PACKA THE ATTRACTION, THE EFFECTS By Perry Luntz

s Mark Twain so neatly put it more than a century ago, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no A influence on society.” First impressions often are the most lasting when it comes to people and products. What a cus- tomer sees first when he starts shopping is packaging.

As one who understands retail business and national marketing, Aaron Keller, managing principle at Capsule, the Minneapolis-based marketing organization, firmly believes that “packaging is the only real salesperson for any product. Mass advertising alone can’t do the job because 70% of all consumer product purchasing choices are made at the store shelf.” There are some statistics that say 30% of all purchases are made on impulse after seeing an attractive package. Keller’s view is that a good package designer knows how to make the package reflect the brand’s basic marketing objectives.

“70% of all consumer product purchasing choices are made at the store shelf.”

— Aaron Keller, managing principle, Capsule, Minneapolis

Most importantly for retailers of mass marketed consumable products such as beer, wine and spirits, Keller says “good branding is about changing a product from just a commodity to a ‘brand’ that consumers want and will pay more to get. When we design a package we make sure it reflects the brand’s true personality.” Suppliers provide the ammunition and retailers provide the place to use it. Think how dull and unexciting a store would be without special free-of-charge holiday packaging. Appreciate how much the added value of gifts-with-purchase bring to off-premise business at no cost to the licensee. GING

Take imported as one example. Vodka labels and packages were the old-fash- ioned European traditions translated to English until created a designer-commis- sioned iceberg-cold bottle. Then came Absolut. Many laughed when they first saw what some retailers called “the intravenous bottle.” But, when combined with sophisticated and consistent advertising using the bottle as “hero,” the competition stopped laughing and have been playing catch up ever since. More recently, a skilled marketer pondered on how to change the consumer image of Polish Vodka as being an inexpensive, high-alcohol spirit made from potatoes, to a deluxe product from the land where Vodka was born. Raise the curtain on and Belvedere with their handmade packaging complete with brass hinges and locks and you get brands that created an ultra-premium niche for Vodka. Finally, think about a non-industry executive who watched all this happening and real- ized that the same approach could be used for a domestic Vodka. Almost overnight the blue bottle with bright silver lettering reading SKYY was everywhere, a perfect reflection of the product and it’s positioning; pure, clear and great value. Other spirits categories have been brought to prominence through packaging. There were literally dozens of Bourbon, most languishing on shelves until Jim Beam made four super-premium Bourbons the way the whiskey used to be made and sold them and their position using modern, chic bottles in a collection called “Small Batch Bourbons.” A major packaging innovation in the rum category is just being introduced by Sidney Frank. Coyopa, a small-batch premium rum, comes in a bottle that is animated by a back- light which is activated each time the bottle is lifted. The light illuminates pictures of dancers in sequence, giving the illusion that the dancers are moving. Sidney Frank plans not only to dazzle store shelves with Coyopa, but to speak to a new kind of rum drinker by revolution- izing the category. (see Coyopa article also in this issue.) Only recently has Tequila been made conforming to a set of standards far different from its origins and reputation. But handcrafted packaging using native symbols and crafts turned super-premium bottles into collectible works of art and did the job almost instantly. Associate Professor Diana Tweade of Michigan State University’s School of Packaging looks more at the philosophy behind packaging. “Thirsty? As more of us seek variety in the things we drink, packaging can offer much to stimulate, entice, and satisfy our thirsts,” she Packaging has explains. Choice among alternative beverages can transform our most basic need to shifted Vodka quench a thirst, into entertainment.” from a commodity to a premium buy. Veuve Clicquot’s carton that converts into an ice bucket.

“Offering choice among alter- native beverages can transform our most basic need – to quench thirst – into entertainment.”

— Diana Tweade, Michigan State University

Beer, wine and spirits rely heavily on sions as well as on-premise. All of these images. What do you think of when some- changes and others are practical innova- one speaks of “Joe Six Pack?” Does that tions making it easier for casual wine image square itself with the price of a bottle drinkers to become regular glass-a-day of imported Belgian beer? Not if that beer customers. has a Belgian label and comes in a special “Retail competition in the industry, package possibly with a swing top or some like most other consumer categories, is other unique feature. Convenience and fierce with numerous new product introduc- ease of drinking are expressed in the move- tions each year,” says Russ Napolitano, ment from shipping draft beer in the old partner and executive VP of the Bailey metal kegs to a totally new, more practical Design Group which has worked on pack- design called the Stankey keg which is so aging and brand identity for products as var- “neat-looking” smaller versions are now ied as Noval’s Raven Port, Licor 43, and used to package party-size premium brews Glenfiddich. He reminds that when con- for retail sale. sumers enter a store today, “they want

“Intellectual and cultural pleasure is now an integral part of experiencing wine.”

