Creative Packaging: Innovation at Steam Whistle

We all know how important it is to have great packaging - this is no secret. Especially when it comes to the food and beverage industry, your packaging is the image you present to consumers, often the first impression they get and one of the most important factors that impact a consumer’s buying choices.

Packaging Technologies Inc. has been working with Steam Whistle Brewing on package design and manufacturing for a number of years - and with some awesome success.

Check out this video about Steam Whistle and their packaging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20gqd60UOeQ&feature=youtu.be.

As Chris Johnston, Director of Packaging at Steam Whistle Brewing, notes, package failure is not an option. Creative packaging is critical to your overall marketing strategy. In order to stand out on the shelf you need to have innovative, unique packaging that makes a statement. Packaging that falls flat, is boring, or just does not hit the target can be a major missed opportunity on a number of fronts.

At PTI, we are committed to creating visually appealing, innovative and unique packaging to get your product noticed. We use the latest technology and trends to ensure that nothing is left to chance.

For more about PTI or to get started on an award winning packaging design please call us today at 1-800-303-5883. 

In-Store Communication: Point of Purchase Displays

With the sheer abundance of options consumers are presented with in-store, it is no surprise that brands and retailers alike are going to great lengths to communicate with customers on the store floor in an attempt to garner sales in the face of fierce competition. For many, this means an increased focus on signage and point of purchase displays that capture the attention and motivate customers to purchase.

Point of purchase displays continue to prove their worth year after year. Don’t just take our word for it – a recent POPAI research study found that impulse buys are not just influenced by price – POP displays have been shown to increase sales up to 24%. This can mean a great deal when you have effective displays.

Not just another point of purchase display: it is one thing to just continue using the same design, but another to completely revamp that marketing strategy to incorporate the newest trends.

In the consumer packaged goods industry, a great trend to adopt is displaying important information about your product to create a transparent relationship based on trust. This easily creates an emotional connection, demonstrating that you have nothing to hide from your customers. This also goes a long way as far as establishing loyalty.

Digital and touchscreen technology: incorporating some form of technology into your POP display has become a major trend for 2015. The ability to communicate is strengthened when the consumer feels as though they are an active participant in the communication. It also shows that you are up-to-date.

Social media: in today’s online world, ignoring the power of social media can be a brand killer. The strength of your online reputation depends a great deal on your social network and how you conduct yourself online. This can easily be supported when your product packaging takes advantage of social media – saying “follow us @” or “like us on Facebook” not only creates a connection it also increases your online presence and adds to your overall brand perception. Just be sure to manage your social networks – ignoring activity or being passive or unengaging can also negatively impact your brand.

What to think of when creating an effective point of purchase display: strength, originality, accurate specifications – these are all crucial factors to consider when developing the perfect point of purchase display. Having a graphic design team in your corner that knows the importance of these factors is critical.

Point of purchase displays continue to be an incredibly important part of any marketing campaign, but there are a number of things that work towards making that campaign effective.

For more on creating a great point of purchase campaign please contact Packaging Technologies Inc. today by calling 1-800-303-5883. 

Product Packaging for Online Grocery Shopping

It is no secret that the online grocery shopping industry has really grown over the past few years, and according to a recent report done by market research publisher Packaged Facts, this isn’t set to change any time soon.

According to the study, online grocery shopping currently accounts for over 3% of the overall grocery shopping market - totalling $23 billion in annual sales. Packaged Facts’ report predicts that this will grow to nearly 12 percent within five years, thanks in part to the growing familiarity and comfort with online shopping in general, as well as the convenience.

Check out the full article here.

So what does this mean to both those companies that do not offer online sales as well as those that do?

Don’t offer online sales, or sell at a retailer that does? This means that your marketing strategy needs to be one that can battle that fierce competition. Your product packaging needs to be unique and creative and it needs to speak to the consumer. This means drawing on those heartstrings and making an emotional connection. It also means demonstrating the quality of your product through the quality of your packaging.

Offer sales online? If you ship through the mail, this is actually a great opportunity to take advantage of the prime advertising space – a space that a surprising number continue to ignore. Think about the number of hands that package passes through before finally reaching the customer – that is a major power base of potential customers, and the right product packaging can garner a great deal of attention just by being eye-catching and original.

For many, the threat that online grocery shopping seems to present can be overwhelming – but if approached appropriately can actually yield great results, regardless of whether or not you sell online or not.

For more about how to compete with the rise in online grocery sales please contact Packaging Technologies Inc. today by calling 1-800-303-5883. 

PTI Playing Role In Beer Store Announcement

Major Announcement!!!!

We are very excited about the recent announcement from the Beer Store and the role that PTI will play in this major development!

Packaging Technologies Inc. understands the important role that packaging plays in brand identity and recognition. As a leader in the supply of high impact corrugated packaging to the beer industry, we are the experts in the Beer Store packaging specifications. With this new opportunity for Ontario-based brewers to participate in the management of the Beer Store and the unveiling of the new small brewer benefit package, PTI Inc. can guide you through the process with ease to introduce your brand  at the Beer Store! Check out what our customers are saying about us: http://youtu.be/20gqd60UOeQ.

Press Release: Major Announcement From The Beer Store

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: 

Beer Store opens ownership to all Ontario-based brewers; New small brewer benefits package unveiled

Broadening ownership provides an Ontario-wide solution

TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - The Beer Store has announced that, effective immediately, ownership is being opened up to all Ontario-based brewers large and small.

In a major announcement today, the Beer Store's current owners said opening ownership makes sense for Ontario brewers and consumers. It helps the retail network continue to offer a low-cost advantage and continues to enable brewers to independently set the lowest average beer prices in Canada, while also supporting award-winning environmental stewardship and a world-class responsible sale program.

