Nothing makes a woman feel striking on a night out like the perfect little black dress; but what about a little black beer to match? American beer company, Chick Beer, has created the ultimate feminine beer for women. With only 3.5 carbs and under 100 calories, this is the ideal beer for a girls night out.

Each bottle of light beer is bottled in a dark amber bottle to match with the products general black and pink color pallet. In addition, filling a light beer into a darker bottle gives the illusion that the beer is darker and has a more full body beer flavor. A hot pink label with the curvaceous image of a little black dress wraps around each bottle, and is highlighted with elegant silver script. There is also a black neck label with matching silver fonts and dot patterns to match the jewels on the dress. And not only will you look feminine carrying around your bottle of Chick Beer, but you will also look cute carrying it home from the liquor store! The graphics printed on the six pack cardboard folding container make it look like a matching black purse complete with silver jewel detail. To quote Chick Beer, it’s time to “Witness the Chickness!”

Check out some other feminine packaging in our previous Flaunt your beauty blog!

When visiting a major city in the U.S. such as New York or Miami, you can expect to find a Hard Rock Café. For over forty years, these cafes have been serving food and drink to customers looking to dine in a unique rock and roll themed restaurant/ bar. And now if you are a fan of the cafes, you can purchase your own bottle of Hard Rock vodka packaged with a rock and roll theme!

Hard Rock Spirits partnered with designers from Ultimate Beverages to release their own line of vodka designed after the popular restaurants. Crystal clear bottles are manufactured with detailed designed molded into the glass as a nice background for the center guitar graphic. The company logo and text are printed in red over the guitar, and arched over that guitar is the appropriate phrase “Splashed with Rock ‘n’ Roll” also printed in red. If you are interested in getting your own bottle of this rocking’ vodka, it can be found at Hard Rock retailers, bars and cafes in the Florida area.

Check out our previous blog about other fun city inspired vodka bottle packaging!

With all the holiday parties, especially New Years, champagne is a quite popular seller. In general, champagne bottle labels and packaging have a more elegant design because they were originally popular among the French royalty hundreds of years ago. The French champagne brand Nicholas Feuillatte was first established in 1976, but the quarter bottle was not introduced until 1990. What people loved about the quarter bottles was that they were the perfect single serve portion as opposed to opening a large bottle that might go to waste.

Over the years the quarter bottle labels and packaging have evolved from a classic design to a more modern design. The photo above is the current quarter bottle designs for their Brut and Rose champagne. I love how the “1/4” fraction has been repeated on the neck label, main label, and printed on the break seal foil as a modern way to indicate the size of the bottle. In addition, the color pallets used for each bottle are much brighter and more vibrant than colors generally used for champagne. An adjustable neck ribbon has also been added to allow the drinker to easily carry their bottle on the go. As an added bonus, using the ribbon carrier keeps the bottle free from the person’s hand, hence keeping it chilled and ready to drink.

Check out another champagne bottle with stand out packaging in our previous Open up some LOVE blog!

As the weeks fly by before the Christmas holiday, people around the world are busy decorating their trees. V-One Vodka company is no different as they have released a seasonal bottle with their own green tree; only it’s upside down! The company’s traditional logo, as seen in the photo below, is a large black “V” with the word “one” written across it in cursive and “vodka” printed below. Against the clear bottle with a black tamper label applied to the neck, the vodka packaging looks quite sharp.

For a limited time during the Christmas season, V-One has taken that large black “V” and transformed it into a jovial tree! The only catch is that they left it inverted on the bottle so that it still mimics the shape of the traditional logo, but can be viewed correctly when the bottle is turned upside down. Pale white snowflakes have also been added to the bottle as a subtle background pattern for tree.

For more information on this Christmas tree vodka bottle, check out their Facebook page!

Packaging that glows in the dark has been a recent industry trend especially in the beer/spirits market. A benefit of glow in the dark designs is that they are an unexpected packaging element that can go unseen until put under specific lighting. According to The Dieline, “Glow in the dark packaging gives brands a second chance to interact with the consumer through hidden graphics and text.”  Beer and spirit labels are more frequently held under black lights and dimmer lighting than others, as this type of lighting is popular at bars/clubs where alcoholic beverage are sold.

Check out the Heineken glow in the dark bottle below as featured in our Pentaward Winners blog. Once the green bottle is submersed under darker lighting, detailed line graphics are exposed within the white sections of the label. Another popular beer that has had a glow in the dark label is Miller Genuine Draft. Similar to the Heineken label, the “Miller” text and surrounding border will glow a bright blue. Beverage company Wet Planet Beverage also released an alcoholic flavored water a few years back called DNA. The drinks came packaged in clear glass bottles with the enlarged version of a glow in the dark fingerprint as a backsplash. Whenever you watch crime shows like CSI they always dust for fingerprints with a black light, so using a glow in the dark fingerprint graphic and naming the beverage DNA is a nice correlation.  

If nothing starts the holiday season like a night of fresh falling snowflakes, then the new Malibu Winter Edition rum is certainly for you! The base drink is still the beloved coconut rum, but Malibu has added a special “snowflake” touch. Mixed in to the rum are shredded coconut flakes that are meant to mimic the look of snow and melt how snowflakes would on the tongue. What better wintertime adult beverage can you think of than a coconut flake mixed drink?

The bottle design for the winter edition is similar to the traditional white bottle except this bottle has a completely white cap. They decided to keep the traditional brown palm tree logo but made the size of this graphic much smaller. Instead, they printed a larger blue snow scene from the tropics complete with icy looking palm trees, white waters and gently falling snowflakes. On the reverse side of each bottle is also a convenient recipe guide for winter cocktails to make with the winter rum. Pernod Ricard from the marketing team behind this rum says, “This new Malibu Winter Limited Edition is striking on-shelf and brings the coconut flavor to life in an exciting new way.  The on-pack recipe communication also helps demonstrate Malibu’s versatility through a selection of easy-to-make cocktails for consumers to create at home with friends.”

