Season's End

by Chris Lyons, Publisher

Dear Readers,

So here is a quick question for you: Where did this past summer go?

All of a sudden, it is mid-September and the end of summer is upon us. The end of most vacations, summertime sports, and recreation—and the return of routine daily life. Back to work, back to school, back to a world of familiar and repetitive activity. The question of what you did, who you met, or where you went during your vacation will easily reintroduce you to friends and acquaintances and will be genuinely heard with interest and excitement. Package Design's summer travels are also over, but we explored new places, products, and people in the packaging design market.

Our lead story introduced us to the extraordinary team at Anthem Worldwide. Driven with a powerful vision, infused with talent and focused on realistic execution, this team welcomed us into their business and introduced us to exceptional people of dedication and packaging acumen. Anthem's talented team seemed to inspire the readers of Package Design Magazine as well, as Anthem received the lion's share of votes in the inaugural Package Design Makeover Challenge.

The excursion into the Chinese packaging market was fascinating. Imagine a market where the packaging field has grown year over year for the past ten years at 27% a year. Wow! The sensory highlights of summer vacation—the smell of water taffy on the boardwalk, the brilliant stars shining in the summer skies, or the sounds of amusement rides—are not over either. Turn to our special product innovation article on Rub'nSmell™ inks and have an exhilarating sensory experience that can enhance the value of your product's shelf appeal.

Each vacation has research and statistics—where to go, what to see, how many miles we drove, how many ballparks we visited, etc. Research and statistics drive the packaging market, and our two features on market research and shelf appeal will certainly provide invaluable insights into picking the best solutions for your next packaging design and development project.

Welcome back, pour the sand from your shoes, sweep the dust from your desk, and dive back into the daily routine, refreshed and hopefully inspired from your read of this issue of Package Design Magazine.

Chris Lyons
Publisher
Chris@packagedesignmag.com
ph: (610) 296-3001
fax: (610) 296-1553