"Today marks a new era for the Beer Store. We heard from Ontario brewers that they wanted to participate in the management of the Beer Store and contribute to its future success. That's why we're opening up the system and making it even more transparent," said Stewart Glendinning, CEO of Molson Coors Canada.

"The Beer Store is truly becoming Ontario-owned. Ontario brewers will be represented on the Board and share in decision-making. All owners will have the same or better costs to sell in the Beer Store than the current owners," said Labatt Breweries Canada President Jan Craps.

John Sleeman, Chairman and Founder of Sleeman Breweries said, "We welcome and support the direction of the changes being announced today.  These will help improve the transparency and openness of The Beer Store for all Ontario brewers, including Sleeman, and will allow our input into the evolution of the system."

Also announced were new benefits to further improve access for small Ontario-based brewers.

Small Ontario brewers (who sell fewer than 1 million litres/year at the Beer Store) will pay no listing fee when stocking two of their products at the five Beer Store locations closest to their brewery, increasing the selection of locally-brewed beer for consumers in communities across the province.

Beyond those five stores, small brewers will be able to list the same two products at any additional Beer Store location at reduced listing fees, paying only the per-store fee. This will encourage additional small brewer listings at the Beer Store, enhancing the ability of those brewers to grow their businesses, while also offering wider selection to Ontario consumers.

Small brewers have also asked for the ability to introduce seasonal brands throughout the year. Today, the Beer Store announced that it will implement this change.  Brewers can swap out a new or existing brand listing and replace it with a seasonal brand twice a year at no additional cost.

"We listened and we acted. The Beer Store is a great beer retail system.  Today we're taking new steps to make it even better", said Beer Store president Ted Moroz. "As a result of these changes all Ontario brewers will be able to participate in the management of the company and the smallest Ontario brewers will get improved opportunities to grow their sales volumes at a significantly reduced cost."

Moroz said that at the same time as considerable media debate about the Beer Store had been taking place in recent months, Beer Store officials had been quietly working behind the scenes on how to reshape the shareholder agreement and make the Beer Store even more open and transparent.

Under the new ownership structure larger Beer Store owners (annual Beer Store sales over 5 million litres/year) will pay the exact same fees as the current owners to sell their beer in the Beer Store.  Smaller brewers (Beer Store sales under 5 million litres/year) will pay discounted fees as they will not be required to fund certain costs relating to capital investment in new stores or pension and benefits plans.

As always, any brewer can sell in the Beer Store and brewers will continue to independently set their own prices in a highly competitive environment that keeps prices low for Ontario consumers. These facts will not change.  

New owners are being welcomed into the Beer Store at a nominal cost: Ontario-based brewers with Beer Store sales under 5 million litres/year a year will pay $100 and receive a Preferred Share in the company; those with sales over 5 million litres/year will pay $1,000 and also receive a Preferred Share.

About the Beer Store

The Beer Store offers customers 490 brands, provided by 105 brewers. Approximately 1-in-4 brands come from small Canadian brewers. It is a completely open system that allows any brewer in the world to sell their brands in any store they choose. The Beer Store is deeply committed to responsible sale and not selling to minors and people who are intoxicated.  More than 3.6 million customers were challenged in 2013 alone. It is also one of the greenest retailers in the world and collected more than 1.7 billion beer bottles in 2012-2013 (a 92 per cent return rate) and 300 million wine and spirit containers (a 80 per cent return rate). The Beer Store Employs 7,000 hard-working Ontarians with well-paying full and part-time jobs. 

-Bill Walker, 416-624-3936, bill@midtownpr.com

Premium Custom Packaging - What We’ve Learned From 2014

Happy New Year everyone! It is 2015 now and that means forward thinking for the months ahead. This also means keeping in mind all of the things we learned in 2014 and implementing these new trends and best practices for the future. For example, last November we attended the annual PackEx conference, Montreal’s leading resource for networking and knowledge about the latest equipment, newest technologies and best new materials and processes in the packaging industry.

Attending events such as this one not only gave us access to this new information, it also really helped to reinforce and cement the knowledge that the methods and practices PTI employs on a regular basis are here to stay. We are always focused on staying ahead of the curve to give you the best possible end result.

Here are some of the things we took home from such events:

Cutting Edge Technology: Flexoprint pre-print is not new in the packaging industry, but when it comes to custom product packaging it is the best. It creates high quality print graphics at a cost effective price point - demonstrating the quality of your product before a consumer even opens the box. The use of high quality inks and our advanced colour management system means that we can print up to 150 line screen graphics on a variety of liner boards.

Sustainability: A focus on the manufacturing process and how it impacts the environment has long been a concern for the entire PTI team. And for us sustainability isn’t just about the end product, it is about the entire process. From a design that maximizes structural support and minimizes material, to the reuse of all unnecessary materials when the process is complete, we ensure a much smaller carbon footprint.

Newest trends: staying current sometimes means change, and coming into this year the biggest trends are with design and structure. Things like colour psychology, or the choice of colour and how it impacts a consumer’s emotions has become a major factor. Simplicity and function are also major players - encompassing not only the look of your packaging but also the package itself. The newest and most efficient materials are helping to reduce costs at both the manufacturing stage and the shipping stage.

At Packaging Technologies Inc., we are committed to providing you with the most innovative, creative and sustainable product packaging designs out there. We’ve taken what works best from 2014 and applied it to our 2015 strategies - meaning you get only the best. Call us today for more info at 1-800-303-5883.