Is it time to think ‘Online First’ for packaging ?
Amazon.com opened its doors online in 1995. It posted net sales of US$ 511,000 in its nearly six months of operations. In 2014, online retail sales worldwide are expected to hit US$ 1.v trillion. Clearly, in the intervening years, how consumers shop and make purchase decisions inverse drastically. Yet, most of the attention that goes to packaging — the most direct representation of the make — however goes to the printed package that sits on physical shelves in-store. There are many reasons why that's still the case, but information technology doesn't change the fact that brand, marketing and supply chain leaders are missing opportunities and taking unintended risks.
To get your share of a rapidly expanding eCommerce market, marketers need to provide customers with an experience online that's as truthful every bit possible to the production they choose at the physical store shelf. It'south time to regain command of the way your brand is depicted on the digital shelf.
Brands that affirm control stand to reap several advantages:
– Greater agility and speed in executing blueprint changes online
– Greater efficiency and cost control
– Greater brand consistency
– Greater product information accurateness
– Meeting or exceeding current packaging regulations
Asserting control of the brand requires that brand owners gain control of the process of eContent development and eContent management. The online experience must mirror the offline feel
Audit the brand online
You might ask yourself, 'Is this actually necessary?' Have you audited your make'southward presence on the digital shelf recently? If not, examine product packages and information across multiple sites — from online retail giants, to smaller niche retailers, to product review websites. You may exist surprised to come across:
- Outdated product images
- Images that don't stand for final canonical artwork
- Missing or incorrect data, ingredients, nutrition data and allergen alerts Limited product views
- Inconsistent or inaccurate color
- Depression resolution and poor image quality
If yous do find these issues, you're not alone. But why does this happen? Probably because digital is still nascent, brand managers haven't always held the digital shelf to the same high standards as the concrete shelf. But that's got to modify. Consumers are buying online and using online to larn well-nigh products. And that's only going to increase.
Overcome fragmented processes
I of the biggest stumbling blocks for brands is that inside behemothic corporations, there is no 1 unmarried person accountable for packaging eContent. Information technology'due south often split by make between individuals in unlike departments as well as amongst a variety of external suppliers.
Even assuming brand owners use a digital asset library, they frequently don't take 3D images of packages, or the multiple 2D panel shots depicting product information. And if they exercise, it's unremarkably been created through a conventional photography procedure that usually eats upwardly 6 to 8 weeks, costs more, and opens up this role of the supply chain to risk. And this happens every time a design is refreshed or ingredients modify or a new packaging regulation requires compliance. A vicious cycle.
Synchronize command between online and print
This is precisely why make owners must accept a workflow solution that allows them to synchronize control of their eCommerce images. And the best fashion to do that is to develop digital brand content in tight integration with the same workflows used to create and manage artwork for the physical package. Brands can unify the digital content supply concatenation around their existing, proven processes to achieve substantial savings and gain control over the brand's representation online. And avoid the brand disconnect that can occur (and all the associated risks) when previous- generation images remain on the digital shelf after the newest version of the bundle has reached physical shop shelves.
The digital package can then be elevated to the same high standard by creating images directly from the final, approved principal artwork file for the concrete packet — including complete views of all required informational elements. Only in this manner tin brands ensure the product every bit it appears on the digital shelf is never preliminary, incomplete, variable or untrustworthy. Without control of the process yous exercise non deliver value or reap the benefits of speed, cost, efficiency, quality and reguatory compliance. Control the process and you lot volition control the benefits.
Get alee of packaging regulations
The focus on but the printed package includes a hidden risk. The European union Regulation 1169 requires all-encompassing labeling changes to conspicuously disembalm nutrition and allergen information. These disclosures must also exist made online, where consumers have no choice merely to trust the digital representation of the brand/production. Non then yet in the US just it'southward ever a possibility. With forthcoming FDA regulations requiring changes to the nutrition label to emphasize calories, provide realistic serving sizes and align with the latest nutrition scientific discipline, information technology represents an opportunity to 'get ahead' of regulations.
Marketplace faster — online
When a brand or marketing leader makes a design change to a package, it's already been invested in as a business solution to build the brand'due south share. Information technology should exist executed consistently online and offline to exploit market potential. A conventional work- menstruum that depends on the completion of the printed package, photography and retouching typically leads to delays of six to eight weeks or fifty-fifty longer, leaving marketers without online product images when the product is launched. This costly filibuster is repeated with each new artwork change. Not but are marketers missing opportunity, but they're paying for the 'privilege' to do so. With an all-digital workflow, when the new mechanical artwork is approved for packaging, that's the trigger for packaging content for online sales. And in a few days, before the product even hits physical store shelves, but when information technology's ready to ship, marketers can exist gear up to sell online.
Taking control of eContent evolution and direction
The conclusion couldn't be more clear. The opportunities are substantial for brands that accept control of their presence on the digital shelf — now, not later on.
With an online retailing marketplace that's expected to hit US$ 1.five trillion, you have to wonder,what's everyone waiting for? The digital shelf tin no longer be relegated to 2d identify status. Brand and marketing leaders have heard the phrase, 'mobile first' being kicked around for the by twelvemonth or so, surely that begs the question, is it time to consider 'digital shelf first?'
This article is republished from the July 2014 issue of Packaging S Asia
Matt Bennett leads large, circuitous, long-term strategic initiatives while ever keeping his 'eye on the prize' — how successful businesses with ambitious brands drive innovation. He spent many years equally a head of graphics and packaging innovation director at Coors Brewers, driving a strong artistic-thinking- and-innovation culture beyond many business functions. Today he's a senior vice president at SGK, a leading global brand development, activation and deployment company that drives make performance, with responsibilities for growth strategies, product development and innovation. For Bennett, innovation is everyone'south job, and corporations need to foster a culture that encourages every team to engage in artistic, collaborative thinking every day. http://www.sgkinc.com
Source: https://packagingsouthasia.com/zarchive/archive-design-marketing/is-it-time-to-think-online-first-for-packaging/
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