Design to Cost

The Packaging designers would like to believe that the creative exploration should be given liberal opportunity before the cost constraints are built in. This way innovation does not get inhibited and uncharted territories are explored.
We need to perhaps shift the paradigm and take up the creative challenge of developing Packaging designs to a specified cost. Here one is trying to say that the designs should be such that the cost of Packaging per piece does not go beyond a specified Budget. The fact is that it is possible and very often if the challenge is taken up the costs per piece has actually been decreased, while yet adding an overall value feel in the consumers eyes.
Hence, when we design a new Pack, structure or the graphics or redesign an existing Pack one very clear brief to the Designer could be that the cost additions would not be possible or even if possible it would be only within a specified limit.
The real tragedy happens when a whole lot of costs are added which ultimately the consumer does not even perceive or perhaps is neutral to. An addition of cost should be visible and the consumers should perceive an enhancement in imagery and ultimately in Sales.
Often certain features are tried to be built in which become more of a creative satisfaction for the Developers to achieve and demonstrate. We need to question this and in fact start looking at scenarios wherein there have been perhaps reduction in material weight, lowering of ink numbers, removal of complexity, ease of sourcing , easier usage and dispensing.
The answer lies in the Consumers eyes and the improved imagery ratings for the Brand. If the Packaging development team can rework a current design and make it look even better within the current costs they would perhaps be doing real value to not only to their Company but to the society at large.

The Death of Offset !

Some of the key printing processes have been existing for years , though evolving and continuously improving. Machines have been becoming speedier, with better controls on print quality and print registrations from colour to colour. The back end work and pre-press has been becoming high end and cutting down several in-between steps. The key printing process of Offset, Flexo and Gravure have also found their niches in the appropriate product categories and volume fits. Somewhere quietly the Digital printing has been progressing from one step to the other and gradually growing roots. The concept of straight computer to print today is fast gaining ground and getting ready to reposition some of the traditional processes.
Digital printing has some disadvantages, like the high costs, the inability to get metallic lustre and limitations on printing on some of the substrates. However , it has the distinct advantage of very fine half tones , quarter tones , speed and precision.
Digital can put an end to colour variations, mis-registrations and huge printing tolerances.
The Industry needs to work on primarily the costs aspect and this could perhaps ring the complete end to the traditional process like Offset. Offset process is riddled with the problems of colour variations, difficult process controls and fine precision. Given the positives that the Digital process have , perhaps the future in Packaging has got to be in the realm of Digital.
Given the disadvantage of the metallic inks , significant developments have been going on in the area and efforts have been on to overcome this issue. The success in the area of Chromolin proofing with fine metallic has perhaps some clues and some possibilities to offer.
The growing need for short term Packaging and quick changes in Graphics is perhaps fuelling Digital to grow from strength to strength and pave the way for a happier future for packaging.

The Brief has changed !

Yes we do hear this very often , specially from our Designers and Brand consultants, ' The brief has changed ' hence we will take ten weeks more and we will be sending in a fresh Estimate. This so called change of brief is how we see and interpret. Very often if your Brand designer wants to push in a design concept he/she may say that they have seen the Brief not as a water tight compartment but but taken some creative liberties, lets push the boundaries as Marketers. If you have had a rethink and want a slight relook, most often than not you may be told about the changed brief.

We need to examine asto why this happens, is it that your Designer is so completely exhausted with your iterations that he/she wants to call it a day, or is it that Designers believe that whatever they have given with their hard work and conceptual thinking, the client should take forward towards implementation.

I believe that never should we allow such a situation to arrive, try to be clear about the brief from the very beginning, plus also have a signed off agreement on how many iterations would be allowed in the development process. Right from the very beginning be clear on what you are shortlisting and why, never give any reason for your Designer to believe that the work is extraordinary whereas you may not be actually meaning it. Be sincere in your praise as well as criticism, incase you believe the proposed design is at best conceptually Ok but needs to be seen in its complete execution, please make that clear at each stage. Incase you believe that the work presented in not inline with the brief and the concept is fuzzy, please trash the work with politeness and leave no doubts that this round of work will not be counted as an iteration.

