Page 16 - Packaging News Magazine Jan-Feb 21

16 PEOPLE IN PACKAGING | www.packagingnews.com.au | January-February 2021
Proponent of good design for brand engagement
Stephen Pratt is managing director of Kurz Australia and New Zealand, supplier of metallised transfer coatings for decorative, functional and security purposes on packaging and labels. He is also a strong advocate for sustainable packaging and the value of product protection. PKN asks him to share his insights on industry shifts to come.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN PACKAGING, AND WHAT PIQUES YOUR INTEREST ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY?
I became involved in packaging in the 1980s selling weigh/labelling solutions for Wedderburn Scales. Key drivers then were growth in fresh food packaging, implemen- tation of barcoding and scanning, and leg- islation requiring ingredients be listed on food labels.
SUSTAINABILITY IS A HOT-BUTTON TOPIC. SHARE YOUR VIEW ON THIS TREND GENERALLY, AND HOW IT PERTAINS TO HIGH-END PACK DECORATION. Sustainability remains the biggest trend in packaging, and brand owners are now developing rational, well-conceived sus- tainable packaging and decorating strate- gies. We are constantly seeing new sus- tainable packaging ideas appearing, and packaging manufacturers have risen to the challenge, developing recyclable and/or sustainable packaging. Sustainability shouldn’t mean bland, the requirement for embellishment, foiling and decoration of packaging has never been greater and has seen companies like Kurz develop ways to recycle waste converting it to energy, and to manufacture products that can be safely recycled through existing waste channels allowing brand owners to make informed decisions about how to embellish their products sustainably. I am proud of the way that as an industry we have responded
to the demand for change across the globe and particularly here in Australia and New Zealand.
DIGITISATION IS A MAJOR DRIVING FORCE FOR TECHNOLOGY CHANGE. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS IMPACTING PACKAGING PRINTING AND DECORATION?
We live with the “now” generation and they want information and an experience – and they want it now! We are seeing more inter- active packaging and multichannel competi- tions since social media marketing exploded. It’s only a matter of time before the majority of packaging is manufactured digitally and we are seeing rapid growth and innovation in digital finishing and embellishing to com- plete the process. To cut through the clutter on shelves, packaging has come to life. Brands are utilising embellishment includ- ing transfer coatings to give products tactile texture and feel, and marketers and designers have introduced augmented reality and inter- active packaging to engage consumers.
HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTED THE FIELD OF PRODUCT PROTECTION? Covid-19 hasn’t slowed counterfeiting, it’s been accelerating year on year unabated, yet brand owners still appear reluctant to imple- ment any of the many effective solutions on the market to protect their products. So it’s a case of déjà vu all over again! Until there is a shift in thinking from anti-counterfeit- ing (cost) to brand protection (profits) this trend is unlikely to change. Counterfeiters have access to the same equipment as pack- aging companies so the use of effective brand protection (like Kurz Trustconcept among others) should be considered as an investment in the brand. Ultimately, brands need trust and consumers want certainty.
CUSTOMISATION... WHERE IS THIS
TREND HEADING?
Customisation has been with us for a while now with smart brands using it to
Building trust in packaging:
Kurz ANZ MD Stephen Pratt
stimulate buying and generate loyalty, and it is a valid strategy for some brands. Speaking generally, the promise of mass customisation in the main hasn’t really materialised as the benefits haven’t been able to outweigh the cost and effort required for production. What we have seen are many brand extensions provid- ing wider and discrete product attributes to consumers; another form of product customisation.
WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT FOR A BRAND, GOOD DESIGN AESTHETICS OR STRONG PRODUCT SECURITY?
Good design aesthetics go a long way toward the successful launch and image of a prod- uct, and strong product security for brand protection builds trust in the brand and should be essential for export products and those easily counterfeited. The secret is to ensure your product has all of the attributes required to compete successfully on the shelf or overseas. ■
To cut through the clutter on shelves, packaging has come to life. ”