Earlier this year we shared Mashable writer, Matthias Garcia’s annual mobile marketing trends on the rise in our blog “Mobile Marketing Trends to Look for in 2012,” and one of those trends was marketing through augmented reality. This trend is already starting to make its mark in 2012 and can be seen courtesy of Bandai’s new Thundercats, Ben 10, and Power Rangers.

In this augmented reality package design, consumers who want purchase the product may use their smart phone or iPad  to bring the package to life via Aurasma’s augmented reality. Parents as well as kids are presented with a to-scale 3D animated image of the toy that they want to purchase. The benefit of this allows the consumer to see the product from all sides and angles without having to actually open the box.

“The toy industry is always looking for new ways to excite customers so we are thrilled to be the first partner of this pioneering 3D technology creating 21st century window shopping,” said Darrell Jones, Marketing Director at Bandai.

Martina King, Managing Director of Aurasma, expanded on Jones’ enthusiasm:

“Parents will now have to remember not to throw away the packaging which, thanks to Aurasma, looks set to become an essential part of the toy’s experience and something kids keep returning to.”

“Using new technology comes as second nature to kids today and whether using their parents’ or their own mobile phone, this imaginative partnership between Aurasma and Bandai will delight the whole family. And best of all, because Aurasma is free to download, it means that now pocket money can be stretched just that little bit further.”

Sure, USB drives (also called flash drives) have been around for some time now, but now, more than ever, they are becoming a business. There are so many things that companies are able to do with flash drives that make them more appealing than before.  But what makes a flash drive more appealing than a CD? As CD’s begin to fade out, flash drives are coming in to take their place. There are many advantages to using a flash drive instead of a CD. And although CD’s do have some benefits, those benefits of the flash drive outweigh the benefits of the CD.

Yes, CD’s are produced at a cheaper rate than flash drives are, but as bloggers for USB Flash Drive Tips states: “Yes flash drives cost more but that’s like comparing a piece of paper to a computer. Yep computers are more expensive, but you can only use a piece of paper once!”

For company purposes, a CD is never really good for more than a one time. Think about it, you are only able to burn a presentation onto the disc once, you can only label the disc once, and once the content is viewed by the consumers, it is likely to be thrown away. Yes, there are CD-RWs, but most often, they have a limit of three to four uses before there are quality issues. The CD therefore has no more value because the material on the disc is not needed anymore and is only seen online brochure.

A flash drive, like the CD, has an external logo and a preloaded presentation, but unlike the CD, there is extra memory and storage that is accessible to the user. It is like a portable hard drive and with flash drive memory you can add, erase, and modify data as many times as you would like. A customer is now able to use and reuse the flash drive for their own purposes, which gives the product more value. A flash drive is also a strong marketing tool. Every time your customer pulls out the flash drive you provided to them after viewing the presentation, they will be looking at a customized flash drive with your companies logo whenever they attach the flash drive to the computer.

For tomorrow and today, investing in flash drives will be of more value to you and your company.

Mobile technologies are constantly being created to bridge the gap between the digital world and reality. In the past few years, digital marketing has become a way to engage consumers with a brand through their phones and this year will be no exception.

Matthias Galica, contributor to the social media news website, Mashable, recently shared with readers what he felt would be the top mobile marketing trends in the year 2012. Here’s a rundown of his predictions and what he thinks will be “the good,” or the benefits to each new technological platform. If you are unfamiliar with some of these new media terms, we will provide a definition to help you gain some more insight for what this next year may hold.

Quick Response (QR) Codes Will be More Prevalent
QR codes seem to be everywhere these days, and don’t expect that to slow down any time soon.

Definition:  A QR code is a type of bar that is designed to be used for smart phones or other electronic devices that have a camera. Many modern smart phones have the ability to interpret a QR code. The amount of information on a QR code is much more than a standard UPC-style bar code. A QR code can direct users to websites and to other online information.

The Good: We will see the disappearance of non-standard formats, an exponential rise in the amount of devices that are capable of reading the codes, and a “steady march towards improved calls-to-action spurred by more accountable analytics.”

