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Posted in Associations, Branding, Design, Events, Innovation, Marketing, Materials, Technology, Uncategorized on March 25th, 2013 by Chris Penfold – 12 Comments

smartphonesIf you enjoyed the recent Pack To The Future (#PTTF3) event, you will undoubtedly love this one too. Brian Weeks of Interactive Product Solutions, who spoke at PTTF3 on ‘Printed Electronics in Packaging’, is running a similar event in London that I believe will appeal to you.

Event details:
The theme is ‘Game Changing Developments for Brands and Packaging based on Smart Phones’ & will focus on commercial realities in relation to the impact of smart phones on specific business areas.

Session is designed to be highly interactive and they are operated as ‘working group sessions’ to stimulate discussion and action.

The day will conclude with a facilitated discussion for about 1 hour when we review the presentations and points raised and debate the commercial implications.

Background:
Mobiles are changing the game for:

  • Brands
  • Retailers
  • Packaging converters
  • Security solutions providers

Fact: More than half of mobile phones being used now are Smart Phones – 130 million+ of them are being used in Europe today and the number is continuing to grow rapidly month on month.

This means major interactive opportunities for Brands, their suppliers and solution providers in:
Marketing Communications – Mobile Marketing & Promotions
Product Promotion & Authentication in the hands of consumers.

This new world presents many questions & challenges:
Do you understand how these solutions might work for you or your customers?
Can you afford to ignore the activity & innovation going on in the smart phone-enabled mobile marketing / promotion area?
Has ‘easy’ Product Authentication been on your wish list?

The aim is to enable participants, from across the value chain, to explore how they may exploit new technologies for their companies benefit.

We believe significant opportunities exist for companies, who may have traditionally focused on limited media channels to communicate with their customer, to not only broaden their approach but also use their packaging to maximum effect.

Speakers will include:
1. Introductory session by Brian Weeks of Interactive Product Solutions
‘Bringing Products & Packs into the Digital Space using Touch Transfer Technology’

2. Andrew McPhee of Obvious Engine who deliver technology & products that make the space and objects around you come alive, bridging the online to offline gap for Product Makers, Retailers, Games – Companies and Brands
‘Augmented Reality and the Interactive Product Experience’

3. Christian Guichard of Authentication Industries whose unique tailored solutions for Brand owners deter counterfeit products through a mix of encrypted data and printing techniques -
‘Innovative Approaches to Product Authentication’

4. Glenn Needham of Near Field Solutions will answer the question about how NFC will establish itself for focused Consumer interaction -
‘NFC Product Authentication’

5. Jeremy Plimmer of Product & Image Security Foundation
will present an overview of smart phone enabled product authentication solutions emerging in the marketplace –
‘Smart Phone enabled Solutions for Consumer Authentication & Supply Chain Management’

6. James Bevan of Vandagraf International will present an overview of market sizing and forecasts in the mobile world –
‘Existing Markets & Emerging Opportunities for Smart Phone Enabled Authentication & Brand Promotion’

Some other players invited to participate include: Alpvision, AuthenticateIT, Digimarc, Gentag, Graphic Security Systems Corp, i-movo, Inksure, Popimscode, Printechnologies, Schreiner Etiketten, tesa Schribos, Yottamark and others – Attendance to be confirmed.

For the agenda or more information on the Session, (which is open to non-members and can be attended purely on a single Session basis – you don’t have to be a full member of the Programme to attend) go to the Session webpage

The final Agenda and Session Welcome Pack will be sent out about 1 week prior to the Session.
Numbers are limited to 30 and the fee for attendance(£120 + VAT) can be paid by Purchase Order/BACS or by credit card.

When: 16th April 2013  – 10.00am for a 10.30am start (coffee from 10.00) and finishes at about 16.00.
Lunch is included.

Where: Institute of Materials, Mining & Minerals (IOM3) Head Office, Carlton Terrace in Central London.

If YOU or any of your friends or colleagues would like to come, please ask them to REGISTER BY email to Brian Weeks via:  info@ipieurope.com .

Hope you can make it!

Posted in Academia, Design, Environmental Issues, Events, Innovation, Materials, Recycling, Technology, Training, Uncategorized on February 9th, 2013 by Chris Penfold – 13 Comments
Pack To The Future 3 Flyer

Pack To The Future 3 Flyer

As many of you may know, as well as running Design Cognition, I am Chairman of the East Midlands Packaging Society (based in Nottingham UK) and in that role, my main focus again this year is to entice more of you, our valued members, to take part in events and also to encourage ‘new blood’ into the industry.

