The market is changing. Millennials have an increasing influence in regard to how brands are perceived and how they function in today’s markets much more than earlier generations, commonly referred to as “GenY” and “GenX.” This means we have to take them more into account when promote our brand. Why is this? Let’s examine more of what we know about Millennials.
What we know about Millennials:
- They are 60% more likely to purchase from computer online shopping than other demographics
- They value personalized shopping experiences tailored to their individuals needs
- Large and early adopters of social media which is a big part of their lives, and they interface frequently over Facebook and Twitter
- Purchases are driven by convenience and flexibility in omni-channel retail
- Their self-worth is centered on enjoyment and recognition of strengths
- They usually take a collaborative and group approach to task solving
In the “Me” generation, experience and personalization are the most sought-after social currency. Stories and brands must reflect the consumer’s unique taste. In prior years, status symbols were built on the idea of, “I have it, too,” but these days it’s all about, “I HAVE THE ONLY ONE.”
Other characteristics of millennials to consider when marketing your brand include:
- Millennials are all about their personal brand not brand loyal
- Not a homogenous population
- Expect one-off experiences
- Ethically aware
- Extensively use omni-channel
- They share, like, comment & advise others
- They want it NOW
The reason millennials engage differently is that the brand they buy says something about who they are, their values, and where they fit in. This has led manufacturers to roll out personalized packaging which has the ability to create unique connections with consumers. This delivers an experience, creates brand advocates, and connects socially.
To accomplish this, manufacturers are turning to digital printed solutions such as shrink sleeve labels. Shrink sleeve labels open up a 360˚ experience for the user compared to traditional labeling. However, packaging design using the conventional route is slow, cumbersome, and difficult to turn. Digital printing is more agile, flexible, and gives the opportunity to change direction quickly and thus is the key solution to help increase consumer engagement & innovation, easily and efficiently. New capabilities in digital printing help increase that advantage by creating eye-catching, stunning effects.
Variety of New Features
Traditional digital printing used to include only 4-color CMYK printing which then expanded to the extended gamut of 6-colors, CMYKOV (with orange & violet), but today, there are many new features of digital printing on shrink sleeve labels using HP’s premiere Indigo 6900 Digital Press.
- Silver ElectroInk – opens up a wide range of metallic colors in a single printing process by using it as the base layer.
- Opaque White
- HP Indigo Invisible ElectroInks – visible under common UV light, such as a black light, without need for a specialized reader, suitable for covert brand protection features, adds surprising covert graphics as promotional features, available in blue and yellow.
- Brand protection and security by adding anti-counterfeiting marks such as micro-text, micro 2D barcodes, a unique ID added to each print, or Guilloche (a decorative technique in which a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material via engine turning), all of which can be done with regular ink or invisible inks.
New Capabilities
The newest features of digital printing on shrink sleeve labels are HP SmartStream® Mosaic and Collage.
HP Mosaic is a special algorithm tool which takes a “seed” artwork, singular or multiple, and then crops, rotates, expands, tints, and mixes the artwork to create randomized outputs for a 100% unique label on each unit. The randomized mosaic design is then paired with regular static artwork such as logos, nutrition facts, colors, and text to create a full packaging concept.
HP Collage is similar to Mosaic but simplified. You supply basic artwork elements and define rules. Artwork can be scaled, mirrored, and rotated, and quantity of each element can be changed. The result is a package design that more closely conforms with a particular brand look but still achieves a unique look for every iteration.
Case Study: Nutella
A recent “Packaging Matters,” study by MeadWestvaco revealed that packaging drives 36% of purchase decision, “more so than TV ads, online reviews, and recommendations from friends.” Nutella understood this and used the power of design in a wildly successful 2017 campaign. Nutella’s limited-edition campaign started in Italy where 7 million unique jars were produced. The jars sold out in 1 months’ time. The campaign continued to France, Germany, and other European countries. “The idea behind the campaign is, ‘There is only one ME.'” These unique jars can now also be found on store shelves in Israel.
Nutella used 7 seed designs with HP SmartStream Mosaic to create 7 million unique jars, 10x faster than traditional label printing.
Another Example: Smirnoff
Take a look at how Smirnoff is utilizing the HP SmartStream Mosaic technology to create one-of-a-kind packaging using variable content and Mosaic.
Promote Your Brand
With these new features available on the HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press, you have the ability to create unique packaging designs that appeal to millennials, whether you need a single mockup or millions of unique designs, far more quickly than traditional printing. Utah Packaging has recently installed multiple HP Indigo 6900 Digital Presses to help supply the growing demand for custom printed shrink sleeves, labels, and flexible packaging. Contact a representative today to promote your brand or request a quote now to start promoting your brand with the new capabilities in Digital Printing.