Augmented Reality (AR)
Check out this cool video to see an example of AR, Augmented Reality Cinema.

Definition:  It’s a complex idea, but simply put, it’s a new technology that blurs the barriers between reality and computer. Check out this site for further explanation – What is Augmented Reality?

The Good: Mobile devices are becoming more capable exponentially, and a few successful AR campaigns have been able to capture mainstream imaginations. 

Near Field Communication
Definition: Near field communication (NFC) refers to a short-range wireless communication technology using radio frequency waves. The purpose of the technology is to enable communication or information to be exchanged between devices separated by a few inches. Examples of uses include:

• You could take pictures with a cell phone with a built in camera, and touch an enabled computer or television set to transmit the images for display;
• You could download applications or games to a handheld device by touching the computer

The Good: New advancements in technology have hastened the competitions drive to create mobile marketing opportunities that give consumers the ability to swap SIM cards for NFC in lieu of upgrading the device entirely. NFC campaigns will appear in along side with QR codes.

The Field (Everybody Else)
“QR, AR and NFC are getting all kinds of buzz, but a healthy contingent of other contenders is also vying to close the loop. Given the wide spectrum of opportunities in offline-to-online engagement, it’s not inconceivable that multiple technologies can succeed across mutually exclusive consumer behaviors.” – Galica

Source: http://mashable.com/2012/01/11/qr-codes-augmented-reality-2012/

Packaging presents great opportunities for companies to engage customers with your brand.  Whether it is mazes on the back of the cereal box or QR codes on the packaging of the product, the packaging is encouraging further engagement with the brand rather than just seeing the package and disregarding the brand shortly thereafter. A great example of packaging interaction opportunities is presented in the partnership with the Star Wars enterprise and  PepsiCo.

Star Wars fans not only have the releasing of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D” to look forward to in this coming month, they also have a chance to add to their collectors items with the addition of a new bottle with its packaging featuring Star Wars. PepsiCo is seeking to take advantage of a great national marketing campaign  by joining forces with the 3D theatrical release by featuring the release on their Brisk iced tea and its other juice drinks.

The new product packaging features Darth Maul, who is a Sith warrior best known for wielding a double-ended lightsaber, taking over the Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea 24-oz can and one liter bottles. The Darth Maul packaging will feature a web link that hopes to drive consumers to UncaptheApp.com, where they can download and play the exclusive mobile game, Brisksaber.

All other Brisk Tea products will have under-the-cap codes that give fans access codes to unlock new lightsabers, characters, and objects when they play Brisksaber. The marketing campaign and limited-time packaging featuring Darth Maul will be available for purchase until April 30, 2012.

“The Brisk team has done a great job developing new, innovative ways for people to interact with Star Wars—staying true to classic, fan-favorite characters while giving them a fun twist,” says Kayleen Walters, senior director, marketing, Lucasfilm. “We are excited that Brisk is partnering with us to spread the excitement about.”

By creating a new form of packaging for their Brisk iced tea, PepsiCo is not only pushing for more sales of the drink, but they are also engaging Brisk ice tea drinkers via social networking and mobile gaming through the packaging of the product. The partnership between the two enhances and encourages consumers to interact with both the PepsiCo. brand as well as the Star Wars enterprise, all the while promoting the hyped up release of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D.”

Working for a small business can have its challenges when it comes to engaging customers with you and the business. However, when customers do become engaged with your small business the benefits are very valuable.

Use Facebook to Show them some Love
Engage with your customers via social media such as Facebook! Facebook is an excellent social platform to recognize a customer. Many people are on Facebook and they will appreciate the public recognition that you give them.

Put Money in their Pockets
Connect your customers to businesses you think will benefit them or that could use them. There is no greater compliment than referring somebody to their business. Your customers will appreciate that you want to help them.

Call them
By keeping in contact with your clients, you are continually developing a working as well as a personal relationship with them. A one-on-one phone call is engaging and can very beneficial to you and your company.

Use YouTube
YouTube is an easy and inexpensive way to create a fun and engaging experience between you and your customers. Upload videos of you and your team doing creative things such as featuring the services of your company.

