagement level.” Although heavier weight and more “touchable” materials usually add more to the production cost of your project than standard packaging materials, Shannon says that you should
they shop in stores, perusing the lineup on the shelves, potential customers respond to touchable packaging with positive emotional reactions that result in extended product interaction. And regardless of where a retail product is purchased—in a warehouse store or a chic boutique—premium packaging creates an impression with the consumer that can lead to a higher price point. Kingsley Shannon, vice president of marketing for Neenah Fine Paper and Packaging, explains why the choice of materials (color and texture of paper stock, finishing techniques, and design elements) for packaging is key: “Consumers interact with packaging more than any other form of communication design,” she says. “The materials combine with [the packaging] structure
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Feature
“THE BETTER THE PACKAGING IS, consider the big picture (or, in this case, the whole package). “Packaging is a relatively small cost of the total product, but it can have a big impact on the price point you can command. The better the packaging is, the better the consumer’s perception of the product inside.” You are able to command a premium price for your product when consumers perceive it to be first-rate. “This is especially true in the premium categories where Neenah Packaging is primarily focused: cosmetics and fragrances, wine and spirits, and retail,” Shannon says. “We are seeing designers specify textured papers more and more as a strategy to increase [consumer] engagement with packaging and all types of collateral.”
THE BETTER THE CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION OF THE PRODUCT INSIDE.” ~ Kingsley Shannon, Neenah Fine Paper and Packaging
on our purchasing decisions,” says Mlakar. “And while we clearly want to evangelize the impact of print and visual design on buying decisions, we also want to make our customers aware of how they can go beyond that to engage consumers’ other senses and leave a more lasting impression.” As a result, Millcraft is promoting to its design and marketing customers the value of the tactile approach. “We are working with designers and end users, explaining the opportunity that can come with using linens, stipple finish, egg shell, aqueous coatings, white inks, and more,” Mlakar says. “We are pushing our team to understand that we aren’t here to sell print on paper or any other substrates: We are here to sell results and response.”
PORTERS AND ALES TELL THE TALE
According to Travis Mlakar, president of Millcraft, you can find a good indication of the importance of packaging in the grocery store beverage aisles with the proliferation of ales, porters, and stouts. “Right now, craft breweries are all the rage. When you go into the grocery store, you are inundated with what seems like hundreds of choices [of beer]—half of which you have never heard of. How do all of those brands find their market and find a way to stand out? Print [on bottle labels and packaging],” Mlakar says. He notes that about 70 percent of craft beer buyers make their decision on what beer to buy based on the appearance of the packaging—rather than its alcohol content, malt-iness, or caramel character, for example. “That is an incredible stat reflecting the effect that print, print design, and packaging have
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Textured paper and distinctive printing options are about as extensive as craft beer options. But with so many selections
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“ THE END RESULTS SHOULD BE THAT AN INTERACTION WITH A PRINTED PIECE CREATES A LASTING IMPRESSION.” ~ Travis Mlakar, Millcraft
available, how do you know which is right for your brand? And, more to the point, perhaps, what does your brand feel like? Candace Soward, an account manager for Millcraft, advises her customers to stand apart from the competition, not being afraid to take a risk. “I believe that each piece of paper has its own story, and paired properly with the correct ink, which functions as the narrator, the possibilities are endless. It could be an eco-friendly paper made with potato starch, manufactured with wind power, and printed with soy-based ink, promoting environmental consciousness. Or what about a cast-coated sheet, glimmering with images of the hottest new car? You can almost feel the chrome as you run your fingers across the sheet. We have a million distractions throughout the day. Don’t be another distraction; be the moment,” Soward adds. Shannon reports that two of Neenah’s textured paper options, both new and popular, are CLASSIC® Woodgrain and CLASSIC® Techweave. “CLASSIC Woodgrain texture adds an environmental aesthetic to any project. It brings the visual
appeal of wood, but none of the limitations,” Shannon notes. “CLASSIC Techweave was specifically developed to fill a void in the market for a texture that represented the growing technology industry. It’s a high-touch texture that looks high-tech—perfect for technology products but also for marketing materials for high-tech sports brands, for example.” We live in a culture that values and touts experiences as demonstrated by the millions of people who relentlessly seek share-worthy moments. Multisensory packaging can offer consumers an authentic tangible experience that they won’t find by surfing the unfathomable internet abyss. This means that there are new opportunities for businesses to make their brand and messaging distinct. “We want to make it easy to design beautiful printed pieces that use the texture of the paper or leverage new print technologies to create a full sensory experience. The end results should be that an interaction with a printed piece creates a lasting impression,” Mlakar says.
