| Recently mainstream media coverage of the | | | | is another example of a good use of the |
| packaging industry is more in-depth than usual. I | | | | environmental niche. |
| see several articles about packaging every week. | | | | Cereplast CEO Delivers Speech at Commodity |
| Unfortunately, the vast majority of the news | | | | Classic 2006, the National Corn Growers |
| articles deal with negative perceptions of | | | | Association Annual Conference -- Cereplast, Inc., |
| packaging and its influence on society. In fact, | | | | reports today that the company's CEO, Frederic |
| dozens of articles were recently written in | | | | Scheer, delivered a speech at this year's |
| response to the Consumer Reports "Oyster | | | | Commodity Classic entitled "Displacing |
| Awards" with such titles as: "Today's Packaging | | | | Petroleum-Based Plastics with |
| Can Drive The Mild-Mannered To Rage" and "Open | | | | Bioproducts."Investigate a pitch less commonplace |
| UP." Most of what was written in these articles did | | | | media too. As I mentioned when I spoke at the |
| not bode well for packaging.So how can you get | | | | Marketing To Women Conference recently, |
| your product packaging seen by the media in a | | | | condom marketing has gone main stream in |
| more favorable light? Make sure that your | | | | places like Wal-Mart. Consider a headline like |
| packaging is connected to one of the more | | | | this:Condoms Mix Sex and the City; City Will |
| popular news trends. Consider what the media will | | | | Debut NYC-Themed Packaging for Prophylactics |
| be covering outside of the obvious "breaking" | | | | Really! The New York City Department of Health |
| news. Think about your product and how it can | | | | and Mental Hygiene will be debuting unique New |
| connect with the media coverage. A few | | | | York-specific condom packaging designs within |
| examples of topics they will be covering in the | | | | four to six months. The program, which is still in |
| future include:- Anything to do with diets, weight | | | | development, aims to promote sexual health |
| loss or healthy eating. This topic perennially | | | | awareness and aid in distribution tracking. "In an |
| becomes newsworthy as spring break and swim | | | | effort to track our continuing effort to distribute |
| suit season approaches. It also offers | | | | millions of condoms throughout the city, we |
| opportunities in other niche targeted publications | | | | wanted to develop condom packaging that was |
| too, such as woman oriented and fitness | | | | noticeable and memorable so that we can later |
| publications.- Products that are marketed to or | | | | track the effectiveness of our distribution," said |
| are designed for the 50 + generation. The | | | | Sandra Mullin, communications director for the |
| "Boomers" topic is getting much media play in | | | | department. "We also aim to use the packaging to |
| virtually every type publication. If you are | | | | promote condom use and awareness." Now that's |
| marketing in this space, find out what they will be | | | | using the media to gain exposure (tee hee).With |
| covering in the next issue.I will also be speaking | | | | packaging becoming a "hot topic" it can help |
| about this topic at The Supply Side exposition in | | | | counteract negative publicity about the industry |
| New York this spring. The Supply Side brings | | | | such as the "Oyster Award article" which |
| together manufacturers, suppliers and | | | | condemns the vast over packaging of many |
| decision-makers from the social stationery, | | | | products. So, keep your eyes and nose ("Does |
| giftware and graphic arts industries. Presented in | | | | Your Packaging Umm, Smell?") on the look out for |
| conjunction with the 60th annual National | | | | ways and opportunities the make your product |
| Stationery Show (NSS), The Supply Side provides | | | | packaging newsworthy in the coming weeks.Don't |
| a forum for the more than 1,400 National | | | | forget to keep me in the loop too. The more I |
| Stationery Show exhibitors to source key | | | | know about your product the more I can help |
| vendors at a time and place that's both practical | | | | you get the word out about your packaging.JoAnn |
| and convenient.Packaging for Profit: Attracting the | | | | Hines the Packaging Diva has been on TV, |
| Baby Boomers if you have a packaged product | | | | traveled to China, worked with the SBA and |
| that is relevant to this category please contact | | | | spoken at the White House (twice). Why do they |
| me with more information.- Look for media spin | | | | seek her out? Because she knows how to |
| on anything to do with the environment, recycled | | | | package products so that people will buy them. |
| materials and bio-based packaging products. The | | | | When Faith Popcorn made her business trend |
| environment is hot right now and with the | | | | predictions for 2006, she called JoAnn to find out |
| upcoming "International Earth Day" on March 20.I | | | | what was going on in the world of packaging. |
| was contacted last week by a marketing class | | | | Businesses large and small call upon her to solve |
| that was using my article "13 Packaging Trends" | | | | their packaging problems.She loves to share her |
| as a case study. Each student was required to | | | | proficiency in packaging. JoAnn speaks on the |
| write an expanded paper and presentation. One | | | | subject around the globe and made the packaging |
| student, Jana, contacted me about trend # 8 | | | | world more understandable when she created |
| "Green and Greener." I did a quick search for her | | | | several web portals, packagingcoach.com, |
| and found numerous positive in mainstream media | | | | womeninpackaging.org and packagingdiva.com, to |
| articles about the positive aspects of packaging | | | | answer packaging questions and resolve packaging |
| and the environment. So this topic is definitely | | | | problems.Her expertise is important because |
| worth getting excited about.As a case in point, | | | | packaging is the third largest industry. In fact, |
| the Timberland Company just had a big spread in | | | | 10% of every dollar spent at retail goes directly |
| "Industry Week." It focused on branding the | | | | to packaging materials. Most importantly, you |
| environmental aspects of its new packaging. Read | | | | cannot have a product without a package. |
| more @ | | | | |