| Seriously, people packaging makes the world go | | | | something authentic keeps it from being |
| round. It's something that you take for granted | | | | counterfeited; |
| every time you brush your teeth, drink a beer or | | | | The zipper that you zip that makes it reclosable; |
| take a pill. All those products are delivered to you | | | | The little tray that you place it on that makes it |
| for your consumption because of the packaging. | | | | microwaveable; |
| Packaging that does its multifaceted assignments | | | | Those little carrots that are ready to eat or go in |
| of getting the product to you ready to use or | | | | a lunch; |
| consume in pristine, sanitary and hopefully | | | | Packaging makes it all possible. |
| un-tampered condition. | | | | Other packaging facts you may not know that |
| So let's have a little reality check: | | | | are important. |
| Who screams the loudest when products are | | | | Packaging is the third largest industry in the US; |
| damaged or broken when you get them home? | | | | Packaging employs over a million people; |
| Who avoids that damaged or dented container | | | | There are over 10,000 packaging manufacturers |
| like the plague? | | | | in the US; |
| Who used their microwave this week? | | | | Packaging contributes trillions to our economy; |
| Who stopped for fast food? | | | | 70% of all packaging is food related; |
| Who ate an egg or some potato chips? | | | | Packaging for the most part is recession proof. |
| Who got a prescription filled? | | | | Currently there is a lot of packaging bashing going |
| Who bought an appliance or an electronic gadget? | | | | on. Less packaging, green packaging, packaging |
| Who had an operation? | | | | that works and of course hard to open packaging |
| I could go on forever about how packaging | | | | (wrap rage packaging). All of these issues have an |
| impacts your everyday life but the plain and | | | | element of truth. But packaging professionals did |
| simple truth is you wouldn't be able to do any of | | | | not set out to frustrate and anger the consumer. |
| those things without the packaging. | | | | All these so called negative packaging elements |
| If you just spend a few minutes looking around | | | | are there for a reason. |
| you to see what products you have in your | | | | Let's go back to the primary tenets behind the |
| home or your work. How do you think they got | | | | role of product packaging: protect, convey, sell, |
| there? Product manufacturing and distribution is a | | | | inform and educate the consumer. Packaging does |
| complicated process. One that goes on behind the | | | | all of that and more. Those hard to open |
| scenes that you never even think about. | | | | packages are that way for a reason and its |
| My favorite analogy is to compare packaging to | | | | better to err on the side of too much packaging |
| the #2 lead pencil. | | | | rather than too little. Companies are feverishly |
| One company extrudes the leads, one makes the | | | | trying to rework packaging to remove the |
| wooden casing, one makes the eraser, one | | | | excess but when products are damaged and |
| makes the metal banding and guess what | | | | returned it's the consumer who ultimately pays |
| someone assembles all the components. That's | | | | the price. |
| packaging! | | | | So before you get on your soapbox decrying the |
| There are lots of fingers in every process much | | | | bane of packaging try to understand what your |
| of which goes on behind the scenes. Stuff that | | | | packaging complaint is really all about. We will try |
| you never consider. | | | | really hard to fix it. |
| The seal that you have to pull to open or twist | | | | Yes, packaging goes make the world go round. |
| keeps your product sanitary and uncontaminated; | | | | So please don't hate me because I love it and |
| The hologram that you see when you purchase | | | | can't live without it. |