Posts Tagged ‘packaging labels’
To Go Food Labels
Friday, July 16th, 2010
After a lovely dinner at Not Your Average Joe’s in Boston, my leftovers were carefully packed in a cardboard container and delivered to my table. When I got the box, I noticed a descriptive label attached to the top of the package. The label gives basic cooking instructions for the leftover meal, along with the item and date of purchase.
The cool thing about these labels is they are a simple solution to a common problem. How many times have you looked in your refrigerator and found a container of leftovers and had no idea what it is? Now, if it has been there for a few weeks and you can’t remember the last time you ate out, it is probably best to toss it, but if you live in a busy household where leftovers are constantly making there way into the fridge, these labels can come in very handy.
The labels feel like a low-gloss stock, with three ink colors, black, blue and red. The company’s logo is positioned at the top, along with their website. It is smart to leave space for hand-writing changing information, like the item and date. These types of labels could be quickly produced for any restaurant that offers “doggy bags” or take-out menus.
My favorite part of the label is the last line, “When in doubt, throw it out.” I feel these are always good words to live by.
Labels Make a Big Impact
Monday, August 4th, 2008I came across a great article outlining the important impact product labels have on consumers. Product labels can be packed with all kinds of information like, nutritional benefits, niche stories, branding messages, and more. Labels are not just intended to improve the looks of a product. Labels can sell products!
Almost every type of packaging, especially food packaging, needs some kind of label. Using labels creates an opportunity to express more than just a product’s basic properties. For example, Mount Everest Mineral Water expresses stories of mythology surrounding its iconic water source, “I spent my youth never questioning a destiny that led me from the top of the Sivalik range to the foothills of the Himalayas. Nor the decades I spent gathering the natural goodness of minerals like sodium, calcium…don’t hesitate to drink up. Live natural.” This message clearly illustrates the company’s brand story. In my mind, I could see a hiker or outdoors person attracted to this water based on the label.
Many companies are realizing the power of labels. A product’s label may be the only thing attracting or deterring consumers from a product. Great labels and packaging will catch the eye of shoppers. Debarpita Banerjee, an advertising executive says, “You can call it public relations, consumer education, a need to stand out in modern retail formats or a function of design. But, the fact is that every contact point with the consumer has become extremely important…everything costs and everything counts.”
The expanding advertising outlets available almost force retailers to focus on product packaging because it may be the only time consumers actually come in contact with the product. “The idea is to get the consumer to interact with the pack as long as possible,” says Snehasis Bose, CEO of DMA Branding.
Product labels also become important in times of rising inflation when retailers and distributors need to maximize their advertising opportunities without adding additional and unnecessary costs. Since most packaging will already need a label, why not use that space to express a message, tell a story, or provide additional information.
Labels are not just mere packaging art. They are strong advertising vehicles. When designing your label, act as if it is part of an overall ad campaign. The label should fit in with your message and brand. With a label, the opportunities are almost endless!
