Think of Apple as opposed to other smartphone producers, or food brands like Oreo against the store's generic brand. It's all about filling a role for consumers. If companies can show they understand their ideal customers better than any of their competitors, they will have an easier time capturing sales.

"If your company doesn't connect with your target audience then you've got to fix those issues and fill those gaps. Branding reflects a company's true identity and is the essence of your business," American Express' OPEN Forum explains.

The product label is the best place to begin conveying brand personality. Companies can use different fonts, colors and images to convey different ideas about their products and services. For example, minimalist designs and cursive fonts suggest elegance.

If product manufacturers are looking to develop a stronger brand, the label is the best place to start. Professional printers such as Lightning Labels can help you manufacture labels that convey your brand to customers.

Lightning Labels offers several sustainable label materials, including BioStone. It is a stone paper that is fully compostable.

Celebrating Earth Day this Sunday? Great! We are, too — and every day — here at Lightning Labels. Just a few years ago, we unfortunately could not say this. There were very limited "eco-friendly" label material options available at that time, and those that existed did not meet our stringent guidelines for quality.

Today, though, we are proud to offer a full lineup of sustainable label materials. Check them out:

BioStone
Made from stone, not trees
Fully biodegradable and compostable
Strong and durable
Water resistant
Excellent ink adhesion properties

Recycled Kraft
Recycled from 100% post-consumer waste
Earthy, organic look and feel
Strong liner suitable for machine application

Recycled Vellum
Recycled from 100% post-consumer waste
Elegant, white vellum material
Strong liner suitable for machine application

EarthFirst PLA
Eco friendly alternative to White BOPP, our most popular label material
Made from Polylactic Acid (PLA), not petrochemicals
Water and oil resistant
Versatile and suitable for most applications, from bath and body products to food containers

TonyMoly Petite Bunny: Known for unique packaging, TonyMoly recently released six scents in these adorable bunny-shaped applicators. The bunnies' unique facial expressions based on anime characters, are geared toward the hotly-targeted Japanese audience. Even American buyers are drawn to the edgy styles coming out of Japan, proven by successful lines such as Harajuku by Gwen Stefani.

Tokyo Milk: This company is known for its charming packaging featuring Victorian-style drawings, making it ideal for almost any shop. Retro artwork has gained popularity over the past few years and is now featured on a variety of popular cosmetic brands, like Benefit.

Evolution of Smooth (EOS): Newest to the market is EOS, who took the beauty counter by storm last year with its ball-shaped lip balm packaging. EOS combined the design of the traditional lip balm pot with a twist-off lid with the convenience associated with a tube-based balm. Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn, would be proud to share her name with a cosmetics company who woke up consumers with its unique packaging.

Skinfood Honey Pot Lip Balm: Grown women squeal with delight when they spot this all-natural lip balm in a cute little honeypot. This Korean-based company uses only food-based ingredients to make a full line of hair and skin products. Priced at almost $20, it is geared at the discriminating beauty buyer rather than the little girl down the lane.

Ballmania: Similar to EOS' ball-shaped containers, Ballmania uses eye-catching patterns to reel its customers in, but it's the Serenlipity Twist and Pout line that catches the eyes of mature beauty buyers. The gorgeously-decorated balm comes in a beautiful box with a full-size lip applicator, making it splurge-worthy next time you're at the beauty counter.

Chicken Poop: Turning the most heads in lip balm packaging would be Chicken Poop, which the company is quick to state "contains no chicken poop." The company definitely understands the importance of being unique. While the balm comes in a rather plain-looking tube, the product display cannot be missed. The box is shaped like a full-size chicken, and you can surely guess from where the lip balm tubes are dispensed.

Piudali: What is unique about Piudali's latest cosmetic line is not that it's made from all-natural ingredients, but that all of the ingredients and the packaging come from the Amazon. This lip balm comes in an actual Andean nogal nut and contains fruit butters found only in the rain forest. Due to the strict rules of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, the makers of this product can produce only a limited supply each year, so you'd better hurry.

Creating an eye-catching label is important for many reasons, but one may be often overlooked. Have you thought of creating visually exciting can labels that are geared towards the visually impaired? The fact is people with vision problems often put down products that they have difficulty reading.

It’s not always the graphics that can have an impact on your potential customers; it just may be the style and size of your text. Let’s face it, the information you are displaying is just as important as the branding images you use. With the increased awareness of nutritional and ingredients in food people are looking for prominent displays of quality. There is a definite concern from people who wear glasses and have issues with small print on labels.