On the other hand if the Designer believes that the work done is meaningful and has high potential, please allow them to explain and the opportunity should be given. We should not let our position as a client come in the way of understanding the concept and making efforts to listen with utmost patience. Very often there could a great idea hidden and waiting to be discovered and perhaps needs to be talked over.

Bringing in clarity of communication between your Packaging designer and the the Client is the best way to avoid entanglements of the Changed brief. When faced with a design rejection resorting to the ' Changed brief ' is perhaps the easiest option but has the tremendous potential of spoiling a relationship and also a Creative idea.

On the GO! and Running

Up to sometime back we used to talk of ' On the Go ' packaging , but now things seem to be changing so fast, that the pack is virtually running. Yes, the ever so short of time Consumer has to virtually grab the Pack and run , run and run. Be it running to the Client , or for shopping , or to work , or to pick the kids from school or their weekend sports, packaging seems to be just running along.

A whole lot of Brands have realised this changing consumer pattern and have started building their packaging with serious inputs to face this new acceleration. Some of the key inputs have been the materials and substrates used, the opening and closing mechanisms, the ease of holding and dispensing and off course the ease of disposal. This change in packaging is not an easy overnight possibility, this has been visualised by keen Marketers and have ensured that their Packaging developers have risen up to such challenges.

A change in substrate to meet so many 'On the run' expectations may need years of scientific development ,innovation and development costs. A pack to withstand variations in temperatures, rough and quick usage may need to be worked upon with a serious plan of action and a high degree of involvement with the product developers.Very often to ensure that the pack is made with the 'On the run' possibility may need product changes and in fact sometimes altogether a new product development.

The fact is that this trend will continue as we move along to the next decades and this need will get further amplified. Packaging that wants to not only stay with times but also get ready for the future needs to tighten its belt and give a serious thought to this aspect of consumer behaviour. One aspect of changing consumer behaviour that will pose serious challenges to Packaging is ' No time '.

A lot of Companies have set in Packaging cells which are to focus only for the future, we need to have specific Budgets and plans to deal with this aspect of future, the starting point perhaps is an acute realisation and the emerging necessity. The fact is some have this realisation and some don't, those who have this realisation are the ones who will see themselves on the shelves in the future.

Limited Edition Packaging

A whole lot of Brands bring out Limited Edition packs and try to build excitement around their offers. Yes indeed packaging has been playing a forefront role in this area. A lot can be done and achieved in the market , provided one knows what exactly is the role one wants packaging to play.
This is one opportunity when one can do something different and try out of the blue formats. Here often, since the volumes are smaller one can look at hand packing , thus even complicated structures are not ruled out. One could look at spending a little more on the packaging and build in a lot of value added and unique features.
The question is, how often should one be doing these limited edition offers. We need to remember that consumers are attached to their regular looking Brand and too many of the limited editions perhaps create a dissonance in their shopping pattern. Too often, could also make a brand lose its identity and may be seen as frivolous.
The other major issue that needs to be addressed is the Theme or the Event that the Brand wants to tie in for these limited editions. Packaging can play a varied role depending upon the theme that it has to represent.
If the timing and the frequency is planned in advance, the packaging development can examine doing a very differentiated packaging, however very often with the paucity of time many Brands are pushing in not so unique offers , calling it Limited Editions. We need to remember such shortcuts could be seen as 'trying too hard' for a brand and it is better off not doing these interventions.
One could safely say, it is a great idea to do limited Edition packaging provided adequate care is taken that the purpose is meaningful and unquestionable. Lets do limited edition packaging only and only if we know the consumers will look for it and remember it.

Design Potential

There are certain Packaging designs which have this innate potential for value addition,they offer a tremendous scope to use various finishes, printing techniques , substrates, materials etc. to bring alive what got created on the computer. I refer to this as ' Design Potential '. However there are Designs which though may look beautiful on the screen but depend too much on such execution and finishes.

One needs to be vary of such designs which do not have 'Design potential' and consequently end up consuming in a huge amount of time and effort with no substantial results.

Very often marketers are are not able to assess this Design Potential , agree to take it forward and ultimately face huge disappointment. The fact is this disappointment is not only during the development stage but also with the consumer.