CANDACE SOWARD, an account manager for Millcraft, is known as the #paperdorkforlife because she loves everything paper. Are you looking for coated, translucent, pink, dark blue, or super tactile? She’ll help you select the right material to enhance the brand experience, causing your customers to stop and react when they see your printed piece. Contact Candace at 502-649-2375, or send an email to sowardc@millcraft.com.
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Make Your Direct Mail
MEMORABLE Inspired design combined with just-right paper, coatings, varnishes, and printing techniques will capture your recipients’ attention. By Lorrie Bryan Like your product packaging, your direct mail pieces should ideally enrich your brand and aligned messaging while engaging multiple senses, particularly sight and touch. Ubiquitous plain, flat, standard #10 white envelopes just aren’t appealing enough to compel your recipient to open and read your communication. “However, if you enhance your direct mail piece with strategic use of color, texture, and great visual design, you’ll make it far more unique and appealing, which will increase recipient engagement,” explains Courtney
Enser, director of marketing and sales alignment for Millcraft. “Great design and materials selection—paper, coatings, varnishes, and print techniques— can elevate the direct mail experience to another level.” Studies confirm what our common sense tells us: Direct mail printed on heavier papers increases response rates tremendously, and significantly more responses are generated by print pieces that make bold use of color. If you want to create an outstanding impression, make your messaging more memorable, and increase
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engagement—keep your direct mail in your recipients’ hands and out of the trash receptacle—use color and texture in conjunction with great visual design. “The tactile and visual elements should work in unison to create an evocative experience that will lure your recipient into the moment and away from distractions,” Enser says. “Countless creative paper selections and printing techniques are available to give your piece just the right look and feel for your brand and messaging. Be bold. Be effective. Be memorable.”
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what I see and what I feel the best and simplest way. ~ Ernest Hemingway
Fill your paper wit h t he b re a t hin gs of your he a rt . ~ William Wordsworth
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“Sit and quiet yourself. Luxuriate in a certain memory and the details will come. Let the images flow. You’ll be amazed at what will come out on
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PAPER.” ~ Frank McCourt
NEVER FLAT ALWAYS ALLURING N E E N A H PA C K A G I N G . C O M
Customers
THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART
TOGETHER WE DONATED
$265,470 YOU HAVE MADE SUCH A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON SO MANY HEARTS!
To learn more about how you can give back with your copy paper purchases, contact your Millcraft sales rep or email us at JustAsk@millcraft.com.
Feature ALL WRAPPED UP WITH
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The best packaging goes beyond the goal of getting noticed. It becomes an integral part of the consumer’s brand experience. Emily Marxer and her husband Joe Piatkiewicz have an agreement. The first person to see the Blue Apron box on their doorstep must wait for the other person to come home so they can open the package together. The mystery of what’s inside— maybe a pound of Alaskan salmon, maybe a hunk of fresh goat cheese—is partly the reason for the couple’s pact. The bigger source of anticipation, the
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By Darin Painter
Chicago-based couple says, is opening the package itself. “Opening the box is like a little gift in our week,” Marxer says. “I’m a bit of a design nerd, so I appreciate the creativity that goes into each one—from the quirky icons on the outside to the refrigerated coolness of the gel packs to the way the food’s shapes and colors are arranged inside. We’re customers because the food is healthy, but simply opening the box is always fun.”
