Paper, Printing, and Cartons:
Design Concepts for Cartons and Boxes
Like its predecessor, Curious Britney Spears, the Fantasy Britney Spears fragrance features a carton that opens in an intriguing way.Different shapes, papers, and printing techniques create unique packages.
By Marie Redding, Senior EditorA secondary package does more than just protect what’s inside it. As an extension of the primary package, it helps to further convey the image of a brand. “When chosen correctly, the outer box can definitely help convey an added value to the consumer, which can be very instrumental in securing the purchase,” says Heather Reier, founder, Cake Beauty.
Luxurious looks are still a trend for secondary packaging. A decoration technique being widely used is adding tactile elements to cartons and boxes with new types of coatings and finishes.
“Many brands have been investing an enormous amount of time and money developing high-quality folding cartons and setup boxes. It has gotten to the point that the cost of the outer packaging is no longer proportionate to the cost of the product inside,” says Lewis Klein, president, Klein Industries (Chicopee, MA).
A Fantastic Folding Carton
The carton designed for Fantasy Britney Spears features a dreamlike swirl of bold metallic colors. Elizabeth Arden’s senior design director, Jean Antretter, designed the graphic pattern, which was printed in 11 colors.
“It’s an explosion of color,” Antretter says to describe the carton for Fantasy, which launched in September. Antretter also designed the packaging, including the unique carton, for Spears’s first fragrance, Curious Britney Spears. “I knew I had to try to ‘wow’ everyone a second time and take this design a step beyond the last,” she says.
As she did for the Curious carton, Antretter based her design for the Fantasy carton on the art of origami combined with die-cut shapes. This time, she used a unique pattern of folds to create a different construction. The carton is supplied by Arkay Packaging (New York City).
“Fantasy Britney Spears is about love’s ability to overwhelm you when you least expect it,” says Tamara Steele, senior vice president of global marketing at Elizabeth Arden. “It’s like a modern-day fairy tale. The carton opens like a magic storybook. From a merchandising standpoint, it is a very dramatic experience for the customer to lift off the top of the box and see this gorgeous bottle nestled inside.”
A decorative outer paperboard piece wraps around and folds over the top of an inner carton. The inner carton was produced using 20-point solid-bleached-sulfate (SBS) board mounted to half-mil/Mylar film. It was constructed as a web French reverse tuck. The bottom was printed using two different shades of pink, plus a peridot. “It looks like one shade of pink, but we used two hits of color to achieve the desired density,” says Walter Shiels, COO, Arkay Packaging.
The decorative outer piece is constructed from 14-point SBS board, which is also mounted to half-mil/Mylar film. “We used Mylar because we wanted a shine, similar to leaf stamping, without the cost associated with stamping,” says Shiels. Antretter adds, “Mylar provided just the right amount of reflection.”
It took some deliberating when choosing the right type of paperboard, considering the construction of the design and graphics. “Our package development team and Arkay were able to calculate the board weights that would work. We didn’t want it to have too much of a crease, because Mylar tends to lose color when it is folded,” says Antretter.
Paperboard for Cylindrical Shapes
A paper tube serves as the primary package for Too Faced Cosmetics’ Peek-A-Boo powder and powder puff.Cylindrical paper tubes are often used in place of a square carton or box. In some instances, they are even used as the primary package.
Too Faced Cosmetics launched its Peek-A-Boo product in a paper tube last April. The brand has no doubt that its packaging has influenced the product’s success. Peek-A-Boo is the first cosmetic designed specifically as a breast enhancer. It is packaged with a powder puff in a round paper tube, covered with two layers of paper and laminated with an overcoat. A pom-pom is glued on top, in between the two layers. The carton’s graphics include a humorous cartoon illustration, which was applied using a four-color process on an offset press.
“We felt that the right visual would be essential to convey the benefit of the product. It had to look sexy, but not threatening,” explains Jerrod Blandino, CEO and creator of Too Faced Cosmetics. “I chose to package the product in a paper tube, because I wanted the graphics to stay with the product instead of being on a disposable carton.”
Satin Sugar, a hair and body refreshing powder launched by Cake Beauty last April is packaged in a paperboard cylinder small enough to fit in a handbag. “The cylinder package is durable and also very portable,” says Heather Reier, founder of Cake Beauty. The package has a dispensing closure that twists to open and close. The cylinder is covered with a 70-pound sterling ultra paper with a gloss coating. “It has a very nice sheen to it, making it look more upscale,” says Reier. “It was important for us and for this product that it be a cylinder shape, to give it the right look and function.”