By popular demand we are pleased to announce the THIRD  in our very successful PACK TO THE FUTURE  series of collaborations between academia and industry to explore insights into the changing global landscape impacted by issues such as Global Warming and water & oil depletion that will affect consumer demand and some of the exciting emerging technologies that will enable us to adapt & thrive.

We are pleased to be working with Loughborough University Design School on this occasion and as previously have a fantastic line-up of leading edge thinkers & ‘doers’ with which to ‘whet your appetites’. This time topics will include:

Explaining the Future – Peak Oil, Peak Water & Climate Change

Printed electronics in packaging

LumeJet – photonic imaging technology

Please make sure that you book early to this FREE event to avoid disappointment, as both previous events have been heavily oversubscribed!!!!

All are welcome, members and non-members, but pre-registration is essential – OR  drop me an email if you have any questions: chris@designcognition.com

We’ve also got other fantastic events lined-up later in the year, in which you could participate in a number of different ways and at a number of different levels – it’s up to you how far you want to get involved.

Much of it will be FREE and could directly benefit you personally and your business.

You may want to participate yourself, or you know someone else that could be interested. Either way, I’m looking for partners and I’d love to hear from you. The aim of the whole exercise is to help raise the profile of packaging but also to facilitate the integration of academia and industry for everyone’s benefit. So this is applicable to:

Students – who may want to learn & enhance career options

Universities – looking for business avenues/partnerships to help commercialise their ideas

Product development companies, packaging suppliers & design agencies – wanting to keep up with latest technology & also identify high calibre students for job placements & opportunities

Come along and listen to some exciting & leading-edge talks from the university & from the packaging design industry. Network with industry & academic experts – with various table-top demonstrations, discuss your design projects in an informal atmosphere and get practical mentoring help & advice.

Some of the previous highlighted topics have included:

Smartphone technology & how it can enhance the consumer experience

Using packaging technology to tackle counterfeiting

University research into brand design

Display technology for packing applications

Design of packaging for reuse / recycling

You can find out more about this and other East Midlands Packaging Society events on our ‘ning’ site:

East Midlands Packaging Society website

and also on our LinkedIn Group & Facebook Pages:

EMPS LinkedIn Group

EMPS Facebook page

So whether in academia or business – You decide how you want to get involved, which could be as a speaker, sponsor, exhibitor, trainer or as a participant – how could it best benefit yourself? I really do think that ‘everyone’s a winner’ with this. More details to follow in future blogs.

If you’ve got any other ideas yourself, let me know.

Chris Penfold

Chairman – East Midlands Packaging Society

chris@designcognition.com

00 44 115 846 1914

Posted in Business News, Design Cognition News, Healthcare & Pharma, Innovation, Marketing, Medical Devices, Product News, Technology, Uncategorized on July 23rd, 2012 by Sheila Penfold – 16 Comments

GP-LogoDesign Cognition Group Ltd are pleased to announce the formation of a new alliance with GP Solutions UK Ltd. Both companies provide a range of dedicated products /services which are specifically geared towards the pharmaceutical and healthcare markets. Commenting on the arrangement, Design Cognition Managing Director Penfold said “This is a major step forward for our companies that will provide a unique and unrivalled offering for our respective clients which will provide a fantastic & interesting product/service mix adding real value”.

Equally enthusiastic about the new co-operation,  GP Solutions UK Ltd Managing Director Howieson stated “By combining our respective know how & expertise we shall be able to offer a comprehensive pool of packaging/product development talent”.

GP Solutions UK Ltd were first incorporated in 2000. They are a small yet dynamic consultancy & product development enterprise. The business devises unique IP led packaging, labelling & technology based solutions into the pharmaceutical/R&D markets. Some of its notable achievements include :
Dose Guard – a child resistant peel & push secondary layer for blister packs &/or patient wallet cards
Chrysalis – which is a integrated high speed leaflet/carton construction created to aid compliance
Dose Recognition – a mobile phone software/App platform designed to (remotely) monitor patient compliance.
Alongside the development arm of the company they also supply a bespoke range of dedicated clinical trial materials for many of the worlds leading pharmaceutical companies. Across all aspects of the business they operate a pro-active & progressive approach to identifying new market trends which can help to improve client supply chain management & patient engagement process.

