With the New Year in full swing, many people are incorporating better eating habits and dieting into their lives.  With that in mind, Stop & Shop, a large northeast grocery store chain is introducing the “Healthy Ideas” food labeling system.  Healthy products and fresh produce will have a bright green and blue label to distinguish its healthy properties from other food choices.  The labeled products will have met the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines that define healthy foods.

Giving the idea that obesity rates will most likely skyrocket in the years to come, I think this is generally a good concept, but will it become confusing?  The idea is to easily give consumers a healthier option in almost any food category.  For example, there will be a “better” cookie choice, which will have the “Healthy Ideas” label.  It is great that consumers will have a quick reference point to determine healthy choices, but I think it is becoming increasingly difficult since every super market chain has adapted a different labeling system.  Perhaps it would be easier if there were one universal code, but I’m sure it would be hard to get every manufacturer and grocer to agree.

Reading food labels has become somewhat blasé, especially since they can be so complicated.  I think this is a good step in terms of teaching people but there is still a lot of work and misleading information in the aisles.  For example, V8 is recommended by the American Heart Association, but is not recommended by one grocery store chain because it is has too much sodium.

Also, consumers should be careful not to rely on labels alone.  Just because the Healthy Ideas label is on a bag of chips or cookies, doesn’t necessarily mean the product is good for you.  It just means the product is the best choice compared to the alternatives.

The bottom line is there will always be new food labeling systems to help you determine healthy products, but in the end, you must have some awareness of good choices versus bad choices.  Labels can help, but they can’t be the whole solution.

Everyone at In-Touch Direct wishes you, your employees, colleagues, and families, a happy and healthy new year.  See you in 2009!

I recently was informed about a great website called buyabarcode.com.  This site is ideal for customers who just need a barcode for a limited number of products.  Purchasing a barcode through the Uniform Code Council (UCC) can become very expensive because it requires a membership fee with yearly renewal charges.  This can be great for large companies that have hundreds or thousands of products, but the membership fees alone could put some small companies in the red.

For $25, a company can purchase one barcode.  A high-resolution version of the barcode is emailed within 24 hours of purchase.  We get a lot of questions about how to obtain a barcode, and this is probably the fastest and most economical method for any new business, or if just one or two barcodes are needed for a label.

How can they do this?  Since most barcodes come from the UCC, buyabarcode.com purchased in bulk a vast number of barcodes from the UCC and re-sells them to individual users, one at a time.  What they are doing is completely legitimate and the barcodes will work with any scanner in the USA and abroad.

For more information, contact www.buyabarcode.com or contact us and we can help facilitate the purchase of a barcode for your labels.

I came across a great article by Jorina Fontelera about “Need-to-Know Pack Trends” that I thought could be helpful to everyone.  The packaging world is changing as sustainability and private brands grow.

Almost everyone in the packaging industry is concerned with sustainability.  I don’t think you can read a magazine or watch television without seeing something about “going green.”  Considering the amount of resources needed to produce labels, or other paper products, it is understandable that consumers would demand more sustainability.  According to Fontelera, “Customer requirements, the cost of raw materials and high energy prices have been the driving factors for implementing sustainable practices, with 53% of respondents saying that more than half of their customers seek eco-friendly packaging.”

In the labeling industry, great strides have been made to create more eco-friendly choices.  Natural resources such as corn have been used to create polylactic acid stocks, known as PLA.  Manufacturers have also been using recycled paper and a lot of research is being done to make adhesives and laminates that are better for the environment.  While “going green” can sometimes be an added expense, it can be worth it if it is something your customers are demanding.  A study by an environmental think-tank found that, “Packaging companies that don’t implement sustainability efforts could risk income falls of more than 30% by 2013 and nearly 50% by 2018.”

Another big change is in the world of private labels.  Private labels are essentially generic brands for popular name-brand products.  In a poor economic climate consumers are more open to purchasing private brands in order to save money.

According to Packaging World, “As stores become more powerful marketing tools, the role of package design has become essential to success.  Retailers’ increasingly sophisticated packaging strategies include more robust use of color and photography to appeal to the senses.  These tactics are encouraging consumers to take a closer look at private-label brands.”

What does this mean to you?  If you have a generic or private label product, don’t be afraid to create a different, fresh, and attractive label.  So many consumers will make a purchase based solely on the product’s label.  If you can create a beautiful product for less money, people will be enticed to try it.

