Brännmärka värderar, i att paketera

Marknadsföra konkurrens i denna dag, och åldern är ganska styv, och som ett resultat, är affärer och andra organisationar frenetiskt prövas att finna ny väg att få kunder att inhandla deras produkter. Hur så är det möjligheten som ska stås ut amidst sådan styv konkurrens? Genom att använda utmärkt paketera, kan ditt företag komma med mer kunder in. Ingenting ansar för att få uppmärksamheten av en kund samma långt som den utstående paketera designen kan. På peka av att inhandla en produkt, är att paketera vad servar som en rikta anknyter mellan produkten within och kunden som ser för att göra ett köp.

Paketera ska vädjan till avkänningen av utforma, och lust av dina kunder, som ska, hjälper dem att göra ett beslut. Att marknadsföra och annonsering ska båda viktiga roller för lek i det processaa, men neither av dessa roller är nästan, som nästan din produkt som att paketera är, därför att beslutet som gör ett köp under shoppingen att erfara, göras specifikt på det jämna lagret och inte på den jämna marknadsföra eller annonseringen. Att paketera är kapabelt av att dra konsumenten in, förutom att ändra beskåda av en brännmärka för att hjälpa kunden att göra köp som de behöver.

Vad vi behöver funderare omkring därefter, är vårt paketera som är det oss använder as well as valen att vi är danande, när den kommer till att paketera och att sälja våra produkter. Om paketera inte gör något, när den kommer till att dra uppmärksamhet till produkten, då går inget till köp produkten. Stora paketera designer går att stötta brännmärka, och i många fall, är att paketera för goda också kapabelt av byggnad och att skapa och reflektera brännmärka. Huruvida ditt planläggs paketera för affär till affärsreor, eller konsumentdetaljhandelsreor som paketerar är allt, när den kommer till riktigt att reflektera brännmärka.

It is important that you really get to know your market well so that you can make sure you are having a positive level of penetration. Also, having a good packaging design will continue to work for your company and your product for many years to come, which will allow you to build a large amount of loyalty all along the way. It is important, for this reason, that you make a point to know your customers well, and that you choose your packaging options accordingly in order to be able to penetrate the market with your packaging. When you come up with a solid concept for packaging, that is when you can generate real brand power, garnering the appreciation of your customers and building business as a result.

Greener Packaging Design

Think about the traditional three R’s associated with waste hierarchy, which are reduce, reuse and then recycle. These three R’s associated with the waste hierarchy should absolutely be considered when it comes to product development and packaging development as well.

1. Prevention is step one, because waste prevention should definitely be a primary goal when it comes to product and packaging development. Packaging should only be used where it is absolutely needed. Proper packaging is also an excellent way for your company to help to prevent excess waste. Packaging can play an important role in helping to prevent loss or damage to the contents of the packaging. The energy content as well as the material usage for whatever product is being packaged is usually going to be much greater than the energy content of the package itself. One of the most vital functions of the package is to protect whatever contents are inside for their intended use. For example, if the product is either damaged or degraded, then its material content and energy content may have been entirely lost.

2. Minimization is also known as source reduction, and relates to the mass and the volume of packaging. The mass and the volume of packaging, for each individual unit of content, are capable of being measured as well as used as one of the numerous criteria for minimizing during the process of packaging and design. Reduced packaging makes it possible for costs to be significantly minimized. Packaging engineers are consistently working toward reducing their packaging.

3. Reuse is important because it is encouraged for packaging or components of packaging to be reused for other purposes. When packaging is capable of being returned, it is even more useful as well as more economically viable as well, especially when it comes to closed loop logistical systems. In some case inspection and cleaning are required, and repair and recouperage may also be required in some instances.

4. Recycling involves the reprocessing of packaging materials, including pre consumer materials and post consumer materials in order to create new products. Emphasis is placed on recycling the largest packaging components, especially when it comes to primary components such as paper, plastic, steel and aluminum for example. Smaller components can also be chosen but they are sometimes much more difficult to separate, so they are only chosen when they do not contaminate the operations of recycling.

5. Energy recovery allows for heat to be made available from packaging components through refuse derived fuel and waste to energy processes which can be conducted within approved facilities.

