Packaging News You Can Use

• The groundswell of consumer attitudes will influence the packaging industry. Consider the biggest issues in planning your packaging for the future. Are consumers angry about packaging? You bet more on point: Angry Consumer Packaging

• What happens to packaging in one country can flow to another. Once a concept gains traction it can get widespread acceptance in many countries. Look at what happened least week with Australia and mandating plain cigarette packaging. On Point: Packaging: The Hidden Power Player In A Global Society

• General issues relative to packaging may be regulated by various agencies. What impacts one group may crossover to your industry. Packaging trend: Big brother is watching you and what you do with your packaging. Are You Wanted By The Packaging Police

• Influences outside your control can impact your product packaging. Watch for movement related to causes or issues that might impact your business. Green causes are particularly hot right now but are they real? Read: Eco Packaging Transformation

• The most esoteric packaging can capture your target demographic. Remember it’s not just a package its your brand. This will explain more: Understanding The Critical Role Of The Brand In Product Packaging

Tags: angry consumer, branding, business, clamshell, Consumers, Earth Day, eco packaging, global warming, great garbage patch, green, greenwash, media, online community, package design, packaging design, packaging innovation, packaging police, packaging trends, Rebranding, retail, Small Business, social media, sustainability, sustainable packaging, wrap-rage

1. KFC Lands in Hot Water for its Packaging @ http://bit.ly/bYUYUT

When a negative packaging campaign goes viral its hard to react positively. But the best way to handle the negativity is to tell the truth. Understanding what’s behind the scenes can help dispel negative connotations with consumers.

So don’t get mad try this instead: When Packaging Is In The News, Capitalize On It

KFC is just one of many companies under attack by environmental and watchdog groups for product packaging.  While some of the claims are justified others are not.

I’ll be explaining how to capture your consumer though Packaging Trends Shaping The Consumer Experience @

More on point find out: Are You Wanted By The Packaging Police

2. How Much Does Eco-Friendly Packaging Matter to You? @ http://is.gd/bkhjt

The ongoing conversation has been about whether consumers really want environmentally friendly packaging.

And if they do would they be willing to pay for it?

Some of the best examples are in the beauty industry where there has been a lot of packaging innovation. Look for an upcoming interview with Glenn Abrahamson the Creator of OneBathAndBody.com an interesting eco-friendly packaging story to share.

3. Target Goes 4 Eco-credibility By Adding Recycling Bins To All Stores @ http://is.gd/biENS

Leave the packaging at the store. That’s what consumer say and Target is accommodating them.

What no one ever says is that all these retailer eco efforts are factored back into the price you ultimately pay for your product.

Eco-friendly packaging is such a complicated issue. I try to take the mystery out of it by explaining six steps that can get you going in the right direction in “Is It Green Or Garbage

4. Miller Colorado Native new “craft” beer 1st brand To use SnapTag technology on packaging @ http://bit.ly/ckQnQA

One of a number of new packaging technologies making a debut.

More technologies to watch in Your Packaging Does What?

5. ConAgra Foods To Significantly Reduce Packaging, Water, Greenhouse Gas @ http://bit.ly/asf0XC

When you are a big company small changes can make a huge difference. Baby steps along the way of rethinking our packaging conundrum. We need it but we don’t want too much of it.

For a further understanding and clarification about the issues read “People Against Packaging” @

Tags: business, ConAgra Foods, Consumers, Dogwood Alliance, Earth Day, eco packaging, global warming, green, greenwash, KFC, media, Miller, OneBathAndBody, online community, package design, packaging design, packaging innovation, packaging police, packaging trends, Rebranding, recycling, Small Business, SnapTag, social media, sustainability, sustainable packaging, Target

There’s been so much in the new lately about packaging under attack, I decided to reprise this article I wrote back in 2006

I finally had to speak out. The packaging industry is under attack by the “packaging police.”

There have been dozen of backlash articles about it in the news recently. To tell you the truth I’m sick of all the articles talking about freeing Barbie from her packaging prison and how may people went to the hospital because they injured themselves trying to open a plastic clamshell and other esoteric “packaging adventures.” These issues about packaging have been beaten to death and then some. And don’t forget the blogs. Some of the worst venting about packaging appears on personal blogs under the I’ve had a bad day column.

The media loves all the negative impressions people are bombarded with about the packaging in the waste stream, landfills etc. I too thought it was much higher (brainwashed that is) but I found out when I was at Cal Poly giving the opening keynote that its only 30% as opposed to the 70-80% the media and packaging detractors would have you believe.

Who are these “packaging police” anyway? What is there mission in life? Don’t they know that without a package you can have a product? That’s what packaging is all about getting the product safely, securely and intact to the ultimate user in addition to being the product spokes and sales person. So what else is a poor package to do? We have tamper evident, tamperproof, anti- counterfeit, date stamping, TTI’s, RFID, sonic welding and other additional security measures all designed to protect the consumer and they don’t even know it.

You’d be surprised at the number of people that don’t even know about product dating on the package. I can assure you I check. With all the concern over eating healthy, product freshness is an important issue and the package tells it all. I might mention here that I’s almost impossible to read the dates in many cases. They are either in obscure locations or the type is so small you need a magnifying glass.

(I hope you read “Packaging Your Products to Boomers” available at http://packagingcoach.com/everythingaboutpackaging.htm) But seriously, packages that are difficult to open will continue to be a problem as our population ages. Do the words “manual dexterity” ring any bells?

So consumers should just GET OVER IT since they are the main cause why many products are packaged with security in mind. Lets talk about theft, counterfeiting, product integrity and product security. I got an email from Tyrone in South Africa last week. He was giving a speech on packaging innovations that impact our lives and it got me to thinking about all the wonderful and creative packaging innovations in the last 40 years. Packaging that has literally changed our lives.

Some of innovations have come about due to dire threats such as the Tylenol incident. Can you believe that happened 20+ years ago? Think of the whole category of tamper-evident packaging that evolved from this situation. When I speak to students at schools and universities about packaging they have no idea what I am talking about. They just take it for granted.

Retail claims that theft is one their worst problems so packaging that protects products form being stolen is done for a reason. The same thing with counterfeiting, which incidentally is on the rise. Anyone reading about this knows this can and will be a huge issue with the number of packaging products being sourced off shore.

Some additional packaging possibilities that can pose potential “threats.”

• Green Packaging: Can you validate your claims?
• Organic Packaging: Watch out for regulatory agencies.
• RFID: Is big brother watching you or are you watching them?
• Healthy Packaging Claims: Is It True?
• Packaging For Seniors: Can they read or open the packaging? Is it REALLY senior-friendly?
• Copycat Packaging: A lawsuit waiting to happen and does every week.

So whatever packaging discipline you are in be sure and stay attuned to what are the “Hot button” issues in your field. Prevent the packaging police for setting their sights on you.

Please feel free to use me as a resource when it comes to understanding what packaging markets are hot and what are not. Or what companies are developing the latest in innovative packaging technology.

Tags: business, Consumers, Earth Day, eco packaging, global warming, green, greenwash, media, online community, package design, packaging design, packaging innovation, packaging police, packaging trends, Rebranding, Small Business, social media, sustainability, sustainable packaging