For more information on the new winter edition rum and packaging, check out Popsop.

When it comes to great packaging, my favorites are the products that have a story behind them. A few of my choice story telling blogs include our Scared Stiff Spirits and Simple Label, Legendary Story blogs. Well, Stacy has come across another spirit company that has a name and label with quite an intriguing story. The company is called Death’s Door Spirits named after the deadly water passageway between Door County and Washington Island, Wisconsin. The straight was originally named the Porte des Morts which in French translates to “the door of the dead.” There are several tales about the straight one telling the story of a great battle that occurred between two Native American tribes, and another involves Native Americans building campfire rings to lure enemies to the straight and perish in a shipwreck. A third tale involves the French creating a fictitious story about the straight being incredibly dangerous to cross, in order to prevent the English from establishing a fur trade rout through the straight. Whichever story stands to be true, the straight has lived up to being incredibly dangerous and the resting ground for numerous shipwrecks through history.

Death’s Door Spirits is a Wisconsin based company that has a collection of gin, vodka and whiskeys brewed with the grain grown on Washington Island. The packaging was created by Grip Design firm with labels inspired by the deadly passageway. The gin label has a light blue backsplash to offset the printed map of the straight on the bottom half of the label, and the vodka bottle has delicate gold artwork surrounding a small circular image of the Washington Island printed dead center.

For more information on these spirits and how to purchase, visit their webpage!

If you are looking to get twice the bank for you buck then look no further than the French Rabbit wine company. For over six years, the Boisset family has been producing fabulous French wine at their CA based winery. The grapes are grown in the southern part of France and shipped to the winery for production. Here is a fun fact: Did you know the wine company name was selected because bunny rabbits are found roaming in abundance at these French vineyards (hence the name French Rabbit)? The French wines come in six different 1L varieties including a Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and two Family Reserves (white & red). They have also recently added a line of 250 ml boxes in Pinot Noir, and blends of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay/ Sauvignon Blanc.

Different from the traditional glass wine bottle, French Rabbit wine is packaged in what the company calls tetra- prisma technology. The containers look similar to that of a juice box featuring a collapsible body to push out unnecessary air and make the container easier to store. Each container also has a resealable cap and is completely recyclable. What’s incredible about the tetra- prisma containers is that they have 90% less packaging than a typical wine bottle, which means more wine for you buck. In fact, French Rabbit gives you twice as much wine as a typical glass bottle! Container art design was also inspired by the furry friends with the two “B’s” in the logo turned into bunny ears and teeth marks on the bands of color.

To read more news on these high tech wine containers, visit their webpage!

The difference between a good label and a great label can sometimes be a fantastic story! Blasted Church Wines have one of the most colorful stories I have heard for a wine collection. In fact, I would even purchase the wine just for the label. The story behind the name involves an old church that was to be dismantled and moved to another location. Instead of simply moving the church whole, the team decided to set off four sticks of dynamite to “loosen” the nails in the boards. Once dismantled, the boards were moved and the church was rebuilt. Blasted Church’s line of wines was named after this interesting remodeling story.

Blasted Church has what they call the Storytelling Series which includes fourteen varieties with some amazing label art. The series tells the deconstruction/ construction of the old church through vivid graphics and comical characters. My favorite labels include the Hatfield’s Fuse 2010 with label art of one of the miners setting up the dynamite in the church while the priest reads from his book. I also enjoy the Big Bang 2009 showing a funny image of the miner and the priest plugging their ears outside the church before the blast. The Gewurztraminer 2010 is also clever showing the miners moving the church boards while the priest sits on them praying.

What other great stories have you heard with well designed matching packaging?

Have you noticed that companies are designing packaging where the art continues from one product to another? Companies have lately been creating packaging that I like to call “to be continued” packaging. I named the packaging as such because the text or art begins on one bottle and continues onto another. Why are companies choosing to utilize this type of packaging? Well, brands are ultimately trying to draw attention to their product on the shelf. By owning a larger section of shelf realty the brand is able to attract customers more easily. Companies can also use this type of packaging as a marketing strategy to get the consumer to buy more of their product; consumers may purchase the number of products necessary to complete a full set.  

Several of the products I have come across utilizing this type of packaging design are wine bottles but the well known snack company Pringles has also latched onto the trend. When Pringles went through the process of re-designing their cylindrical container, the Zunda Group design studio created a two part chip container design. The brand’s Julius cartoon character has been divided into two sections so that when the two containers are placed next to each other they create a “dominant brand block that is visually arresting” according to Brand Packaging. Another design firm called Takk! Design created the trio of Segreto wines. The white font continued on all three bottles pops nicely against the black background for a visually appealing display sure to intrigue any wine connoisseur. And if I was purchasing a bottle from this collection you can bet I would not buy just one; I’m buying Segreto not just “Se” wine. The designer Low Ink Studio also created an interesting wine bottle pair called Vino Peleòn that when put together creates the image of a black and white boxing match! There are so many design options for this type of marketing from using text, graphics or art to attract your customers.

What other “to be continued” packaging have you seen today on the market?

The other day while flipping through a magazine, I came across an advertisement for a vodka bottle that immediately caught my eye. As a person that looks at packaging daily, why did this bottle intrigue me? Well, this particular vodka bottle came with batteries included! You heard right, batteries included in a vodka bottle. As the first spirits bottle to feature an LED display screen, the Medea limited edition vodka bottle packaging is as high tech as it comes.