6. Disposal is needed for some materials used in packaging, which means incineration as well as placement within a sanitary landfill. Certain states located within the United States will regulate packages for contents that are potentially toxic, especially if these packages have the potential to contaminate the air from incineration. Packaging like this should never simply be littered.

We hope this provides you a good starting point for your greener package design.

Edible Food Packaging Trends

“Talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes.” ? Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Can you imagine going to the store, purchasing a yogurt cup, and then eating not only the contents of the cup but also the cup itself? This is a new innovation that is happening in the trend toward creating healthier and environmentally friendly alternatives. There is an organic food company operating out of California that is working hard to research this type of product.

Another example of alternative food packaging is edible films. The Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas is working on inventing and patenting several different protein-based films that are capable of serving as a carrier for organic acids capable of inhibiting the growth of three major food borne bacteria, which are E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria moncytogense. Additionally, these films can be used as a vehicle to deliver antioxidants, flavors, nutraceuticals, colors and a number other functional types of ingredients. There are a number of anticipated applications which include meats, vegetables, fruits, seafood, frozen pizza and frozen snacks, cereals, nuts and seeds and much more. This category is proving itself to be at the very cutting edge for when it comes to innovative food packaging trends in this day and age.

However, there are a number of challenges that this type of packaging is liable to face. The prices associated with organic foods are tending to be higher when it comes to the supermarket channel. The problem is going to have more to do with supply and demand in this particular instance. According to a study by Arcus, organic food has grown by 20 percent over the period of the last decade. And yet, it is still being perceived as a small business, with only 3.5 percent of the food industry in Canada, or $1.8 billion dollars per year. Small changes in the way of supply and demand are capable of rocking the entire industry. For example, if a company has a 7 percent share and wants to grow to 10 percent, they will need to grow their entire supply chain by as much as 50 percent. The supply chain just does not exist the same way today.

The one thing that dissuades customers from buying organic today in most cases is the price of the food. The explosion that private label organic food is experiencing is definitely going to be a good thing. Private labels are finally entering into this market in a truly big way, allowing large scale retail chains such as Safeway as well as Whole Foods to focus on creating organic food products as a differentiator in terms of competition, allowing this category to finally reach out to people who shop based on price. Private label organic is also making organic more acceptable on a broad scale, allowing for a deeper level of society to be penetrated. Finally, organic private label will create additional supply to fuel supply and demand as farmers and suppliers begin to realize that organic food is here to stay and is not just another fad.

Smaller Product But Same Packaging

The new trend in product packaging seems to be ?downsizing?, or reducing the amount of product in the package but charging the same amount to consumers. This increases the price of the food, but not the package. In a recent tour of supermarkets, studies found that almost 10% of products examined had gotten smaller, while the prices have stayed the same.

Some examples:

• Bags of chips were cut from 12 ounce sizes to 10 ounces, while maintaining the same price.
• Mayonnaise jars that once contained 32 ounces now hold only 30 ounces.
• Some cereal companies are cutting 1.5 ounces from some boxes. Other companies are taking as much as 2.4 ounces while charging the same as before.
• Major ice cream manufacturers are packaging ice creams in 1.5 quart boxes as opposed to previous 1.75 quart sizes.

Although some companies are receiving many letters of complaint, they are standing by their choice to reduce product amounts, saying it is better than ?to take the price of the package up? and make products unaffordable to consumers.

What Makes Packaging, Green?

One of our readers asked us to explain green packaging.

Q: What is the criterion for good sustainable packaging?

According to one leader in the packaging and environmental arenas, sustainable packaging materials can be designed in America and procured from worldwide locations (though common sense would indicate that shipping packaging supplies from Asia would offset any green benefit) as long as the packaging can meet these basic definitions?

• Is the packaging beneficial, safe, and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle?
• Does the packaging meet market criteria for performance and cost?
• Is the packaging sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy?
• Does the packaging maximize the use of renewable or recycled source materials?
• Is the packaging manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices?
• Is the packaging made from materials healthy in all probable end-of-life scenarios?
• Is the packaging physically designed to optimize materials and energy?
• Is the packaging effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle-to-cradle cycles?

