Protecting the brand with AuthentiGuard from DSS
Information is the name of the game, whether it is offering more about the product to the consumers or gathering intel on their shopping habits; verifying the authenticity of a product or tracking it through the supply chain; the possibilities are endless.
The term ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ packaging has been in our vocabulary for a few years now. QR codes, or invisible marks printed onto the packaging, signifies access to content provided by the brand owner, while new technologies play a vital role as anti-counterfeiting measure and tracking devices.
Intelligent goods
A new collaboration between global packaging company WestRock, innovator and technology provider Digimarc and software company Evrythng is taking advantage of the thirst for interaction by introducing a so-called ‘connected packaging solution’. This combines Digimarc’s enabled
barcode technology with Evrythng’s IoT (Internet of Things) Smart Products Platform to bring embedded, real time, connected digital intelligence to billons of WestRock packages, in-store signs and displays.
As part of this new offering, which is designed for paper-based consumer packaged goods (CPG) products, WestRock will print Digimarc barcodes that can be scanned by smartphones, point of sale scanners and other devices. These invisible barcodes are repeated across the whole surface of the product and other media. The company explains that these ‘digital triggers’ are integrated with the IoT platform, giving each product a unique Active Digital Identity (ADI) and data profile in the cloud.
‘WestRock’s Connected Packaging Solutions brings new levels of real-time interactivity to paper based consumer packages globally,’ said Craig Gunckel, president of enterprise solutions and displays business segments. ‘The combination of smart packaging, powered by smart software in the cloud, makes literally billions of packaged goods more intelligent, more interactive, more trackable and more valuable to CPG companies and their customers.’
Sun smart
Sun Chemical and Document Security Systems, Inc (DSS) have gone into partnership to cross-market and sell one another’s anti-counterfeiting products. Sun Chemical will market and sell DSS’ suite of anti-counterfeiting technologies that include smartphone authentication, hidden images and copy protection. DSS will also market and sell Sun Chemical’s wide range of anti-counterfeiting solutions, including multiple covert taggant-reader systems, special effect inks and smart sensor technology.
Jim Reiman, director of brand protection for Sun Chemical, said, ‘We’re particularly excited by DSS’ advanced smartphone authentication capabilities and how they complement our own product portfolio.’
DSS’ brand protection solutions include a portfolio of products, which help businesses and governments protect against fraud and counterfeiting. The AuthentiGuard enables consumers or supply chain personnel to validate product authenticity with a smartphone.
Mike Tobin, vice president of marketing at DSS, said, ‘We have made significant investments in brand protection solutions like AuthentiGuard and this partnership with Sun Chemical, one of the most respected companies in the market, helps to validate our strategy.’
Breakthrough year
The AIPIA, the acronym for the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association, said after its annual congress last year that ‘a new age of packaging has dawned’ and that 2016 had been ‘something of a breakthrough year for active and intelligent packaging technologies’, with companies such as Stora Enso, NXP, Thinfilm, Digimarc and Zappar all showing products already providing security and supply chain solutions, as well as major marketing opportunities, to brand owners.
Commenting on a report by Nielsen on the power of packaging design, Eef de Ferrante, executive director, said, ‘Good design is very important, but new ways to engage customers and grab their attention, using active and intelligent packaging, are now firmly on the agendas of many brand owners. We have seen some major applications in 2016, with many more set to roll out in the coming year.’
He added, ‘Consumer engagement is a key element of active and intelligent packaging adoption for many brands. Marketing through packaging to millennial consumers and smartphone users of all ages is really gathering pace. We expect packaging to go from being a ‘dark horse’ to a front runner in this particular race.’
