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Top Reasons Why Brand Owners Should Think About Securing Their Packs Today

Industry such as Food and Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, loses billions of dollars every year to counterfeiters. Counterfeit products are a serious nuisance for your businesses as it keeps your integrity at stake. 

Today, as the market grows at a fast pace and the integration of new technologies counterfeiting products, it is getting more difficult to differentiate.

Don’t underestimate counterfeiters. Customers who are misguided into believing that they have bought a genuine product when in fact it was fake, blame the manufacturer of the genuine product when it fails, creating a loss of faith.

The Impact

Loss of sale

Not long ago customers were able to differentiate between counterfeit and the original products and knew what to expect if it was a counterfeit. But as more and more businesses are establishing their stores online, the line between the fake and original has diminished. 

Simply putting it into a frame ‘counterfeiters is a replica of your product at a much cheaper price this can impact your company’s capital if counterfeits products are left unaddressed.

Threat to reputation

Counterfeits are a massive hit to your brand’s reputation. The majority of customers are unaware of the fact that the product that they may be using is a counterfeited one and when these products do not meet the customers’ expectations then the customers are requisite to blame the genuine brand. Once a reputation is made of your brand by the counterfeits it’s very difficult to build up trust in your customers.

Facing the fallout of counterfeits

In search of a product a customer can buy from a variety of sources, price plays a crucial factor in the buying process as the majority of customers prefer products at a cheaper price. 

Once a product is purchased with your brand label on it the customer will know very little that the product they have bought is fake. When these products do not meet the customers’ expectations they demand a refund or replacement from the genuine company. 

Dealing with such cases is an indication that your market integrity has been breached and a company has to bear the losses for refunds and replacements for something which have nothing to do with their production line.

Compromising faith between businesses

Oftentimes businesses find themself caught between rocks dealing with the damage caused by the counterfeiting products. The impact of knockoff products can be seen on the other businesses associated with your company. 

Distributors, retailers associated with the company may lose faith in a legalized business because of the actions of counterfeits.

Time expense

Once a company discovers that its brand has been attacked by counterfeiters, the first response is to fight back. But if you consider certain factors such as time, manpower, capital, fighting back is extremely expensive. 

The time and capital get pulled away from production, advertisement, and development to lawyers and lawsuits to defend their intellectual properties rights.

How can brand tackle this?

The severity of damage counterfeit goods can cause to your brand is certain. The roots of counterfeited products run deeply into the market and can cause a long-lasting impact on your business. A brand may experience a downward sales hit once the problem becomes widespread.

Counterfeiters are a serious threat to your brand’s reputation and integrity. A customer unable to differentiate between the original product and a fake one will blame the genuine company for the damage caused by the counterfeiting products.

Addressing these counterfeits is very crucial for building up your brand reputation. If you are experiencing the impact because of counterfeits it is wise to connect with an expert for an enduring remedy. 

Zircon specializes in innovative solutions for packaging and brand authentication. You can contact us and we’ll help you plan out a reliable and unique counterfeit-buster approach.

Your brand is unique, don’t lose it to counterfeits.

Three Upcoming Trends in Brand Security

Three Upcoming Trends in Brand Security

Brand security is critical if you want to sell your products to the customers who wish them. Otherwise, counterfeiters will get to them first.

This problem has two consequences: the customers may get harmed by low-quality products, and you will lose potential sales.

Counterfeiters don’t care about your investment in the research or consumers’ well-being. They only want profits, and profiting has become easy with advancements in counterfeiting technologies.

Therefore, you must protect your brand’s identity and integrity. You can see the following three trends emerging in brand security.

More Businesses Investing in Brand Security

You can see that Brands worldwide accept this situation. More brands are getting involved in monitoring services that would alert you if there is a counterfeit in the market.

This process is possible as now, with the advancement of technologies, you can track your supply chain. For example, you can be sure of a counterfeit if you find that your brand is famous in certain regions, but your products don’t reach there. 

The tracking technologies include mobile verification, where your prompt consumers to verify the delivery by scanning a QR code.

Using Hybrid Technologies

Companies are using hybrid technologies to safeguard their brand. That means using covert and overt security technologies together has become popular.

Covert technologies are

  1. RFID: these radio frequency IDs are invisible. Only an RFID scanner can detect them.
  2. UV pigments: companies use certain dyes only detectable under UV light.
  3. Micro-text and Micro-tagging: you can use micro devices to print tags and texts on your packaging that will only be visible under scrutiny.

These covert technologies remain hidden from a casual observer; nobody will copy them. Overt technologies are

  1. QR codes: there are specific patterns easily recognizable on a package. However, you need a QR code scanner to read the data.
  2. Holographs: these are certain logos formed using holography techniques that embed more information than ordinary photographs. Though these are visible, it is impossible to copy them. You can only make a hologram if you have the unique patterns to create them.
  3. Color-changing inks are another type of overt technology, easily recognizable if you tilt the package. You can see these tags change their color. These type of color varies you cannot accurately duplicate.

These overt technologies are there to discourage counterfeiting. Additionally, consumers can easily verify if the products are from the brands they ordered. 