Design Cognition were formed in 2006 and are an award winning, independent and dedicated packaging design & development contractor & consultancy. We provide packaging development, product development and project management support for companies from small business start-ups to large multi-nationals, primarily in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

Design Cognition also provides brand owners, product development companies, packaging designers and packaging suppliers/assemblers with packaging and pack design expertise (structural and graphic) & undertake bespoke training across all product categories. Focussed on innovation we provide tailored packaging support on all aspects of the product lifecycle and supply chain. The company has previously been quoted in The Daily Telegraph, The Nottingham Evening Post and have appeared on BBC East Midlands.

For more information on how this fantastic alliance can help add value in your business contact Design Cognition on:
+44 115 846 1914
enquiries@designcognition.com

Posted in Design, Events, Exhibitions, Government, Healthcare & Pharma, Innovation, Legal, Medical Devices, Safety, Technology on January 11th, 2012 by Chris Penfold – 12 Comments
easyFairs Packaging Innovations Show

easyFairs Packaging Innovations Show

Anti-Counterfeiting in the pharma industry – Latest Packaging Trends & Technologies

easyFairs, the trade show specialists, are launching a new pharmaceutical workshop which will be making its debut at the easyFairs  packaging shows @ NEC, Birmingham, UK this February. The event will be organised and delivered by Design Cognition and an array of experts from the anti-counterfeiting & packaging industries.

The new ‘Pharma counterfeiting workshop’ will help delegates identify the key issues, and look at emerging packaging trends and technologies, including all sorts of overt (visible) solutions such as holograms and covert (hidden) solutions including various printing, coating and forensic technologies.

Leading thinkers and experts in the industry, will provide an unbiased and independent overview to help attendees see the ‘wood from the trees’. Taking place on 29 February (9.30am – 1.30pm) the workshop is being billed as one of the main highlights of the easyFairs event, which last year attracted over 4,500 visitors.

Amongst the speakers, Anne Dallison, Fellow of the Packaging Society and CTO at Design Cognition commented: “In a dynamic market, as well as providing a fantastic opportunity to get the latest perspective from industry experts such as the MHRA & PAGB on packaging implications of legislation such as the Falsified Medicines Directive and what it could mean for Brand Owners, this workshop will also provide an unrivalled and cost-effective means of networking with industry peers and leading-edge experts from the world of anti-counterfeiting. So if you want to stay one step ahead – you can’t afford to miss this!”

Also speaking at the show will be Jeremy Plimmer, Editor/Publisher at Product & Image Security Foundation and Chairman of West Midlands Packaging Society, who will be focusing on ‘Security Packaging – Is it a necessity or unnecessary expense.’  James Bevan, Director at Vandagraf and Agent for NetEnforcers in Europe will be looking at Internet Security and how to catch the fakers and identify fake sites.

Counterfeiting of products and packaging has become a multi-billion business, toys, dietary supplements, wine and iPhones are among the tens of thousands of counterfeit items seized every year. The speakers will bring the topics to life with real-life, hands-on examples and are encouraging delegates to bring their own packs along for a free counterfeit – audit, which can be conducted separately in a confidential environment if necessary.

Matt Benyon, Managing Director at easyFairs, comments: “Fake goods are certainly big business, especially in all this economic gloom. Intellectual property crime is estimated to be worth around £1.3bn in the UK each year and the Anti-Counterfeiting group, estimate that 12% of toys for sale in the UK are fakes. With ‘fake’ goods being such a hot topic we saw the importance of providing a comprehensive workshop concentrating just on this area, it is vital that packaging companies  help protect brands and retailers against counterfeiting with holograms or covert printing solutions.”

If you are interested in attending the Anti-Counterfeiting workshop you can register for the event here: Online Registration Form

Or for further information and a full list of speakers please contact Chris Penfold, CEO of Design Cognition, on +44 (0)115 846 1914 or email chris@designcognition.com

Delegate Fee: £149 – Fee includes full set of course documentation as well as refreshments and lunch. Places are limited and expected to go very quickly, so book early to avoid any disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Posted in Branding, Cosmetics & Toiletries, Design, Healthcare & Pharma, Marketing, Product News, Retailers on December 5th, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 23 Comments

The Tween market is one of the most desirable and fastest growing consumer groups and said to be worth over $200-billion-per-year. Aimed at 9 to 14 years old, it is a sensitive market with many dichotomies. Where girls are said to be “too old for toys, too young for boys,” and boys…are just boys…never too old for toys ;-) . Tweens are feisty, opinionated, razor-sharp, brutally honest, slightly awkward, and very, very important for your brand.