Make Yourself Accessible
Make sure that you are accessible to your clients. People like to know that they can get a hold of you whenever they may need you whether it be by phone or email. Clients do not want to feel as though they are taking to somebody they can never get a hold of.

Spotlight Customers
Give your customers the recognition they deserve. If your customer sees that you have taken time to mention them in a blog post or on your webpage they will appreciate that you have taken time to speak about them and what is happening with their company. It will also make them feel more engaged with you and the company. 

What are some packaging design trends for 2012?

Look for 3 packaging design trends from 2011 to carryover into 2012 and become more prevalent.

Number 1:  Keep it simple. Industry specialists are moving towards packaging designs that are unambiguous, concise, and much more simplified, thereby providing consumers with greater clarity regarding product information. This trend is not new but is expected to become more and more prevalent in 2012.

Number 2:  Open innovation. This trend of mutual collaboration between supplier and designer is becoming key to packaging design success. It guarantees that the supplier has a clear understanding of what’s required from both parties, while exposing designers to new technologies – resulting in an improved end-product for client. Custom packaging can be a complicated process when communication isn’t open and the vision of the packaging isn’t shared by all parties. But when the supplier, designer, and client work together, custom packaging can become magical.

Number 3: Sustainable packaging. When ethics and ecological concerns are translated into green packaging, consumers associate a sense of well-being and security with the product and brand at hand. Biodegradability and nanotechnology are becoming hot trends in packaging designs in all industries. Look for that to accelerate during the 2012 calendar year.

In 2011, the use of social media platforms for business-to-business companies became more important in the marketing mix than it has in previous years. For many B2B companies, social media can seem to be a daunting endeavor, but with knowledge of how to enter the world of social media,  social media can bring success. In this past year, many B2B companies have started to engage in social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and have found that these sites are generating success for their companies.

“Leveraging social media for branding and awareness-building can help humanize B2B companies, establish them as thought leaders, and offer new touchpoints for connecting with customers and prospects,” said Kimberly Maul, eMarketer writer/analyst and author of the new report, “B2B Social Media: A Growing Focus for Marketers.”

Knowing which social media sites to use and which ones will bring more success for your company can be understood by knowing who you want to reach via social media. Social networking site, LinkedIn, is used more as a professional networking site for B2B companies and is seen as a way to generate more effective leads and other sites Twitter and Facebook are Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are helping B2B firms reach customers in new ways. In a web survey conducted by iTracks, survey respondents often site Linked In as the top social media site for B2B marketers while putting Facebok and Twitter above as the business minded social network. According to Sagefrog Marketing Group, by the summer of 2011, 58% of US B2B marketers that were engaging in social media used LinkedIn, compared to 50% for Facebook and 43% for Twitter.

There is no doubt that social media is an effective tool for any B2B company and that the use and understanding of social networking sites will remain important for B2B companies in their marketing mix in 2012.

Source: eMarketer.com

While wandering through any retail store, we often find ourselves attracted to products that have a packaging design that catches our eye. When a particular design grabs our attention,  we find that there is often a desire that is formed within us that makes us wonder how great the product really is. A truly great and effective packaging design influences our decision to purchase the product.

At Sunrise Packaging, our knowledge of the psychology behind what a consumer looks for in the packaging when purchasing a product reflects what blogger, Chapell Ellison, at The Etsy Blog writes in her latest blog post, “Unboxing Desire: the Psychology behind Packaging“

“Countless studies have concluded the same thing: the better an object looks on the shelf, the more likely we are to take it home. Just consider a store display of iPods — rows of impeccably molded plastic cases, almost just as desirable as the product inside. So what is it about packaging that compels us to fetishize it just as much as the product housed within?

There is, in fact, a deep-rooted history behind the psychology of packaging. When Henry P. Crowell packaged what would later become Quaker Oats, he marketed them as ‘pure’ by comparison with oats sold out of barrels in late 19th century general stores. By the 1950s, purity became a symbol of civilized supermarkets, where bruised fruit and dented cans were quickly removed. ‘In theFirst World,’ writes Susan Willis in a study on commodity packaging, ‘the package is a fetishized sign of the desire for purity, which, in the fullest sense, is also a desire for security.’