Each 700 ml bottle has an LED display screen wrapped around its middle. Batteries are included with the purchase of the bottle and should last around 40 solid hours. The screen is button programmable to read any phrase you choose. What a perfect way to say hello to someone across the bar from you when you are out for a drink! The message will run across the screen for three minutes and then will automatically turn off to conserve power. Above and below the display screen are some ultra clear labels with fancy gold and blue printed text. I think the contrast between the gold font and dark blue LED screen created a very modern design for an incredibly innovative spirit bottle.

To read more on this high tech vodka, check out the article from Gizmag.  

It seems like everything is getting a flavor infusion today. From water to the latest flavor infused whiskeys, it’s a guessing game as to what tomorrow will bring. I have never been a fan of whiskey due to its burning aftertaste not found in other spirits. What is making flavored whiskeys so popular is that the added flavors seem to diminish the unpleasant burning aftertaste. So what are some of the most popular flavors?

If you looking for a sweet flavored whiskey check out these top finds! When I think of the sweetest flavors, maple is absolutely at the top of the list as well as one of the most popular flavors for whiskey. New England based company, Cabin Fever, has created a sweet Maple Whiskey infused with real Vermont maple syrup. Though you might think the whiskey would be excessively sweet, fans of the drink boast it is perfectly balanced. Jack Daniels is among the most popular whiskeys sold on the market, and they have recently released a Tennessee Honey whiskey. Reviewed as a great combination of sweetness from the honey with cinnamon spice, the whiskey is sure to be a summertime hit. I also like how the golden bottle matches with the gold honey bee designs printed on the bottle labels. Another popular company, Leopold Brothers, has released a New York Apple Whiskey that offer a crisp apple flavor mixed with the sweetness of raisins, oak and vanilla.

If you are looking for a whiskey with a sour bite to it, you should absolutely check out the Southern Comfort Lime now available on their website. I like how the labels are lime colored with a matching bottle seal printed with images of limes. For a whiskey with an orange citrus flavor, I had read numerous good things about Orangerie Compass Box Whiskey. The combination of whiskey and scotch is infused with orange peels for a smooth zesty flavored drink. The packaging for Orangerie is also exquisitely designed with gold embossed script against a deep mahogany bottle.

Are you a sweet or a sour whiskey type of person? Tell us what your favorites are!

Recently while browsing packaging designs, Stacy came across the label for Kraken Black Spiced Rum. What she loved about the rum label was the simplistic design of the label art printed in only black inks on a white background. Void of any fancy embossing or foil paper that is common with spirits today, the spiced rum label stands out for its classic design and beautiful artwork of what appears to be a giant octopus. However, once I started to research this spiced rum I found a hidden legendary tale behind the seemingly simplistic label.

Owned by Proximo Spirits, a privately owned spirits company out of New Jersey, the Caribbean Kraken Rum was named after the legendary sea monster the kraken. The German word kraken translates to the English word for octopus which explains the creature’s familiar bulb shaped head and long winding tentacles. However, the kraken sea monster is said to be of extraordinary size far beyond a normal octopus and is said to have provided fantastic fishing conditions for fisherman dared to fish over the kraken. In fact, the tale says that when a fisherman came home with a lot of fish others would say, “You must have fished on Kraken." The sea monster known for discharging black ink, similar to regular octopuses, was also known for its brutal attacks on ships. Most famously the legend says that the kraken took down the largest shipment of black spiced rum that sailed from the Caribbean. I think it is clever of the designers to use only black ink when designing the spiced rum label to mirror the trademark black ink of the kraken. Whether you believe the legend or not is up to you, but this particular rum label certainly has an interesting story.

Sometimes an interesting product name can be the key to grabbing a consumers attention. An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two opposing words are used together as a describing phrase such as “extremely average” or “lesser evil.” Lately, we have noticed companies utilizing oxymorons to draw customers to their products and here are some of my finds!

If you are a fan of Dunkin Donuts like our marketing department is then you may have heard of their popular Frozen Hot Chocolate. By pairing the word “frozen” with the word “hot” they have created an oxymoron product name, which has certainly sparked a lot of media attention. Over the past few weeks I have heard numerous radio stations advertising the product and they always make a comment on the interesting name. According to the Dunkin Brand, “America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods continues to prove that cool is hotter than ever with the introduction of Frozen Hot Chocolate.” Did you notice they even used an oxymoron in that comment with the phrase “cool is hotter than ever?”

Another product that has been around for a while longer than the frozen drink is the popular pain relieving product IcyHot. As a swimmer back in high school, IcyHot cream was my best friend for achy shoulder problems. Produced by over the counter pharmaceutical company Chattem, the product line now offers a variety of creams, patches, and balms. The product name was always intriguing to me as it utilizes an oxymoron to attract customer attention. The packaging design also plays off of the name by utilizing a gradient color pallet of icy blues that change into blazing reds.

California based winery, Wicked Good Wines, utilizes oxymorons in both their company name and packaging. The red wine bottle is completely black while the white wine bears a white label for contrasting good versus evil colors (top photo). Also, on both bottles the oxymoron in the name is highlighted by printing the words “wicked” and “good” in opposite colors (black & green, white & red). I also love AwfullyNice which is an England based cupcake company. I came across the cheeky company name and had to check out their webpage. They specialize in theme based cupcakes and currently have lines designed after a 1950’s American diner, The Wizard of Oz, and my absolute favorite Alice in Wonderland!

What’s the best oxymoron product or company name you have come across? 

Here at Dion, chocolate is an essential part of what gets us through the workday. Have you noticed how popular chocolate has become this year? Several years ago, cranberry was all the rage from cranberry juice to cocktails and last year pomegranate was all the rage. Well ladies, this year fruit is out and chocolate is in!