—Maurizio Robilant, international package designer

One category that hasn’t yet fully real- something out of the ordinary. They want to ized the potential of modern marketing-ori- be ‘wowed.’ Marketers who think out of the ented packaging is wine. Fine wines in par- ordinary and involve consumers by fully uti- ticular dote on the fact that they use a lizing the variety of packaging elements “Burgundy bottle” or other bottles designed available such as structural materials, inks, centuries ago to designate a specific type of varnishes on packaging and labeling will wine for instant recognition. But times are capture consumer attention and ultimately changing for vintners too. Consider the sales.” Napolitano too is interested in the Veuve Clicquot carton that converts into an emotional content of the package. ice bucket or the Villa Sandi patented Glaxia “Consumers will pick the one that speaks to bottle that keeps its Prosecco contents cool them on an emotional level, they will pick the and ready for serving. Switching from cork one that projects the style and elements that to screw caps is catching the fancy of New match their needs and desires.” Villa Sandi’s World winemakers and their consumers for Much of that information on labels may patented Glaxia its added convenience. Brand owners are be mandated by government regulation, but bottle that keeps its contents cool. now paying more attention to single- or dou- there is plenty of room for simple English ble-serve bottles for use on outdoor occa- explanations of what the product is, how it’s COLOR The Stuff of Emotion

Color effects emotions while creating a customer interaction at the store shelf. Phil Lempert, a noted trend analyst and pub- lisher of an international newsletter, has said; “Using color and its emotionality to sell products makes a huge difference in the way a shopper reacts to a product and a store.” Grolsch’s swingtop beer bottle The emotional color code:

RED – increases adrenalin and because of this communi- cates power and vitality. “Today’s consumers ORANGE – A color of energy, vitality and warmth it’s often want something out of used on health-promoting products. the ordinary. They want YELLOW – Makes packages seem larger. Yellow reminds us of the sun creating happiness, warmth and often, change. to be ‘wowed.’”

BLUE – means cleanliness and purity. Emotionally it conveys feelings of prestige, confidence and credibility. —Russ Napolitano, Bailey Design Group

BLACK – says elegance and sophistication. The people who like black are looking for luxury. made and how it can best be enjoyed. This product information is essential on new product labels and in (much of this column originally appeared in SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE) a constantly changing marketplace it’s no less impor- tant on labels for “mature” brands. If a bottle shape, size, design or color attracts the consumer’s eye then that “silent salesperson” has done only part of the job, that of getting a customer to become involved REMEMBER with the bottle. The label must do the rest. The new look in labels owes much to Baron de Rothschild who was among the first to commission THE BASICS renowned artists such as Marc Chagall to paint orig- inal art for reproduction on his wines. As Napolitano • Create a special space in the front of the store to intro- said, the variety of new materials such as applying duce new products of all kinds. labels directly on bottles have challenged designers to create new and appealing “looks” for their latest • Make certain there’s an ample supply of recipe booklets ventures. Changing type size, or moving a brand icon at hand, or post recipes near the product on a shelf talk- may seem minor, but it’s enough of a change for a er or hand-made sign. consumer who recognizes the symbol to pick up a bottle to see what’s happened to it. • Increase the frontage on eye level shelves with a banner on the shelf announcing the new package for a familiar Selling The Whole Package brand.

• Highlight particular packaging innovations (such as a When all is said and done, packaging innovations self-cooling bottle for picnic use) at in-store events. large and small are of no importance to retailers unless they use them to help sell goods. This is par- • In advertising and merchandising, emphasize the advan- ticularly true when dealing with new products. The tages offered by the new package – value for the money, same is true in major innovations of packaging for convenience, ease of use, even the appearance on a traditional brands. How to make certain existing cus- home bar and the pleasure of serving guests the finest. tomers are not turned off by a change in label color is always a question. • Put a spotlight directly shining on the new package. If it’s Purchasing premium brands of all kinds is an a wine, bring it out of the bin and highlight it near the cash emotional experience for the consumer - particularly register. the new customer. The packaging brings them to the bottle, the label should answer most of their ques- tions, but retailers can make certain that the interac- • Have staff read the labels and make certain they under- tion takes place. stand what makes Brand X different from Brand Y. 2002 C L E A R CHOICE AWARDS

It’s clear to see why every year since 1989 the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) would award a Steuben crystal glass star and a $1,000 contribution to their favorite charity to winners of its annual Clear Choice Award competition. It becomes even clearer why beer, wine and spirits bottles would be included among those deemed extraordinary. The awards are based on package design, and inno- vations in size, shape, and textures. There’s also a special award for companies that report a substantial increase in business attributed to a glass package. Use of glass bottles by the beverage alcohol industry has made it the nation’s leading users of glass bottles with beer alone accounting for 52% bottles used every year. The award for the Greatest Success St o r y of 2002 was granted to for the Smirnoff Ice package. After only one year in distribution. The “ma l t e r n a t i v e ” accounts for nearly 3% of all beverage glass bottle production, nearly as much as all wines, The acceptance by Ice’s target market was assisted by the status of glass packages the convenience they offer consumers along with the reassurance of quality and flavor protection. 2002 CLEAR CHOICE AWARD WINNERS

Success Stor y: Smirnoff Ice sales rose to more than 25 million six-packs in its first year of distribution.

Beer: Killian’s Red which uses a traditional appearing label in a modern way (pressure sensitive) to emphasize its handcrafted upscale image.

Wine: Bogle Vineyard’s Petit Syrah and Petit Syrah Port’s head- turning high slim bottles with a tapered shape that makes them look like a sculpture.

Spirits: Bacardi Tropico with a pressure sensitive label and clear bottle that permits the color of the product to come through any- where it’s displayed.

Malternative: DNA from Wet Planet Beverages in a clear bottle identified by a pressure sensitive label that glows in the black lights of a night club.

Package Design: Corby Distillers’ super-premium Polar Ice for its elegant shape, label graphics, and use of color to showcase its premium heritage.