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ENHANCING THE BUYER’S EXPERIENCE In any package, the product inside matters. But more than ever, companies are concerned with how packaging makes a person feel. Packaging that elicits positive emotion can bring unmistakable value to a company’s brand. (Ask anyone who has received the robin’s-egg-blue Tiffany’s box wrapped with the signature white satin ribbon.) “To elicit buying, packaging must grab your attention quickly—the right mix of design, construction, copy, and visuals,” says brand consultant Susan Gunelius, owner of KeySplash Creative, a marketing communications firm in Gainesville, Florida. “But to boost things like client loyalty and social sharing of a brand, more businesses are using packaging to enhance the buyer’s emotional experience.” When an organization creates and understands its brand message—luxury, humor, simplicity, etc.—and then reinforces it with packaging decisions, buyers are more likely to feel assured about their purchases and then tell people about their experiences, Gunelius says. That’s why YouTube has so many “unboxing” videos of excited buyers opening items. “Anyone can put messages together and create a package,” Gunelius says, “but if consumers don’t notice the package in the first place, or react positively when they open it, it’s just another box on the shelf or in the mail.” That’s exactly the reaction the marketing team at SprinJene, an upstart toothpaste brand aimed at health-conscious shoppers, wanted to avoid when it needed packaging for its products. There were two challenges the company faced: building a visual identity for a handcrafted product in a crowded dental hygiene market; and piquing the interest of health-conscious shoppers. For the toothpaste box, the marketing team selected a high-quality carton, constructed from a substrate of virgin fiber in order to project a “natural” look. The copy on the outside of the box, printed with a palette of green inks, promotes the benefits of brushing teeth without using harsh chemicals (the product
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includes black seed oil as an ingredient, which is touted to help protect the mouth from plaque, tarter, bad breath, and gum disease). The company name, SprinJene, appears prominently in white opaque ink in the middle of the box. Most noticeably, a rainbow hologram’s burst of rays radiates from the first “n” in the company’s name— just like shiny, white teeth glimmer—when the consumer holds the box at different angles. Those packaging decisions helped to get the new product noticed, also reinforcing the brand promise of natural health to consumers.
CREATIVE OPTIONS ABOUND To appreciate just how many options businesses have when selecting packaging, look no further than Brian Montini’s workspace. As the packaging specialist for The F.P. Horak Company, a print and marketing solutions provider, Montini is surrounded by swatch books, product sketches, and boxes of samples that help him collaborate with each client. After listening to a client’s brand challenges and goals, Montini constructs multiple packaging prototypes that often incorporate different textures, colors, materials, coatings, and paper weights. He works with brands from conceptualization through development, focusing on helping clients create memorable user experiences. Sometimes the finished product is a direct mail piece. Other times it’s a pointof-purchase display, corrugated box, or promotional package. “Options are almost endless,” Montini says. “Price point is a factor, of course, and
Don’t Discount the Filler When the stuffing inside the box is aligned with the product, the ‘event’ of opening the package becomes even more rewarding. By Darin Painter
we also discuss the value of the product itself and the tone the package needs to convey.” For example, a cosmetics firm recently turned to F.P. Horak for product packaging ideas. Montini showed the client five variations of a sleek black box, including the chosen one that had a soft-touch feel (to evoke sophistication) and gold-and-white stamping, a flip-up lid, and product inserts that further communicated brand messaging. Some retailers, seeking ways to connect individually with recipients, are even empowering customers to design their own packaging—perhaps the ultimate example of valuing the user experience. For instance, shoppers can log on to websites and design their own product packages. Examples include chocolate gift boxes with custom colors and personalized images on the lid, or boxes of golf balls imprinted with uploaded logos, variably printed custom messages, and photos. Says Gunelius: “Consumers are more savvy and empowered than ever, and brand owners are always looking for ways to have their products stand out. Packaging will continue to play a major role in how they introduce and communicate items to their audience.” MATT FREED, Millcraft’s director of packaging, is an expert on what’s beyond the brown box. He’ll help you select appealing packaging to protect your product and enhance its perceived value, while getting customers to take notice. Contact Matt at 419-466-4908, or send an email to freedm@millcraft.com.
