Package Design - January / February 2011

Packagedesignmag.com

JAN/FEB 2011

Totally Sweet

Fresh & Easy raises the bar for private label brands

also:

Strategic Food Photography Walmart’s Wholesome Push “Stripped Down” Done Right Digital Printing Widens Scope

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:

IMPROVED

STYLE & FORMAT Reorganized & prioritized content PRODUCTS

NEW

Q&A

Case Studies

Industry Expert

EXPANDED

ENHANCED GRAPHICS & PHOTOS

SECTION

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.

NEW DATE:

June 28-30, 2011 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, NY

Where Beauty

community

Meet 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

commerce

Boost 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 Schafer OWNER, SWEET BEAUTY

Meets Business connection

Network with top buyers & more than 16,000 beauty professionals “I truly enjoyed the experience – it was A+!”

To reserve your exhibit space, contact your sales representative today.

Ellen Evers, SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE eevers@hbaexpo.com 201.788.0352 Kevin Roach, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE kroach@hbaexpo.com 609.759.7607 Emanuela Treneva, INTERNATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR emanuela.treneva@ubm.com +33 (0)1 73 28 14 76

Shirley Dong SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER, AVON PRODUCTS, INC.

Contents

JAN/Feb 2011 Vol. 9 No. 1

columns 10 designer’s corner

by Eric Zeitoun Package design requires close attention to context and authenticity.

12 Sustainability Update

by Wendy Jedlicka The case for carbon accounting.

14 Research: ShrinkSleeve Labels

cover story 18 Private Label with Personality

by Matt Dudas Full-body labels deliver aesthetic appeal and emotional impact.

by Ron Romanik London’s P&W design firm helps Tesco’s U.S. Fresh & Easy convenience stores expand premium brand messages using different personalities.

DEPARTMENTS

Features 22 Track Tested, Mother Approved

4 from the editor 5 front panel

The CAG BrandFirst firm felt strongly that black could provide Combos with a compelling billboard at retail.

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28

42 new product FOcus Caps, handles, grips, tips, and zips.

Q&A: Wholesome Goodness The designer behind a new all-natural brand in Walmart Canada stores elaborates on “better-for-you” branding.

46 Datebook

Digital Weighs In

46 Index of Advertisers

New digital technologies, printers, and packaging substrates make digital freedom more accessible to designers.

34

48 GLOBESPOTTING

by Lynn Dornblaser Heinz Beanz, UK

Stripped Down Design “Simplified” packaging should deliver the brand, the product, and its values in a clarified and succinct manner.

36

Photo Shop Learn the five strategic types of imagery to achieve specific goals in food packaging photography.

39

Case Study: Green Dream New CD and DVD packaging treads very lightly on the planet.

This month on PackageDesignMag.com

n

Godiva sweetens Valentine’s Day collectibles

on the cover Tesco’s new Fresh & Easy

n

Sustainability gains through flexible automation

Imported Belgian Chocolates line (close-up of the 4˝ x 9-½˝ x 1-¹⁄8˝ paperboard box).

n

Social media and branding, by John Miziolek

january/February 2011

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FROM THE EDITOR

BY RON ROMANIK 11262 Cornell Park Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45242

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ron Romanik ron.romanik@stmediagroup.com

Page-Turners

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Patrick Henry pat.henry@stmediagroup.com

T

he turning of the New Year marked a fresh start for Package Design magazine and its loyal readers. Just like the redesigned packages we often profile, 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 better organized and more accessible format.

Rest assured, our popular features will remain topical, tapping into the fast-shifting trends in design, structure, research, materials, processes, 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 finer 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 specific categories each month.

By “more accessible” we mean that new styles and formats will engage the eye and interest of our readers and invite them into the magazine 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 marketplace. We also know that we’re a resource for our readers in many different ways. Only eight years young, Package Design has quickly matured into a refined trade magazine that bridges the gaps between strategy and design, between raw materials and realization, between ergonomic structure 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 commitment to being a lively forum for package designers everywhere.

Best,

STAY IN TOUCH WITH US BY: Email: ron.romanik@stmediagroup.com LinkedIn: Package Design Magazine Facebook: Packagedesign Mag Twitter: packagedesignmg (no “a” in “mg”)

4

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Ron Romanik

ART DIRECTOR Laura Mohr laura.mohr@stmediagroup.com PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Linda Volz 513-263-9398 linda.volz@stmediagroup.com SALES DEPARTMENT PUBLISHER Julie Okon 317-564-8475 / Fax: 513-744-6909 julie.okon@stmediagroup.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER John T. Lyons III 770-955-2923 / Fax: 610-296-1553 john.lyons@stmediagroup.com EUROPEAN SALES REPRESENTATIVE Alex van Bienen +31- 475-570009 alex@vanbienen.net CORPORATE STAFF PRESIDENT Tedd Swormstedt DESIGN GROUP DIRECTOR Kristin D. Zeit CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUBSCRIPTIONS 800-421-1321 (U.S. and Canada) 513-421-2050 / Fax: 513-421-5144 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. EST customer@stmediagroup.com www.stmediagroup.com REPRINTS / E-PRINTS / PLAQUES Mark Kissling 513-263-9399 mark.kissling@stmediagroup.com 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.

