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FOIL OR BE FOILED

by Chris Morrell, Senior Director – Operations

Every package, beyond the necessity of being a conveyance of product, is still the final advertising and permanent bill board of why to buy this product. “It’s all about the packaging”… just ask your marketing team. One of the most effective means of differentiating packaging is the use of foil packaging (paperboard packaging with a laminated foil top sheet).  At Cartons Service.inc, we produce a vast amount of foil packaging and would like to share our observations.

Why Foil Packaging?

Foil packaging, plain and simple, is the most effective means of immediate shelf differentiation and lift in sales.   A shinny, expensive looking foil package conveys several things to the consumer… New, Better, Advanced Formula, Superior Product, High Quality, Classy…It also suggest that the other products on the shelf are inferior in some way… less quality, less value, less class.  “Bling” remains King… When given the choice between two products that otherwise seem the same… consumers overwhelming chose the better package seen… the shinny foil package. In virtually every market, we see our customers gain lift in sales when foil packaging is used.  In many cases we have seen customers’ foil packaged product sales outpace the sales of their base or main line product.  Here at Cartons Service inc., we make a lot of foil packaging and we watch our customers continuously reorder foil well beyond their planned limited launch of a product.

Who, What, When and Where?

Who?– virtually every maker of consumer goods can effectively market using  foil packaging… At Carton Service we see foil packing in markets across the board:

• Pharmaceutical products
• Nutritional products
• Cosmetic products
• Personal care products
• Food products
• Tool products
• Beverage products

What?– use of foil comes in many forms… here at Carton Service we offer:

• Foil Board: laminated board converted into foil packaging
• Cold Foil: laminated spot foil in-line into foil packaging
• Foil Stamping: hot stamping of foil in spot locations on packaging

When? – most anytime and anywhere, foil packaging can be employed… At Carton Service we see foil packaging for:

• New product launches
• Re-introduction or re-branding of products
• New or improved products
• Promotional or limited offers
• Security and counterfeit prevention (foil holographs)
• Seasonally… holiday time with holiday decoration
• Shelf differentiation – to convey better, superior, higher quality, higher class

Where?– our customers employ foil packaging in virtually all retail locations and display areas.  A large portion of point of purchase items are in some type of foil package to attract the impulse buy (almost all chewing gum packaging is foil). In any shelf  space however, the “bling” will stand out.  At Carton Service we can advise and make foil packaging for any retail location and need.

Cost? – use of foil packaging will cost more but with any marketing decision you have to weigh the lift in sales potential to the cost.  The materials cost increase can range from 30% more for spot foil applications (cold foil or hot foil stamping) to as much as double the price of the package for full foil laminate material.    If your carton supplier has the right converting tools the converting cost is nominally more than the cost of non-foil packaging.  At Carton Service inc., we have the right tools for the most cost effective foil packaging in the industry.

Don’t be Foiled!!!

Alternatives to foil packaging – there are plenty alternatives, all with the intentions of being less costly.  Common alternatives include:  Mirror foil (highly shinny metallic ink), metallic inks with high gloss coatings, and a process called Cast and Cure (an inline printed version of extrusion).  While these process are viable alternatives… often the cost difference is not that significant and, more importantly, the effect is something less than foil packaging.  Our numerous years of experience at Carton Service combined with our cost effective processes have proven to show the best customer satisfaction comes with traditional foil packaging applications… Foil Board, Cold Foil laminate and hot Foil Stamping.