On a chocolate tour last weekend in Boston, Stacy tasted some sweets from exotic chocolatier Vosges. She decided to live life on the edge and picked up a Bacon Chocolate Bar which according to Stacy was surprisingly incredible! The company’s chocolate chef studied in France and worked in Spain, Italy and Asia often drawing from those cultures in recipes. If you are daring enough to try some of their more unusual creations, we recommend you try the Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix or the spicy Red Fire Chocolate Tortilla Chips (and let us know what you think).

Brooklyn, NY design studio Freshthrills, decided to address the national recession we have been in with an innovative product called Recession Bites Chocolate. The logic behind the chocolate truffles was that even though the recession has brought our spirits down, we still deserve a chocolate pick me up! Recession Bites are a dark chocolate truffle with hints of Oreo and mint flavoring and are packaged in a creative tube shaped container. Now what about a chocotini? The sweet cocktail has skyrocketed in popularity over the past year beating out similar sweet beverage, the mudslide. Thorton’s, a popular gourmet chocolatier, recently came out with a chocolate liqueur with some fantastic packaging. The deep cocoa colored bottle has an intricately designed matching label for a rich luxurious appearance. Even global confectioner Jelly Belly has come out with a chocolate covered jelly bean called Dips; I cannot wait to try these!

Would you ever think to find chocolate in your jewlery or at a fashion show? The company, Promise Me Chocolate, makes fashionable chocolate rings designed to look like extra large gemstones. You can customize your stone (ruby, sapphire, emerald, ECT), setting (gold/silver) and if you prefer dark or milk chocolate. Fittingly, each chocolate ring is packaging in a delicate jewelry box and finished with a bow perfect for a romantic gift or even a marriage proposal. Finally, what could be better than an entire fashion show dedicated to chocolate! Yearly, the Metropolitan Pavilion plays host to the New York Chocolate Show where everything is chocolate from the food, décor, and of course the clothes! Models strut their stuff on the runway clad in chocolate attire, and after the show the garments are displayed on mannequins for public viewing.

Where else have you seen chocolate show up? Have you found some outstanding chocolate packaging? Leave us a comment!

Every ballpark has its classic food or drink; a local favorite being the classic Fenway Frank at a Red Sox game. And what goes better with a hot dog at a ballgame than and ice cold beer, right? Well, Old Style Beer has been the ballpark beer of choice at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, for a whopping 61 years! To celebrate the occasion a Chicago based design firm came out with a homerun shrink sleeve.

Scott and Victor are the design artists behind the limited edition Old Style and Old Style Light Beer bottle designs. The bottles are packaged in a shrink sleeve designed to replicate a classic wooden bat down to the intricate grain of the wood and the classic Chicago Cubs logo. They also included the phrase “Chicago’s Beer Since 1902” as a reminder of why this particular beer is so unique. The phrase was designed in a way so that it looks like it was etched into the bottle, as it would be on a real wooden bat. Victor commented on the shrink sleeve design saying, “The baseball bat bottle design pays ultimate respect to the sport and the team, and the print campaign visually references old-school baseball cards, including insider messages that are unique to the Cubs and rewarding to their fans.” Chicago has certainly set the bar high for ballpark beer bottle designs, just in time for the 2011 opening season. If you are interested in buying one of your own limited edition bottles of the Old Style Chicago Cubs beers, they can be found around Chicago and of course at bars surrounding Wrigley Field.

For more on the designers behind this homerun hit shrink sleeve, visit Scott and Victor’s webpage!

You might remember back in March when we blogged about the pouched cocktails by Malibu. Well, after seeing so many similar products following suit I can officially call these pouched products one of Ashley’s Top Trend Alerts! Pouched cocktails and alcoholic beverages are popping up all over the place signaling pouching as an up and coming industry! I believe the ultimate reasons behind this trend is that packaging cocktails in pouches makes them easier to carry during travel, and uses less raw packaging materials making it less expensive.

Good Time Beverages has just announced two new “Cocktails To Go” in the fun flavors “Big Barrel Brandy” and “Bob & Stacy’s Premium Margarita.” The appeal behind the pouches is that they can be resealed and are ideal for travel. UK based cocktail company, Funkin Cocktails, also has a line of premixed cocktails packaged in a resealable pouched container. I love the graphic design of these pouches; the vibrant color splashes pop nicely against the steel gray background. Also, launching just this month from Clif Family Winery and Farm is a new line of wines called “The Climber.” The winery is marketing the pouched wine as being an “all terrain wine transporter” with the addition of an easy grip handle and its lightweight design. At a quick frontal glance, the pouch design appears to be a stream of wine being poured. But if you look closer, you will see a tiny mountain climber graphic which makes the stream of wine transform into the side of a mountain. If Climber is being marketed toward mountain climbers it is absolutely the ultimate all terrain wine!

Did you know that Dion Label Printing now has the capability to print all of the pouched products featured above? Contact us for more information on pouching, and if you see any other new pouched cocktails on the market let us know!

My eyes have been peeled for the top trends of 2010 and I have found a front runner. Society has gone nutty for coconut!  Popular coconut products range from beverages, beauty products, and cleaners.  Why the coconut craze?  Studies show that the protein packed fruit is known for being a “healing” fruit for digestion problems and other ailments.  Spirit companies like Bacardi have latched onto the coconut craze, as we saw in our blog about Bacardi’s Rock Coconut redesign. A particularly trendy coconut beverage is O.N.E. Coconut Water. Athletes and trainers alike rave about the hydration benefits from the fruity water, beating out other sugar filled sports drinks. 

Beauty companies small and large have also jumped on the coconut band wagon, offering an abundance of creams, moisturizers and shampoos infused with coconut oil. Do you like the coconut flavor but do not like cooking with the actual fruit?  Companies have developed other cooking products infused with coconut including coconut flour and vinegar! Coconuts may even be the future of eco friendly packaging due to the durable coconut husk shell. Imagine getting your next eBay purchase in a coconut skin container?  From drinks to packaging, the coconut craze has certainly made an impact in 2010!