So if you are sourcing greener packaging materials, ask yourself those questions and you will be a giant step ahead of your competition when it comes to things like Wal-Mart?s scorecard and other business and governmental entities that keep track of your company?s green initiatives.

Packaging Inside The Box

Many companies look to contract packagers and packaging supply companies for interesting and unique packaging designs. Everyone wants their packages to look exciting and unique but this could come at a steep price in the marketplace.

Many years ago retailers were open to different colored items in different sizes. Back then they welcomed multi-packs and bonus packs. But with the advent of planograms which make planning product positioning ridged, controlled and consistent, creative and oddball sized packages are a thing of the past.

Package sizes are controlled at the corporate buying level now. Ever notice how every box of laundry detergent is the same size even if they are manufactured by different companies?

This packaging standardization occurs because the buyers have set sizes and locations for products and shelving and expect square pegs to fit into square holes. You may have a package and want to add a premium to it or make it into a bonus pack in order to attract more sales (?Get an extra 20% free!?)? but if that makes your package too tall or too wide then you will not have shelf space for your product.

Also, if you go with a container that looks great but can?t be stacked, then you may run into problems as well. Buyers and stockers appreciate carefully designed packages tha make their lives easier.

So, as you can see, while the marketers in your company are always looking for something unique to attract the eye of the customer, the reality of the situation is that they are forced to think inside the box and conform to industry standard sizes and shapes of packaging.

Packaging Is Our Friend

With all the flurry of activity around the plastic bag and water bottle bans at airports, I thought it was time to reiterate the positive role packaging plays in modern society. The role of the package has changed over the years from functioning as a simple container to becoming an integral part of our society. Yet most people aren’t aware of the package?s important aspects or don’t understand how it works. They just know that it exists especially when they perceive it as a problem.

I just participated in a discussion thread that came about from an article entitled “Common Ways to Waste Your Money.” Surprise, surprise. Packaging was on the list (bottled water too) of wasted money ventures. I’m not sure who came up with the list but it contained 19 different items ranked in no particular order. I couldn’t resist reading what people were saying about the “lowly” package.

The vast majority of the discussion thread on packaging revolved around all the bad things that packaging supposedly adds to the waste stream, over packaged and excess packaging materials, difficulty in opening and so on. One thing was clear; these people haven’t a clue about what packaging really does for us. The responses were almost comical as if the very products we use appeared magically at the store ready to be purchased, free of all encumbrances (the packaging) and pristine and pure in every regard.

These people need to get real! One person was ranting and raving about bacon and why it is packaged the way it is. I’m not sure how she expects to have bacon available for purchase without the packaging. Perhaps she lives on a farm where they butcher hogs and she can line up at the slaughter house each morning. But what about the other 95% of us that don?t? We shop at the market and expect it to supply what we want, when we need it.

I’m not going to expound in depth on all the “real” things packaging does, but think of the primary responsibilities of the package. On the “short” list: It protects, conveys or transports the product so that it arrives undamaged or unbroken. It educates or tells us what is inside and what to do with it. It sells or persuades us to buy it. It makes it easy for us to use or consume it. Remember, that’s just the short list.

Now let?s look at the issues that arise without the role the package has to play:

• Broken or damaged contents (smashed potato chips and broken crockery).
• How many servings are there?
• What temperature do I cook it?
• Where and how do I plug it in?
• How do I put it together?
• Will it color my gray, help me lose weight quickly, or attract the opposite sex?
• Can it be cooked in the microwave?
• What’s for dinner?
• iPod anyone?

Now who’s real? Sorry to say but there are some real idiots out there. Sure packaging contributes to the waste stream, and yes some things are over-packaged or hard to open but think through your day from the time you get up to your last bedtime snack. How many of those things could you use, do or accomplish without packaging?

So think before you rant. Understand before you condemn product packaging as the bane of your existence. You can’t have a product without a package. Most importantly, packaging is our friend.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Packaging That Works

What products have you purchased lately that you really loved the packaging?

One that you have not complained that it’s over packaged but felt like the package really worked in conjunction with the product inside.

There have been lots of great new packaging innovations that have made our lives easier. There are also so many packaged products that we simply take for granted never understanding that the packaging make it possible. These are everyday items that we never consider how they got to us.

