Since the middle of the twentieth century and the rise of modern consumerism, brands have utilised key holidays (even created their own) to promote their products. With limited-edition and themed packaging now utilised not only for traditional holidays like Christmas and Easter, but for a wide variety of social and sporting events, packaging has evolved from the notion of mass-produced designs using traditional plate printing, to incorporating unique artwork, personalisation, and the use of digital printing to create smaller volumes for special occasion packaging.
In the digital age, humans are craving real interaction and connection more than ever, and the challenge for modern marketers is to break through the clutter and create this type of connection. Consumers expect more than general designs available all year round; they want new textures, innovative formats and films, and unique product experiences.
The success of personalised products is just one of many examples, where consumers can get their favourite brands packaged with their own name on the packet, or obtain unique mosaic- print pouches which, like snowflakes, no two are alike. Personalisation has made its way to high-end gifts too, with specialised wine labels becoming a popular concept too, utilising the extensive range of available finishes, embossing, and foiling techniques to give a whole new consumer experience, one which connects the consumer with the product unlike ever before.
In the same vain, the advancement of digital printing technology over the past few years has allowed boutique brands to market holiday packaging to seasonal buyers, which was once a huge expense due to the traditional set-up costs of packaging manufacturing.
The added bonus of holiday packaging is the ability for brands to extend their influence beyond the shelf, with theme packaging alleviating the need for gift wrapping and keeping your brand visible.