They look for those that are easier to read. I have even read a blog where the writer had expressed the desire to petition supermarkets to mandate more reader friendly text!  Some things to consider when designing your labels might be the positioning of the text, choosing a bright or flashy color, and most importantly the SIZE.

Make it lively, the more creative the better. The truth is you don’t have to have vision problems to appreciate reader friendly text on a product. The quicker and easier your potential customers can get the information they are looking for the better. Whether it’s a supermarket or a retail store, shelves are packed with products all vying for the attention of the customer. Big and bold is always a stand out, naturally.  One example of the effectiveness of this concept is Walmart’s “Great For You” label campaign on all of their branded products. These labels will appear on Walmart Great Value and Market side items, as well as fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables.

Think of all the appreciation you will garner from those who have a little or a lot of trouble distinguishing the most basic of information on the product labels they see. It’s a great way to gain the attention of a whole lot of people out there who are asking for your assistance. Informational slogans that represent the essence of your brand and are easily read are a definite way to make your product known to the visually impaired.

According to the provisional report for the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, 21.5 million American Adults age 18 and older reported experiencing vision loss. That is a group to large to be alienated. Sometimes the nutrition label cannot take up too much space, but it would be good to make it as big as you can without compromising your design.

More people are concerned with nutritional values these days, and you can supplement that information with a highlight of the beneficial attributes of your product within your design. More and more products are displaying large selling points on their product labels like “Organic” and “All Natural”. These catch the eyes of the consumer, so why not try it out?  Whatever you choose to do, make sure we can all see it!

]]> http://blog.lightninglabels.com/can-labels/designing-eye-catching-labels-for-the-visually-impaired/feed/ 0 http://blog.lightninglabels.com/customer-focus/gettin-lippy/ http://blog.lightninglabels.com/customer-focus/gettin-lippy/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:16:07 +0000 Christy Correll http://blog.lightninglabels.com/?p=4026 Continue reading →]]>

This month’s Customer Spotlight is on Gettin' Lippy, a company that makes lip balm tubes that snap apart to reveal multiple flavors. Lightning Labels conducted the following interview with company owner Bri Silver.

Gettin' Lippy's unique lip balm tubes snap apart to reveal multiple flavors.

Lightning Labels: There are a lot of lip balms on the market. What makes yours different?

Gettin' Lippy: Ours has at least 2 flavor options in every tube. Most of our tubes offer three flavors in every tube, but we have also put more flavors than that in one tube. It just depends what our customer wants and needs!

How did your business get started?

I was tired of buying lip balms that didn't work, meaning they would either make my lips worse or wouldn't do anything for my lips to be smooth. I also hated that if I bought a lip balm and didn't like the flavor, that I would throw the whole tube away. I wanted a tube with more than one flavor so that if you didn't like one flavor, you could keep the tube since it had other ones. So you might use it up just to get to the next flavor, or you could snap that layer of flavor off and go onto the next flavor!

Where do you draw inspiration for your products?

I really like feedback from my customers. The flavors they ask for are flavors that I try to incorporate into my lip balm combinations. I also have two boys and they are very honest about what they think about the flavors I should put together. They help me out a lot!

Would you like to tell us a little bit about how your business operates?

Right now, I am the only one besides my sons that works at Gettin' Lippy. I believe that will be changing very soon, but for now I do it all  — including packaging, taking orders, marketing, stocking supplies, and shipping!

Where can our readers learn more about Getting Lippy products?

We do have a Facebook fan page with a lot of promotions and giveaways ... and a website about our multi-flavored lip balms.

Where are your products sold?

We have salons and other stores around Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that we sell our lip balms in. We also sell our products on our website, and through our Facebook, Envy, and Etsy stores — with more stores taking our lip balms every week!

Does Getting Lippy offer product samples?

Yes we do. I am actually in the process of sending out over 500 right now from a promotion we did on our Facebook Fan page, and am very excited about all of the feedback!

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy your job?

Did you say 1 to 100? Yes, that would be a 100

How did you hear about Lightning Labels?

I actually found Lightning labels when I was searching on Google and trying to find a company that could meet my needs.

Is there anything else you wish to share with our readers?

This is a small business that will be in your local stores soon. Go to our Facebook fan page and follow our growth!

Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a significant health concern worldwide. The Internet is a principle outlet for sales of counterfeit medications, which offer significant savings over drug store prescriptions. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than half of the medications obtained from illegal websites that do not publish their physical addresses are counterfeit.

