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Designer's Corner

by Russ Napolitano

Seasonal packaging can mean more than mere holiday editions of familiar packaging. When done right, holiday packaging elevates a brand to a new realm. Designers should not overlook opportunities to design packages for even single day holidays, or opportunities to roll out periodic variations on a familiar line. [more]

Global Trendsetters: Israel

by Leslie Gurland

Israel has been a trade hub for millenia while having few natural resources to draw on. It's not surprising then that Israeli packaging turns to plastic technologies to keep pace with the rest of the packaging world. In-mold labels provide an array of advantages that connect with consumers and appeal to package designers. [more]

Market Review: Flexible Closures

by Noel Jeffrey

Innovations in resealable flexible packaging closure technology keep reducing cost, cutting production time, and increasing quality. Consumers respond to well-designed zippers that increase confidence when resealing a package for reuse, but non-zipper approaches may be just as appealing in some applications. [more]

Profile: Berlin Packaging

by Deborah Toth

Berlin Packaging has deep resources when it comes to delivering the right bottle for any product. Aside from their vast inventory of stock options, Berlin has the capability to take a bottle concept from a seed of a idea to line production reality in break-neck speed, thanks in good part to their Studio One Eleven division. [more]

Retail Focus: Club Stores

by Simon Gainey

As club stores have tightened up their "minimum standards" for packages in their stores, it's amazing how many manufacturers don't get the bigger picture. With a complete understanding what club stores want packaging to accomplish in this environment, package designers can exploit this market opportunity. [more]

Retail Focus: Vodkas

by Ron Romanik

Designers of premium vodkas look for height to differentiate their brands in this competitive category; bottle shapes and features try to symbolize ice, drops, or bubbles; reliable shades of blue communicate the crisp and pure quality of the distillate inside; and clear cosmetic-grade glass promotes the modern luxury experience. [more]

The Front Panel

by JoAnn Hines

When putting yourself in the position of the over-wrought, time-crunched consumer, remember to ask: "What's in it for me?" Though bright colors and flashy graphics may attract attention, true consumer engagement and repeat sales may be better achieved through clear communication of the product's benefits. [more]

Research: Element Analysis

by Ron Romanik

Internet-based market research tools like ClickSpex™ by HotSpex™ can quickly assess the impact of package designs from several angles. Consumer goods companies sometimes use this data for an elemental approach, taking the best elements identified by ClickSpex quantitative data and combining them for the best overall design. [more]

Pack Expo Countdown

Pack Expo Las Vegas is creeping closer every day, this year September 26th to 28th. The Containers & Materials Pavilion returns after a very successful debut two years ago. Package designers attending the show may be the first to see launches of product materials they can turn into proprietary brand assets. [more]

Wow! What a Package

by David Luttenberger

A trip to Interpack in Düsseldorf turned into a trip down memory lane and Cairo's back streets. The aroma of warm olive oil often found down those alleyways turned up in Düsseldorf in bottles from the New Salheya Olive Oil Mill. The company spared no expense in the details of its premium packaging for its premium olive oil. [more]

Package Design Makeover Challenge

Five SKUs of Golightly sugar-free candies will undergo a complete makeover courtesy of the design teams as part of Package Design's Second Annual Makeover Challenge. Brand Engine, Goodwin, Gravity, Tin Horse, and a team of students from Michigan State University's School of Packaging compete. [more]

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