With Halloween upon us, Bonefire mulled wine is the perfect fix to warm up your chilling night.  According to tradition, bonfires were built centuries ago to keep the evil ghosts and spirits away on the religious holiday All Hollows Eve; now known as Halloween.  Appropriately, the bottle is made of a deep black glass bottle, with a sturdy looking metal cork, and a bonfire logo printed on the front.  Each bottle is also packaged in a deep color wooden box and insulated with kindling.

To me, the most interesting aspect of the wine is that it is mulled, meaning it is spicy and served warm.  Traditionally the entire bottle is supposed to be placed in the bonfire to heat!  A set of matches and instruction booklet also come with the wine so you are prepared to have a spooky bonfire on Halloween night.

To read more about Bonefire wine visit The Dieline Wine Blog.

When I think of Martha Stewart, several words automatically pop into our heads; clean, classic, perfection and Mad Scientist!  Wait, Martha Stewart and Mad Scientist?  Just in time for Halloween, Stewart has come out with a line of spooky wine labels.  The labels can be purchased from GrandInRoad or on Martha’s webpage and are offered in a variety of spooky designs.  ‘Mad’ flavors include Arsenic Cider Mix and Poison! The duo- chromatic labels of red and black ink can be applied to both glass and plastic bottles. Labels are also textured giving the bottle an ‘aged cracked glass’ look.  Drinking wine with these labels on them would certainly put me in the Halloween spirit!  I also appreciate that the labels can be self applied so you can transform your favorite bottle of wine into a spooky potion.

Prepare to be taken 20,000 leagues under the sea by the winning Wine Category bottle at the 2010 Clear Choice Awards.  The Tentacle is a strikingly dark bottle with a beautifully designed center art piece.  Designer John Schall designed an eight legged octopus which is printed to look like it’s wrapped around the bottle.  The silk screened design is printed on a lighter weight eco-friendly bottle, while still maintaining an elegant look.

The Tentacle is a clear standout to me in the wine design category, due to its elegant appearance.  Each tentacle has a gentle curl at the end, which is mirrored in the curly script writing on the bottle.  The colorings also blend well together with the deep colored backing and the off-white octopus coloring. The octopus almost appears to be floating in the ocean. Between the excellent tasting Syrah blend wine, and the elegant bottle design The Tentacle is a clear winner for the Clear Choice Awards.

After 10 long years, Smirnoff Ice drinkers can now search the shelves for a newly designed package.  Australian based design firm, The Creative Method, was hired to bring the drink packaging into the 21^st century. What changes can we expect to the widely loved bottle?  The drink will now be sold in a can version as opposed to the older glass bottle (below) and will have a more contemporary design.  The design is meant to increase masculinity of the drink to appeal to men, due to it being considered a “woman’s” drink in the past like other fruity drinks.  Flavors have been changed to bold names like Double Black, Wild Lime, and Raw Berry.  Creative Method wants the drink to stand out on the shelves and increase the quality of the packaging design.

Being an occasional Smirnoff indulger, and a major klutz, I am keen on the drink being offered in cans.  No more broken bottles and messy clean ups! I also like that they have kept the pentagon shaped label consistent, yet updated the artwork.  Keeping the traditional shape lets me know it is still the Smirnoff we know and love.  The carrying case is also more modern, now sleek fitting boxes as opposed to the traditional six pack with a carrying handle. Full article courtesy of Brand Magazine Online.

What is one of the top brands of alcoholic spirits on the market?  The answer is absolutely, Absolut Vodka.  The iconic Swedish vodka company has made quite a name for itself over the years coming out with a variety of flavors and packaging designs.  Flavors come in the basics such as peach and vanilla, but also branch out to more custom designed bottles such as Absolut Boston (a mix of black tea and Elderflower).

Absolut has come up with a brand new design for the original Country of Sweden flavored vodka (old below, new above).  The label design is mostly transparent, spotted with silver foil images of the fruits in the vodka flavor. Several fruit shaped foil designs float across the bottle’s front, one I can easily make out to be a pineapple.  With the only color in the bottle being the reflected rainbow colors when the foil catches the light, the overall look is sleek and modern. According to Absolut, “The purpose was to represent the different flavors inside the bottle,” and I believe they have achieved that effect. 

Blidholm Vagnemark Design has gone for the gold with the introduction of their new mulled wine bottle.  Located in Stockholm, Sweden the well established company is known for their individual expression, and luxurious quality mulled wines.  Mulled wine is generally red wine mixed with a variety of spices and served warm around the holidays/ winter months (think of mulled cider). The top designer has come out with eight limited edition signature bottles for the Blossa Glogg mulled wine collection.  2010’s bottle is a luxurious gold bottle embossed with their signature script writing.  The year is printed in large lettering as the bottles focus and the 2010 bottle is printed with an X representing the Roman numeral for ’10.

After seeing the entire line of limited edition wine bottles, the Blossa Glogg 2010 gold bottle stands out the most.  In my eyes, gold signifies an expensive item that would infer luxury to its buyer.  The gold also fits in nicely with the upcoming holiday season linking with the silver and gold’s often found during Christmas.  Coloring the stopper gold also differs from the rest of the line and creates a more streamline bottle as opposed to the cork stoppers.  Blossa Glogg gets a gold star in my book for their new limited mulled wine bottle.

When I came across a small image of Paco & Lola’s Raspberry Liqueur I thought I was looking at perfume packaging. The stylish, unique and feminine design took home several packaging awards at this year’s Los Angeles Wine & Spirit Awards. It took home gold for Overall Package, Special Boxed Set and Best of the Show; Container.