I just thought these wine labels were hilarious.  They were originally created by the interior design firm, Narrow House, to decorate a restaurant.  The restaurant owners wanted to spice up their interior and thought a mural would be nice, but Narrow House came up with the brilliant idea of using wine bottle labels to decorate the walls.  The labels are really funny and you can easily change the decor whenever you want by using different labels.  They should think about selling wine with those labels, they would be such a great gift!

We have talked a lot about label design on this blog, mainly because a good design can really make or break a product.  I came across another good article about questions to ask before you start to design a package or label.  This is especially important if you are planning on hiring a designer to help you.

First, you need to know your budget.  This is definitely something we have always stressed.  You may have a detailed four-color design in mind, but it can be much more expensive to produce then a simple one or two color design.  Nothing is more disappointing then realizing you won’t be able to afford the design you want.  It is better to start a design knowing your budget and limitations.  This will ensure a great finished product without going bankrupt!

Next, consider your brand when designing a package or label.  When we say “brand” we aren’t talking about your logo.  Laura Donnelly of XO Create! says, a brand “is the promise that your company makes to its customers.”  Toyota promises their customers a car built on innovation and practicality, with good design and cost sense.  It is important to establish your brand prior to designing your label.  Your brand’s message must align with your label design.  If your company’s brand is based on the environment, then you wouldn’t want your label to be printed on expensive, un-recyclable paper, or featuring an image of smog!

You should also consider your timeframe.  When do you want to launch your product?  Customers and designers need to know when to expect a finished product.  Many designers have other projects in the works, so you need to be sure they can accommodate your schedule.  An effective design can take a long time, so realistic timelines are very important.

Lastly, what role do you want to play in the design?  Do you want to be a customer, in the sense that you have hired a firm and rely totally on their expertise for design, strategy, etc.?  Do you want to collaborate with a designer?  Maybe you have a concept but you need a design firm to turn your idea into reality, and you feel confident in your ability to tweak or change a design.  Some people just want to direct a firm in terms of design.  They may have a detailed drawing and just need a designer to turn it into a computer graphic.  If you are a director, it would be smart to just hire a freelance designer not incorporated with a large firm because you will be paying for extra services you will not use.

A great label design takes time and is well worth it in the end.  If you have any questions or need help with your label design, please feel free to contact us.  Remember, we offer all our graphic design services at no charge!

I came across a great article about choosing the appropriate typefaces for your labels or packaging.  Choosing a typeface tends to become a quick decision because so much time is focused on background colors, logos, etc.  Don’t be fooled, choosing the correct typeface can really impact a label’s overall look.

Typefaces are generally used for “copy” or the words used on a label.  Some things to consider when choosing a typeface for copy are history, emotion, quantity, and legibility.  A label’s copy is used to relay important messages or information about a product, so typeface decisions should be carefully thought out.

We all know trends come and go, and this is the same for typefaces.  Some typefaces like the Stencil font is often used for military items, so it may not fit well with a beauty product.  If consumers are familiar with a certain font in terms of a specific product, you need to consider if your product fits the font’s history.

It may sound crazy, but typefaces can evoke some emotions.  Fonts like Lucinda blackletter have a medieval feel, which would work well with a child’s toy sword, but may not work with a sports drink. Comic Sans is another popular font that gives an air of fun or playfulness, which would look almost silly on a professional product.

We have all come across products that use too many typefaces, almost making it hard to read.  Generally, you should try and limit the different types of fonts you use to two.  This will easily get your message out without looking cluttered.  Also, remember that your copy font should be different than your heading fonts.  Copy fonts should be easier to read, while heading fonts can be bolder.

Lastly, make sure the font is legible.  There is nothing worse than trying to read about a product and not being able to comprehend the message because the typeface is too difficult to read.  Very decorative fonts, especially scripts, can be almost illegible.  Copy fonts should be simple like Times or Arial.  This will ensure your message is easy to read.

After you have chosen your fonts, create a layout of your label and make sure everything is easy to read, clean, and clear.  If you can clearly read and understand all your copy, so will consumers.

We have used a lot of blog posts to discuss different wine labels, mainly because the aesthetics of a wine label can drive sales.  Unlike beer or other alcoholic beverages, wine doesn’t tend to have the brand loyalty many companies like Budweiser enjoy.  Since wine changes from year to year, making some vintages more impressive than others, recommendations tend to come from friends, restaurants, or local liquor stores.