U by Kotex - Tween packaging design

U by Kotex - Tween packaging design

Much work has been going on recently to explore this area and the following article provides some useful and interesting insights into how best to differentiate your packaging to appeal to this particular audience, who:

1. Aspire to be older, but are still children.
2. Want to be unique, but also still fit in.
3. Have strong ideas about what they want to buy, but need parental involvement and approval to purchase those things.

But, whilst also being mindful of the underlying needs of their parents who still have  a big ‘hand’ in what they buy. Some great examples are demonstrated by U by Kotex Tween and Geo Girl, Walmart’s new line of Eco-friendly cosmetics for 8 to 12 year olds (which personally I feel a little less comfortable with)…..but read on and let us know what you think…..

You can read the rest of the article here (via Healthcare Packaging): Tween-tastic package design

Chris Penfold

Posted in Academia, Associations, Awards, Branding, Design, Events, Innovation on November 23rd, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 11 Comments

The Student Starpack Packaging Design Awards are open for entry. Rachel Brooks explains the briefs on offer for 2012, and catches up on developments within the Starpack Advisory Board.

Student Starpack 'Best in Show 2011'

Student Starpack 'Best in Show 2011'

The Student Starpack Awards challenge students to solve problems set by brand-leading FMCG companies, design agencies and manufacturers, and win recognition of their excellence. Designed to encourage students to take up a career in consumer packaging design, they are the only awards in the UK aimed exclusively at providing a platform for new talent emerging from universities, colleges and schools……

Check out further info at The Packaging Society site:

Student Starpack Awards – further information

Posted in Academia, Business News, Creative Spotlight, Design, Events, Innovation, Materials, Opinion, Technology, Training on August 24th, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 9 Comments
Packaging Design & Innovation 19th Oct 2011

Packaging Design & Innovation 19th Oct 2011

As many of you may know, as well as running Design Cognition, I am Chairman of the East Midlands Packaging Society (based in Nottingham UK) and in that role, my main focus this year is to entice more of you, our valued members, to take part in events and also to encourage ‘new blood’ into the industry.

We’ve got some fantastic events lined-up, in which you could participate in a number of different ways and at a number of different levels – it’s up to you how far you want to get involved.

Much of it will be FREE and could directly benefit you personally and your business.

You may want to participate yourself, or you know someone else that could be interested. Either way, I’m looking for partners and I’d love to hear from you. The aim of the whole exercise is to help raise the profile of packaging but also to facilitate the integration of academia and industry for everyone’s benefit. So this is applicable to:

Students – who may want to learn & enhance career options

Universities – looking for business avenues/partnerships to help commercialise their ideas

Product development companies, packaging suppliers & design agencies – wanting to keep up with latest technology & also identify high calibre students for job placements & opportunities

The first of our events is on 19th October at Nottingham Trent University, 4.30 – 8.30pm with a free buffet and refreshments (see flyer attached).

All are welcome, members and non-members, but pre-registration is essential – just drop me an email to: chris@designcognition.com

Come along and listen to some exciting & leading-edge talks from the university & from the packaging design industry. Network with industry & academic experts – with various table-top demonstrations, discuss your design projects in an informal atmosphere and get practical mentoring help & advice.

Some of the highlighted topics will include:

Smartphone technology & how it can enhance the consumer experience

Using packaging technology to tackle counterfeiting

University research into brand design

Display technology for packing applications

Design of packaging for reuse / recycling

You can find out more about this and other East Midlands Packaging Society events on our ‘ning’ site:

East Midlands Packaging Society website

and also on our LinkedIn Group & Facebook Pages:

EMPS LinkedIn Group

EMPS Facebook page

This is the first of three planned university partnership events during the next 12 months, so whether in academia or business – You decide how you want to get involved, which could be as a speaker, sponsor, exhibitor, trainer or as a participant – how could it best benefit yourself? I really do think that ‘everyone’s a winner’ with this. More details to follow in future blogs.

If you’ve got any other ideas yourself, let me know.