The wine packaging design follows suit, and both are reflected in the design of the company’s website. The company also brings the black and white polka dots everywhere they go, which just since the beginning of this year includes exhibits in Ireland, New York, Miami, and several cities in their home country of Spain.

We’ve scoured all of our resources to bring you the best of World Cup-inspired and commemorative products and packaging! I’ll even be worldlier in using the term football. Here they are:

The “Hospitality Pack” contains the most important item for football fans: their tickets. Capturing the essence of anticipation, the slider pack provides a clever and playful opening experience, creating intrigue and a sense of novelty to complement the exciting nature of receiving World Cup tickets. With the games officially now underway, the high quality format of the Burgopak design further encourages fans to retain the pack, lending itself as a keep-safe of World Cup memorabilia.

Gillette’s World Cup-inspired shaving gel and antiperspirant and deodorant cans creatively resemble a football and shows off their sponsorship.

These bracelets were made by over 400 women in South Africa for fans of the Dutch team. The orange color is the national color for the Netherlands and the assortment of colors represents the South African flag.

SAB Miller developed a can that could also function as a cup.

Special World Cup Packaging for Carlsberg beer featuring England’s team manager Fabio Capello and team players David James, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Jermaine Defoe.

England’s team received more support when Umbro commissioned the painting of the players’ numbers in their hometowns, even for manager Capello in Italy.

Coca-Cola’s commemorative cans feature French players in celebration and come in a box with a CD from K’Naan.

Miller Light cans are laser-etched with famous players captured doing their signature moves.

Please share if you’ve come across other promotional or commemorative products or packaging!

The other day Stacy forwarded me this creative packaging for Rellana Wool- a line of fringed yarn used to make hats and scarves:

I quickly remembered seeing the packaging—of all places—on justintimberlake.com. Surprisingly, last winter his website featured all kinds of unique packaging designs. It just goes to show how wide of an audience packaging has!

Sustainability is a frequent topic on Dion’s blog. However we rarely look at the pressure that may be behind a company’s decision to implement sustainable efforts. This article from Brand Packaging takes a look at a few companies that have been targeted by green activists. When I say “activist” you may think of wild paint-throwing PETA rallies. But beyond the grassroots approaches, the strategy explained in the article that I found interesting is that activists may choose far more business-like tactics. Many have a voice because they are actual shareholders in the corporations they are trying to sway. By rallying votes on issues at shareholder meetings, activists are able to not only voice their concerns, but actually be heard by executives as their percentage of votes on an issue increases. To see how their influence has translated into more eco-friendly practices at some of the best known companies in the world, click here!

HP recently sent out a press release announcing our purchase of their latest press!

Check out the capabilities our HP WS6000 press purchased in March 2010. It is the newest press on the market from HP and will increase our capabilities, including endless possibilities of substrates for printing.

“Short run, multiple SKUs, repeatable high-quality printing and the ability for variable data has helped to maintain our steady growth,” said Randy Duhaime, General Manager, Dion Label. “ The purchase of the HP Indigo WS6000 will allow us to continue this trend with longer run lengths transitioning from our conventional flexographic printing department to our digital department. WS6000 enhancements, such as its large repeat length and its ability to print on substrates from 12 microns to 450 microns, will open additional opportunities.”

The latest issue of Brand Packaging analyzed the effects of the recession. It’s a situation that has affected everyone, but rather than simply blaming our troubles on the current economic situation and giving up, we can look at how to learn, move on, and hopefully grow instead. The article compares coping with the recession to coping with loss, and how this influences consumer purchasing patterns:

Anger/Denial: At first consumers indulged in small luxuries that wouldn’t have major short-term consequences. Brands and even private labels that benefited were the ones that proved their value was worth the added cost. Others were ones with traditional/nostalgic value that consumers could take comfort in.

Bargaining/Depression: When consumers really started to feel the economic downturn, they shifted towards more thrifty habits. As a rudimentary example: even though people still dined out at restaurants, they chose less-expensive options (i.e. a pizza for the group rather than individual prime ribs. Trust me, I’ve seen this happen!).

Acceptance: At the end of the day, the major effect of the recession on consumer attitudes is a shift of the paradigm from a mindset of "what I want is what I need" to one of "what I need is what I want."

So here are Brand Packaging’s words of wisdom:

1. Don’t try to sell consumers what they don’t really need;
2. But, at the same time, don’t forget that behind every basic need lies an aspiration.
3. Use playfulness and familiarity to earn the right to engage with consumers.
4. Respect consumers by making clear, believable claims and making your portfolio easy to understand and navigate.
5. Give consumers a sense of control in the way they choose to interact with you.
6. Use packaging to give a fair picture of what is inside the pack, but don’t lose an opportunity to tell a compelling story.  

Ironically as I posted the battle of the brands blog, I came across this article link on packagingdesign.com. The private label vs. national brand debate is clearly a hot topic. While our last post gives an objective analysis of the packaging aspect, here we see how passionately the proponents for each side feel, and for good reason. National brands realize what’s at stake as store brands have become major competitors.

When I say the word "lion" what comes to mind? Ferocious? Hunter? Animal? Scary? It is important that as designers, owners, or marketers of a product, we understand that our customers make these associations in their minds when they see our product packaging. It baffles me when companies spend so much time, energy and money on their product and then barely consider their product packaging. This is when I want to scream "WAKE UP! Your packaging is what sells your product!"
 
Think about your own personal experiences. What draws you to try a new product? Unless someone you know recommends the product to you, the packaging is what will drive you to purchase something new. Trust me, I'm a sucker for cool packaging. Not because it's my profession, but I always think the product in the metallic package or the one with an interesting caption will work better, taste better, and make me better. And you know what? Studies show this is the thought process for most consumers.
 
Here are 5 ways to make your item be the new product someone purchases this year.
 