When a cylinder is used as a secondary package, there are different options for its construction. “Recently, we have seen more interest in using clear plastic tubes with paper end caps. The combination of materials gives the product more visibility,” says Chrissy Cabay, marketing manager for Chicago Paper Tube & Can Co. (Chicago).
H2O Plus used a shiny cylinder supplied by Chicago Paper Tube for a launch of its Mariel fragrance. “We used a silver foil with a mirror finish to cover the tube,” says Cabay. Foil-stamping was used, and a specific Pantone color used for the logo was printed on a press. Then, a UV coating was used over the entire package. “Printing on foil can be a challenge because metallic ink doesn’t soak in, it just sits on top. There were some issues with drying time, and the printing had to be managed carefully,” explains Cabay.
All of the above illustrate the various uses of a paper tube. If you decide to choose a cylinder for your next project, keep in mind all of the different ways it could be constructed and decorated.
A Graphic Challenge
Upon seeing the design plan for Fantasy Britney Spears, the teams at Elizabeth Arden and Arkay Packaging, which included Shiels and Rob Bobick, Arden’s purchasing manager, wondered how to execute it.
Shiels, who has been working in the industry for 31 years, says, “This design was unbelievable. It’s the most outrageous carton I’ve ever done.” Frank
Johnston, engineer, Elizabeth Arden, worked with the team at Arkay. “The engineering that Frank was able to accomplish was incredible,” says Shiels.
The carton’s retroinfluenced pattern is reminiscent of the 1960s. The graphics are printed in fuschia, light pink, blue, four shades of green, and a white pearlescent. It required printing 11 different colors of lithography, including some double hits and one flexographic pearlescent color used in the white area. Many transparent shades were used in order to create depth.
“Printing the graphic pattern on the top of the carton was a huge challenge. Registration was critical,” says Shiels. Arkay simultaneously registered two different printing presses. “Preparation was key,” Shiels explains. “We spent a lot of time preparing the artwork for the press, in order to achieve the proper registration.”
After the design was printed, the paperboard was laminated with acetate 0.00095 film. “We used acetate film lamination to increase the depth of color and shine,” says Shiels. With this gauge of material you are able to achieve a much higher gloss level, and fingerprints are not an issue. According to Shiels, it is about three times the cost of a UV varnish.
Cake Beauty’s Piece of Cake gift set comes in a gift-worthy carton complete with a pink satin ribbon.Next, the paperboard was die-cut, folded, and glued using Bobst finishing equipment. “There were critical features to consider during the gluing process. Because of the use of Mylar and film lamination, you have to be concerned with scuffing, burnishing, and bruising,” explains Shiels. “We were able to minimize any damage with the use of a Bobst alpina gluing system.”
The carton was wrapped with a peridot ribbon tied in a bow, which added a final finishing touch. “We worked with a supplier to come up with a ribbon that stretched, by incorporating a rubber band underneath it,” explains Antretter. “We’re sure customers will find creative ways to use the ribbon as a key chain or hair accessory.”
Design and Merchandising
Special decorative touches, like adding ribbons and bows to packaging, seem to be a trend. Cake Beauty’s Piece of Cake gift set, which includes shower gel and body mousse, is packaged in a gift box wrapped in a pink satin ribbon. The box, wrapped in white glossy paper, looks like a present.
“It’s the little details that count. We always try to think of packaging from a merchandising perspective, and these boxes merchandise beautifully in stores,” say Cake Beauty’s Reier.
The thought of how a line would merchandise in stores is also what inspired the look of Brave Soldier’s new gift sets. Launched in August, the line’s four different paperboard boxes contain a selection of men’s personal care products, including shave gel, shower gel, sunscreen, and moisturizer.
“We wanted these boxes to convey the image of our brand. We hoped to portray a sense of fun and a carefree attitude. Our goal was to give the line more of a presence in stores,” explains Jeffrey Neal, president of Brave Soldier.
The boxes’ lids feature photographic images depicting vintage-looking scenes, including a group of synchronized swimmers, a fighter jet, and a soldier in army fatigues. “These boxes really make a statement in the store and have brought us a step closer to our goal of building an image for the brand,” says Neal.
Cutting Costs
Since Brave Soldier is a small company, it utilized every opportunity to cut costs. It found many creative ways to stay under budget on this project.
By having a strong design concept, the gift boxes retained an upscale look. An 18-point chipboard was used. “We went back and forth trying to make sure we chose the right paper stock. At first, the stock we were using would have required a more expensive outer sleeve, because of its thickness. We went down just one point in the paper stock, and that made a huge difference in the cost of the sleeve,” explains Neal.
