Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/172581
PACKAGING BOTTLES &LABELS Experts Dissect Effective Labels Digital conference explores design, planning, materials and the current market highlights By Jane Firstenfeld • he proliferation of wine brands means competition T is fierce—both for shelf space and buyers. L abels & Labeling Maga ine z assembled a diverse professional panel recently to con- duct a digital conference focused on the North American wine industry. The agenda, moderated by Labels & Labeling North America editor Danielle Jerschefske, included the industry's continued strong growth, buying patterns of baby boomer vs. millennial "It's a lot of competition. There has never been as exciting a creative explosion of unusual names and labels," Gordon said, citing IRI's Top 10 New Brands of 2012: Skinny Girl, Be, Bella Bolle, Acronym, Maron, Fancy Pants, Thorny Rose, Wine Sisterhood, Flirt and Ooh La La. "Wineries typically used to be named for trees, ridges, mountains and chateaux," Gordon said. Newer brands, though, succeed with quirky, humorous names designed to capture the eyes, interest and abundant dollars of younger buyers. •Millennials buy lots of wine, but they shop differently than baby boomers. A clear idea of your market is essential. •New materials and printing techniques offer limitless opportunities for standout label design. •Don't rush into rebranding or relabeling your product. Take the time to collaborate with all concerned to maximize impact and minimize costs. consumers, the intricacies of planning and producing effective labels and improving technology and materials. Wines & Vines editor Jim Gordon set the stage during the live June 18 web seminar by presenting data demonstrating the recession-defying steady growth of the U.S./Canadian wine industries during the past decade. Driven by increased sales and consumption, and fueled by the proliferation of wineries and brands across the continent, growth of the market means that packaging wines for instant shelf-appeal is vital. "The U.S. is now the No. 1 market in the world, and it is a target for imports," Gordon said. "This sets the stage for great packaging and labels. More impressive than the market growth is the growth of U.S. wineries, which took off after the millennium, even faster than sales. Our data shows more than 7,558 wineries (including brick and mortar and virtual wineries) in the United States, and 529 total wineries in Canada." Many of these wineries have more than one wine brand, amounting to an additional 3,150 extra brands in all. 42 W in es & V i ne s O C TOb e r 20 13 Reeling them in Toni Hamilton-Edwards, director of marketing for ASL PrintFX, said that with all the competition, wine labels must be striking. "The label is your billboard. Consumers shop with their eyes first." Label printers and designers must partner with wineries to optimize sales. Consumers, she stated, will buy their first bottle because of the label. "What's inside will sell the second bottle. On a store shelf, you have just three seconds to grab a buyer's attention." The package must reflect the wine and its selling points; it must reflect the personality of your winery and be something you're proud of. Appealing to buyers across generations, HamiltonEdwards said, "is a fine line to walk." Millennials, she pointed out, shop differently from baby boomers. "Boomers need legible typography with larger fonts. Light colors printed on dark bottles can be difficult to read. "Go to the store as a consumer," Hamilton-Edwards suggested. "Forget about the juice inside: What makes the label pop on the shelf?" JIM GORDON: "There has never While boomers with fading eyesight are drawn to large type, "Millennials put more value on fun: quirky humor, interesting names, bold bright colors, unique shapes. Make it memorable and fun," Hamilton-Edwards stressed. "They prefer more modern design: large, bold type, unique pictures. They won't pick up chateaux. Add personality." The emergence, speed and convenience of digital printing make that process great for low-volume labels, she said. "There is no one best type of printing; been as exciting a creative explosion of unusual names and labels." Mysterium's sophisticated packaging was designed to appeal to patrons of night clubs, where its name glows under black light.