Be Heroes

Most consumers have no concept of what goes on when designing a package. A consumer products company (CPC) has a tremendous amount invested into presenting just the right image with just the right amount of splash to draw a consumer in to have them to buy an item. What some printers do not realize is how much of an impact they can have on this process and how their roles are not only to print the finished products.

From start to finish

When a packaging provider or designer begins to craft a new package or enhancement to a current package, the first step is research. "We typically do a thorough visual audit and analysis of the category and segment in which the product or brand competes," says Martha Seidner, vice president, Smith Design (Glen Ridge, N.J.). "We look for strengths and weaknesses in the current packaging versus competitive sets. Whether it is a redesign or a totally new product, we look for opportunities for our client's package to differentiate and stand out on shelf. Additionally, if we are handling structural packaging and graphic imagery, we will look at ways to improve the functionality and usefulness of the package. Repurposing and sustainability are key areas that we've been asked to address when working on package design."

The potential for repurposing falls into the "life cycle" category, and that is one area Unilever spends a good deal of time studying, according to Matthew McCarthy, a director of brand development at the company. "What is the consumer doing with that product? What do they want to do with it to recycle it or reuse it? With some of the products we make, the packages are actually reused for other things," he says. He cites one example of parents taking spent margarine containers, cleaning them out, and using them for crayons for their children. "So, understanding the full life cycle of the packages is central to a consumer packaged goods company," he relates.

For Unilever, the life cycle begins at the point of manufacture (getting the package from a printer or converter), and then to Unilver's facility. Then there is the distribution process to retailers, and to the stores, and then onto the shelves. "At the end of the day we're designing a product that has to fulfill a wide range of needs," he says.

At Fisher Design, a design firm located in Cincinnati, Ohio, step one is determining the brand's objectives. "Typically, when our clients come to us, they have a challenge or a problem if it's an existing product line out on the market," says Bryan LiBrandi, CEO. "Or, if it's a new product, they don't have a problem, but they are basically seeking how to optimize the design." He continues that Fisher Design will work with the customer to identify the target, understand if it's an existing brand, what the key positioning elements of the brand are, and ensure that all this information is in its design brief.

Interacting with the product is also critical. "We buy the competition," says LiBrandi. "We basically analyze the purchase, trying to understand what the consumer is going through, what they have to do to get in front of our package, and learn what the drivers are behind them making the purchase decision. Once we have all that together, we place it into a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis that ends up defining what we believe the opportunities are for design and what recommendations we would make going forward. That turns into our design brief."

McCarthy asserts, "We do a lot of work in the area of understanding how consumers interact with our products and what we can do to make them more delightful, more exciting, more desirable, and more advantageous versus the competition for our consumer and customers. Researching and studying trends is a big part of that."

When to come to the table

Basically, as the printer responsible for converting film into packaging, or paperboard into cartons, the earlier you come to the table the better. That includes being proactive and not waiting to be called in. "Innovation is key," says Seidner. "Sustainability, increased quality, cost reduction—we believe that many CPCs view their packaging, design, and print suppliers as partners in all the above."

McCarthy concurs. "Printers can add a tremendous value by finding ways to bring the latest thinking, the latest technologies, and the latest possibilities to the brand people," he says. Sort of like being a conduit? LiBrandi thinks so. "The biggest thing is always having a conduit of information for how their technology is advancing," he adds. "And it's not just the newest thing that comes out on the market they can suddenly do on a press or on a folding machine. Sometimes it's just making us aware that all the tricks in the past that used to be expensive or cost-prohibitive, and only used for high-end products are now more economical so we can use them on an array of products."

McCarthy adds, "I've learned the hard way that if you don't integrate thinking about how the package is going to be printed, you really set yourself up for challenges," he states. "There's nothing worse than designing a great package that you later find cannot be executed or you have to distill it to the point that you miss meeting the insight that you learned from the consumer. So printing is something that, when done right, is part of the thinking early on in the process in terms of what you are printing and how you are printing it."

To these ends, Unilever, Fisher Design, and Smith Design all make sure they bring printers in as early as possible.

"Once the client has approved the concept, we like to take it to the printer and have a prepress meeting where we set the print method, color count, and any radical die changes from things we've done in the past. We basically go through all of it and discover if there are any problems I need to solve and, more or less, set the standard," says LiBrandi.

Seidner adds, "This is of primary importance. In fact, today two of our design teams had pre-design conference calls with our client's printers before we even started the design process to discuss the qualities and limitations of a new flexible pouch for which we are designing the brand's graphics."

She continues. "Pre-design steps ensure that we are designing to print. If we have any concerns, keeping the printer in the loop means no surprises, delays, or added costs. Keeping the print suppliers as part of the overall design production team ensures a better outcome every time."

What about if the designer or brand owner doesn't come to the printer? McCarthy says to find out who the brand leaders are and contact them. "Find out who the people are who are the partners to the brand leaders in exploring, developing, and executing a major package design, and how printers can engage them. I find that, depending on the project, printers may be more or less involved and I think there's an opportunity to go further up the food chain to be more involved earlier in the project."

Push the envelope

No one wants to hear, "No, that can't be done." Printers are solutions providers—the heroes of the job. They take a concept and make it work. "We really value printers that give us the time to sit down and go over our art, to actually rise to the challenge. There are times when we are challenged with the press capabilities and creative solutions to push the envelope and help us get there. That's a big win for us when we can work with a printer and actually achieve that," says LiBrandi.

"Innovation is something that can come from anywhere in the value chain," adds McCarthy. "And printers, in particular, are where the rubber hits the road. They are creating, to a large degree, what consumers experience and they have a tremendous opportunity to do their own innovation about where else they can take those great ideas and then be proactive about going after companies like Unilever or specific brands." Cross pollination is also key, according to McCarthy. He says when printers are doing something ground breaking in one category, they should take a step back and figure out what other category might also benefit.

Ultimately, remember to provide solutions. "It's great to push the envelope when you can, and it's always best to know what you are dealing with from the start," says Seidner. "Do your homework. The only surprise at the end of a project should be the innovative solution and great result." pP