On the contrary, covert technologies are evidence of the brand in case of legal disputes. However, you can also use RFID technology to track the supply chain.

Protecting Brand without Compromising Aesthetics

Another trend you can see is that brands don’t want a security label or hologram that does not go with their packaging. Although covert technologies mentioned above do not disrupt the brand’s personality on the packaging, overt ones do. For example, holograms, QR codes, or color-changing inks are easily visible, hindering the brand appeal. 

In addition, they may make the packaging look off-putting. Therefore, companies want these overt securities to integrate seamlessly into the brand’s overall packaging. 

So, for example, if it’s a color-changing sticker, it should have the brand’s signature color. And if it’s a hologram, it should have the brand’s symbol and be aesthetically placed on the package.

Conclusion

So if you want to improve your sales and protect your consumers from dangerous counterfeits, you must take measures to protect your brand. The increasing number of brands investing in brand security is evidence of its importance. 

You can also see brands using overt and covert technologies to discourage counterfeits and track their products. Another emerging trend is aesthetically using overt technologies, such as QR codes and color-changing labels. 

Brands want them to be a part of the design instead of an odd symbol on the package.  If you need help with brand security and anti-counterfeiting solutions for your brand, visit www.zircontech.com

The Ultimate Checklist Brands Should Have While Designing Packaging for New Products

The Ultimate Checklist Brands Should Have While Designing Packaging for New Products

Your brand’s story is represented on your product’s packaging. If you consider some of the top brands available in the market they have one thing in common, their packaging tells a story that we cannot resist.

Before jumping right on the checklist, let us understand what product packaging is? Product packaging may sound simple but it’s a very meticulous task to create an appealing exterior for a product. 

Taking into consideration the choice of our target customers that may include the choice in material, the text displayed, as well as the graphics, fonts, and colours used on your container, can, or a packet.

Good packaging also engages customers into a sensual experience, it’s like a form of communication but more in terms of sight, touch, and sound. All these details help a customer in understanding the enclosed product and more importantly should they buy a product or not.

Our ultimate checklist consists of the pointers that are essential for creating an appealing packaging for your product that your customers just can’t resist.

A Pack That Engages

If you could make your packaging creative and appealing, which excites consumers to engage with it, you got a real winner. Part of the creative process is to come up with an idea that perfectly illustrates your brand and the benefits of your product. 

To make a lasting impression on your customer it is important to have the right team by your side. You can do it by hiring a good designer and also by incorporating a great packaging company that provides the best-in-class printing facility. Never hesitate to be creative as it can take your business to a different level.

Consider the Experience

Think about the experience of a customer when they see your packaging and embrace it in their hand for the first time. Does your packaging evoke a sense of likeness and connection in your customer? 

A simple act of adding the texture to your packaging or even layering your packet with beautiful and clean printing can add the luxury aspect, and make it easier for the customers to spend some extra credits for the experience.

Emphasize on Brand Values

If you achieve an emphasis on your brand’s value through packaging you are already one step ahead in the game. It is expected for a business to have values and express them coherently. 

Shapes, colour, and graphics are a good indication as to who is behind the product on the shelf. A business looking to display their high-quality products are likely to emphasize on professional appearing hot stamp printing. 

Whereas a business displaying its homegrown and raw character will emphasize more on an earthy or rustic look.

Fill in the Colours

Colours are the key differentiator between your brand and your competitor. A great colour scheme can make your product stand out and increase your purchase. Colour is crucial for maintaining brand aesthetics. 

A slight change in the colour variation can alter the brand consistency, therefore it is important to affirm that the design follows the exact brand colours throughout the product packaging.

Be Bold

Best to use multiple colours and shapes in a reverting pattern is a great way to stand out. Colours and shapes influence people and create a physiological preference for your product. It is best to use it playfully to promise your customer a good time.

Be Wise in Choosing the Best Material and Packaging for Your Product ​

Before jumping on to the packaging, begin with choosing the right material and packaging style for your product. Wise to choose a material that will bring out the full potential of your product. 

Certain materials and packaging styles will work best. You can concern packaging companies to see the materials that they typically use and which ones work for you. You may also want to consider going with eco-friendly material.

While you are finalizing all this, it’s a good idea to have your print packaging partner involved early in the process, to discuss the requirements and proceed as per the plan.

Don’t Forget to Secure Your Brand While Focusing on Packaging

Good packaging can create an impression that customers find irritable hence improving your sales. Moreover in addition to improving the sales, packaging should also protect the brand’s integrity and authenticity by providing credible labels. This not only helps in fighting counterfeit products but also in improving customer trust.

After looking at the pointers for making awesomely creative packaging, there should be no hesitation in pushing your limit and maximizing your packaging potential.

Just Getting Started With Your Product Packaging?

Zircon is your reliable partner in packaging with over 2decades of experience. We have a dedicated design and engineering team ready to engineer a solution that will make your product stand out from the crowd and give a boost to your business. 

Connect with us today and we’ll work directly with you to find the ideal packaging solution for your brand.