Multi-panel label produces coupon

When Rexall Sundown Boca Raton FL sought to cross-promote its extensive line of vitamins minerals herbals and specialty supplement products it needed a vehicle to carry a cents-off coupon.

The firm doesn’t use folding cartons for its bottles so putting the coupon on the carton was never an option. A coupon on the cap was possible but that space was very limited. “We even looked at inserting the coupon into the bottle but we had some issues with that idea” says Al Baumeler senior director of marketing. A coupon affixed to a neckband was considered but it would have forced changes to the company’s packaging process.

Eventually the company’s promotional group found Ampersand Label (Garden Grove CA) and its Easy Tab™ multipanel label. The Easy Tab label looks exactly like the conventional Rexall Sundown label except for two copy violators on the printed label. Above the main label display panel are the words “get valuable coupons” and another violator calls attention to the tab at the side of the front panel.

When the consumer releases the re-attachable tab the front label falls away revealing a cents-off coupon that can be torn off and redeemed with other Rexall Sundown products. Below that another version of the front-panel label is firmly affixed to the bottle. On the back of the coupon the shopper has the option to fill out a form. When the coupon is redeemed the purchaser can be included in future Rexall Sundown promotions thus allowing the company to build its list of customers.

Ampersand provides labels in five sizes to correspond to bottles of different sizes for Rexall Sundown products from 30- to 250-count. The patented label has a reinforced pull-tab and a specially calibrated release coating that enable the upper panels to be easily opened for viewing. The tab is designed to be opened and closed numerous times without adhesive failure.

“This label allows us to maintain our consistent product look but also have the tab so the consumers can open the label” Baumeler says. “Even if the consumer rips off the front-panel label in the process there’s another front-panel label underneath that has all the necessary copy. So we don’t have to worry about the product information being removed from the bottle.”

Goal: Cross-promote

Rexall Sundown began shipping the promotional packs in May. As Baumeler describes the entire idea is to cross-promote its products-by putting the coupon/labels on the 14 fastest-selling items in its line. Baumeler says that overall the company’s line includes some 240-plus SKUs.

“We looked at our fastest-moving products and selected 14 for inclusion in this promotion” he says.

As Baumeler explains a “broad-line” vendor such as Rexall Sundown has relatively few products that approach national distribution. “Our best-selling product may have 60% of national distribution but some of the other products will cover areas where that product isn’t sold. So across all 14 products we probably will come close to 100% national coverage.”

Spokesperson Carol Walters explained that although there are a number of drug stores that carry the Rexall name they are all independent and unrelated to Rexall Sundown.

Continuing as innovator

This is the company’s second use of unusual labels to avoid the need to add a folding carton. Three years ago Rexall Sundown pioneered the use of a multipanel twist label that it called “Twist N’ Learn™” on its line of herbal products (see packworld.com/go/c040). Although this label provides the opportunity to present far more information than a conventional full wraparound label it didn’t offer any way to provide a separate cents-off coupon.

In Baumeler’s concept the promotion is relatively simple. In place of the normal label applied at its Nutricia plant in Deerfield Beach FL the Easy Tab label is substituted. When about 90 days’ worth of production has been completed the plant then returns to applying the conventional single-ply label.

“We chose the Ampersand label because they were able to maintain the integrity of our outer label. They did a great job of solving some logistical issues like color-matching and label layout” Baumeler states.

The Rexall Sundown label uses a 55# semigloss base label and two layers of 55# two-side-coated paper for the upper panels with a polypropylene film overlaminate. Ampersand prints the labels flexo in several colors depending on product.

“In addition the amount of surface area would be maximized. And finally we found that the Easy Tab label would run well on our packaging line” Baumeler states. “In fact our existing equipment ran this label without any sacrifice in application speed.”

The multilayered label employs a patent-pending precurve feature that prevents wrinkling or buckling of one or more layers when it’s applied to a curved surface such as a bottle.

Baumeler and Walters acknowledge that this label is more expensive than a regular single-ply label. “The value we get from broader distribution and greater loyalty from existing customers is well worth it” Baumeler tells Packaging World. “Providing a cross-promotion incentive to our other products is huge for us and we’re confident it’ll give us an excellent payback.”