Labels on beer and wine really shine

What is the first thing you look at when picking up a package? It is usually the label. The label displays product details, ingredients, nutritional facts, recipe ideas and the basic who, what, why of the product. Considering its importance, it is no wonder the label segment is constantly updating itself with more innovations, convenience and creativeness.

Alcohol packaging is unique in that it can be as serious or as playful as the brand allows, and the packaging can be just as unique as the contents inside. Overnight Labels (overnightlabels.com) introduces a portfolio of beer labels that feature unique traits for eye-catching designs. The portfolio features a series of different properties, including tactile varnishes, foils, 3D effects, along with some digital substrates. With these labels, the company hopes to carve a niche in the ever growing craft beer market. The rise of craft beers is allowing for more adventurous types of labeling and design elements that are widely seen across beer packaging nationwide.

Anheuser-Busch InBev just launched a beer called Oculto, meaning “hidden” or “waiting to be found”. This tequila-flavored beer is infused with blue agave and has a crisp, citrus flavor. To match the secretive name, Anheuser-Busch InBev wanted the packaging to evoke the same mysterious aura so they commissioned Constantia Flexibles Labels Division (cflex.com) to create a multi-sensory set of pressure sensitive labels. The front label features the brand’s signature mask with a tactile ink, as well as black light inks to enhance the consumer’s experience. The back label incorporates a thermochromic ink which changes color in response to temperature variation. At room temperature the labels feature blue, agave leaves, but when cold, the design transforms and the eyes and skull design are revealed.

A wine label must attract consumers and draw them in to make the purchase. It is the first marketing tool to get the consumer to choose that variety. Labeltronix (labeltronix.com) announces the release of five premium wine label materials inspired by the American Viticultural Area (AVA) growing regions in the Golden State.

The AVA Series all contain label materials that shimmer to capture the buyers’ attention. They are produced in muted colors that invite an array of options for printing enhancements to make them even more appealing. In addition, they are all guaranteed to stay securely affixed to bottles submerged in ice buckets.

The five new labels are:

• El Dorado AVA—Shimmers with a golden warmth and cool character
• Los Carneros AVA—Shines with a brightness befitting the region’s beauty
• Chalk Hill AVA—Leaves as lasting an impression as the wines from this area
• Howell Mountain AVA—Exudes the strength and sheen of the fruit grown here
• Monterey AVA—Reflects the broad appeal of this beautiful region

Functional pleases every palate

A label wears many hats and must provide more than just aesthetics, they must be functional for the consumer. You know the frustration of peeling a stickered label off of a new product and it leaves that sticky film? Or when you try to use a reseal sticker and it doesn’t peel off or re-adhere easily? Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials (averydennison.com) announce a solution to this with the introduction of its Select Solutions™ Removables Portfolio. The portfolio features a variety of paper and film facestocks matched with nine adhesives for a strong adhesion but incredibly easy removal. This collection of 35 removable label constructions can be used across multiple segments, including food, home and personal care, retail and apparel.

For applications that do not want easy peel functionality, but in fact want just the opposite, HERMA (herma.com) has developed the new HERMAlaser sheet 50 label paper, an especially lightweight and supple material that ensures the permanent, safe labeling of surfaces with small radii. It is especially suited for use in pharmaceutical applications.

“The new material’s low weight minimizes the stiffness and thereby the ‘restoring force’ of the labels. The latter is especially noticeable when labeling delicate objects such as ampoules or syringes. But in such cases, good adhesion is essential – accidentally detached labels might have serious consequences,” says Ralf Drache, head of sales at HERMA.

The combination with HERMA’s permanent adhesive 62Z ensures optimal results. The surface of HERMAlaser sheet 50 is designed for excellent printability and toner keying with all xerographic printing processes. The label sheets are therefore suitable for desktop laser printers, copiers, and many inkjet printers. The paper is safely used for food packaging and can be in direct contact with dry and fatty foodstuffs and can also be used for the direct labeling of blood bags, which are used to store and transport blood donations and require especially reliable identification.

Today’s labels do more than adhere, they keep products safe with the proper information, they tell a story and they capture consumers’ attention, all while offering the integrity and strength needed. A label by any other name is still an important function in today’s packaging world.