Packaging With a Golden Touch
October 2004
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Today's packaging needs to sell itself, and metallic inks and metallized paper and films are making that job a little bit easier.
IT'S BEEN SAID, "All that glitters is not gold." However, a glittering package can defy that age-old adage.
With the help of metallic inks and metallized substrates, a package can pop off the shelf, attracting consumers and leading to sales. In the end, that's money in the brand owner's pocket and repeat business for a package printer.
But how important is it really, to add glitz and glamour to a package of razors or a bottle of iced tea? Very, according to Joe Braschayko of Zen Design Group.
"A typical shopper spends approximately two to three seconds viewing products as they travel down the aisle," Braschayko said. "The use of metallic papers, foils, and metallic inks grabs the attention of the consumer. They make ordinary packaging stand out from the rest. All things compared, the packaging may make a difference in the purchase."
Let it shine
Glitzy materials are everywhere in packaging. From beverage containers to cracker boxes, shiny substrates are popular with brand owners and designers, alike.
"On approximately 20 percent of the packages we design, we suggest some type of hot stamp or metallic as a design element," said Mark Nuccio, president of Design Edge of NY Inc.
While foils are the preferred substrate, cost and printing hardships can be an issue with the material. "Usually most printers are able to print with metallic inks and on metallic papers, and the additional cost increase is relatively small," Braschayko said. "Unfortunately, a specialty printer is required for printing on foils, making the additional cost substantial."
Where cost is a problem, many of today's metallic inks are a good alternative. For the past several years, ink manufacturers have worked to refine their metallic inks, striving for a foil-effect. The result is ultra-brilliant metallic inks that are shinier and easier to lay down than metallic inks of yesteryear.
Water Ink Technologies' Water Metallic Bright inks offer increased trappability, longer shelf-life, low gassing, and superior metallic sheen. Water Metallic Bright inks are also easy to print and easily printed over with other inks, including black inks.
Eckart America LP's ULTRASTAR® GS-2807 and GP-2152 are ultra-bright silver metallic inks that offer a cost benefit over foils and are press-ready, one-component inks for flexo, gravure, and screen printing.
ANI Printing Inks offers its MetalGlow line of printing inks, which are metallic inks that provide printability and consistency throughout multiple runs.
IT'S BEEN SAID, "All that glitters is not gold." However, a glittering package can defy that age-old adage.
With the help of metallic inks and metallized substrates, a package can pop off the shelf, attracting consumers and leading to sales. In the end, that's money in the brand owner's pocket and repeat business for a package printer.
But how important is it really, to add glitz and glamour to a package of razors or a bottle of iced tea? Very, according to Joe Braschayko of Zen Design Group.
"A typical shopper spends approximately two to three seconds viewing products as they travel down the aisle," Braschayko said. "The use of metallic papers, foils, and metallic inks grabs the attention of the consumer. They make ordinary packaging stand out from the rest. All things compared, the packaging may make a difference in the purchase."
Let it shine
Glitzy materials are everywhere in packaging. From beverage containers to cracker boxes, shiny substrates are popular with brand owners and designers, alike.
"On approximately 20 percent of the packages we design, we suggest some type of hot stamp or metallic as a design element," said Mark Nuccio, president of Design Edge of NY Inc.
While foils are the preferred substrate, cost and printing hardships can be an issue with the material. "Usually most printers are able to print with metallic inks and on metallic papers, and the additional cost increase is relatively small," Braschayko said. "Unfortunately, a specialty printer is required for printing on foils, making the additional cost substantial."
Where cost is a problem, many of today's metallic inks are a good alternative. For the past several years, ink manufacturers have worked to refine their metallic inks, striving for a foil-effect. The result is ultra-brilliant metallic inks that are shinier and easier to lay down than metallic inks of yesteryear.
Water Ink Technologies' Water Metallic Bright inks offer increased trappability, longer shelf-life, low gassing, and superior metallic sheen. Water Metallic Bright inks are also easy to print and easily printed over with other inks, including black inks.
Eckart America LP's ULTRASTAR® GS-2807 and GP-2152 are ultra-bright silver metallic inks that offer a cost benefit over foils and are press-ready, one-component inks for flexo, gravure, and screen printing.
ANI Printing Inks offers its MetalGlow line of printing inks, which are metallic inks that provide printability and consistency throughout multiple runs.
Companies Mentioned:
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