The images used on Brave Soldier’s gift sets came from stock photography. Paul Serrif, a graphic designer based in San Diego, worked with Neal on these boxes. Neal explains, “I’m usually not a fan of stock photography, but Paul was able to really make them look organic to the piece. Besides not having the budget to stage our own photo shoots, stock turned out to be the better choice for us, from a design point of view.”
The photos have an elegant tone to them, a result of printing with matte inks. Instead of using offset printing directly on the box, flood coating was used during production. “We used a less expensive printing process, but it ended up looking great,” says Neal. Mammoth Packaging and Display (Calabasas, CA) supplies the boxes and did the printing.
Diamond Packaging (Rochester, NY) has been using a unique printing process which provides a more photographic look. It can be very economical. The first cosmetic packages the company worked on using this method are expected to launch this fall. It is a six-color offset process combined with frequency modulated (FM) screening. “It is a combination rarely used for cosmetic or personal care packaging,” says Dennis Bacchetta, marketing manager. Amplitude modulated (AM) screening is much more commonly used.
“FM screening is unique in that it varies the number of dots used, as opposed to AM screening, which varies the size of the dot,” explains Bacchetta. “Printing with FM screening delivers near-photographic fidelity from an offset printing process. It eliminates issues with screen angles, resulting in smoother vignettes and softer color-to-color transitions not possible with traditional four-color process printing,” he says. In order to print in this way, it takes a combination of sophisticated equipment, special software, and a high level of expertise to maintain the consistency of the reproduction on the press.
On its cartons, Brave Soldier uses stock photography that is budget friendly, yet attention-getting.Tactile Trends
Texture is often used to make a carton or box look upscale. “We’ve definitely been seeing more of a desire for tactile properties on luxury packaging,” says Amaury Janssen, sales representative for MeadWestvaco Packaging Resources Group (Stamford, CT). “The combination of a textured substrate, unique coating, and other enhancements such as foil stamping or embossing can create an arresting visual presentation,” adds Bacchetta.
Special coatings derived from resins are being used more often now, which can be an economical decorating tool. “Since the most costly component of a carton is the substrate itself, and not the coating, using a specialized coating is an inexpensive way of creating a higher value proposition in the minds of consumers,” adds Bacchetta.
AGI/Klearfold (New York City) has developed a new special-effect coating called Accents Dimensional. “It is a clear texture applied over printed graphics to create striking visual effects,” explains Paul Morris, who recently returned to AGI/ Klearfold as director of sales. The coating can be used on a variety of materials such as SBS, metallized Mylar-laminated SBS, rigid-plastic folding-carton grades, or paper-set box wraps. The effect is done in a single pass on the company’s sheet-fed offset or web-flexo printing presses. “There is no need for additional printing passes, off-line processes, or expensive embossing dyes,” says Morris. The first cosmetic packaging application using this technique will be a Lancôme promotional package launching this holiday season.
“One trend I’ve been seeing is laminating different fibers onto a standard SBS board,” says Klein Industries’ Klein. Using this technique, a paper can have the look and feel of fabric, be as fluffy as cotton candy, or even contain rose petals. “All of these effects are achieved through the use of a resin. In the past, it had to be done by hand and was cost-prohibitive. Now, it is being done using machinery, which has brought costs down, so it is being used more,” says Klein. These textures and finishes have the ability to make a carton or box look more upscale than just printing or even embossing.
Sustainable Attitudes for the Future
Whatever decorating technique or printing method is chosen to be used on your carton or box, consumers might be equally concerned with where the paperboard comes from. As consumers continue to become more aware of how packaging affects the environment, manufacturers are being led to search for suppliers with sustainable attitudes.
Klein Industries supplies a wind-power-manufactured board. The paperboard contains postconsumer recycled materials and is made in a wind-powered plant in the United States. A symbol is used on the package to let consumers know how the board was made.
Last year, Smart Papers (Hamilton, OH) increased its postconsumer content by 30% for its 12-point Knightkote matte paperboard. It now contains a total of 50% recycled fiber. “We decided to incorporate a high level of recycled fibers into all our coated papers,” says Tom Kleinmeyer, marketing director. Since then, the company has seen interest increase steadily. Kleinmeyer explains, “Years ago, there was a lot of interest in using recycled materials and fibers, but then it waned. Now, we are beginning to see the issue pick up again. Moving forward, we will continue to keep a high quantity of postconsumer recycled content in our papers as a matter of course.”