| It was Peter Drucker, the leading business thinker | | | | the candle industry with over 160 years of |
| of the 20th century, who said that business has | | | | continuous candle making operations. Their |
| two functions - marketing and innovation. This | | | | packaging is nothing fancy, just a candle in a clear |
| article is going to merge both these ideas. | | | | jar, but the colors they choose are striking. They |
| Packaging is ultimately a marketing function, it is | | | | use bright colors, often with multi-layered candles |
| the final marketing message your customers will | | | | and they let these colors shine through with |
| see before purchasing your product. If you are | | | | simple clear jars. And a simple label on a white |
| selling at a retail store your packaging can be a | | | | background accentuates the colors in the jar. On |
| major factor in determining the success of your | | | | my local supermarket shelf their candles really |
| product.Today, to break through the clutter of | | | | stood out from the dozens of other brands.6. |
| the hundreds of other competing products out | | | | Extend Your Labels with Sandwich PrintingIf you |
| there it pays to be different. Look at what your | | | | are selling a clear liquid in a clear bottle then you |
| competition is doing, and make sure you have an | | | | have an option available to you that can give you |
| innovative and unique look. Innovation in packaging | | | | more packaging space for very little extra cost. I |
| will get your product noticed, it will help build your | | | | am talking about printing on the back of your |
| brand, and it will give your product some | | | | labels. You can't put regulatory information on the |
| personality. Whether you like it or not your | | | | back of your labels, but you can run contests, tell |
| product is initially going to be judged by your | | | | a story about your company, or give ideas about |
| packaging.So, how do you create innovative | | | | how best to use your product. It is a simple way |
| packaging? You can pay a packaging design firm | | | | to give your customers more information and not |
| thousands of dollars to come up with some ideas | | | | detract from the presentation of your package.7. |
| or you can create the ideas yourself. Here are | | | | Try the Metallic LookMost labels are printed on |
| ten ideas that will hopefully stimulate some | | | | white or clear material, but there are many other |
| packaging innovations for your own products.1. | | | | options available to you. One look you can |
| Create a Reusable PackageThe boutique | | | | consider is using a metallic foil for your labels or |
| beverage market is mature and extremely | | | | packaging. With a good design the metallic look |
| competitive, so you might think there are few | | | | can be very striking when compared to the same |
| really new ideas when it comes to packaging. You | | | | design on white, and really isn't that much more |
| would be wrong. POM Tea has created something | | | | expensive.8. Focus Your Packaging on a Specific |
| truly different. For a start the product itself is | | | | TargetThe Axe line of products from Unilever has |
| different - it is tea infused with pomegranate | | | | a very specific target audience - young men aged |
| juice. But it is the packaging that is remarkable; | | | | between 18 and 35. So they built their packaging |
| the drink is packaged in a regular tall drinking glass | | | | to appeal to that target. The package for the |
| with a lid and a clear shrink wrap label. It says on | | | | Axe Shower Gel looks like it could just as easily |
| the label: Remove the label, keep the glass. In our | | | | contain motor oil as shower gel. It is a thick |
| local Wild Oats it retails for $2.79, not that | | | | molded black plastic container that has a rugged |
| expensive for a bottled tea, and you get a free | | | | appearance that appeals directly to this |
| glass. No need to worry about recycling here - | | | | demographic. Here is a product that has tailored |
| you get to reuse the packaging.2. Add a Little | | | | not just the contents but also the packaging to |
| Extra to Your PackagingSometimes you can have | | | | their specific target market.9. Merge Two |
| very standard packaging, but stand out from the | | | | Packaging ConceptsAnother very competitive |
| crowd by just adding a little twist to it. Amy's | | | | industry is the beer business, with the big players |
| Kitchen has done just that with their line of pasta | | | | there always looking for an edge on their |
| sauces. It is a standard size jar with a standard | | | | competitors. Last year Anheuser Busch came out |
| color label that really blends in with all the other | | | | with a completely new concept in packaging that |
| pasta sauce offerings. What sets them apart is | | | | ended up winning several packaging awards. The |
| the paper and gold bow over the lid of the jar. It | | | | concept was so simple it is amazing no one had |
| looks like the way your grandmother would | | | | done it before. We all know beer comes in glass |
| package it, and you can't go down the aisle of | | | | bottles and aluminum cans. What Anheuser Busch |
| pasta sauces without noticing it.3. Make Design the | | | | decided to do was just combine these two |
| Focus of Your PackagingMost people think about | | | | concepts and they came up with the aluminum |
| the product first and the packaging second, but | | | | bottle. It was different, it looked classy and |
| Method Products turned that equation around. | | | | eye-catching, and it was 100% recyclable.10. Look |
| They focused on packaging from the very | | | | to Nature for InspirationNature has some amazing |
| beginning - they wanted to create packaging that | | | | examples of "innovative packaging." Consider the |
| was beautiful, that you didn't have to hide in the | | | | banana, the pea-pod, the kangaroo pouch, the |
| cupboard. They created a premium line of cleaning | | | | pine cone - these are all examples of nature |
| products with packaging that you could display in | | | | creating efficient packaging. Nature's packaging is |
| the kitchen or bathroom like a home accessory. | | | | usually elegant and beautiful as well as efficient. |
| Just stroll down the aisles of any Costco or | | | | There are shapes, colors and even packaging |
| Target and you will see this focus on design really | | | | concepts that you can borrow from nature's |
| makes Method Products stand out.4. Create Fun | | | | example. So next time you go for a walk in the |
| PackagingFun packaging doesn't just have to be | | | | woods, take a look around you and marvel at the |
| for kids, after all adults like to have fun, too. The | | | | innovative packaging created by nature.The idea |
| bright colors and unusual shapes that dominate | | | | for this article is really to get you to think more |
| kids' products can work in adult products, but | | | | about your packaging. Take one or two of these |
| usually a more subtle approach is better. One | | | | ideas and think about how they can be adapted |
| industry that has started to embrace a little more | | | | to your product. If you focus on your packaging |
| fun in their packaging is the wine industry. Just | | | | and create something that is unique to your |
| take a trip to the local liquor store and look at all | | | | company you will be more successful. Remember, |
| the fun animals on wine labels these days. We | | | | your packaging not only has to contain your |
| have penguins, kangaroos, frogs, horses, swans | | | | product, it is your final marketing message to |
| and many more critters appearing on wine labels. | | | | your customers. Look at what your competition is |
| We may not be ready for a penguin shaped wine | | | | doing and make sure you deliver a strong |
| bottle, but a colorful penguin label can add an | | | | message with your packaging.Copyright 2006 |
| element of fun and really stand out from the | | | | Peter RentonPeter Renton is the founder of |
| more conservative wine labels.5. Let Your True | | | | Lightning Labels, Inc. ( ) the leaders in digital label |
| Colors Shine ThroughCandle-Lite is the goliath of | | | | printing. |