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The Future of Packaging is here and it is BRILLIANT! On Thursday, April 7 attendees of The Future of Packaging Design event got a look at what is new in packaging, and what the future holds for packaging designers. Innovation, technology, and color were the themes among presenters. A whole new realm of possibilities for packaging design has opened up thanks to the technology advancements presented. Fittingly, the event was held at the Eureka Building, a 3-acre technology campus in Irvine, California designed to help accelerate innovation.
Keynote speaker Mike Ferrari took us on a journey through of the history of packaging. Next he showed real examples of where packaging is now, and then looked into the trends of the future. Mike brought great insights from the consumer product industry, from his successful 32-year career at The Procter & Gamble Company. He is currently coaching CPG’s to delight consumers and grow their brands, with a focus on innovation in packaging and printing. A key point Mike drove home was why packaging is even more important now than it was in the past, especially in this era of omni-channel shopping. One attendee noted, “Mike’s explanation of the importance of packaging in the digital marketplace and how the packaging experience is still very important was interesting and insightful.”
Ryan Casey, of Esko, added a unique outlook on the packaging industry. He combined an immense knowledge of the value chain with a cutting edge outlook on the technology used to get high impact packaging on to the shelf as quickly as possible. Ryan presented essential tools to aid brands in their packaging design process. “So informative! So many helpful tools I didn’t know about,” stated one event attendee. Ryan demonstrated Esko software tools including Studio, a 3D design suite, with the capability for brands to see their packaging designs in an interactive, virtual retail store.
Thoro’s Packaging Innovation Team delivered one of the most interactive presentations of the day. Macy Steiner, COO of Thoro Packaging, shared insightful statistics regarding shopper behavior and the role color plays in buying decisions. Color is one of the most identifiable and valuable of all assets associated with a brand, so it is no wonder Thoro has spent the last several years developing new printing technology to manage and enhance color for shelf presence. Brandon Roberts, Operations Manager, explained Expanded Color Gamut and how its application opens up new design possibilities for packaging. Two innovations developed by Thoro, ThoroColor™ and ThoroBrilliance™, enable brands to use an unlimited number of colors on their packaging, and to achieve more vibrant color closer to what you see on screen. In the words of one attendee, “ This could be a game-changer for my company.”
When asked about what the best part of the event was, one attendee stated “My favorite part was learning about the new technologies and possibilities in printing and packaging.”
As a gift for attending, everyone received the New Expanded Spot Color Guide, and the opportunity to see their packaging graphics in ThoroBrilliance™. Attendees are invited to submit their graphics to receive complimentary proofs in both traditional 4-color process and ThoroBrilliance™, to see how their color enhanced packaging can brilliantly stand out on a crowded shelf.
You too are invited to see how your packaging can be enhanced with ThoroBrilliance. Call Thoro Packaging today at 951-278-2100 to find out how you can submit artwork for the free proof comparison. If you wish to be added to the invite list for the next Future of Packaging event, please email [email protected]. May your packaging be BRILLIANT!
Be Our Guest at the MD&M and WestPack Shows – February 9-11, 2016
For over 30 years, MD&M and WestPack have been a trusted resource for every aspect of medical device, pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and cosmetic development. No matter where you are in the product development life cycle, it’s not too early to begin your folding carton packaging design.
Visit us at MD&M in booth 1955 or WestPack in booth 5282. Tons of advice and inspiration on the subject of packaging design will be available to you from our creative resource team. Admission is free.
You will have the chance to meet with our dedicated, knowledgeable staff, see product samples with our diverse capabilities, and learn about new folding carton technologies and trends. Including ThoroColor™, it provides a budget friendly solution for short-runs (50-100,000 pieces) including unlimited colors and UV coating. Color sells, so make your packaging graphics more brilliant. ThoroBrilliance™ enhances your packaging with color range and intensity that cannot be achieved with traditional printing.
Folding carton packaging is one of the key components in your product’s branding. Make sure you are using it to its full potential by making it work harder for you. Your folding carton packaging offers you prime billboard space to send a strong message to your customers, including brand benefits, values and the promise of your product.
Folding carton packaging is an advertisement for your product. It is your in-store sales person. Just like any advertising medium, your folding cartons must capture the consumer’s attention, draw them in and most importantly, sell your product.
It doesn’t sound like an easy task, but with the right mix of a great structure, copy, graphics and finishing techniques, you can accomplish the perfect way to tell your brand story and connect with consumers. But what is the best way to create folding carton packaging that incorporates all of these attributes?
Here are five factors that can help you create packaging that works as an advertisement for your brand and product.
Texture & Dimension – Brands can benefit from special effects to help a product get noticed. Techniques to achieve a tactile experience include embossing, debossing, reticulation and creating patterns through these effects, or adding depth with combinations of different substrates and coatings. The usage of combinations of effects on your packaging will give your consumer the chance to experience your brand on a different sensory level and physically connect with your product.
Photography – Utilizing high-quality photography for food and beverage items invites and entices the customer to try your products. New color enhancement technologies like ThoroBrilliance, help make these images and your packaging pop off the shelf.
Subtle Effects – Solid visual prompts are important. It’s essential that you focus on only those elements that truly make your brand or product. Choose a hero image and let the rest of the graphics support that message. This narrow focus will allow you to add subtle visual effects where it matters most.
Strong Visual Effects – While strong visual signals are necessary to getting noticed, the retail setting, and shopping experience goes past just seeing product on the shelf. If a consumer picks up a product, they are 66% more likely to purchase it. Use strong graphics to get attention, draw the consumer in and engage them.
Structure – A simple folding carton is a square or rectangle shaped box. But you can transform the basic carton by updating the structure. Adding a book style opening, a window, or choosing a telescoping design can suddenly transform the conventional folding carton into something unique and spectacular.
There are endless combinations of design and effects for your folding carton packaging. Thoro Packaging knows just how important it is to create packaging that illustrates and accentuates your brand’s values and messaging. We offer innovation consultations with our team of packaging experts, to help you develop the right look and feel for your brand.
How does your packaging communicate your brand? Does it tell your story?
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