When organizations work with packaging specialists to select major components of a package, it’s smart for them to also consider the “extra” material inside. Some packaging fillers are added because they make sense; others are added because they make a difference. “When selecting a custom filler, companies should try to do two things,” says Matt Freed, Millcraft’s director of packaging. “One is a prerequisite—simply trying to secure the package and prevent damage—and the other is trying to support brand recognition and consistency when possible.” Freed says the best packaging filler helps to accomplish both goals. “The choice of filler should also match the value of the product itself,” he says. You wouldn’t protect a bottle
of champagne with cheap straw, and you wouldn’t protect an inexpensive item with intricately molded plastic. For items that warrant creative packaging fillers, Freed says, options include shredded paper in custom colors, expandable foam, molded plastic, heavy stock dividers, and more. When aligned with the product, these fillers can add to the “magic” of the opening experience and elevate the perception of a brand. “Keep in mind that the filler decision isn’t really about gaining someone’s interest; they’ve already opened the package,” Freed says. “It’s about using the right material to make the person feel good about the product, and ultimately to gain that person’s loyalty and repeat business.”
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Great Uses
WHAT’S UNDER THE LID?
Buying a new car is about style. Of course, gas mileage, the sticker price, and safety ratings all play a role in the purchase decision, but if we’re being honest—looks count. The car has to convey quality and elegance and value. Accordingly, designers at autofocused ad agencies who are tapped to develop marketing materials for prospective car buyers seek to introduce these same qualities—especially the car’s good looks—in the promotional pieces they create. Alan Pohl, an account manager with the Corporate Solutions Group at Millcraft, worked with Neenah Packaging to develop an eye-catching auto sector sample kit, to be delivered to automobile manufacturing marketers
A variety of luxurious and eye-catching paper and packaging materials creates a promotional sample that mirrors the car-buying experience. By Kathryn Lynch-Morin
and agency designers to show them what sophisticated paper and packaging stocks are available for them to use on future projects. The auto kit sample seamlessly delivers tactile experiences similar to those that one would have when face-toface with a shiny new car. Just as different weights and textures of steel, glass, chrome, and leather are aligned to create a sleek and stylish vehicle, a variety of lavish paper and packaging materials are used in the many components of the sample, which serves purely as inspiration for auto market creatives and agency designers. With a substantial weight, multitextured silver Neenah® Folding Board provides the sample box’s reliable, durable frame. Similar to the hood and doors on a show-lot automobile, it beckons to be
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opened. Corresponding smooth Neenah STARDREAM® coated, two-sided metallic papers are reminiscent of a car’s polished and gleaming exterior. The luxurious interior of the sample box, and the aligned marketing pieces within, is represented by a variety of textures and finishes from Neenah: the soft, matte finishes of delicate yet durable TOUCHÉ® Papers; CLASSIC CREST®, which comes in 12 different weights and 29 colors; and touch-inviting CARBON-X®, an economical, highimpact fiber-based leather alternative. Opening the box, which includes a brochure, folder, postcard, and different envelopes, is much like inspecting every aspect of a new ride. Even the colors used for the sample—a range from sleek grays and blacks to a look-at-me pop of crimson—evoke images of a glimmering vehicle with its headlights on. “These [Neenah paper and packaging] materials were chosen to convey [to agency designers and auto marketers] a high-quality, eye-catching appearance, and because they have a long track record of proven performance. Plus each individual material is appealing when selected to be part of a mix-andmatch design,” says Pohl. Just like with buyers whose emotions and senses are heightened when selecting custom body colors, interior woodgrain, or sumptuous upholstery options so that their personal style is reflected in their new automobiles, designers introduced to rousing paper and packaging materials are inspired to select stock, finish, and texture that take their ideas from flat to full throttle.
