Often, after we print an article in BRANDPACKAGING, we receive added information on a trend we've identified. Here is more on a recent trend.

A unique package structure can help a brand establish a clear identity in a crowded category like bottled water. Consumers can recognize a brand through its package shape and structure, even without labeling or package graphics. We wrote about this topic in October 2003.

Veryfine Products wanted a package for its Fruit₂O drink that would stand out on the shelf. Fruit₂O is fruit-flavored spring water that merchandises alongside other bottled waters.

The beverage marketer called in Owens-Illinois Plastic Containers to help design a bottle that would capture the brand's image and energy and that consumers would recognize even without the label.

The new bottle features a low shoulder angle and a "pinched" waist. A swag design around the waist forms vertical ridges that dissolve gradually to the base of the PET container.

"It has pillars designed into it, which gives it a wonderful way of refracting the light," says Sam Rowse, Veryfine's Owner and President. "When you turn it to drink, it gives the appearance of ice."

The bottle's low shoulder angle affected top load strength and stacking. But Owens-Illinois suggested a way to overcome that challenge without increasing the weight of the packaging.

The solution: Nitrogen dosing provides extra rigidity without adding weight to the bottle. The redesigned bottle is available in 16- and 20-ounce sizes, in clear and light blue PET.

Veryfine set out to create a bottle so customers would recognize Fruit₂O without even looking for the name, Rowse adds. "It's everything we wanted it to be, and a little more."

Where to go for more information...

Custom PET bottles. At Owens-Illinois Plastic Containers, contact Vince Sarni at 419.247.8244 or vincent.sarnijr@us.o-i.com