Welcome The Gable Gallery of Fine Art

Today, we welcome our newest client, The Gable Gallery of Fine Art located in Denver, Colorado.  The Gable Gallery brings together both well-known and up and coming artists in the Denver area.  The Gable Gallery approached InTouch looking for an embossed label, but after much discussion and some sample packs, the folks at The Gable Gallery determined that a foil stamped label would better represent their artwork.

Their elegant logo is stamped onto a dull silver foil stock with a bright silver foil hot stamp.  Foil stamping was a better option because it would really show the logo.  The logo may not have stood out as much if it was embossed.

We are excited to welcome The Gable Gallery and look forward to working with them on future products!

Are Two Labels Better Than One?

Today I came across a student spotlight on The Dieline featuring a whiskey packaging design.  As I looked through the design images and read the designers conceptual notes, the one thing that struck me is the use of two labels on the front of the bottle.  This is most likely a stylistic choice, as there is no clear need for two labels.  This design begs the question: Are two labels better than one?

From a cost perspective, no, two labels are not better than one.  By using two labels, you have just doubled your printing costs.  Sure, one big label would use the same amount of paper, but when you break it into two labels, you need two sets of plates, two different dies, etc.  So yes, you did just double your printing costs.  Ok, let’s be fun and set price aside.

Stylistically, the two labels add an interesting element to the overall look of the bottle.  The bottom label almost acts as a pedestal for the larger top label.  Much like how the bottle sits on an actual pedestal.  Your eye is immediately drawn to the “equal to or greater than” symbol, then naturally flows down the packaging to the product name, Somerville.  Although small, the break between the two labels allows the rich amber color to shine through, making the whiskey’s color part of the design.

The verdict?  Sometimes, two labels are better than one, but only when it won’t break the bank or there aren’t many budget constraints.  Using two labels gives the bottle a unique feel, which could draw in new drinkers.  If using two labels makes a consumer pick the bottle of a shelf, it is worth every penny.

Animal Labels Can Make The Sale

I’m sure since Westminster proclaimed Malachy the Pekingese Best in Show, animals have been the talk of the day.  Some comments around our office have included: Is that a mop or a dog?  I’m confused, can cats show at Westminster?  That isn’t a real dog, a yellow lab should have won.  (Ok, the last comment was from Brady).  With all this animal talk, it was nice to stumble upon an article about the impact of critters on custom labels.

Pennsylvania based Unity Marketing recently did a study on how animal-themed labels impact sales of products.  The focus of the study was wine labels.  Interestingly, they found that labels with an animal have a better chance of being re-bought in the future.  If you think about the wine market, Yellow Tail immediately fits the study’s findings.  The bouncing kangaroo transformed the little known winery into a world-wide powerhouse.

Interestingly, it isn’t necessarily the animal that makes the brand.  For many consumers, animals are memorable and that is what makes the repeat customers.  As one of the researchers noted, “This doesn’t mean that every wine brand needs an animal logo, but what it does mean is that every wine brand needs a memorable label.  Making your label memorable, visually-stimulating and easily recalled will take your brand far in winning shares of customer’s wallets.”

Bottom line – a cute critter can make your product memorable.  But don’t limit yourself to animals.  Knowing your competition and what will stand out among the crowd is key to creating a memorable label.

Real bottom line – Malachy is cute, but don’t put him on a label.

Superbowl Depression

It is a sad day in Beantown.  Our hometown team couldn’t cross into the end zone enough times to beat the Giants…again!  Whether it was Welker’s missed catch, Brady’s safety, or the curse of Giselle, everyone in the office is feeling the pain.  The good thing about the Superbowl is no matter how horrible the final score, we can always figure how to link some aspect to labels and packaging!

You may have noticed the commercials for Bud Light Platinum.  (Side note: I actually had Bud Light Platinum on Sunday…it is very good!)  So, we don’t usually discuss “non-labeled” packaging, but Budweiser did something interesting with their Platinum beer.  In an attempt to lure some business away from the ever-growing craft beer market, Budweiser re-designed their packaging to attract a more diverse group of beer drinkers.

The most obvious change is the bottle.  Instead of using the traditional brown glass, they opted for a dark blue bottle.  They noted that, “a trendy blue-bottle line extension appeals to a key group of beer drinkers and expands consumer occasions.”  Aside from the blue bottle, they also tried to minimize their name and maximum the platinum.

Here is the problem.  The packaging fits well within their brand, but does nothing to attract new drinkers.  It isn’t interesting enough for an adventurous micro-brewery fan, and it is so obviously an off-shoot of Bud Light, that someone seeking a trendy high-end beer will stay away.  Ultimately, this beer will attract Bud Light drinkers.  After a while, the Bud Light drinkers won’t be inclined to pay platinum’s higher price tag, and it will become a “special occasion” beer for Bud Light loyalists.

This is the problem when you have a big brand.  You can’t just abandon everything that has made you successful in order to gain ground in a niche market, like craft brews.  On the other hand, you can’t attract new customers who have been passing you over without some drastic changes.

In the end, Budweiser is a massive company and they can afford to take risks like this on a new product.  It may not attract the craft beer fanatics they hope for, but at least they are following the trends and trying to respond.  Every brand, big or small, should follow that example.

Featured Product – Estate Paper #9

For the month of February, our featured product is estate paper #9.  Every month we feature one of our custom label products.  Sometimes it is something brandy new.  Other times it is something we want to highlight from our standard product line.  Every once in a while, it is a product we are testing to see if we should incorporate it into our product line.

Estate paper #9 isn’t brand new to us, but it hasn’t been fully integrated into our product line.  It has been slowly gaining popularity as a kraft paper alternative, since kraft has begun to saturate some markets.  It is a beautifully textured, off-white paper, that has the versatility for high-end products or homemade goodies.

Estate #9′s classy properties make it very popular in the wine industry.  It can be printed with ink, embossed, or foil stamped.  Feel free to contact us if you would like to see a sample of estate #9.  It will be our featured product throughout the month of February, so you have 29 days (yay leap year!) to give estate #9 a little love.