Would we have potato chips without a package? No way.

What about eggs? Did you know that every year there are dozens of egg drop competitions around the country creating new and unique product packaging for eggs? Have you popped any popcorn in the microwave lately? It?s the packaging that makes microwave popcorn possible. How about toothpaste? Are you making your own or are you like the majority of people that buy it prepackaged?

The list of packaging innovations that influence our daily lives is astounding.

I worked on a project a couple of years ago to list the most important packaging innovations in the last 50 years. There were so many choices that it was hard to select the top ten. Terms like microwaveable, juice box, shelf stable, home meal replacement are direct results of product packaging innovation.

Now we can?t all come up with packaging innovations that revolutionize a product category. But how can you integrate innovation concepts into YOUR product packaging?

Let me give you a few examples to start you thinking:

• Domino Foods took sugar out of a paper bag and put it into a resalable plastic canister.
• Sargento Cheese put a reclosable zipper on its shredded cheese packaging.
• Heinz Catsup not only created an upside down dispenser but shaped the bottle to fit inside the refrigerator door.
• Wishbone Salad Dressing developed a spritzable salad dressing instead of pourable.
• Clorox bleach pen that allows a bleaching application to be applied directly to the stain.

All of these packaging concepts had the consumer in mind when they developed alternative packaging methods. In some cases, they fulfilled an unmet consumer need, in other cases they made our lives easier.

So what can your product packaging do? How will it answer a consumer desire, want or need? If the package is integral to your product then you better start thinking of how you will answer that question. Here is a start to get those creative juices flowing.

• What can your package do that isn?t being done currently?
• Can you make it easier to use?
• Can you dispense the product in a different manner?
• Can you extend the life expectancy of a particular product?
• Can you offer it in different sizes or shapes than the current market?
• Can you use less packaging materials or environmentally responsible ones?
• Can you make it easier to store or handle?
• Can you make it easier to read or understand what is inside?

Even more revolutionary, can your product tell the consumer when the product is spoiled, bad or has been tampered with? Yes, that technology is out there. Look for it to be the coming wave of new package innovation.

Any package innovation that provides product security, integrity and ensures the product is uncontaminated is a winner. It is imperative that it fulfill a consumer need for product trust.

All of these above are consumer wants, desires, issues or needs. How can you provide them the product packaging that works in satisfying these (in many cases) unmet needs?

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Packaging

Last week, I got a call from Japan News reporting here in the US. They wanted to know what was happening regarding the use of the words “China Free” on product packaging and labeling. The plans were for a big expose of “contaminated” products coming out of China. I’m sure you have seen the news and are concerned about possible contaminates. But what about the consumers’ perspective? A negative ground swell of public opinion could dramatically influence your product sales if it’s coming out of China.

That’s a bad thing and it could happen to your product.

Consumers are taking an interest in product packaging, how much, how to dispose of it where it’s coming from and how much strain is it putting on the environment. It’s hard to anticipate the voice and power of the consumers. Once an issue becomes mainstream in the media it could be detrimental to your sales. The fact is that most consumers haven’t a clue as to the role packaging has to play in getting a product to the stores. All they know is the negative implications of “bad, bad” packaging.

Think about the holidays and all the spin over “wrap rage.” Reporters are still writing about it on a weekly basis. What if they pick your packaged product to rage about? Will you be prepared to face the onslaught?

Many times these packaging issues come out of the blue. Remember the aseptic ban on juice box packaging in Maine? It has since been repealed, but it came out of nowhere and was the result of consumer misinformation. Or what about the aerosol can ban in Chicago? I remember that one well as I had a client that manufactured spray paint at the time.

Bans can happen overnight taking the product manufacturers unaware with a serious impact on their business. Look at what is happening to plastic bags and the bans in various communities and the replacement of the t-shirt bag with reusable alternatives. I remember when the t-shirt bag was invented and the latest rage in the supermarkets, now its well on its way to becoming obsolete. Pity the plastic bag manufacturer.

Similar circumstances could happen to your product and its packaging. Another hotly contested issue is the use of plastic water bottles (by the way bottle water sales has outstripped that of soda). This battle is far from over. In fact, I will be addressing some of the packaging alternatives in my upcoming presentation Sustainable Packaging “From Green to Great” before the Wal-Mart crowd in two weeks.

