I came across an interesting article on Marketing Sherpa discussing label design and “13 Tips to Help Your Product Get Noticed on Store Shelves.” We live in a very competitive marketplace and today’s consumers are certainly experiencing sensory overload when walking down almost any store aisle. These simple tips can really help you design an effective and discernable label.

Label Design:

• Communicate with color: Colors are a great way to get noticed, but be sure to remain consistent and match colors and flavors.
• Complement text with images: Images can communicate faster than words.
• Be Choosy with fonts: Be sure fonts are readable and ascetically match your brand. Also, try not to use too many different fonts; one to two will work great.
• Go with a label that’s true to your product’s size: Choose the correct size label for your product.
• Provide Contact Information
• Don’t forget mandatory information: Be sure to include mandatory nutrition information or warnings.

Strategies to Stand Out:

• Tell a story: Use one or two sentences to tell consumers about your company or product.
• Use different images: Mix up the product’s images, while still maintaining consistent elements, like fonts and colors.
• Add Quotations and facts
• Get inspired: Check out competitor’s labels and other product labels to help get ideas for your own label.

Re-branding:

• Hire a designer: Use a professional designer to create the artwork, as designers have spent years mastering their skills. If you use In-Touch Direct, all our designers will create your artwork at no charge!
• Retain some elements: If you are changing your label, try to keep some element the same so customers aren’t confused.
• Test the market: Test your new label in smaller markets before a large rollout. You want to ensure your label translates well to consumers and achieves your intended goals.

These are just a few tidbits from each category. If you want more information, please check out the whole article at: www.marketingsherpa.com. If you need any help designing your new label, let us know. All of our graphic design services are offered at no charge!

Ok, so the first thing I thought when I saw this was, “Is that full?” Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be, but it is still pretty cool, considering a giant vinyl label is wrapped around the can to create the graphics. Chicago-based collector, Dave Leach, commissioned the giant beer can as part of his “World’s Largest Items” collection.

The label used is Avery Graphics MPI 1007 EZ RS Vinyl with lamination. This label is perfect for large-scale applications because it is easy to work with and really shows off the brightness and contrast of the artwork. We didn’t print this, but we assume it was printed in pieces and then the seams were sewn together. We aren’t positive, but that is the way we handle most large decals.

If you have a need for large banners and decals, feel free to contact us!

From reading this blog we all know that wine drinkers tend to judge a bottle by the label. Some wine labels are clean and elegant, while others are modern and contemporary. After all this wine chatter, we have been ignoring the cutting edge label designs occurring in the beer world. In fact, the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, PA has an exhibit called “Design, Drink and Be Merry: The Craft Brew Art Movement,” featuring labels, tap handles, and six pack carriers from 14 craft breweries.

Let’s be honest, beer drinkers can sometimes be a wilder bunch then the typical pinot noir connoisseur. After seeing some the pieces of art on display, this is clearly the case. With names like Smooth Hoperator and Schmaltz Brewing’s He’Brew beer, these labels not only make you smile, but have a great design and are certainly attention getting.

We think this is cool because labels are actually being put on display! Lots of the labels we see pass through the presses are certainly pieces of art and the designers who created them should be honored as artists. Who knows, maybe larger museums will start to exhibit product labels? Maybe your label will end up there?

For more information on the exhibit, please visit www.goggleworks.org

I was at Whole Foods the other day picking up a container of their homemade peanut butter, which I highly recommend, when I came across this great looking bottle and label for Eternal Water. The cool thing about this label is that it is placed on the back of bottle, not the front. The bottle’s bulbous shape reflects the label from the back to the front, using the water to magnify it. This makes the label look like it is wrapping around the front of the bottle, awesome!

You can see the shape of the label from the photo of the back of the bottle. It is just a simple oval shaped label, with printing on both sides. This design is interesting because the company used the bottle and the label in an out of the ordinary way, creating an unusual and eye catching look. It is pretty ingenious. We never even thought about displaying a label this way. Do you know of any other unique ways labels have been placed on products? If so, let us know!

Eternal Water is available exclusively through Whole Foods. For more information, please visit: www.eternalwater.com

Since we often cover wine labels, and recently wrote about vodka, we thought it was time to pay homage to gin. There is nothing classier than a true gin martini. It exudes feelings of old time refinement and chic sophistication. This is why we love Greylock Gin’s bottle design and label. The design completely matches the style and elegance of a classic martini or gin and tonic.

My Dad actually found Greylock when our local liquor store had a gin tasting. So, in addition to its great look, it also has an excellent and smooth taste! Everyone who saw the bottle on our counter commented on the beautiful design and how it looks like something you might find in an executive’s office in the 1960s.

It is amazing how a product’s design and label can create a nostalgic feeling and element of desire, ultimately impacting sales. My Dad has always been a fan of Tanquery, but Greylock’s packaging piqued his interest and he decided to try the new brand during the tasting, resulting in a purchase. With all the new technology and graphic design possibilities, the classic looks sometimes get left behind. But as they say, a true classic never goes out of style, and from the looks of it, Greylock will be around for a long time.

For more information on Greylock Gin, please visit: www.berkshiremountaindistillers.com

Every once in a while we come across a package design that makes us stop and say, “Wow!” Benjamin Moore’s recently released upscale paint line called Aura certainly falls into the “wow” category. The paint comes after years of research and planning, enabling a new ColorLock System for better coverage and durability. In addition, the paint is eco-friendly!

While the paint information is interesting, take a moment to look at the packaging. The way the flower petals slowly transition from photo to paint is flawless. This kind of art can really make you feel inspired. You can almost feel the paint strokes coming off the edge of the flower. This is really beautiful.