The desire to rip open the packaging and pull out the object in proud wonderment is engrained in buyers from an early age. It is an act that, when considering product packaging, you might equate with gift wrapping. However, as Willis reminds us, the two are radically different: ‘The anticipation we associate with the gift-wrapped present is for the unknown object. In anticipating a plastic-wrapped commodity, we imagine the experience of its use since its identity is already revealed.’ When it comes to the imagination, we simply can’t help it — when we see a shiny, packaged product on the shelf, we envision putting it to use and how it would potentially improve everyday life.

We’ve all had our run-ins with effective packaging design. You might have oohed and aahed over the unboxing of a new iPod, opening its packaging as if it were a jewel case. Or you are all too familiar with the maddening frenzy that results from a seemingly impenetrable, heat-sealed plastic shell. Like a primate struggling with cracking a coconut, we resort to sharp objects — scissors, car keys — to free our purchase from its PVC prison. Perhaps nowhere is this hysteria so well documented as it is in a scene from Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which Larry David sinks into pure desperation as he struggles to release a new GPS system from its packaging (see link below).”

Larry David Vs. Bad Packaging

Last month, we blogged about Coca-Cola changing their packaging for the first time ever in a cause marketing effort to protect the Arctic home of polar bears. Check out the blog here.

Apparently that wasn’t such a great idea for Coke. In fact, they’re pulling the plug on the new white cans and changing them back to their original red. Why you ask? Customer uproar. That’s right, customers were getting the white cans confused with the silver Diet Coke cans. We all know how traumatic that can be to think you’re buying an ice cold can of refreshing Coke only to crack it open, take a sip, and taste that dreadful fake Diet Coke flavor. Ok, I’m being facetious.

Whether you think it’s ridiculous or not, you could argue that Coca-Cola should’ve thought this one through a bit more. Knowing your customers is rule number one when changing old traditions.

Why white cans? The company claimed it had intended a “disruptive” campaign to get its conservation message across. Within a few days, Coca-Cola started receiving complaints that the white cans were too easily confused with the silver Diet Coke cans, leading some weight-conscious and diabetic customers to accidentally purchase Coke instead of Diet Coke. Ok, point taken. I could see where that could get sketchy.

Coca-Cola was no stranger to polar bears and WWF – the company has supported WWF Arctic research and conservation efforts in the past and this campaign was supposed to take its commitment to a new level. Coca-Cola has pledged $2 million to help fund the creation of a safe refuge for polar bears and agreed to match up to $1 million of consumer donations made through Arctic Home by March 15, 2012.

Coca-Cola got the message and despite the fact it planned initially to have 1.4 billion white cans available until March, the company decided to halt further production of the cans. As we speak, Coca-cola is sending millions of red cans back into shops with polar bear images on them.

Now stay with me here……the future of computers may well be in contact lenses?! Yes, that picture above that you see is exactly what it seems.  Okay, I’ll explain.

A team from Washington University recently completed trials on a new generation of contact lenses that would project your emails directly onto your eyeballs. Circuits in the lenses are made from layers of metal only a few nanometres thick and feature light-emitting diodes measuring 1/3 of a millimeter across.

The next step is to incorporate hundreds of pixels into the lens. The team believes they can eventually produce complex holographic images and price comparison information just by looking at a specific product. Speculation that we’ll be able to stream web content using contact lenses is also on the table.

There are some major challenges however. One, they have to make the contacts as comfortable as normal ones currently on the market. That pretty much means they have to feel like nothing is in your eye. More challenges include powering these contacts. They are currently without a viable power source and the current prototype only works if it’s within centimeters of a wireless battery. Lastly, there may be uncertain long-term effects of wearing a lens made of electrical circuits that is touching the surface of your eye. Imagine wearing these contacts in the scorching heat?

Very interesting ambitions. I’m still kind of speechless to be quite honest. As a person that wears contact lenses all day, everday, I really haven’t the slightest interest at this point.