Category Archive: Challenges in Label Design

Labeling Trends Designed to Attract Male Grocery Shoppers

According to a recently published study by Defy Media, “The Acumen Report: Brand New Man,” men are taking on more household-oriented roles as of late. The study, which looked at over 2,000 men between the ages of 18-49, found that about 65% of respondents are now the primary grocery shoppers in their household. This is big news for retailers and brands, which are now coming up with new ways to target this growing demographic.

So what are brands doing to capitalize on this consumer shift? In many cases, larger servings and dark labeling are the main distinction. New products are also being developed that cater specifically to men, and often, it’s the presentation of information that is the biggest difference. Rather than focus on a product being low-fat, for example, the attention is drawn to higher protein content. Powerful Yogurt is a new Greek yogurt brand with a packaging design that centers on dark, bold colors and the slogan, “Find Your Inner Abs.” While women’s nutrition products often focus on weight-loss, the men’s options appear to focus on muscle growth.

But male shoppers are buying into more than fitness-inspired products. According to Gourmet Ads, men are buying a wide range of products – canned seafood, ready-to-eat meals for the entire family, refrigerated beverages (non-alcoholic), yogurt, and more.

This means that established brands should be looking for ways to appeal to an increasingly masculine audience. Even if the products themselves don’t change, companies may want to consider new label designs that appeal to a wider range of shoppers.

At Star Label Products, we specialize in premium food and beverage labels, and can print up to 12 colors on a variety of papers and films. If you are considering a re-brand to widen your customer-base, contact us to discuss your new ideas.

Challenges in Label Design – Shampoo Bottles

One of the most challenging products to label is, believe it or not, a shampoo bottle. The beginning considerations are pretty basic: What kind of plastic is the bottle made of? Is it a fully squeezable bottle? Semi-squeezable? Fully rigid? This lets us know how flexible the label needs to be.

The real challenge comes from silicone. You know those sticker sheets you used to get as a kid where the stickers would peel easily off of that smooth, white paper? The reason the stickers came off so easily is because the paper was silicone treated. Plastic shampoo bottles are typically made through a process known as plastic injection molding, where liquid plastic is injected into a mold hollowed into the desired shampoo bottle shape. To get the finished bottles to release from the molds faster, shops often coat the molds with a silicon release agent, similar to the one used on sticker sheets. This release agent winds up coating the bottles as well.

As you can imagine, a coating designed for easy release makes it difficult for a label to adhere. Some bottles are flame treated, a process that burns off the silicone without melting the bottle. Flame treated bottles are much easier to label. Sometimes however, the silicone release agent is actually mixed into the plastic itself, so flame treating it away simply isn’t an option.

Don’t get us wrong, we can supply a label for each of these scenarios. It’s simply a matter of knowing what we’re up against so we can provide a label that’s up to the task. That’s why we ask the questions we do. Most companies don’t know how their bottles are made, but a quick inquiry to their manufacturer can save rounds of failed label designs.