Bob Bartels, a public relations consultant at b2 ideas is trying to re-invent the wine industry, while gaining support for breast cancer.  The recently released Pink Ribbon Wine collection is gaining buzz because of promotions like “Toast to the Cure,” with proceeds benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  Bartels says, “We received tremendous response from our ‘Toast to the Cure’ event, and hope to build off of this promotion.  Our ultimate goal is to establish Pink Ribbon Wines as an everyday wine.  A great wine, at a great value, supporting a great cause.”

The cool thing about Pink Ribbon Wine is they are relying on promotions much like the beer industry does.  An event like Toast to the Cure not only encourages brand growth, but it also dedicates a specific product to a specific mission.  Although the events are drastically different, Guinness has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, and I could easily see Pink Ribbon Wine being aligned with all breast cancer benefits, etc.

Ok, on to what we really care about…the label.  The logo is great, I love the concept of the wine glass with the ribbon stem.  It is simple and clear.  I’m not sure how I feel about the wine bottle label.  I know they are trying to relay the “pink ribbon” message, but I think the pink ribbon symbol is so overused, there could have been a more interesting way to label the bottles, especially since so many wine drinkers make purchases based on the label.  It is not a bad label, but I think it could be easily overlooked.  Perhaps a die-cut ribbon label with silver embossing, that would look sharp.

Of course, we can’t forget cost.  Since the wine is for charity, I’m sure they don’t want to spend tons of extra money on a fancy label.  That being said, wine is one of the few products where the label really matters, so sometimes the better labels can really change sales.

The bottom line is this wine is for a good cause, so if you see it, buy it, tell your friend to buy it, and most of all, times are tough right now and charities tend to suffer the most during economic downturns, so try and support any charity you feel strongly for, they really need it.

For more information please visit www.pinkribbonwines.com

Inventory tracking and control can be quite a cumbersome process, especially for small businesses.  Many businesses still try to manage their inventory using paper filing systems and memory, which can easily become unstable and inaccurate.  Using an updated, computerized inventory control system will not only be more efficient, but it will ultimately save time, resources, and most importantly, money.

Ineffective inventory control can lead to various problems.  When too much product is on hand, businesses often find it difficult to carry the expense and find space to store the excess.  Using a barcode based inventory control system can alleviate many of these problems and provide economic benefits.  Businesses can easily track inventory and set standard re-order points.  This means new inventory is only ordered when needed, but within enough time to avoid back orders.

So, how do labels fit into this equation?  The simple answer is, barcodes. Barcode labels can be placed on individual pieces of inventory or bulk racks to ensure tracking is up-to-date and accurate.  Every time a product leaves the warehouse, the barcode label is scanned and the product is tracked.  Let’s think about this in real terms…

Let’s say you sell lumber to builders.  You need a lot of space to store all the lumber and you have to make sure the storage does not compromise the quality of the wood.  That being said, you can never have too much inventory, which often results in waiting until inventory is very low to re-order, delaying your customer deliveries.  In addition, every time you get a call, someone has to run to the warehouse to check quantities to see if orders can be fulfilled, wasting time and money.  With the simple use of barcode labels, tracking inventory can be done in a matter of seconds.

A barcode label is placed on inventory when it arrives at your warehouse, noting the time and date of arrival, lumber type, quantity, and manufacturer.  This information is then relayed into your main computer system so all employees can see the shipment.  Every time pieces of lumber leave the warehouse, the barcode is scanned again, tracking the time and date of departure, the end user, and the quantity sold.  This information is also stored in the main inventory computer system.  Now, when a customer is on the phone, you can easily look up the type of lumber they need and determine if you have enough to fulfill their order.  In addition, there will rarely be times you cannot fulfill an order because the inventory control system will automatically alert you when supplies are low and must be re-ordered.

Doesn’t this sound so simple?  All of this can be done with a barcode label.  Barcode labels can be produced in almost any shape or size, and created for many different environments.  In addition, they can be consecutively numbered and produced in just a few days.  If you would like to start implementing better inventory control and start saving money, please contact us!

I came across (ri)1 Whiskey’s bottle and logo design on The Dieline (great design blog everyone should read) and thought it was an excellent example of how a label can add style and class to even the simplest bottle or package design.  The clean and modern label fits well with the sleekly minimal bottle design.  This is also a case where the product (whiskey) is so rich looking that it in itself adds to the overall package.

I think this is a very classy looking label and package design.  What do you think?