This BrandPackaging article, Getting A Leg Up: Top Beverage Packaging Design Trends For 2018, discusses various ways to attract the large millennial demographic. One of their observations was the increasing popularity of the use of eye-catching holographic labels. So, explore why this trend is growing and which techniques will help you achieve that signature look. It’s easier than you think.
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Why are holographic labels increasing in popularity with millennials?
90’s kids saw the rise in popularity of holographic shoes and sandals. Now that these kids are adults, the trend is resurfacing. Yet, holographic materials aren’t just appearing in footwear. It’s surfacing in all clothing products, and even leaking into other industries. Yes, this includes label design.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. So is sensory marketing techniques. When customers make positive associations with your packaging, it greatly increases the chances of a purchase. Plus, if a purchase is made, it also increases the chance of brand loyalty.
Okay, so why does this matter?
The luxury market is increasing, and with it, so are innovative labeling techniques. In fact, packaging without techniques just don’t hold up to those that take their design to the next level. To keep up with competitors, labels need to shine in the light of the grocery aisle or offer interesting textures that customers will want to touch.
Whether or not your product is a luxury product, these techniques are seeping into all label design. Keeping up with other non-luxury products is requiring more and more creativity. Now, even handcrafted items use various techniques to emphasize the small production aesthetic.
Types of Techniques To Use
While various foiling techniques, such as MiraFoil and even metallic label stock, are impactful, there are more convincing techniques your competition isn’t using. That said, both techniques we’ll mention are great options to use with other techniques such as foiling or embossing.
Cast & Cure
Cast & Cure is patterned film printed on any portion of a label’s design. As you can see, the film comes in many different patterns and shines, holographically, with every color of the rainbow. It’s a stunning effect in the grocery aisle, and better yet, a technique not many labels feature. If you’re looking to stand out with cutting-edge design, Cast & Cure is the best option.
The various patterns also make it easy to use the holographic look across an entire line of products. Differentiate each item by the pattern used on its label. The blue undertone comes from the Bissell blue background, so it’s easy to use this technique over any color in your scheme.
Motion Coat
Motion Coat combines shine and texture to create movement on your label as it moves through the light. In the grocery aisle, it’s bound to draw attention. Again, this is a rarely seen technique and will immediately make any label stand apart from its competition.
As you will see by the pictures above and below, Motion Coat is easily applied to any color. This makes it easy to enhance white space on your label using a predetermined color scheme with branded colors. It also can be used with a variety of patterns. On top is a basic concept and below features lightning bolts that pop off the label. It’s an extremely flexible option.
When silver, the shine mimics the holographic shoes that were so popular a few decades ago. Emphasize this look by using blue and lilac foiling on other design features such as titles. As you can see, both labels use foiling elsewhere in the design.
See it in action!
Pictures don’t do the technique justice. Check out the below video to see Cast & Cure and Motion Coat move in the light to get a better sense of what it would look like in the grocery aisle. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes.
With this video, get a sense of how these techniques pair with other innovative labeling techniques we offer. The luxury and nostalgic look doesn’t end at holographic styles. Use other techniques to your advantage.
Great Lakes Label offers a variety of innovative labeling techniques that we create using the flexographic label press.
Are holographic techniques purely for the background and white space of a label?
Definitely not! Motion Coat and Cast & Cure are best used for large spaces, but foiling still offers a similar holographic aesthetic. Consider ways your titles, and graphics can enhance the overall artistic look of the label. Or, think about the potential of using a secondary label to emphasize the style.
If nostalgia is such a powerful motivator for Millennials, what’s the appeal for other demographics?
Again, the luxury market is growing. As it grows many brands are adopting innovative labeling techniques. Any packaging keeping design simple will lose focus and get skimmed over in the grocery aisle.
Techniques also emphasize features and overall branding. If your product is targeting Millennials, does it matter if other demographics find holographic design appealing? Alternatively, if a holographic look emphasizes the brand of your product line, does it matter if it doesn’t directly appeal to certain people? As long as the product is effectively promoting itself and catching customers’ attention, why does it matter?
It also depends on how the technique is used. Sometimes it looks harsh and vibrant, and other times it looks soft and light. It all depends on how much is featured and the other colors, shapes and textures on the product. Essentially, this is a flexible style any industry can take advantage of.
Learn about how innovative labeling techniques can bring your spooky design to life! Download our e-book, The Complete Guide to Innovative Labeling Techniques.
Jackie Jorgenson
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