1. Tell a story with your label. There is always a reason why your product exists or is unique compared to your competitors. Tell me why I, the consumer, should buy your product. Is your pasta sauce your grandmother's recipe handed down from generation to generation and you want to share it with me? If so, then I may think of my own grandmother and her home cooking and think "Forget about the Ragu, this pasta sauce is going to give me the warm feeling of grandma's homecooking." Does your product donate a profit to charity or have an eco-friendly element to it? If so, I'd be more apt to buy your product over a competitor's so I, too, may help fund a charity or help the environment. What if your product isn't so different from the competitors? You can still engage and get me to buy your product. A prime example of this is Vitamin Water. They tell funny, fictional stories on their infused drinks. This company is still fairly young in the soft drink market, yet their product contends with brands that have been around forever. 
 
2. Get your label in shape! Adding shape to your product packaging gives depth to your image. It draws the consumer in and makes them want to learn more. You can get your label in shape by using an irregular shaped product bottle and using a shrink sleeve label or using a regular shaped product container and using a custom-shaped die. Shrink sleeve labels are film sleeves that shrink to fit your product container. Nestle's Jamba Juice® uses this type of packaging. Custom -shaped labels are cut using unique dies.
 

3. Metallic labels. Using metallic in your label is a way to dress it up without needing to get too fancy with your entire packaging. Metallic can be incorporated into your design in a few different ways. Metallic film or paper coated stock will allow for your entire label background to be metallic. You can enhance or cover up the intensity of the metallic label by the type of ink you use in your artwork. For labels that only need a hint of metallic here and there in your artwork, you may use a regular material with metallic ink. This ink is laid down using plates that can be engraved into the pattern you'd like. For example, if you have a midnight sky in your design, your can use a plate engraved with stars to add gold stars to your design.
 
4. Invisible labels. By using a clear label on your glass or plastic bottle, you can utilize the product contents in your design as well as display your product. This technique gives the illusion of invisible labels. This concept works into your package design as well as provides the customer with pertinent product information. For customers that wish to get a silk screen effect without the high cost, clear labels are the way to go.

5. Add texture to your labels! 
Not all labels are smooth, glossy, and one-dimensional. Texture appeals not only to a customer's eyes, but also allows them to feel the difference when picking up your product compared to your competitor's. While embossing tools can raise parts of your design in the area(s) you choose, it can be a costly option as custom tools will need to be purchased. The most cost effective way to add texture to your entire label is by using a textured stock.
 
Click here to request samples of one or more of these design techniques! Please specify which technique(s) you are most interested in.

It’s not surprising to see celebrities on all types of products, but these celebrity wines are actually unique. California-based Celebrity Cellars has paired wines from Miramonte Winery to reflect some of the world’s most recognized icons. Currently you can purchase Celine Dion, Rolling Stones, KISS, Madonna and Barbara Streisand-inspired wines that come from several of Miramonte’s vineyards. You can choose from a variety of red and white wines with either a paper label or a hand-etched collectable bottle, but be prepared to wait 3 weeks for the more expensive, hand-crafted bottles. At a cost of $59.50, Celebrity Cellars’ site also offers a wine club which, in addition to automatically shipping two bottles of wine every other month, gives members access to exclusive wines and discounts on any other Celebrity Cellars purchases. The bottles do have an expected markup for the label or the hand-decorated bottle, but make a great gift for wine-enthusiasts and fans alike.

 Label & Narrow Web recently looked to industry experts for their article on short run labels and interviewed Dion Label Printing. The ability to affordably print short run orders has led to more opportunities for product manufacturers. Here is a brief excerpt from the article:

Stacy Santos, marketing manager for Dion Label Printing, Westfield, MA, USA, says the company takes into account the length of the run when deciding which printing process it’s going to use. In Dion’s case, short run jobs, among others, get moved to one of the company’s HP Indigo presses. "We decide whether a job will go digital or flexo based on the amount of footage we are going to run, the complexity of a customer’s label graphics and the number of SKUs in a particular run. About a third of our business is digital. We made the investment in digital in April 2005, and because our digital business grew so quickly, we invested in another HP Indigo digital press. And our digital operations have steadily grown over the years.

"Digital printing is perfect for multiple SKUs, low volume orders, promotional labels and prototyping," Santos says. "It’s a great way to offer high quality printing, complex graphics, and vibrant colors to customers that do not have large volume quantities. Our customers do not have to sacrifice label quality while keeping their inventories low."

Read the full article here!

Happy Holidays from Dion Label Printing !

Holiday Hours:
Thursday, December 24th- closed
Friday, December 25th- closed
Friday, January 1st- closed

Recycling is one of the pioneer concepts to the green movement and is hardly a revolutionary topic to discuss. However, while turning used bottles and cans into art projects or using old car parts to build and decorate homes may not suit even the most eco-conscious consumers out there, this is one idea that is actually practical. Nick Paul is a glass blowing artisan transforming used beverage bottles into glasses. I’ve been fascinated by the craft ever since a 5^TH grade field trip, making this product intriguing on multiple levels. Because the glasses can be made to order, they can also be a great gift for beverage-specific enthusiasts. It’s an interesting fusion of art, sustainability and function.

All of our glass is recycled and made in the traditional style of soft glassblowing and are often made to order. We use 100% of the bottle to avoid waist. All of our products are dishwasher safe and Eco-Friendly. Don't see your favorite style of beer? We can turn any glass bottle with a painted or embossed label into a wonderful drinking cup.

Though it is subtle, here is the redesign for Canada-based Mike’s Hard Lemonade. The redesign was done by design firm Anthem Worldwide and focused on the brand’s key equity elements: "all natural flavours" and "a Canadian original." The company has already realized positive returns on the packaging changes.

