Not Ready For Prime Time Packaging

Packaging News You Can Use
Tip Of The Week
Issue #1291 - January 18, 2007
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WANT TO GET MORE EXPOSURE FOR YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES?
I will be speaking at the following and I can connect you with these audiences.
For more details email me please.

Beyond Bentonville - Rogers, AK 2/26
http://www.connectingnwa.com/uploadedFiles/08_bbv_sellsheet.pdf
Soapmakers Conference - Burlington, VT
http://www.soapguild.org/conference.php 4/28-30
World Tea Expo - Las Vegas, NV http://worldteaexpo.com/ 5/30

MESSAGE FROM THE PACKAGING DIVA:
You asked for it -- and you got it! Many of you with product companies have told me that you'd love to speak directly to a top person at a Sales Rep firm who sells frequently to Target.I'm excited to announce a tele-seminar with Curtis Wright, of Wright Sweeney Wiencek, a top Sales Rep firm for Target.Curtis will answer your questions on how to sell your products to Target.There are two sessions: Thursday, January 24, 2008, at 4 p.m. Eastern, and Wednesday, January 30, at 2 p.m. Eastern.This complimentary tele-seminar is only available to those who purchased the "How to Sell to Target" report. You can order the Target report here
http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2140850

If you bought the Target report, you will be receiving an e-mail soon with sign-up instructions.


FEATURE ARTICLE:
Not Ready For Prime Time Packaging by JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva

It's 08 - Are your packaged products ready for prime time? Here are a few insightful tips to help you out.There are many packaging issues afloat in the minds of the consumer.We just came off the traditional "wrap rage" cycle that stirs everyone into a frenzy around the holidays. Be aware that it's still an issue to contend with in the minds of the consumer. Clamshells, twist ties and difficult to open packages still get mileage in the media.

Packaging has many detractors. We are getting serious scrutiny from everyone in the realm of environmental sustainability, less packaging, more environmentally friendly packaging, save the earth packaging and so on. Every week I read about a new packaging crusade that is supposed to solve our environmental woes. But I have been researching for an upcoming presentation Sustainable Packaging – From Green To Great. The lack of new packaging innovation to solve the problem is quite distressing. Most of what I am seeing revolves around the same supplier using the same packaging materials. Unfortunately, a lot of it is smoke and mirrors that touts "green" but does not back it up with true sustainable documentation. There are a few good examples of innovation. In researching environmentally friendly lipstick tube examples, the results were woefully inadequate. "Cargo Plant Love Biodegradable Lipstick" was the only company I discover (with a great marketing story I might add).

So, I pose these questions to all product packaging developers. How green are you? Do you want to be? Do your consumers and your target demographic even care whether you are green or not? This is going to be one of the prime time packaging issues in 08 so you better make some serious strides in deciding what you want your product packaging to reflect.

Another key matter will be product security, integrity and product origination. (AKA - The Made in China Syndrome) Currently the Made in China tag is becoming a political hot button. One of the trends I am starting to see is a China backlash. Products made and packaged in China are coming back to the US. Some companies are using China Free on their product packaging as a marketing tool -- and it's helping sales.People are reading labels AND scrutinizing them. What it says on that label will influence whether they buy your product or not. I just read that cloned meat will be coming on the market in a few years. At present, the FDA won't require food makers to label that their products came from cloned animals. ICK!! I'd want to know from the product packaging and, I believe, so would most consumers. The point being is that any high profile package or product will be looked at thoroughly by consumers. What you tell them better be the right message and true.

Watchdog groups about and they are on the lookout for your product to make a mistake. Whether they deem you are marketing to an inappropriate market (EX: Spykes marketing liquor to children) or that your packaging isn't telling the whole truth (Ex: McDonald's and all the other fast food companies and fat content), it's sure to become newsworthy and in the worst case scenario could seriously impact your business.Consumers are fickle. What is a hot issue today may be gone tomorrow. However, in the interim if you are not on target with the right packaging message you may alienate them or force them to buy a competitor's product because your packaging is not sending the right packaging message.

So, before you embark on any new packaging campaign in 08 understand and incorporate into your product packaging what the consumer wants to know about the product. Be sure your packaging is ready for prime time to the right consumer with the right marketing message.
Need to know whose got the latest concepts in packaging innovation? I know that's what I do-track packaging trends and innovation and how it is going to impact your business. Get connected with me JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva at my website http://packagingdiva.com or by phone 1-678-594 6872.

PACKAGING GREENWATCH:

Eco-chic goes face forward with Green Room collection
The Canadian Press - All packaging used for the products is either biodegradable or recyclable. For every product sold from the collection, Smashbox will plant a Moringa tree in ...
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jJ8FCbEUo846Dwp5l60Zycmw1Avg

The sipping news: Biodegradable packaging for wine bottles
San Francisco Chronicle - CA, USAThe lightweight wrapping is made from Green Cell foam, produced by KTM Industries of Lansing, Mich., and distributed by American Canyon-based Packaging Plus ...http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgif=/c/a/2007/12/28/WIT8U496J.DTL

How to reduce your wine's carbon footprint
By Patricia Mayville-Cox Why? The glass bottle weight contributes of course, so alternative packaging can help a bit. But what's the best answer according to Colman? Drink locally-produced wine. Easy enough! Read Permalink Email this Linking Blogs Comments.
http://www.greendaily.com/2007/12/30/how-to-reduce-your-wines-carbon-footprint/

Food Pouch Or Cans? Weighing Green, Taste Factors
Hartford Courant - United StatesIs this kind of packaging less harmful to the environment or just cheaper to make for the seller? Food pouches, which are made from a combination of ...
http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-faqman0102.artjan02,0,2515948.story

PACKAGING DIVA'S PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Packaging Products for Interactive Mobile Marketing
Jobwerx - Seattle,WA,USAToday all of this is possible with GPI's Snap2C* packaging products. Real time marketing and communication between brands and consumers is now possible at ...
http://www.jobwerx.com/news/2008/graphic_packaging_news_949634_024.html

Congress Probes Baby Formula Packaging
Forbes - NY,USAPK - news - people ) USA, Abbott Laboratories (nyse: ABT - news - people ) and Wyeth. The chemical at issue has been used to package foods for over 50 years ...
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/01/17/ap4546179.html

derma e® Reveals New Packaging
By Editor Simi Valley, CA (December 18, 2007) /SOAPWIRE/ — derma e® Natural Bodycare, a pioneer in natural skincare products and known for blending powerful antioxidants and beneficial botanicals, has announced a new packaging makeover, ...
http://www.soap-wire.com/2007/12/derma-e-reveals.html

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I package people, products and services. Get started in the right direction by visiting any one of my websites for free advice, articles or just plain help. You can ask a question to a packaging expert too, list your packaging request, subscribe to my complimentary newsletter Packaging News You Can Use or just visit my website to ask me your packaging question. I *will* find your perfect packaging solution!

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JoAnn Hines (The Packaging Diva) work is featured in Package Design magazine, Shelf Impact, Webpackaging and many other packaging portals and magazines. In the months of Sept. and Oct. her packaging commentary was used in Chicago Tribune (2), Entrepreneur Magazine and Cision. She is recognized as one 50 most influential packaging leaders in the 20th Century and the founder of Women in Packaging.