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Like Simple and Sturdy PACKAGING When it comes to what appeals to male buyers, black boxes and plain packages dominate the luxury market.
MEN SUBCONSCIOUSLY
Men love to TOUCH and SMELL paper, foil, metal, and wood–anything they can make something with.
http://www.packaginginnovation.com/packaging-design/ 3-ways-to-make-your-packaging-design-appeal-to-men/
http://www.packaginginnovation.com/packaging-design/3ways-to-make-your-packaging-design-appeal-to-men/
associate packaging that is black with strength, luxury, and exclusivity.
PACKAGING FOR MEN SHOULD ALWAYS CONTAIN AS LITTLE FLUFF, BOWS, AND RIBBONS AS POSSIBLE. http://www.packaginginnovation.com/packaging-design/3-ways-to-make-your-packaging-design-appeal-to-men/
(800) 860-2482
www.millcraft.com
JustAsk@Millcraft.com
H A P PY YO U A S K E D
Millcraft specialists share their perspectives on the pulse of the industry. KNOW IT ALL?
Hardly. But we do know a lot about the printing and packaging industries, thanks to the thousands of customers we work with every year. We’re always happy to share what we know to help your next project take flight. Just ask.
Terri Price-Deep
Mike Barrett Mike Barrett
Courtney Enser
Greg Alvarado
Alex DelNostro
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Creative Terri Price-Deep
What are some of today’s hottest trends in paper that creatives turn to when they need an immediate “wow” factor?
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Definitely metallics, neons, and kraft. It’s like it’s the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s all over again— disco, Izod, and grunge! Metallics have instant pop, whether it’s a foil stamp, metallic ink, or paper with a metallic sheen. Neons are attentiongrabbers, too, being bright and unique. Kraft has an authentic, back-tobasics vibe. It’s not flashy and appeals to the DIY movement and those seeking recycled content. – Terri
Large Format
Why is “big” getting all of the attention these days?
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Two reasons. First, large-format technology is so good now that the image quality nearly matches offset. Second, prices are much more affordable. And I don’t see things slowing down. If offset is ink on paper, large format is ink on everything. Products like wallpaper and Cling King (a film-like substrate using microscopic suction cups) are replacing adhesive vinyl. Heck, I’ve even printed on ceiling tiles. I call it arts and craft day when I come to work. – Mike
End Users Courtney Enser
I’m looking at expanding into new verticals, including universities. What’s the best way to start making connections?
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Work backwards to find new customers. Universities are a collection of smaller colleges and departments, each with different people involved in projects that could use your services. Start researching LinkedIn and other social media channels to find contacts. Study their websites and blogs. Follow them on Twitter. And don’t get too focused on particular job titles (we recently found work with the digital output center coordinator at an art college)!
Packaging Greg Alvarado
My customer base is changing. How does that affect my packaging?
Internet retail drastically changed how consumers buy things and how products are transported. To accommodate smaller orders being shipped directly to customers, packaging needs to be more robust. A packaging analysis from a neutral supplier like Millcraft can help you determine the most efficient solutions–whether it’s boxes, foam, void fill, or other materials–that will give your products the best protection for the least cost per delivery.
– Courtney
(800) 860-2482
www.millcraft.com
JustAsk@Millcraft.com
– Greg
Alexis DelNostro Finance
When is the best time to do a merger or acquisition?
Typically, when need meets opportunity. Timing inevitably boils down to your business’ strategic needs and a market that’s conducive to those needs. Tread carefully. Wellexecuted acquisitions can drive dramatic growth for companies. Deals that don’t deliver can be distractive, disrupting, resource-draining, and– potentially–financially catastrophic. Retaining the right customers, employees, and suppliers is critical. Just as important is capturing, analyzing, and distributing the right information before and after the deal. – Alex