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PACK EXPO International 2004 To Stress ‘Markaging’ Solutions That Can Elevate Brand Appeal Modern packaging must do more than merely protect products and enable efficient and effective distribution to customers and end users. It must also serve as critical point-of-sale advertising, since 70 percent of consumer buying decisions are made at the retail shelf. In today’s competitive retail environment, companies are employing a tactic known as “markaging”—using packaging as a primary marketing messenger. Markaging solutions, as outlined below, combine intricate design with advanced technology to give brands a competitive advantage at point of sale, effectively building brand loyalty and increasing market share. A number of innovative markaging solutions that designers and marketers can employ to help increase brand awareness and turnover will be featured at PACK EXPO International 2004, slated to be held November 7-11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The show is sponsored and produced by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). Get into shape
One good use of shaping is to refresh brands by putting a familiar product in a new, attractive package. New products can also be introduced with shaping technology, enabling designers to create packages and products that appeal to consumers’ lifestyles. Compared to other promotional efforts, shaped packages are cost-effective, in-store advertising vehicles. They break the landscape of store shelves with three-dimensional representations of promotional themes. This enhanced on-shelf merchandising effort drives sales by offering consumers appealing and unique products, with a shape that can relate to specific promotions or to reflect sports, seasonal, and holiday themes. High-impact decorating with labels To label innovatively shaped containers, an increasing number of designers are turning to stretch sleeves and shrink-sleeve labels. Often made from polyethylene, stretch-sleeve labels are supplied on a roll as a continuous sleeve that is cut to the desired length and pulled over containers by sleeving machines. Requiring no adhesive, stretch sleeves accelerate the labeling process, are environmentally friendly, and are easy to remove, leaving no residue on containers. Shrink-sleeve labels slide over containers in a similar way, but they provide a much looser fit, and no stretching is involved. A second heat shrinking process causes the label to mold itself to the shape of the container. PVC and PET are the two most common materials for shrink sleeves; while PET is a bit more expensive, the material offers higher gloss and better shrink characteristics. Shrink-sleeve labels turn food and beverage containers into billboards for improved product marketing, with 360-degree graphics. Gravure and flexo printing deliver bold backgrounds and colorful, high-impact images. To accommodate unusual or irregular contours of containers, label text and graphics are pre-distorted in such a manner that after shrinking, the finished result cannot be distinguished from a directly printed container. Trend to convenience Shifting consumer attitudes and behaviors have created strong demand for designers and marketers to provide products that offer added convenience. Examples of packaging convenience include single-serve packages, portable and on-the-go packaging, easy-open and reclosable packaging, packaging kits, and ready-to-eat meals.
To add convenience to canned products, more and more food processors are exploring the benefits of easy-open ends for fruit, vegetables, soup, pet food, beans, pasta, rice pudding, and custard. Designed to eliminate can openers, easy-open ends are currently experiencing strong growth throughout Europe and are becoming more common in the North American packaging industry. Capping with innovative closures Modern closures are much more than barriers that protect product integrity; they are a viable way to build shelf presence. Plastic and metal closures can be used as high-impact marketing tools to convey premium images, brand messages, and product distinctiveness. Using color is a simple yet cost-effective way for manufacturers to increase brand impact. Unique, bold colors draw the eyes of consumers and heighten product recognition. In addition, closures color-matched to products or packages significantly enhance aesthetics and promote dominant shelf presence. When used for a complete product line, a single closure builds a “family” image and extends brand reach. The use of graphic designs on closures is another easy way to enhance the look of a brand without redesigning the entire package. Graphic designs also enable consumers to quickly identify brands and their intended purpose. For example, a line of jam preserves can be distinguished from other products on a shelf by applying attractive “fruit” graphics to their closures. When working with plastic closures, shaped orifices allow package designers to appeal to targeted demographics, such as children. By using customized molds, these closures dispense product in a variety of shapes, such as stars, triangles, and other designs. Shaped orifices can also correspond to package graphics. Collaboration is essential While consumer expectations are always ahead of packaging innovation, industry suppliers are developing increasingly creative solutions to meet these important needs. To capitalize on advanced technologies like the ones highlighted above, designers and marketers should work with suppliers early in the product development process to incorporate packaging that is more attractive, convenient, and functional to help increase brand awareness and drive sales. According to PMMI, PACK EXPO International is held every two years and features more than 1,600 exhibitors and covers more than 1.2 million net square feet. Next year’s PACK EXPO will be held Sept. 26-28, 2005 at the Las Vegas Convention center in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information about PACK EXPO International 2004, visit www.packexpo.com or contact PMMI at 4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22203; telephone (703) 243-8555; fax (703) 243-8556; e-mail expo@pmmi.org. | |||||||
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© 2004-2008 ST Media Group International. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without consent from publisher.
DECEMBER 4, 2008
1:00 PM EASTERN
This special 90-minute webinar will feature up-to-date insights into the market forces affecting package design and sustainability. Registration for this program is $89.99. Attendees will receive a copy of Packaging Sustainability: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Package Design (a $49.95 value) by Wendy Jedlicka.
Keynote Address by:
MINAL MISTRY
Project Manager, Sustainable
Packaging Coalition/GreenBlue
COMPASS is an online software tool for packaging designers and engineers to compare the environmental impacts of their package designs.