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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 Debbie.Reed@STMediaGroup. com. Subscription Services: PD@halldata.com, Fax: (847) 763-9030, Phone: (847) 763-4938, New Subscriptions: www.packagedesignmag. com/subscribe.

FRONT PANEL

Clearly Distinctive Coca-Cola adorns mineral water brand in clear self-adhesive labels to match consumer expectations.

C

haudfontaine, 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 purifying 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 distinctive among its competitors, increase brand awareness, and build upon customer 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 recently, 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 industry,” says Gregory Bentley, Coca-Cola packaging innovator, Europe. “Research 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 outside 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.

QUOTE

“ 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. Traditionally, 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 Universit y of Southern California, in an article titled “Lost in the Supermarket: Men Without Lists” by Daniel DeNoon at www.medicinenet.com.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

FRONT PANEL

BOOKS

Beer Cans Through Designer Goggles

QSLD Is Chillin’ with Johnnie Walker When 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 communicate 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 anodized 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 confined 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 identifiable.

“We have created an object that shows in a clear way Johnnie Walker Gold Label’s new consumption ritual,” Boudard says.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

The brand new book features 480 different beer cans in alphabetical order, with extreme, 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 individual presentation, the goal was to find visually interesting samples that crossed a breadth of brands and origins.

Becker recalls how he was often surprised 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 authenticity through simplicity. (Available at www. chroniclebooks.com; $19.95.)

MORE TEQUILA DESIGN… Luxury Design Award Winner

Antigua Cruz Tequila Hits Premium Cues Mexico’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 audience. The previous squat, square bottle had been used by other tequila brands, which deprived Antigua Cruz of differentiation and unique positioning, and the label design was not competitive in the current 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 screenprinted graphics introduced a new icon and a logo redesign that conveys the polarity between classicism and modernity. The structural and graphic design 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 Tridimage. Braberman believes the bottle strikes a perfect balance of traditional moods and contemporary aspirations. 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 paperboard case is assembled with a tabbed design that doesn’t require glue, overprinted on foil with spot UV varnish.

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 semiautomated process before each bottle is signed and numbered.

Casa Dragones’s Maestro Tequilero hand-finishes the contents of each bottle by gently balancing platinum tequila with a hint of extra añejo. “We are extremely proud to be able to represent the craftsmanship of modern Mexico on an international 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; relevant; distinctive. That’s what Beam Global Spirits wanted to reinforce when they asked brand development 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 tradition and distinctive heritage, updated with refinements 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

FRONT PANEL FAST FACT …percentage of consumers who stick with store brands

Old Evamor Is Nevermore Evamor 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 onehalf mile underground in layers of impermeable 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 redesign of Evamor’s original logo, which featured a grey ball balancing on a grey horizontal plane to represent the pH balance. “We used the original design concept as a springboard so that the product identity would not be lost,” says Dan Matauch, founder of flowdesign. “We transformed the ball and plane into a flowing color bar that is representative of a pH balance 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 customshaped PET bottle.”

january/February 2011

“ 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 l argest manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for the store brand market, during the company’s 2010 quarterly earnings conference call.

DESIGN REWIND

Jacob Brand Mushrooms, 1940 A 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 advantage of “impulse buying,” which were relatively new concepts 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

DESIGNER’S CORNER

By Eric Zeitoun

Design with a Purpose Defining context can help new and old brands find unique territories.

W

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.

hether introducing a new offering, refreshing 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 becoming 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 refresh, and a brand repositioning. Each one shows the importance of framing a package design development through the appropriate business objectives of brand strategy and consumer trends.

Palmolive: Refreshing an authentic brand globally Palmolive is one of Colgate Palmolive’s largest revenue 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 Aromatherapy, is a market leader in multiple geographic locations 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 communicating the experiential nature of the ingredients used 10

january/February 2011

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 captures the macro trend of “conscience,” recognizing that consumers feel better when indulging in products that use natural ingredients.

The second “me and my ego” platform recognizes 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 indulge in daily luxury. Early sales indicate that consumers 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 scratch Sam’s Club wanted to develop a tequila brand that delivered an authentic Mexican experience at an unbeatable 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 developing these brands, the core target consumer became the “CEO Mum.” This imaginary consumer is a multitasking woman in her early 40s who hopes to

manage time, budget, health, and well-being. The CEO Mum views her visit at a Sam’s Club as a fun expedition for unique finds and discoveries.

The creative direction of Calle Azul was inspired by the idea of “affordable craftsmanship” and the name Calle Azul embodied this value proposition. Calle, Spanish for street, builds on the story of Rue 33, which is: “following the road to perfection.” Azul, Spanish for blue, speaks to the unique color associated with the agave plant and also refers to the authentic distillation 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 approach addresses the under-leveraged trend of “personal daily indulgence” as a way to create distinctiveness for the brand.

