Baseball, Father's Day And Packaging

Packaging News You Can Use
Tip Of The Week Issue #1277 - June 14, 2007
Publisher: JoAnn Hines JoAnn@packagingdiva.com
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© Packaging News You Can Use
By JoAnn Hines The Packaging Diva

MESSAGE FROM THE PACKAGING DIVA:
I know you all missed me but its been crazy with family issues, business travel and upgrading to a new virtual server. But I'm back now having recently spoken at the Invention Show http://www.inventionshow.com/ in Pittsburgh and working and talking tea packaging with Virginia Price from PlanetCanit http://www.planetcanit.com%20at/ the World Tea Expo.

Couple of new things in my repertoire. I just finished my special 14 page report "Packaging Your Invention To Sell" email me at JoAnn@PackagingDiva.com for details.


FEATURE ARTICLE:
Baseball, Father's Day And Packaging
With Father's Day coming up, I have been on the lookout for innovative packages on products for dad. One of the most interesting was a head of iceberg lettuce wrapped in baseball graphics by Tanimura and Antle. I liked the concept and it made the "buy me" connection for me. With over 60,000 products in the average US supermarket I'll take any marketing advantage that works.

So, let's dissect this marketing gimmick/innovation a little more. Obviously the shape of a head of iceberg lettuce lends itself well to baseball graphics. The lettuce looks just like a baseball when over wrapped (even if it is green). It's certainly going to stand out among all of the other lettuce products. It even has a recipe printed on the package in case you are at a loss what to do with iceberg.

I think it's a clever use of branding a shape and integrating it into a Father's Day campaign. It's a good example of crossing outside your industry to create relevance to your product and brand by connecting it to a family mainstay. In fact, Tanimura and Antle want iceberg lettuce to become the official Father's Day vegetable just like other vegetables get associated with other holidays. (Green bean casserole anyone?)

Iceberg, once the leader of salad lettuce, has suffered a decline due to the proliferation of all the other lettuce products. You have to do something to it (yes, actually cut it in to wedges or break it apart into pieces) before eating. But seriously, think of all the good things that remind dad of baseball, America's favorite past time. Now spin that to get him to think about eating more salad or even think about lettuce at all.

It's creativity like this that drives business. Basic products that are on the wane can use a little innovative product packaging to give them the edge. My husband is an avid baseball fan and anything that "connects" to baseball is fair game in the merchandising world. Women might even buy it just because it is gimmicky and a conversation starter.

I like when companies try untraditional packaging methods that make the consumer take a second look. That's what it's all about any way . . . Creating enough interest that the consumer will pick up your product for a closer look and, of course, make the purchase.So prepare for next Father's Day and consider innovative product packaging that will intrigue the customer beyond the mundane. Consider the concepts and roll with it . . . baseball, Father's Day and packaging.

For more ways to utilize packaging branding, innovation and marketing concepts to "connect" with your consumer contact JoAnn Hines the Packaging Diva at JoAnn@PackagingDiva.com. You can also subscribe to he complimentary newsletter "Packaging News You Can Use" at the same email address.

PACKAGING GREEN WATCH:

Can supermarket shoppers bargain on helping the environment?Yorkshire Post Today - Leeds,Yorkshire,UK"Consumers tend towards convenience, but in so doing can work against themselves," says James Colwill from Packaging Europe. "As a general rule, ...http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2635557&SectionID=105

Glass Houses: Going Green with Media PackagingEMediaLive.com - Wilton,CT,USASustainability as it relates to packaging is about "our actions that we take on today that will affect future actions and the consequences of people's lives ...

http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=12604

Trash TalkNatural Life - Toronto,ON,CanadaLet the powers that be know you want reduced packaging that is designed for recycling. Ask for clean energy policies that lean toward reducing pollution. ...
http://www.life.ca/nl/108/trashtalk.html

PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans Introduces Environmentally Friendly CupsBusiness Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USAThe 100 percent corn-based cups are produced by Fabri-Kal and its Greenware line of packaging products. The cup line is made from American grown corn, ...
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070417005128&newsLang=en

Wal-Mart's Green GoalMotley Fool - USAReducing packaging will also reduce the need for landfill space. In total, it has been estimated that the initiative will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by ...
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/04/18/wal-marts-green-goal.aspx

Earthcycle and Four Seasons Produce set to launchFreshPlaza - NetherlandsEarthcycle Packaging is pleased to announce that Four Seasons Produce Inc., one of the largest independent produce wholesalers in the United States, ...
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=316

WPNI Launches Environment-Friendly Shopping SiteEditor & Publisher - USA... a focus on green consumerism, the female-oriented site provides information on eco-friendly products for home, beauty, technology, fashion and family. ...
http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/departments/online/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003575164

Wal-Mart Releases Initial Results Of Packaging ScorecardWebWire (press release) - Atlanta,GA,USA... said Matt Kistler, senior vice president of marketing, research, and insights for Sam’s Club and captain of Wal-Mart’s Packaging Sustainability Network. ...
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=29064


THE DIVA'S PICKS IF THE WEEK:
LUXEPACK lends its support to PENTAWARDS
Pentawards, the first worldwide competition devoted exclusively to packaging design, has just received the support of the LuxePack trade show, the reference point and global meeting point for luxury goods, which has been held in Monaco for the last 19 years and this year will also be held in New York, Sao Paulo and Shanghai.http://www.pentaward.com/

Deal Making Heats Up as Does Food and Drug ScrutinyNew York Times - United StatesThe FDA, meanwhile, is working to make the black-box warnings more prominent on packaging. CHINA PUSHES SAFETY China said late Tuesday that it was ... http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/09/business/09five.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Nanopackaging Is Intelligent, Smart And Safe Life. New World Study ...PRLog.Org (press release) - Bucuresti,RomaniaThe sales of the nano-related packaging products have been rising from US$ 150 million in 2002 to $ 860 million in 2004 , 980 in 2006 worldwide. ...
http://www.prlog.org/10016688-nanopackaging-is-intelligent-smart-and-safe-life-new-world-study-by-hkc22-com-beijing-office.html

FPA Sustainability & Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard WorkshopThe Flexible Packaging Assn.’s Sustainability and Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard Workshop, set for June 19 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, assists FPA members in helping their customers complete the Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Scorecard. Attendance is limited to 30 participants to allow maximum interaction.