However, the problem is even more pervasive. Organized counterfeit pharmaceutical rings target impoverished people in emergent economies whose lives depend on medications that they cannot afford. Hot spots for distribution of illegal medicines include India, Africa and Latin America.

WHO identifies illicit medications as spurious/falsely-labeled/falsified/counterfeit (SFFC) substances. SFFC products range from therapeutics for life-threatening diseases to over-the-counter remedies such as antihistamines. They may contain no active ingredients or too many. In either case, they can be life-threatening so the pharmaceutical label must be thoroughly inspected.

The Dangers Associated with Illegitimate Medicines

According to Interpol, "criminal networks are attracted by the huge profits to be made through pharmaceutical crime." However, this huge illicit gain means significant losses to legitimate drug companies in terms of reputation, revenue, and return on their investment in research and development.

Human health threats posed by the illegal pharmaceutical trade continue to grow throughout the world despite efforts of such entities as Interpol and WHO. The European Union reports significant expansion of illegal medicines detained at border crossings in 2010, with pharmaceuticals constituting 60 percent of all postal goods intercepted in transit.

According to the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, Latin America and Asia were the top regions in 2010 for pharmaceutical crime. A Smithsonian article entitled "The Fatal Consequences of Counterfeit Drugs" details a thriving counterfeit malaria medicine market in Southeast Asia. Malaria victims save by buying the fake medicine, but the cost to their health is devastating.

While developed countries like the U.S. have strict guidelines in place that make it difficult for counterfeiters to do business, the Internet provides an attractive global venue for sales of illegal medications. In September of 2011, an Interpol operation targeting online sales of counterfeit drugs shut down over 13,000 websites engaged in the illegal distribution network. Nevertheless, the counterfeit pharmaceutical problem is far from solved.

Pharmaceutical Label Strategies

Drug packaging serialization, also called track and trace, represents the best hope for combating the illicit pharmaceutical market. In March of 2010, the FDA published guidelines for Standard Numerical Identification (SNI) on prescription drug packaging. In addition, the state of California is setting the policy with its 2015 deadline for e-Pedigree packaging on pharmaceuticals for tracking purposes. The European Union is also working on traceable package labels that allow handlers throughout the supply system to verify the legitimacy of the products via a centralized database.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical manufacturers, retailers and the medical packaging industry are fine-tuning individual labeling ideas designed to outsmart the counterfeit market. Through such markers as holographic images or three-dimensional embossing on package labels, consumers can visually verify legitimate medications.

With the help of high-level visual inspection technology, forensic experts can pinpoint minute variations in labeling that even the most meticulous copies cannot completely avoid. To the untrained eye, a skillful counterfeit pharmaceutical label may appear virtually identical to the genuine article right down to the hologram on the box. As illegal medicine distribution networks become increasingly sophisticated, this visual inspection technology constitutes a critical tool for identifying fakes.

Although the counterfeit pharmaceutical network is pervasive, track and trace systems and other high-tech pharmaceutical label techniques can combat this significant health threat. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like the FDA, WHO and Interpol, people worldwide will be able to verify that their medications are genuinely effective.

It's not too late for talented packaging designers to register for a chance to win a coveted Dieline Award. Hopefuls must hurry, though! Registration closes April 2.

Packaging designers have one more week to register for The Dieline Package Design Awards this year, the most prestigious competition of its kind in the US.

Thirty-eight winners across 12 different categories will be awarded a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place Dieline Award, and one special winner will receive a one-of-a-kind Best of Show award. Andrew Gibbs, Editor-in-Chief of TheDieline.com will also handpick an entry for the Editor's Choice award.

The Dieline Package Design Awards are presented by Inwork, a full-service packaging design agency, and are judged by a panel of 10 industry experts. Entries are evaluated for quality of Creativity, Marketability, and Innovation. Debbie Millman, President Emeritus of AIGA and President of Design at Sterling Brands, will chair this year's panel of judges.

Interested? Hurry up, then! Registration closes Monday, April 2, 2012. Author's Note: You can do it, my lovelies! Go, go, go!

Labeling and packaging designers are, of course, keyed in to this common conundrum and are addressing it with unique wine packaging such as eye-catching wine labels. This makes choosing a wine not so much a chore as a foray into fun. We have put together a top ten list of the most unique packaging and labeling options we've run across recently. Whether you are a veteran packaging designer seeking fresh inspiration, or are a little nervous about choosing a bottle of wine for a dinner party, we think you'll enjoy learning about these fun trends:

1. Reuse, Recycle and Refurbish: This greenie labeling concept appeals to environmentalists and crafters alike. Each bottle includes a hang-tag with instructions for re-purposing the wine bottle after the goods are gone. Using taper candles, you can turn your empty wine bottles into Italian-style mood lighting.