The point is that sometimes you can’t ascertain what issue will stir the consumer into a frenzy about your packaging. You can, however, understand the issues that consumers are concerned about. In recent cases, it is mainly the environment. It’s hot and getting hotter. So, it’s imperative that you give some thought to your product and how it’s currently packaged. Is it likely to be an issue of contention? For example, if you are providing a natural or organic product is your packaging “natural” too? Sometimes there are no alternatives.

“Green” product packaging is in its infancy and there are some examples that aren’t really “green.” The bottom line is that it’s going to be all about the consumer perception and how well your “green” product packaging integrates with your brand. I have already learned of some examples where CPG companies thought they were solving the environmental issue only to be perceived by consumers as spouting “packaging greenwash.” You may think your packaging is “good” only to have it bashed by the consumer. It’s all in the eyes of the beholder. So in reality, bad things can happen to good packaging despite your best efforts.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

How to Tell If Your Packaging Will Sell Your Product

Just because you have a great product doesn’t mean its going to sell. Or even if you have it in the right retail environment that it’s going to fly off the shelf. Your consumer is a moving target.

Packaging a product the right way entails much more than just creating a box to put your product in. Sure, you are going to get it there in one piece, we hope but gone are the days of the box acting as only a protective shipping container. Today, the packaging is the retail salesperson.

The box or package is expected to provide the necessary information to make an informed shoppers’ decision. You have to get your customer to pick up your product first before they will buy it.

Here are 5 questions you must answer that will help you determine whether your product packaging will sell.

1. Who is your core consumer?

You have market trends, demographics and market niches that are continually evolving at any point in time. If you are not staying on top of these trends, then your product isn’t “connecting” to them with the right message. That core “message” or the mechanism to speak human is one of the most important attributes of your product packaging.

Your product packaging must connect with your core consumer on multiple levels. Before you can sell anything you need to understand who they are.

2. What is the competitive environment for your product packaging?

So start your analysis by viewing your package from the eyes of the consumer. If you are buying it, what’s going to compel you to pick it up off the shelf? Or is it just sitting there lost amongst rows of competitive products? Think in terms your package calling out to you I’m here “buy me, buy me.” Does your product do this? If not, your package isn’t doing its job by persuading a consumer to purchase your product.

3. How does your consumer shop?

Do you know your customers current buying trends? Several years ago, we went through the super-sized phase. There are still a lot of super-sized packages; however, buying trends are changing to smaller sizes in general. To package smaller does not mean less profit, in many cases it means more. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for convenience, ease of use and a smaller quantity. Remember the three premium baking potatoes in a package cost almost the price of a 5 lb. bag. If you live with just one other person, do you really need 5 lbs. of potatoes?

Your package has to marry with your consumers lifestyles. If you don’t know what that is then you can never develop the right product packaging that will appeal to them.

4. What is your packaging’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?

70% of purchasing decisions are made in the store. And the decision whether to pick up your package or not is made in 2.6 seconds. That’s a few seconds of retail sensory overload that is going to determine whether or not your product will sell. So, your package better have the RIGHT message geared towards the RIGHT audience.

Convey the information about what is inside and how it’s going to help the consumer solve a problem. That’s an important factor to remember. When someone looks at your product they are thinking, “What is this product going to do for me?” You know, WIIFM. That is the What’s in it for Me consumer?

If you don’t know the answer then your product will never connect with your core consumer.

5. What are the consumer hot buttons that your packaging must reflect?

In addition to environmental concerns consumers are concerned about labeling and product security. People are reading labels and scrutinizing them.

What it says on that label will influence whether they buy your product or not. The point being is that any high profile package or product will be looked at thoroughly by consumers. What you tell them better be the right message and true.

What about product security and integrity? Given the rash of recent product recalls (for a variety of reasons) product security has become paramount. Could a product recall put your business in jeopardy?

All these questions need to be answered and not just with the initial package design, its an ongoing process. As I mentioned at the beginning the consumer is a moving target and your package has to move along with them in the right direction. Be sure the consumer you are trying to capture continually receives the right message.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

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