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How To Make Your Product Packaging Newsworthy

By JoAnn Hines

Recently, mainstream media coverage of the packaging industry has been more in-depth than usual. I see several articles about packaging each week. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the news articles deal with negative perceptions of packaging and its influence on society. In fact, dozens of articles were recently written in response to Consumer Reports "Oyster Awards." With such titles as “Today's Packaging Can Drive The Mild-Mannered To Rage" and "Open UP," most of what was written in these articles did not bode well for packaging.

So how can you get your product packaging seen by the media in a more favorable light? Make sure that your packaging is connected to one of the more popular news trends or consider what the media will be covering outside of the obvious "breaking" news. Think about your product and how it can connect with the media coverage. A few examples of topics the media will be covering in the future include:

• Anything to do with diets, weight loss or healthy eating. This topic perennially becomes newsworthy as spring break and swimsuit season approaches. This topic also offers opportunities for coverage in niche publications too, such as woman-oriented or fitness publications.
• Products that are marketed to or designed for the 50+ generation. The "boomers" topic is getting substantial media play in virtually every type of publication. If you are marketing in this space, contact a few publications and find out what they will be covering in the next issue.
• Look for media spin on anything to do with the environment, recycled materials and bio-based packaging products. The environment is hot right now, especially with International Earth Day having just taken place. So this topic is definitely worth getting excited about. As a case in point, the Timberland Company recently had a big spread in Industry Week which focused on branding the environmental aspects of its new packaging.
• Investigate a pitch less commonplace to the media. For example, condom marketing has gone mainstream in places like Wal-Mart. Now consider this recent Columbia Daily Spector headline for an article covering The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s upcoming campaign to promote sexual awareness by distributing New York-specific condom packaging designs: Condoms Mix Sex and the City; City Will Debut NYC-Themed Packaging for Prophylactics. Now that’s using the media to gain exposure!

By tying your product packaging into a hot topic or trend, you can help counteract negative publicity about the industry such as the "Oyster Awards" articles which condemned the vast over packaging of many products. So, keep your eyes on the look out for ways and opportunities to make your product packaging newsworthy in the coming weeks and months.

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JoAnn Hines is a packaging diva. She is an accomplished author, speaker, publisher, marketer and e-commerce expert that educates thousands of people around the world about the intricacies of packing. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the packaging industry including her work as the packaging expert to the U.S. Small Business Administration and traveling to China to lead a packaging delegation. Recognizing her expertise, NBC TV featured her on their consumer segment, “Can you open it?” Her advice and articles appear in virtually every U.S. packaging industry publication, numerous business and international publications, and Web site portals including PackExpo.com, PackagingUniversity, Packaging Business, Packaging Network, Packaging Horizons Magazine, Packaging World, Packaging Digest, Shipping and Distribution Magazine, Warehouse Management and Traffic World. For more information, visit www.packaginguniversity.com.