Chris Penfold

Chairman – East Midlands Packaging Society

chris@designcognition.com

00 44 115 846 1914

Posted in Branding, Food Packaging, Innovation, Marketing, Product News, Technology, Uncategorized on August 18th, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 14 Comments

Cadbury UK, the confectionery giant which is now part of Kraft Foods, is believed to be ahead of it’s competitors, having created the first interactive chocolate bar using ‘markless image recognition technology’.

It has announced plans to use Augmented Reality (AR) technology to engage consumers by enabling them to play a digital game when their chocolate packaging is viewed via a smartphone camera.

The ‘Quaksmack’ game, devised by Blippar, who are a UK-based technology firm, recognises Cadbury’s packaging in a similar manner to a QR code and transforms the packaging itself into an interactive game. The app is available in Android and Apple versions.

Check out this video to preview the game:

Players choose to be a ‘Spot’ or ‘Stripe’, before ducks appear from either side of the chocolate bar. They have to ‘smack’ the opposing team’s ducks by tapping the screen.

The game, is part of the Cadbury brands ongoing Spot V Stripes London Olympics initiative  and will be available across all Cadbury chocolate bars, except for Creme Eggs and Wispas.

Commenting to Packaging News, Kraft Foods digital head Sonia Carter said: “We loved Blippar from the moment we saw it in action. We were blown away by the technology and we’re certain consumers will be. With one in three UK adults owning a smartphone the potential market for initiatives like this is huge and we are proud to be bringing this incredible technology to the masses….It doesn’t seem all that long ago we were all marvelling at what QR codes could do but Blippar’s ‘markless image recognition’ technology takes the experience to a whole new level.”

Blippar chief executive and co-founder Ambarish Mitra, reinforced a deep-help belief of mine that: “Image-recognition enabled Augmented Reality is far from a ‘gimmick’ and will fundamentally change how consumers interact with their favourite real-world brands.”

Thanks to Packaging News for bringing our attention to this article. You can read further related packaging AR and technology articles here: Related technology articles

Chris Penfold

Posted in Branding, Design, Events, Healthcare & Pharma, Innovation, Marketing, Materials, Medical Devices, Recycling, Training, Uncategorized on April 21st, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 16 Comments
Effective Packaging Training

Effective Packaging Training

We’ve just scheduled-in our latest packaging training courses and interactive workshops for May, including ‘Branded added-value packaging’, ‘Introduction to pharmaceutical packaging’ & ‘Injection Moulding/tooling’ -  Take a look and let us know what you think. We are always looking for new topics of interest and we can run bespoke (tailored) courses at your premises for your whole team, whether in the UK or internationally -  generally much more focused & cost effective for you.

We’ve also got another 8 or 9 courses & workshops planned in for June and July. As well as our highly acclaimed ‘Plastics Materials’ course, we have many new topics, including ‘bar coding (including mass serialisation)’, ’sustainability’, ‘Medical Devices’, ‘Print processes & decoration’, ‘Glass’, ‘Blister materials’, ‘Regulatory aspects’ and ‘Innovation, creativity & breakthrough thinking’.

So watch this space – We’ll keep you updated!

Follow this link to view our latest training courses

Have a great Easter!

Chris Penfold

Posted in Branding, Design, Healthcare & Pharma, Innovation, Marketing, Technology on April 11th, 2011 by Chris Penfold – 19 Comments
New Sensodyne carton packaging using Fresnel lens technology

New Sensodyne carton packaging using Fresnel lens technology

Local Nottingham printer, Chesapeake Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Packaging has helped develop packaging for GSK’s global launch of its new Sensodyne Repair & Protect oral care product. The novel cartons feature 3-D features intended to simulate a life-like model of a tooth as well as close-up images that help to describe the benefits of using the product. The effect is achieved by the incorporation of a series of ‘Fresnel lenses’ into the carton-board, which demands absolute production precision. The lens area is then overprinted, which requires exacting print registration. The resulting life-like perspective produces the impression of depth which provides the pack with a tactile quality that is further enhanced by the carton’s bevelled edge.

An interesting product feature that certainly has a novelty appeal but I’m not sure how effective the 3D-effect will be in educating and informing consumers. An improvement to this could be via use of 2D data matrix barcode to take consumers to a GSK website that then provides more in-depth information and videos. What do you think?

Source: PMPNews.com
Read more about leading-edge technologies that could add value for consumers by following this link to our Technology Folder

Chris Penfold