20
- August
2010
Posted By : Lisa Baer
Mobilize Your Packaging

Three New Trends in Tech Savvy Packaging

We’ve all seen ’em. Those attention-getting, conversation-starting trends. As an avid trend spotter, I’ve learned that simply citing trends does not equal the long view necessary for true brand stewardship. After all, trends have short-term memories whereas brands make a promise that lasts.

However, paying attention to trends can pay off for your brand. Trends provide clues to immediate and future opportunities for a sales lift, especially if they are utilized correctly.

Check out these trends that can give your product the boost you’ve been looking for!

Redlaser

Have you ever wished customers could see your entire pricing structure? Or wanted them to be able to compare promotions from last year? What if they could scan your product and find the best price in less than 20 seconds?

Meet your new friend, Redlaser. This app allows consumers to scan the barcode of any product checkout-style, right down to the little blip sound. When a barcode is scanned, the app searches prices and creates an ongoing shopping list of previous scans so that your brand can stay at the top of shoppers’ minds. This shopping list can then be stored in consumers’ smartphones and shared with other potential customers, like husbands, mothers, and friends who now know what products to pick up for you. No more size 4T diapers for your newborn!

Stickybits

If you’re searching for an app that enables your smartphone to scan any barcode in the store, Stickybits is your answer. Once stored, users can post cheers and jeers, photos, and video about your brand in Yelp-esque fashion. In true social networking form, this content then becomes available for any other user who scans the same barcode. Genuine crowd favorites will quickly get well-deserved recognition and benefit from the feedback, but be careful! The app may prove lethal for brands unprepared for this level of transparency.

QR Codes

From Dawn dish soap to Pringles cans, little QR code boxes are popping up everywhere! QR codes belong in the same family as bar codes, but provide a URL link that gives the product a boost by providing info on the benefits, alternative uses, recipes, and other tidbits about the item that are delivered straight to customers’ fingertips at the crucial, decision-making moment. Consider the added value of a QR code mobile coupon and you could be boosting sales at the store level!

FYI: After downloading a QR reader app to my smartphone, I did experience some trouble getting the QR code to scan properly. After checking around, I found this to be a widespread issue when trying to scan the package. QR codes will likely turn mainstream for CPG once the application and readers become more user-friendly.

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