The Calle Azul design forged a path away from traditional tequila heritage cues to own a modern, yet still relevant, brand space.

» continued on page 47

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.”

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

11

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

by Wendy Jedlicka, CPP

Predicting Trends Are our lawmakers acting on the will of the people?

I

n the past few years, we’ve seen companies make incredible strides forward in following through on their environmental 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 environmental protection also supports expansion of coalbased 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 delivering 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 oneway tote bags—not because it’s a trendy, feel-good thing to do but because they’re tired of a product that creates more

Resources California Strikes Down Proposal to Ban Plastic Bags http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-votes-plastic-bagban/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/australianscan-now-start-track-carbon-footprints-products

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january/February 2011

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.

problems than it solves. The plastic bag constantly demands 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 packaging iceberg. For our industry in general, which is primarily 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 Senate 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 protest. 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, infrastructure, 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 really matters, at the store checkout line? In the meantime, 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

13

CONSUMER RESEARCH

By Matt a. Dudas

More than Just a Label Beyond design freedom and expanded billboards, research discovers an emotional connection to shrink-sleeves.

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.

B

ecause the average shopping list usually mentions 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 presence—regardless of brand.

Improvements over the last 10 years in highshrink-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 accommodate a four-inch wide package that tapers down to one inch. This provides exceptional container design freedom by allowing brand owners to differentiate products with compellingly contoured shapes that attract shelf attention and more ergonomic designs for user-friendliness.

Proven success on the shelf Prior to the growth of the full-body high-shrinksleeve 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 14

january/February 2011

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 highshrink 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 savings by allowing brand owners to eliminate tamperevident drop bands, remove colorant from closures and bottles, and reduce or eliminate UV inhibitors in the package. Total package value should be considered, both when spurring consumers to try your product and when building loyalty.

Mintel’s GNPD IRIS database provides anecdotal 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-Fusion’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-

integrity

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CONSUMER RESEARCH

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, additional primary research confirms the added value of shrink-sleeve labels for other products in the beverage segment.

Covering consumer emotions To isolate the effect of shrink labels and quantify the value of the package, Eastman Chemical Company 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, highcontour bottles featuring shrink-sleeve labels. The study also demonstrated that shrink-sleeve labels

Cost-Benefit Analysis Because 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 perpiece price of a shrink-sleeve label compared with an oriented 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, lightweighting, 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, shrinksleeve 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 connection 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.

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january/February 2011

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 neutralize brand preference were used to isolate the packages’ effects on measures of empathy, persuasion, and communication. In the functional beverage 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 labels on highly contoured bottles consistently ranked higher than those with plain labels in all five categories: package impact, attention, uniqueness, empathy, and appeal. All shrink-sleeved packages 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 possess 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 indicate 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 trendsetters is key for revitalizing brand performance or maintaining it in the face of enhanced competition.

These findings reinforce the benefits of fullbody labels both in inducing initial product purchase and in building brand loyalty. Brand owners can simultaneously increase point-of-purchase product appeal while creating a emotional consumer connections with differentiated consumer packaged goods. PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Labels Channel 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 working 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 mdudas@eastman.com.

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Private Label with Personality

Fresh & Easy’s newest branded products use color, luxury, and whimsy to catch the American shopper’s attention.

By Ron Romanik

T

esco’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.

Packaging Objectives • T o 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.

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january/February 2011

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 London-based design consultancy P&W, with which the grocery giant had worked for 20 years.

Fresh & Easy launched its first stores in California in 2007 with bold expansion plans. After a modest 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 packaging since the beginning, and in 2010, it again debuted a number of product lines. Faced with a uniquely changed consumer—the pre- and post-recession 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

19

v THE PRODUCT

1

The package promotes core Fresh

Children’s Cereal

and Easy values—no artificial color-

THE PACKAGING GOAL

a sense of fun.

ings or flavors and less sugar—with

Fun appeal to both kids and parents.

2

unique to the category, and uses the entire box to create the oversized

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 topquality products.”

The bold, bright graphic style is

characters.

3

Copy on the back panel highlights simple, achievable ways to help the environment, such as recycling and conserving energy in the home.

u

w

x

4

100% recycled paperboard limits the box’s environmental impact and reinforces the all-natural brand promise.

AN EVOLVING PERSONALITY Though 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 adheres to strict quality standards and pushes for technical innovation at every level to reinforce the quality brand promise and stay ahead of the game.

Adrian Whitefoord, founding partner of P&W, recalls 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 system 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 instead of trying to impose a philosophy on the consumers,” Whitefoord explains. “The beauty of Fresh & Easy has always been simplicity.”

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

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 ownbrand 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 package designs support that brand promise.

Whitefoord explains how P&W tries to be engaging with both design personality and the copy on labels. 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 lifestyle needs.

