Why brands need to explore digital printing to boost their packaging

Nowadays, packaging is more than just a layer of protection for products; it is an essential marketing tool that supports branding, emphasizes the best features of the product, and can help drive sales.

But finding the right kind of packaging isn’t easy, especially for entrepreneurs looking for small volumes, innovative ideas, or unusual options.

Speaking at the launch event of Brands of India, an initiative of Your story, Prasad Date, Customer Success Manager, HP Indigo, the startups said it was difficult to invest in conventional packaging because these printing presses take a minimum order of 50,000 to 1 lakh of packaging and the costs skyrocket if the product has different variations.

“High costs set limits for the entrepreneur. Startup founders wouldn’t know what kind of packaging they want until they’ve done a few iterations and that’s a hurdle for them. This is when digital printing comes to the rescue, ”said Prasad.

Sangita Garg, founder of AttaGirl, based in Mumbai, which provides a wide variety of healthy pasta for dosas and idlis, faced this problem when looking to finalize the packaging of its product. Her issue was resolved when she logged into an HP Indigo vendor, and Sangita worked on the packaging, as she wanted.

Why digitally print packaging?

Packaging has evolved over the past decade, thanks to increased technology and consumer awareness. With sustainability and convenience becoming priority areas, packaging serves a much bigger purpose than just showcasing brand details. Many brands choose to make their values ​​known through their packaging to provide an experience.

Enter digitally printed packaging, which offers production flexibility, packaging customization, quick time to market and cost savings. Next-generation digital presses and printers deliver better print quality, color control, registration consistency and durability benefits, making them the perfect choice for young founders and young brands .

Naipal Singh, Business Development Manager at HP Indigo, explains that between design and printing, conventional packaging takes a long time in plate making, preparing for color processes and other tedious processes. “The digital printing process is much simpler and faster,” he says.

How to get the right packaging

Ashish Vasudeva, Business Development Manager at HP Indigo, agrees that brands can connect with customers through packaging and see a corresponding increase in their sales.

“Often, customers choose a product because of its packaging. Digital printing gives brands an advantage: they can make packaging unique and grow their business, ”he says.

He suggests options like working on a limited edition packaging campaign that creates a sense of curiosity in customers. Creating an emotional connection also plays a vital role, and Ashish cites the example of the Dettol brand who, in the midst of the pandemic, wanted to show their gratitude to frontline workers with their stories.

Dettol released four million labels with 100 protector stories in two weeks and received a tremendous response.

“Consumers today won’t be afraid to spend more money on a product that supports a global cause, and the brand should take initiatives to promote it through its packaging,” says Ashish.

Speaking of the cost incurred in digital printing, Prasad says that when entrepreneurs approach a conventional press, they see a direct printing cost and ignore the risk of inventory cost of ownership, depreciation, costs incurred. for design revisions, real estate costs, leaks and soon.

In addition to getting rid of these hassles, digital printing is “sustainable and helps reduce wasted resources because it takes a just-in-time approach.”

Reason enough for large and small brands to adopt a digital approach first and foremost, even when it comes to packaging!

Brands of India is a YourStory initiative to catalyze the growth of India’s D2C economy. It will bring together stakeholders from the D2C ecosystem, including brand builders, D2C startups, investors, businesses and policy makers, to discover, build and help daring entrepreneurs create an additional 500 Indian brands over the course of the next three years. To learn more about this initiative and the D2C ecosystem, visit Marquesofindia.votrehistoire.com.