The Design potential needs to be assessed from all dimensions and possibilities. The design should not be heavily depending upon some printing execution, what if that execution does not happen. The design should be such that it is a great idea by itself and printing techniques should only be the icing on the cake. The design should be such that it does not depend upon a significant cost addition, what if this cost addition is not sanctioned. Often Designers base their designs on using expensive substrates, inks etc and if not agreed upon, resort to this as an excuse for a low potential design. The design should not be unduly dependent upon the top finishes e.g embossing, foiling, textures, etc. as very often these treatments do not come out very well or even if done well do not add do much to the design.

In case you have a design for which you wish to give 8 out of 10, go on subtracting 1 point each in case the design is too dependent upon some of the above. The figure arrived at would give you a measurable estimate of the Design potential. A design having potential of 5 or less is not worth considering taking forward.

Look for and assess this potential , consult experienced colleagues, specialists etc. and use them as sounding boards, they would give you the early warning signals!

The Safe option

Very often we come across Marketers and Brand Managers, who when start a project or write a brief want a very innovative Packaging but later on want nothing but a Safe Option, something that has been tried and tested. There is nothing wrong with going with the Safe option with your Packaging after due evaluation, but what may be incorrect is, if an Innovative Packaging solution is developed but dropped without a conclusive consumer research.
The other perspective is that what if all the Marketers of the world decided to go with a Safe option, there will be no Innovation in Packaging, how will new approaches emerge, how will the Consumers get Packaging that is changing with the times.
The evaluation with the Safe option should be thorough, very often in a rush to reach the market and getting the satisfaction of having completed the task, we may sub -optimise the complete objective. If the Brand is intended to just garner additional sales with the help of the Sales push, the Safe option in packaging may work. However if you wish to add Imagery and contemporary values to your Brand, you may need to take a more aggressive approach.
Marketers who have left the path of the safe option and tried out serious innovation in Packaging have had success all the way through, they have been able to heighten the equity of their Brand and added more and more consumers. Marketers who have stayed with beaten path have ended up copying the Innovators and proved to be lacking in a futuristic approach for your Brand. Very often such people justify their strategy by saying that they are copying as they need to be in line with times, but we need to realise that the consumers once lost do not come back with ease.
Very often a risk averse approach may throttle an 'Out of the box' Packaging idea, but this happens more in the cases where marketers lack acumen and a willingness to take up serious challenges. Consequently denying challenges to Packaging developers as well !

The Genesis - Packaging Originations

It would not be inaccurate to say that the real genesis for implementation of any Packaging project, is the Originations or the Output data. What is Output data for you, is actually the input data for all the resources who would be the implementers of your project.
The originations for your project is not just the data with all the files/ layers etc but also the reference proofs, colours reference, prototypes, specifications and infact all possible details that would ensure the success of your project. It is imperative that you develop the prototypes or the proofs on the same substrate that infact would be used for the bulk manufacture. Try to source the exact material and use it for the development process, from the very beginning. The look and feel of packaging varies from substrate to substrate and process to process. Your output data should help bridge the gap between this development that happens at a controlled level and the manufacture that happens in the bulk process.
Make the handing of your Originations/ Output data a landmark event and an opportunity to share with the world all the details of your processes. Make the receiver feel the effort that you have taken to put it altogether to make his/her work successful and easy. This is the Genesis for a healthy project implementation , whatever done right or wrong at this stage carries through and reversal is costly and often not possible.
Unfortunately to put together a perfect origination cannot be ' Once on that day ' exercise, this is a process which needs to be maintained as the project is in the development process itself. Thus the usage of the Artwork version numbers, reference dates, signoffs, details in the legends etc. just cannot be ignored. Insist with your prepress houses that they follow every step in detail and checks are put into place leaving no scope for errors.
Your commitment and passion should reflect when you pass the baton to the project implementers, with 'You Win and I Win' your moto.

Friends indeed - your suppliers

In my so many years in the field of Packaging, one of the greatest friends that one has made are those among some of our suppliers and vendors. Friends who have indeed been through thick and thin, friends who have understood your problems and empathized in times of your down turns. The fact remains that it is these relationships that help you to learn , contribute and develop in this extremely dynamic area of Packaging.