A degree of rigidity in the early designs has given way to some experimentation with looser, more playful 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.”

u

v

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 elegance. Merchandised in the store, these would be identifiable 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 finest choice.”

x

w 1

2

Dark, luxurious photography screams indul-

3

Other premium cues are delivered through

gence while ensuring the product is the hero of

minimal contemporary type in bright colors

the pack.

balanced with a warm, luxurious metallic silver.

The photography is enhanced with a backdrop

4

To communicate Fresh & Easy brand values,

of the product’s ingredients, communicating

P&W emphasized the “no artificial preserva-

high quality.

tives, flavors, or colors” message through an icon on the front of package.

v THE PRODUCT

1

background, bright color combina-

Simmer Sauces

THE PACKAGING GOAL

tions, and hits of silver metallic.

u

2

A spirit of international discovery.

The “World Cuisine” seal promotes the concept of ethnic recipes that are inspired by traditional cuisine from around the world.

P&W’S WHITEFOORD: “It was important to convey the convenience and ease of cooking using a simple threestep process on the back. The elegant solution not only stands out but also uses the whole of the package to communicate the quality of ingredients and ease of use.” PD

Premium cues include the jet-black

3

The vivid ingredient imagery, presented in bowls common to the recipe origin, make each package unique.

w PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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TRACK TESTED,

T

he typical Combos consumer is pretty simple to describe: He’s an on-the-go young male, looking for an easy-but-hearty bite to fill him up between meals. Mars Incorporated has played directly 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 demographics would reach for.

Mars brought in CAG BrandFirst design firm, 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 longtime client, but not for the salty snack category.

Both the client and the design firm agreed that the previous packaging had some appetite appeal, but it wasn’t executed particularly well. The design firm 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.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Fade to black CAG 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 appears much more substantial than an air-filled 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 established. “Combos is two tastes in one, and that’s difficult 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 firm pushed hard from the beginning to incorporate black to redefine the brand. The design 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.”

MOTHER APPROVED Combos moves beyond its core market of young men

By Ron Romanik with wider “meal” appeal.

BEFORE One conspicuous absence on the front panel of the new package is the individual “floating” pieces of Combos. It’s difficult to say whether these were initially supposed to be falling from a bag, flying, or raining from the sky in an exciting, party-like atmosphere. CAG decided that the scattered pieces weren’t serving a definable purpose, so the designers limited the floaters to one or two per package, and only at the bottom.

Aside from the black field, 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 find a nice balance between better-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 flavor color-coding is also similar to the previous design, with increased color saturation and increased color coverage on the back panel.

Tried and true Also 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 government, 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 flexo for the most reliable and flexible printing at the numerous venues. Designing for maximum impact with flexo 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 packaging, 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 Combos logo combine well with the modern element of black. “We also reached out to all of our major retailers 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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Q& A

Perry Seelert

Perry Seelert is strategic partner of the united* dsn design consultancy (NYC and San Francisco).

A Question

of Taste A new brand in Walmart Canada stores aims to cut through consumers’ secret resistance to better-for-you foods.

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.

T

he line between burgeoning national 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” segment 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, straightforward branding. However, the brand owner has not limited future agree24

january/February 2011

ments and is looking for partners in the U.S. for distribution. Wholesome Goodness brings to retail an original brand concept that seizes the opportunity the brand owner saw in the betterfor-you segment.

Perry Seelert, managing partner at united* dsn, with offices in New York and San Francisco, sat down with Package Design to discuss the project and how this brand developed.

PD: What was the difficulty in previous attempts at “better-foryou” 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 betterfor-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 better-for-you, so we saw a tremendous opportunity. Our goal was to look at what

was done in the past and throw to the wayside what was clearly not working.

One way to do that is to leave the puritanical 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 thorough 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.

So how was Wholesome Goodness created in a different mold?

How did you translate that mission to the package design?

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 products that are all-natural. This also led to completely new, customized product variations. The mission that became the tagline was: “Bringing delicious and nutritious together like never before.”

Everything we’ve done from a branding perspective expresses the product. By offering the initial launch to a retailer exclusively, it allows Wholesome Goodness to really own the brand experience.

A strong and well-managed brand approach 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.

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 communication. In fact, it’s the opposite— too much information and the resulting consumer confusion. Government agencies, 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 language—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 allnatural and tasty.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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“HEALTHY EATING” PERCEPTIONS

High-end photography was essential in communicating the appetite appeal and better-for-you appeal of Wholesome Goodness.

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 beneficial nutrients like fiber and antioxidants.

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 26

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Today

Future

strict

lifestyle fit

depriving

satisfying

too expensive

affordable price

complex

straightforward

just if you have a problem

for everyone

and approachable. The design hierarchy breaks out of the language format and reinforces benefits without dominating the package.

chy also gave direction to the photography shoots, knowing that the bottom corners would also be occupied by the heart logo and benefit statements.

What role does product photography play in developing this brand?

What purpose does the logo in the bottom left of the package serve?

When photography becomes heroic is a category-by-category consideration. The reason for purchasing reluctance in consumers looking for better-for-you products is the taste factor. The photography makes the case for a great-tasting product. If the product backs up the promise, 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.