"In our competitive industry, speed to market is crucial," said Chris Pfeifer, Director of Marketing, Specialty Beverages, of Mark Anthony Group Inc., parent company to the Mike’s Hard Lemonade™, "Anthem’s fresh, evolutionary and contemporary design expressed the true values and character of the Mike’s Hard Lemonade™ brand and enabled us to take this project from brief to shelf in just 16 weeks."

Continued Pfeifer: "Anthem’s understanding of the core essence of the brand and key consumer insights allowed them to quickly establish credibility with the brand. Since the new design was launched, sales for these Mike’s Hard Lemonade™ products at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, or LCBO, have been ‘outpacing our competitors’ by a margin of 10 to 20 percent, most of which we attribute to the new packaging."

The first annual Dieline Awards have just been announced. Thedieline.com is a constant source of new and innovative design, and it only seems fit that they announce an international design competition in partnership with the FUSE Conference 2010. A total of 30 winners from 10 different categories will be chosen, along with a best of show winner. A panel of industry experts will judge submissions from the following categories: Food, Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Wine & Spirits, Bath, Beauty & Health, Home Care & Pets, Books, Office & Art Supplies, Electronics, Technology, Movies, CDs, and All Other Categories. Winners will be features on The Dieline and at the FUSE Conference, and the top 11 winners will receive a prize package reportedly worth over $4500. For more information on The Dieline Awards, click here!

From September 23rd to 26th, Dion exhibited at booth #339 at the Natural Products Expo East at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. With over 21,000 industry members and 1500 booths, it was a showcase of the growing popularity for natural and organic products. It is no surprise that many attendees were interested in the eco-friendly material and soy ink labels featured at our booth (to request eco-friendly samples, click here!). Some trends we spotted were gluten-free foods, probiotic supplements, products made with goat’s milk, and products made from coconut. Next year, the show will be held at the same location on October 13-16, 2010.

After the success of Absolut New Orleans in 2007 and Absolut Los Angeles in 2008, the next city to be added to the "Absolut Cities" campaign will be Boston. It will be a black tea and elderflower infused vodka. If it is the final design, the bottle is a bit disappointing in comparison to the New Orleans and Los Angeles designs. This breaking news has yet to be released by Absolut, but for more on this new vodka, click here!

Absolut vodka is produced in Ahus, Sweden. It is the forth largest international spirit brand in the word, and the number one imported vodka brand in the US. It was first introduced in the US in 1979, but dates back to 1879. The company was previously owned by V&S Absolut Spirits (a division of V&S Group), which was owned by the Swedish government, but was then sold to Pernod Ricard Holding Group last year.

Pitchmen is a new show on the Discovery Channel that follows infomercial talent Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan as they search for useful products that can be sold through direct response marketing. Inventors pitch their ideas to Billy and Sully. If the duo feel the invention has a large market and serves as a solution to a common problem, the products are then field tested to gather people's opinions. If the the field test is a success, the two hosts move on to shoot an infomercial. It's exciting to see the new products that may come to market as well as all the time, money and effort these inventors invest in their inventions.

Imported Swedish vodka Svedka is about to introduce a brand new look, the first redesign of its brand in over ten years. Svedka has kicked it up a notch and shown off its more modern, sophisticated look, "one that is sure to out do its competitors," states lovelypackage.com. With its new bands of vibrant colors according to flavor, Svedka is sure to visually pop off any shelf.

My family makes their own wine every autumn. We go out and buy cases upon cases of grapes and put them in this wooden contraption that squeeze the grapes until juice drains out into a barrel. There are no ladies hiking up their skirts to dance to music to mash the grapes with their feet, although just once I would like to try it. I think I would enjoy it. My family takes the grape juice and puts it in barrels for aging. A couple months later, the wine is ready for the holiday season! My uncles and my grandfather all rave about the wine and compare this year's varietal to last year's.

Today I came across Killibinbin Wines, based in Australia. These "killer" wines remind me of my uncles and my grandfather telling any guest that comes into our house at Christmas time just "how good" their wine is. Killibinbin wines were tired of having to tell everyone just how "killer" their wines were and decided to put it right on the label! Each varietal features its own illustration taken from horror flicks and their gruesome killing scenes. These labels are printed on thick, uncoated stock to give the feeling of an old horror movie flyer. These picture wines received the 2007 Graphis International Award (New York). Killibinbin Wines was started in 1997 by Wayne Anderson and Liz Banks. The winery now produces over 5,000 cases and is served in some of finest establishments around the world. For more information, visit Killibinbin Wines.

If you’re searching for ideas this Valentine’s Day look no further. Dom Perignon has released their exclusive LOVE Valentine’s Day package. In this gift package you receive a bottle of Dom Perignon Rose Vintage 1998 along with a pair of exquisite champagne flutes. The champagne flutes have a lipstick smudge design giving this Valentine’s Day package that little seduction.

Dom Perignon Rose was described as "a rare gift for those with distinguished taste. This graceful selection displays the perfect combination of elegance and flair found only in the most marvelous Champagnes. An intensely flavored Champagne displaying tropical fruit, berry and citrus aromas, it is highly treasured for its taste and much sought after for its very limited production and rarity," according to Wine.com.

Cleavage Creek is a winery dedicated to fighting breast cancer. The 2008 models above all share something in common. Do you know what it is? They are all survivors of breast cancer and are an inspiration to women all over the world. These women give us hope. Their story can be found on the Cleavage Creek website.

Cleavage Creek is located in Napa, California. Owner, Budge Brown, lost his wife of 48 years to breast cancer in 2005. Brown is dedicated to producing world class wines and putting an end to the disease. For every bottle sold, 10% goes to breast cancer research. Since its initial 2007 release, Cleavage Creek has donated more than $37,000 to breast cancer causes. Wines are priced in the $18-50 range. Gift sets are also available. Cleavage Creek wines are distributed nationwide and can also be purchased through its website.