Brands are all too familiar with the importance of good packaging. No matter how great their product is, their go-to-market strategy relies heavily upon showcasing their wares in the best possible avatar. That is why the packaging is expected to play its part in grabbing eyeballs once the product is on shelves. But just as they must pay heed to the most minute details in production. In this article lets examine the Implementation of food & beverages in FMCG
Brands also need to look after the entire life-cycle of packaging-meaning every process between the creative layout and the final printing on the package. This pre-press phase of the packaging plays a vital role in the finished packaging. Its requires expertise in a whole lot of areas-from artwork and color management, to digital proofing and prototyping.
Packaging (and by extension, pre-press) has assumed increasing importance over the last few years because the consumer is becoming more discerning. Be it in terms of aesthetic preferences or in terms of commitment to sustainability. And for some industries like F&B or FMCG, it can be a real game-changer due to certain prerequisites peculiar to these sectors.
Aesthetic Value
Increased e-commerce and the proliferation of social media have given brands a leg-up in visibility. But that also means customers can validate or discard a particular product ONLY based on its packaging and spread the word quickly among friends and family. No wonder brands have an elevated level of alertness while okaying the final packaging! The FMCG sector, which covers diverse item categories from bodycare to homecare. The ready-made clothing to ready-to-eat food has brands competing fiercely for coming up with the most innovative, cost-efficient, yet aesthetically pleasing packaging.
The pre-press work can make or break this packaging. That is when the groundwork that goes into getting the perfect mock-ups, pixelation, and digital color consistency across the printing supply chain can add up to a fantastic outcome. Advances in digital pre-press techniques such as the introduction of 3D printing have boosted innovation and are continuing to raise the demand for high-quality work in this specialized area.
Customer Information
Packaging is not only meant for making the product attractive. One of the crucial purposes it serves is to dispense accurate product information so that the potential buyer may take an informed decision. The food and beverage sector, where facts about aspects like shelf life can have a profound effect on buyers. This is hugely dependent upon the accuracy of their labeling. Apart from requirements mandated by regulatory bodies. They provide information that empowers consumers to weigh their choices cautiously and consciously before a purchasing decision. These information points include the core ingredients, directions for use and storage, shelf life, and warnings (related to allergens, food preparation areas, etc). Of course, they must also contain customer contact numbers, addresses, manufacturing sites, and quality certifications.
Often, better prepress packaging enhances both the above aspects. Beverage cans, for instance, which may come in different variants of flavor, stand to gain tremendously by achieving reproduction of fine-detail images and text, health warnings, alcohol percentage (if applicable), and design & color schemes that may be distinct for each variant. Standout graphics in this case can sometimes be huge crowd-pullers. While the brand marketers may deserve the credit for ideation. It is the prepress and packaging team that implements the concept and takes it to completion!
There is a lot more than meets the eye in the packaging world. Especially when one witnesses the processes associated with prepress packaging. It requires creative flair, cost efficiency, sophisticated infrastructure, cutting-edge technology, and expertise in workflows. If you are scouting your packaging technology partner, get in touch with us at Manipal Digital. We will bring your vision to life on the retail shelves by combining our technical know-how and top-notch creativity!
Expert pre-press can improve aesthetics and utility of packaging to the consumer, which can be the difference between winning & losing in hypercompetitive sectors like FMCG and F&B