The small circular “bug” distills the brand promise to a heart, a wheat stalk, and the words “Simple; Naturally Delicious.” The heart is a shorthand symbol that reinforces the brand philosophy of nutrition that eliminates bad ingredients and emphasizes the positive.

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 product names and descriptors allowed us to include everything and still allow ample space for food photography. The hierar-

What brand traits does Wholesome Goodness have that other better-foryou brands might not have?

We did not want the brand to be exclusionary or elitist. These products are for everyone, across every category in the store. The brand creates an ownable and distinctive identity that reflects its positioning accurately while being warm and approachable. We believe that this will break down the reluctance of consumers that are hungry for better-for-you products. PD

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Digital Weighs In

Digital presses open new opportunities to add value through creative application.

By Patrick Henry

A Beaute de Maman needed the quick turnaround of digital printing to be ready for giftgiving season with this gift box sleeve—both for production and for an urgent promotional shoot.

dd packaging to the lengthening list of highvalue applications for digital printing.

PRIMIR, a leading source of market trend research for the graphic communications industry, has forecasted soaring compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for the digital production of labels, folding cartons, and flexible film 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 creative resource for package designers.

It’s by no means a wholesale market shift. The overall share of packages produced on digital equipment is tiny, and in the high-volume realms of massproduced packaging, digital printing’s short-run emphasis limits its usefulness. But in packaging applications 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 invest heavily in conventional equipment and, for that reason, have been slow to adopt digital alternatives.

In fairness, he says, it can be difficult 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 beginning to experiment successfully with flatbed 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.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

HP asked the Gravity design firm to create a fictional brand that would show off what digital printing can do on paperboard, a still under-performing segment of the digital market.

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 manage—are coming to appreciate digital printing as a cost-effective solution for maintaining brand diversity, especially in shorter runs.

Jay Dollries, president of ILS Labels, says that his company is still fighting 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 production gray area—a linear output range of 15,000 to 40,000 feet—in which his presses compete well with conventional processes for flexible 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 development for INX Digital, a supplier of inkjet inks and printing systems. His colleague, Karla Witte, vice president of product development, urges printers

Bullwater Health & Fitness printed black over a metallic substrate to create a ghosted effect with only 1.5% of the metallic showing through.

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, flexo, and gravure.

In any case, says Weymans, it’s neither the speed nor the output resolution of a digital press that enables 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 possibilities For example, one Xeikon customer, Odyssey Digital Printing of Tulsa, OK, custom-prints golf ball cartons in small quantities with course-specific 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, special 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 contests: 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 object for customers who covet the bragging rights of being first to market with distinctive packaging.

Gary Bernier, director of strategic business and brand development for HP’s Indigo and inkjet diviPACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

29

White Meadow Farms chooses digital for the benefits of just-intime production and virtually no wasted labels.

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 Bullwater 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 Canadian maple sugar producer White Meadows Farms, now uses digital equipment from Allen Datagraph to produce intricate labels on demand for its 50 SKUs. The customer formerly relied on expensive dies and conventional production, but now, says Vanover, it can produce its own labels in justin-time quantities and “never have to throw another 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 designers It all goes to show, says Dollries, that a digital press “is not just a piece of production equipment.”

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january/February 2011

Package designers, he says, have “aha moments” aplenty when they realize that with digital printing, they can achieve creative effects that would be impossible 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 purchasing personnel.

As in other applications, the two main processes for digital package production are toner-based electrophotography and inkjet. Toner, says Witte, does a “fabulous job” in short packaging runs and is beginning to be used in a surge of applications beyond 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 increasingly being used for packaging in hybrid press configurations that place variably-printing inkjet units inline with conventional cylinders.

HP Indigo presses are unique in their use of ElectroInk, a liquid ink containing electrophotographic toner particles. With ElectroInk, says Bernier, 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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ILS Labels relies on digital printing for about 70% of its output and derives about 50% of its revenue from this work.

Bernier says that HP’s flagship press for packaging, 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 including 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—whichever method best suits the requirements of the job.

Offset lithography, says Weymans, still sets the benchmark for reproduction in packaging, and inkjet, in his opinion, “is not up to speed at all” as an alternative to offset. Xeikon presses are electrophotographic 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 improvement 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 opportunity Cause 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, according 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 cus32

january/February 2011

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 output 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, especially 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 customprinted packaging.

Nowhere to go but up Scherer observes that there is still a vast gap between conventional packaging volumes and those produced digitally. Nevertheless, he sees digital printing as smaller companies’ best hope to make themselves “nimble” as packaging producers, responding quickly to whatever dynamically occurring 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

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% digital 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 production probably will remain the bread-andbutter 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 production, agrees Weymans. “Printers usually are surprised that they can easily fill up a digital press with labels,” he says.

Xeikon equipment is used frequently for golf-ball cartons that can be personalized with images of sponsors, celebrities, or golfers’ favorite golf holes.