2. Fine Wine Art: If only Andy Warhol were around to see it. One of the hottest winery trends on tap is commissioning contemporary art for the wine label. If the best sellers are any indication, bold colors and cartoon-like, bustling scenes have proven to garner the most attention.

3. Custom Made Labels: Custom made labels give a bottle a traditional, hand-crafted appeal that lends the wine an aura of intimacy. From house-labeled wine at your favorite eating establishment to labeling your own hobby vintages, custom made labels personalize the wine experience.

4. Interactive Labeling: A variation on the custom made theme, some wine producers offer interactive labeling that invite imbibers to have fun while sipping. One company packages a variety of facial stickers -- nose, eyes, mouth -- that turns the bottle into a veritable Mr. Potato Head toy.

5. Glass in Hand: Some clever marketers have hatched the notion of "bottling" wine in individual wine glasses, labeled and sealed, as both a convenience and a party novelty. These ready-made single servings make it easy for those friends who insist, "just one glass."

6. Aluminum Bottles: A good bet to stand out on shelves otherwise stocked with glass, aluminum bottles may raise the cost of your purchase, but they make great conversation-starters at your next get-together. Think elongated water bottle for post-workout reveling.

7. Series Wine Labels: Some vintners are selling a single wine with a selection of labels so purchasers can customize their sipping experiences. For example, you could buy the entire Seven Deadly Sins series or simply select your all-time favorites.

8. Back to Basics: Wine shoppers who are purists may react to all of the vibrant labels vying for attention on the wine display rack by seeking out basic no-frills bottles. Black and white labels with the wine identified by a barrel number instead of a more colorful moniker presents a classic look for the bottle.

9. Theme Labeling: For you gift-basket mavens, wine package designers curry your favor with attractive theme labeling. Packing a basket for an angler? Include a bottle with a sockeye salmon on the label.

10. Specially Shaped Bottles: Especially around the holidays, many wineries release their favorite vintages in specially-shaped bottling. For example, a blue moon-shaped bottle is guaranteed to claim any wine shopper's full attention.

image: http://www.product-girl.com

Packaging is more than a container. In many cases, it has a decorative function beyond the life of the product. This is a concept that was popular with Avon bath and body products in the 1950s. This packaging angle was heavily exploited in the following decades, and glass Avon bottles became collectible items. While most bed and bath packaging today is not intended to be collectible, form is definitely as important as function.

Plastic packaging is the most practical option for products designed to be used in or around the bath area. It can be formulated in any color desired, it is very easy to mold into a particular shape, and it is resistant to impact damage. Glass bottles are more expensive to manufacture and handle, but glass is also seen as a more elegant packaging material. Vendors who focus on aesthetics to draw in consumers often opt for the clarity and heft of glass when designing packaging.

Effective packaging blends the appeal of the product with the appearance of the container. A good example of this approach is the packaging of colorful green bath salts within a glass container fashioned in the shape of a bamboo stalk. Although the woody stems of bamboo plants are usually yellow or tan, the visible green bath salts within the container instantly create an impression of living, growing plants.

image: http://blog.lelaluxe.com

Paper packaging has the added value of being sustainable. Many environmentally or socially conscious consumers shy away from plastic packaging regardless of the shape or color. Companies can enlarge consumer bases by promoting environmentally friendly paper packaging made from sustainable sources. Vegetable-based inks that contain no harmful solvents are excellent draws for these consumers, but a company must effectively advertise the use of green materials to attract these customers.

In a 2011 report, the International Spa Association cited the spa industry as the fourth largest leisure industry in the world. The organization works with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP to gather industry statistics each year. Spa statistics can be useful gauges for the bath and body market, because skin care products are readily available at these locations. Approximately 93 percent of all spas contain retail space.

The report indicates that spas were visited by more than 150 million customers in 2010. The US recession was in full swing during this period, and the relative success of spas is indicative of Americans’ desire for the minor luxuries of bath and body products. Bath and body product retail accounts for 11 percent of all spa revenues.

Bath and body labels that make effective use of environmentally friendly materials to promote a green company image do consistently well in difficult economic times. Attractive packaging, whether of glass or paper, is an important hook for the wandering eye of the consumer, but companies should build on the initial impact of attractive bath and body labels by advertising material and ingredient sources.