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Label specification: Best practices in label development

Label development is a balance of marketing goals, branding platforms, shelf impact, and consistent presentation.

Quaker’s Real Medleys fruit and nut oatmeal blends come in a custom cup that uses a paperboard and plastic combination for a contemporary feel and functional performance.
Quaker’s Real Medleys fruit and nut oatmeal blends come in a custom cup that uses a paperboard and plastic combination for a contemporary feel and functional performance.

Label development is a balance of marketing goals, branding platforms, shelf impact, and consistent presentation. It’s tempting to go strong in one of these directions, but it will usually be at the detriment of the others. By following best practices as you develop your labeling strategy, you can succeed in every direction.

1. Don’t let the label be an afterthought. The container and the label should always work together physically and aesthetically, and choosing certain label methods will affect container decisions and design. Considering all your options in the earliest stages is prudent, and locking in the preferred label method as quickly as possible will get your package to market faster with fewer missteps.

2. Accelerate package design changes. Most CPG companies wish they could make packaging changes more quickly. The traditional approach of innovating new package concepts for individual brands and packages may be the culprit. Instead, many brand owners are starting to actively invite suppliers to pitch new ideas during an “innovation day” that brings in many new ideas at one time.

3. Manage the design intent. Know at what point you will want to stop involving the package design firm, depending on your production arrangements and brand management expectations. On one hand, if communication stops too early in the process, the production and engineering teams may alter the design in a way that departs from the carefully considered design intent. On the other hand, engaging the package design firm too far into the process can potentially slow down the project and add cost. Because of their commitment to the designs, more and more package design firms are offering production management services through final delivery.

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