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 consumer product companies often have to work on the scale of a million potato chip bags and must concentrate, like everyone else, on growing the brand—an imperative that can distract them from looking for creative opportunities in incremental markets with the help of digital printing. In simplest terms, says Vanover, digital printing is “a good solution to people’s pain” in situations where conventional production doesn’t suffice.

Dollries agrees that digitally printed packaging remains underutilized as a brand communicator, but he’s confident that this will change. ILS Labels is evangelizing vigorously for digital printing, and according to Knop, it’s working.

Having found the quality of digital re-

production to be exceptional, customers are switching to it specifically 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 Printers Channel on PackageDesignMag.com.

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33

DESIGN Stripped-Down

Getting simple packaging right is about consumer connectivity.

By Ted Mininni

“S

implify” has been the rallying cry for a while now, and consumers continue to place more value on products that deliver real solutions in simply stated terms. What helps deliver those solutions? Simplified 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 departure 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 clarified, succinct manner. Not for the sake of aesthetics, but because that’s what the consumer wants and expects. It’s what they’re responding to now.

Concise and succinct

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.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

A 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 assets, of every branded product must be communicated 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 environments. 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 extension 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.

GETTING IT RIGHT If 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 considerable effort to whittle brands down to their essence.

And often, brand managers think the more communication they impart about their products, the better. If one message doesn’t resonate with consumers, another will…right?

No, that isn’t right. Let’s remember that the idea of trying to appeal to everyone makes it impossible to hit the mark with anyone. It’s critical to find the answers to these questions before undertaking any packaging refresh: Which aspect or aspects of the brand do consumers value most? What solution does the product provide or what need does it fulfill 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 package 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 background. 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 importance of leveraging brand value, and to demonstrating that value to the customer—both simply and effectively. Expert design teams employ signature color, icons or imagery, package structure, typography, 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 chosen brand communication, adds up to a dealmaker or deal breaker.

The key to success is deleting what isn’t absolutely necessary while retaining the heritage aspects identified 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 targeted customer, it’s a failure, no matter how beautifully it’s designed. PD

Ted Mininni is president of Design Force Inc. (www.design forceinc.com), a brand design consultancy to consumer product companies.

Some brands are clearly doing an excellent job of communicating one overriding message and extending it into their product packaging.

Some are successfully demonstrating 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.

u

1

Campbell’s basic soups The simple signature red and white labels and a clean visual of each offering, signifying: “Back to the simple goodness of farm-raised produce.”

v

2

Häagen-Dazs Five “Just five ingredients” and no added chemicals in premium ice cream, innovatively implied strongly—but indirectly.

3

Absolut Naked A stripped-down bottle dares to show the vodka clearly and little else, with the inference: “basic, pure, clean.” The quality expression of the brand comes through even without the familiar logo.

w 4

Huggies Natural Care There’s no need to get fancy or elaborate when expressing a pure and natural message. Simple message: “hypoallergenic and made of organic cotton with soothing vitamin E and aloe.”

x

PHOTO SHOP The worth of a picture is the strategic role it plays on food packaging.

By Brennan Higgins

I

s there any question that package photography carries enormous weight, especially with food products? My goal at work is not producing a picture 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, taking into account the competitive set, brand equity, category dynamics, etc. For food products, the photography 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-

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ure out which approach works best in each circumstance, 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 attributes 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 constantly. 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 regularly 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.

FOCUS #1: IDENTIFYING CONTENTS 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 problem. 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. Defining the principle issue was the first step in the project exploration phase.

Since consumers can’t see what’s in the package, the design and photography 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 appealing setting, while leaving nothing to chance in making sure consumers 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 croutons front and center as the hero. The company states that Fresh Gourmet now leads the category, growing the brand revenue 36% in the first year of the redesign.

FOCUS #2: DIFFERENTIATING FLAVORS

BEFORE If the store shopper gets frustrated trying to interpret information 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 photography distinctly differentiate each flavor.

Why? Because images resonate much quicker with consumers than copy. Texture 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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FOCUS #3: REINFORCING ESSENCE

FOCUS #4: PROJECTING END PRODUCT 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” approach resonated strongly with consumers and that authenticity was a key element of appeal. Research also indicated that shoppers’ concerns about an unfamiliar taste might hold them back from buying.

The photography on the new bison packages benefits from propping and lighting cues that play up authenticity and taste while simultaneously elevating that primitive 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 photography 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 realized all of the above and made it a point to take their product photography to another level. “Restaurant quality is our brand positioning, so it was vital that the photography 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 settings.” Fifty completed SKUs later, there’s no argument that someone looking at the packaging knows exactly what’s going to be for dinner.

BEFORE

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

BEFORE

FOCUS #5: INFORMING PRODUCT USAGES The first hurdle you have to clear when launching a new product is the consumer’s first question: “How do I use this?”

Bimbo Bakers USA introduced Arnold Sandwich Thins in various flavor varieties as an alternative to plain old bread. Showing the product itself through clear bread-style bags was an essential first 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 flexography made it critical to pay close attention to the saturation level of the image colors. The photography needed to be as “clear” as possible regarding texture and vibrancy.