It is some of these suppliers who open your windows to the happenings outside your office, it is they who bring in the fresh air of Innovation that is blowing around your competition and enhance your awareness levels. The fact remains that one gets to learn so much from them that it is unimaginable and one can not thank enough.

In between ones very tight schedules, if we get an email from one of the suppliers that he/ she wants to come across and meet you, our first reaction is that of irritation and pain of going through another PowerPoint presentation. More often than not it is these presentations that open up so many ideas and expose us to new opportunities. Often such unsolicited meetings are a great means of striking a relationship and building up your library of materials and solutions.

What one needs to do is to offer respect and a patient hearing , without offering to buy any thing. Perhaps this is the first and the most important objective of a Salesman. Helping him/her achieve this first objective works towards striking a chord and sets the foundation stone for the sharing of learning and a symbiotic relationship.

It is these learning that we draw from our vendors and suppliers that often become such major inputs for our packaging development process.

Often experimentation and trials start with this preliminary meeting, which then set the basis for a large scale Packaging Innovation. The thrill of doing something new and exciting motivates the suppliers to add more and more value into the process. This ultimately contributes to your own and the projects success. One should therefore not forget that they are friends indeed!

Functional fencing- The Barbed wires

At any given moment Packaging has to work with several functions and departments, be it Technical, Engineering , Production, Purchasing, Legal, Brands, Vendors, Pre -Press Houses, Product development , the list is endless. This interfacing and managing through so many functions is the key to successful Packaging Management. Unfortunately the Fencing that each function or Department does around its territories with barbed wires causes so many projects to fail and not see the light of the day.
The ability and the competencies of a Packaging developer gets tested out in getting through these fences , take on board respective views and yet be able take an idea through. What you creatively come up with , the Production will say is not packable, what is finally packable, Purchasing will say , cannot be procured, what is Procurable, legal will say , has patent issues and what may not have Patent issues may be too ordinary and the Brands may say has no distinct competitive advantage.
In such a situation perhaps the best way is to get all the stake holders excited about your proposition and the overall advantage for the Brand and the company. Often generating this excitement may take a huge amount of time and can be very demotivating.However the other side is the tremendous sense of achievement and an immense satisfaction of doing a great job. Thus to continue generating this excitement , one needs to give the same feeling of achievement to the other functions. This often drops down the fences and solutions start coming forth with tremendous enthusiasm.
In the process of a packaging idea going through many functions, it may often end up looking very different and perhaps lose its connection to the initial concept. One could perhaps look at it positively and see the advantages of many brains adding to your idea. It is important to have ownership of your idea but being over possessive may pose even more difficulties in going through those fences.

The Never enough Budgets

The story is the same everywhere, Budgets planned in the beginning of the year are never adequate and consequently negative impact on the Packaging spends. Normally the Packaging Development Budget is somewhere a derivative of the Brand Plans and the spends are supposedly directional towards meeting those.
How often the Brand plans started off in the beginning of the year keep on changing and consequently the development work is either kept in abeyance or not used at all. In effect Packaging Budgets spent, output ready but as a consequence of the Brand plans changing the whole exercise becomes meaningless.
On the other hand the Brand plan stays but the Brief changes, consequently the Packaging budgets keep on depleting on the same project. Middle of the year when Packaging needs more budgets, the question that comes up , ' We did the same projects as per the Brand plan , so how come Packaging needs more Budgets'. Not understanding the fact that on the same project the brief kept changing or items kept getting added and the costs kept on building up.
The need for additional Budgets should be raised as soon as the brief changes on a project, thus the Packaging budgets should be a derivative of not only the Brand plans but also the brief and the scope of the work. Perhaps the Packaging budgets could be a Project wise allocation, subject to review of the deliverables and thus completely avoid the ' never enough ' syndrome.
Packaging which has the highest visibility often is the first to be on the chopping block and questioned for overdoing the brief. Offcourse all value additions are highly appreciated at the time of the launch, only to be later on dubbed as the costliest designer in the world.