We talk a lot about the theories behind creating a great label, and sometimes, a great piece of art can really make a product’s packaging stand out.

The packaging for Aura was created by Carmichael Lynch Thorburn in Minneapolis. Thanks to TheDieLine for this great find. For more information about Aura, please visit www.myaurapaint.com

Over the weekend I came across an interesting article in The Boston Globe about recyclable packaging. I was always under the impression that if a product has the classic three-arrow recycle symbol it means that the product is recyclable. Shockingly, that is not the case! According to the article, “The arrows, and the little number with them, are a guide to the type of resin used in the plastic – sometimes it can be recycled, sometimes not.” Who knew?

K.T. Meany, a professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Design, has made it her mission to have her students design better point-of-purchase packaging to easily inform consumers about a product’s recyclability. One student had a great idea to create freezer decals in the shape of ice cream containers saying, “Buy Me” indicating which containers are recyclable.

As we have noted before, the green movement is really taking off, especially in the packaging and labeling world. I think we are learning new things about recycling trends everyday. Keeping consumers informed and staying ahead of new ideas is really important. For people who sell packaged products, you may want to consider putting a label on the packaging that says something like, “This packaging is 100% recyclable.” That would let people know they can recycle the package and make your company more eco-friendly.

A recent article in The Times, a New Jersey based newspaper sited the expansion of local farming and farmer’s markets in communities across the USA. Farmer’s markets are filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, ready-to-eat foods, and packaged products like honey, jams, salsas and much more. The article sites a variety of reasons for the surge in popularity, mainly because of increased fuel costs and consumer’s desires to limit the distance between where they live and where their food is grown, resulting in fresher foods at a lower cost. In addition, more and more consumers are seeing the healthy benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed foods.

You might be thinking, “What do farmer’s markets have to do with labels?” Well, how will you know if you are buying blueberry honey or cinnamon maple syrup? By reading the label!

As farmer’s markets grow in popularity, so will the need for effective product labeling. With more growers taking their products public, it is important for each product to be labeled and ready for consumption. This is where we can help. We can design and print your product’s label, making it ready for the spotlight!

Some of the best food products available can be found at local markets. If you have a product you think is ready to take on the road, contact us and we can help.

To read more about the growth of farmer’s markets please visit: www.nj.com

Lately we have been printing a lot of food and other product labels that include a barcode. Recently, someone asked us how to get a barcode, which got us thinking because while we can print barcodes, we do not assign the numbers. After asking around the office, I realized that most people didn’t know how to get a barcode, myself included, so we did some research and here is what we discovered….

Getting a barcode number is a fairly easy process. Barcodes found on food items, clothing, products, etc., are called UPC or Universal Product Codes. UPC’s were originally created to help grocery stores speed up the check out process and easily track inventory. Since UPC’s worked so well in grocery stores, they quickly spread to retailers and other suppliers.

UPC’s come from a company called the Uniform Code Council (UCC). A manufacturer applies to the UCC to gain entry to the UPC system, which does require an annual fee. Then, the UCC grants a manufacturer a six-digit manufacturer identification number. If you look at the example above, the ID number is the first six digits on the barcode. The other six numbers on a standard 12-digit UPC is the five-digit item number and a check digit. The item number is assigned and managed by the manufacturer. It is the job of the manufacturer to make sure item codes are up-to-date and accurate. The check digit is the last number on a barcode, and is there to ensure an item has been scanned correctly. Basically, the scanner system uses a formula created from the numbers on a barcode and the result of the formula will be the check digit if the item has been scanned properly.

Every store has a point of sale computer that stores all the barcode information, like the product name and price. The actual barcode does not have any encoded pricing or other information because then it would be impossible to change prices for sales or other promotions. If prices need to be changed, it can be easily done from a store’s point of sale computer.

This is a basic explanation of how barcodes work. There are a variety of UPC’s available depending on the item sold and the UCC will determine the proper codes necessary through their system. If you have a barcode you would like printed, or an item that needs a barcode, please check out our barcode product page or contact us!

We thought we would take a break from wine and focus on vodka! By now, almost any company you can think of has some kind of “going green” initiative. Some companies purchase carbon footprints, others are dedicated to reducing emissions, and some, like 360 Vodka, work to create biodegradable and recyclable product packaging. What really sets 360 Vodka apart from everyone else is they have been able to effectively make their entire product “green,” from the way in which the crops are grown to how the vodka is packaged and sold.

When looking into everything 360 Vodka has done to create an eco-friendly product, it is clear they are serious about the environment. The bottle is made from 85% recycled glass, the labels and all other packaging and promotional materials are made from 100% recycled paper, and even the inks used are environmentally friendly, water-based inks.

By far the coolest part of the bottle is the top. The cap is reminiscent of an old olive oil container you may see at authentic Italian restaurants. The benefits of these caps are more than attention getting, as they too serve a greater ecological purpose. The loop-closure makes the bottle re-usable, so consumers could actually use it for olive oil in the future. Since some people may drink more than one bottle of vodka over time, or sooner, you may not want all these beautiful, but empty bottles stored in your cabinets. In that case, 360 Vodka provides each bottle with a postage paid envelope, allowing you to mail the loop-closure back to the company so it can be re-used. Genius! In addition, for each loop-closure they get back, 360 will donate $1 to various environmental causes.

The reason I wanted to talk about 360 Vodka is because they really are ensuring every aspect of their product follows their eco-friendly mission statement. If you also have an environmentally conscience company, it is important to take the extra steps to make sure your packaging, including labels, also reflect your company’s cause. Using recyclable papers and environmentally safe inks are just a few steps you can take to “get greener.”

For more information about 360 Vodka, please visit: www.vodka360.com