The year of the launch, the IRI research firm 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.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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GREEN DREAM

By Larry Jaffee

B

New disc packaging treads lightly— very lightly—and lands a high-profile client.

eing ecologically conscious in packaging is trendy, but you can’t get any greener than leaving behind absolutely no greenhouse emissions.

Nada.

That’s what the brand-new Oasis Zero Carbon Footprint Digipak for CDs and DVDs offers, featuring a tray composed entirely of 100% recycled, post-consumer bottles sourced from municipal recycling facilities. Recycled polyethelene terephthalate (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 environmentally 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 environmentally concerned team of employees here as 40

january/February 2011

well.” The “bottle tray” is the brainchild of Paul Gelardi, CEO of Sunlyte Packaging (www.sunlytecertified.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, Sunlyte Certified accounts for the carbon costs associated 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

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packaging. The remaining carbon footprint is offset by supporting such certified greenhouse gas reduction 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 material, shipping to customer, business travel, and company operations.

Carbon offset projects are validated and audited according to international standards by CarbonFund.org and CarbonNeutral. From design to distribution 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 standard jewel case or Amaray-style DVD box, and weighs half as much as standard packaging.

Gelardi says that Oasis is the first media manufacturer to adopt the Sunlyte package, but his company is planning to seek other disc replication, distribution, and printing partners for the carbonfree packaging. Top-selling independent artist and four-time Grammy nominee Trout Fishing In America, 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 already 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 essential 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

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RA N D

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T R E N GT H

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Larry Jaffee writes about entertainment packaging topics frequently from his home in New York City.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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Page 1

NEW PRODUCT FOCUS

package components

Get a Grip!

New caps, handles, grips, and zips.

u

1 FlexZiBox www.nordenia.com Nordenia’s FlexZiBox packaging is exible and robust, easy to carry, and well-suited for content volumes up to 55 lbs. With a robust patch handle and top slider, the packaging combines simple handling with convenient reclosability. Well-suited to pet care or lawn and garden products, as well as the agrichemical industry. The patented patch handle is particularly tearproof and resilient.

2

Curved Spoon Spatula www.qosmedix.com Qosmedix recently expanded its line of spatulas to include the Curved Spoon Spatula in three colors: black, white, and clear. As a functional companion to luxury brand packaging or for maintaining a hygienic sampling environment in retail settings, the spatula has a bent spoon shape which scoops out formulas easily.

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january/February 2011

v

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3

Twist’n’Use www.neopac.ch Neopac’s new child-resistant version of its traditional single-dose Twist’n’Use packaging combines a single-dose tube with tamper- evident features. Neopac says the Twist’n’Use CR is the smallest certified, child-resistant cap in the industry.

x

4

Softips Silicon Valve Dispensing Tips

www.cclind.com CCL Tube Inc. teamed with Aptar Beauty + Home to integrate Aptar’s Softips into CCL’s tube manufacturing process. The Softips silicon valve dispensing tips are available in two styles, the Pinpoint and Ribbontip.

This dispensing system provides gentle and precise product delivery while offering controlled dispensing and exact product cutoff.

5

Patented Flip Tip www.empireemco.com

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When precise application is wanted, the Flip Tip’s elongated spout does the trick. The easy-to-use Flip Tip can be opened, closed, and locked into place using only one hand, and it has been adopted by Conroy Foods, owner of the Beano’s brand of sauces. Available in a variety of colors, linings, and product dispensing patterns, the tip was designed to help streamline filling, handling, and packaging during the production process.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

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NEW PRODUCT FOCUS

package components

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www.ampaconline.com

www.zippak.com

www.crowncork.com

Ampac and KHS have debuted their E-Z ZIP reclosable zipper technology on rollstock engineered for Horizontal Form Fill Seal (HFFS) pouch applications on KHS packaging machines.

E-Z ZIP features a pull-tab opening that allows the user to simply pull away a thin tear strip to access the reclosable zipper. The E-Z ZIP HFFS film is available in both eight-color rotogravure and 10-color flexographic printing.

The Zip360 flexible pouch’s wide opening allows easy access and pour spout-like functionality, and brand owners can decorate the entire surface area of the package for maximum shelf impact. Developed in conjunction with Triangle Package Machinery Co. and Print-

Old Orchard achieves a youthful, bold look for its new Very Cherre Montmorency Tart Cherry juices with brightly colored twist closures from Crown Closures Americas and eyecatching squat glass bottles provided by Saint-Gobain. A two-color printing process on the caps provides a premium appeal and key benefits such as “Antioxidant Rich” and “Super Premium” appearing around the skirt of the closure.

january/February 2011

pack Inc., Zip360 claims to reduce the amount of materials needed to manufacture a package, resulting in a small carbon footprint.

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DeepGrip PET Bottle www.sidel.ch The three-liter DeepGrip is the first PET bottle with a deep blow-molded grip, requiring no external handle.

It is produced using Sidelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patentpending punching-conforming technology. The deep grip gives consumers an ergonomic handle, making it a good option for large water or oil bottles. PD

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DATEBOOK february 2011

may 2011

February 7-9 2011 Packaging Conference Aria City Center, Las Vegas, NV www.thepackagingconference.com | info@ ThePackagingConference.com | 866-509-6001

May 12-18 interpack 2011 D端sseldorf Exhibition Centre, D端sseldorf, Germany www.mdna.com | info@mdna.com | 312-781-5180

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 | fpa@flexpack.org | 410-694-0800 February 23-24 Packaging Innovations Barcelona CCIB-Forum, Barcelona, Spain www.easyfairs.com | comunicacion@easyfairs.com February 23-24 Pharmapack 2011 Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris, France www.canontradeshows.com

March 2011

May 18-19 LuxePack New York Metropolitan Pavilion & The Altman Building, New York, NY www.luxepacknewyork.com | 212-274-8508

june 2011 June 7-9 EastPack Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY www.canontradeshows.com | epinfo@cancom.com | 310-445-4200 June 21-24 ExpoPack Mexico Centro Banamex, Mexico City, Mexico www.expopack.com.mx | info@expopack.com.mx | 703-243-8555 | +52 (55) 5545-4254 June 28-30 HBA Global Expo Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY www.hbaexpo.com | john.morabito@ubm.com | 203-846-0083

March 8-10 HealthPack 2011 Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH www.healthpack.net | info@healthpack.net | 630-544-5051 March 9-11 FPA 2011 Annual Meeting The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, FL www.flexpack.org | fpa@flexpack.org | 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 | spinfo@cancom.com | 310-445-4200

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1

March 16-18 Sustainable Packaging Symposium Hyatt Regency Chicago, Chicago, IL www.sustainablepackagingsymposium.com | smallwood@greenerpackage.com | 800-355-5595

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IIR Fuse Conference

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Interpack/Messe Dusseldorf

March 29-31 Interphex 2011 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY www.interphex.com | 888-334-8704

IBC

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IFC

17

PackageDesignMag.com

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Payne

13

Roland DGA

15

TricorBraun

27

WS Packaging

3

april 2011 April 6-10 NACD 2011 Annual Convention La Quinta Resort & Club, Palm Springs, CA www.nacd.net | info@nacd.net | 630-544-5052 April 11-13 FUSE 2011 Westin River North, Chicago, IL www.iirusa.com | aioannou@iirusa.com | 888-670-8200

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AD INDEX

january/February 2011

Brushfoil Hazen Paper HBA Global Expo HLP Klearfold

IoPP Mimaki Package Design

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DESIGNER’S CORNER « continued from page 11

BEFORE One lesson of the dramatic EVR brand repositioning is never try to appeal to everyone, or you risk appealing to no one.

EVR: Repositioning authentic performance The 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 execution. 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 “maintaining 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

design features strong visual representations of flavor ingredients on white shrink-wrap labels for maximum shelf impact. This also provides room to showcase the EVR brand name along with a lockup of the word “resveratrol.”

All three of these case studies illustrate how a purposeful design process helps find unique territories 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 research 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) Develop 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 eric@dragonrouge-usa.com or 212-367-8800.

PACKAGEDESIGNMAG.COM

47

GLOBESPOTTING

By Lynn Dornblaser

Beans Family-Style This shrink-sleeve square plastic jar offers economies of scale, too.

Playful text on the Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack keeps UK consumers engaged while encouraging daily consumption.

H

einz dominates the UK baked beans marketplace because it respects how UK consumers regard the brand and because of its iconic ad slogan, Beanz Meanz Heinz. Beyond that, Heinz leads the way because the company is clearly focused on product—and package—innovation.

Vital Statistics

The Product Heinz Baked Beans Fridge Pack

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

The Perspective It 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 regularly by 80% of all UK consumers, and Heinz leads the category with a 60% market share. The company claims that the UK market consumes one million cans of Heinz beans every single day.

The opportunities In terms of product innovation, Heinz has introduced 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 innovations Pushing 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 package says “Once open, stays fresh for 5 days,” emphasizing the multi-serve benefit. This offers flexibility to families living a modern lifestyle, often eating different food at separate times. The new 48

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Fridge Pack format also allows consumers to control their portions thanks to a graduated seethrough window on the side of the bottle.

why we love it The 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 Prospects While a large package size may not be completely unique (e.g., yogurt in a multi-serve tub), the seethrough indicator is a clever, accessible addition.

The package plus the language that goes along with it also shows how a company can enliven an established, 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 useful for products such as fruit, fruit juice, or even personal care or cleaning products. PD For articles on similar topics, visit the Labels Channel 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 lynnd@mintel.com.

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.

More recognition More success.

“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 CPP Manager Global Packaging Development Energizer

For more information about IoPP and its educational programs, call 800-432-4085. Or visit www.iopp.org.

Final Good Reflection Ad:Mech 3525 PkgPrint Half Ad

3/16/09

4:16 PM

Page 1

Good Reflections

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