Creativity With Color Labels

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a writer for Package Design (http://www.packagedesignmag.com/)  about the impact of print on-demand color labels on design.  If you don’t know this magazine, Package Design elevates the value of design as a strategic business competence in the brand marketing mix from concept to shelf.  This magazine helps improve business effectiveness and fosters a community for all stakeholders.

Shelby Lewis

After our and other interviews, Package Design published, “The Digital Shift”, http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/packagedesign_20141112/#/48,  about the marketing options provided by moving to digital printing; and specifically, print on-demand color labels.   Check out my comments at the end of page 42 and 43 as I see tremendous creativity benefits of printing color labels on demand.

The Digital Shift

On-Demand Provides Flexibility In Label Design

In many of my past posts, I discussed the productivity benefits of printing color labels on demand.  Some of my favorite posts on this topic include:

Mercury Medical:   http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/03/67.html

KBI: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/09/continuous-improvement-with-on-demand.html

Jaclo Plumbing: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/01/label-room-woes.html

But the point of this article was the marketing benefits realized with the move to digital printing.  As a part of this article, the author, Tara Pettit, spoke with our customer, Shelby Lewis of Vape Dudes, http://www.vapedudes.com/.  Vape Dudes business model is to offer customers the specific option that meets their taste requirements; effectively producing customized products on-demand.  Offering hundreds or even thousands of different product combinations, Vape Dudes needed a means to produce their labels on-demand as preprinted labels do not work.  You can read about Vape Dudes here in this earlier post: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2014/06/couldnt-be-happier.html

In addition to Vade Dudes, we have many other customers creatively using print on-demand color labels.  One of my favorite is Hummingbird Market, http://hummingbirdmarket.com/. Douglas Everett, owner of this company, has produced some of the most beautiful labels I’ve seen; on Epson’s first generation color label printer, the TM-C3400:

To learn more about Hummingbird Market's labels, read our earlier post: (http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/03/customizing-my-nectar.html) . You might find their hummingbird webcam fun as well: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tucson-hummercam?utm_campaign=t.co&utm_source=ustre.am%2F1gbMP&utm_medium=social&utm_content=20140807123719 

Also, I’ve posted ideas on how to use color on labels; or the benefits of digital printing. Check out this post on using color to improve marketing:  http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/09/juice-your-marketing-using-color-on.html. Or this post on color labels in the digital marketplace: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2014/03/labels-in-digital-marketplace.html. 

And I’ve posted about companies creating interesting products:

Armflags: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2014/08/innovativation-with-color-labels.html

Printing color labels on demand offers many different creative and process benefits.  I’d love to hear how color improves your marketing efforts.  Or contact us to discuss how we can help you add color to your on-demand labels.

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

855-962-7670

#colorlabels

Universal Good Idea

Universal Heated Hoses (http://www.universalheatedhoses.com/) designs and manufactures custom electrically heated transfer hoses for a wide range of applications. Heated hoses provide solutions for transferring materials such as Hot Melt Adhesives, Liquid Food Products, Wax, Lubricants, and Sealants. UHH specializes in Hotmelt replacement hoses as well as Custom Hoses.  Manufacturing heater wire in-house, UHH provides the best solution for the application; offering hoses for all types of temperature sensors to match the existing machinery.

Pat Pagnella founded UHH after working as an engineer in the industry.  Pat manufacturer’s hoses that transfer liquid materials at 450 to 500 degrees F while insuring the hoses on the outside reach no more than 120 degrees.  According to Pat, “up until now, we had only monochrome printers for labels; both Zebra and Wasp thermal transfer printers.  We used BarTender to create our labels, including using the increment function to add sequential numbers to each label printed.”

Continuing, Pat says, “When purchasing another printer, we decided to get one that would print color labels on-demand.  Color is important to us as we wanted to add our customer’s logos to the labels on the hoses.  With more than 30 OEM customers, we want to strengthen their brands and businesses; and to offer great value to these important customers.”

While searching for color label printer options, Pat found us online.  After a telephone conversation, Pat purchased a TM-C3500 printer, 3 years of Spare-in-the-Air Warranty, ink and labels.  Once the printer arrived, I help him setup and configure the printer via webinar.  Within a few minutes, Pat was printing color labels from BarTender.

Although Pat wanted to move to color, it was important that the UHH labels were durable.  “The labels on these hoses must be durable; withstanding rough treatment and heat” says Pat.  “In the past, we’ve placed the labels on Mylar film before applying tape over the top.  With these new durable color poly labels, we’ll should be able to use the adhesive on the back to wrap and connect the Mylar film; and eliminate the tape over the top.  This new process will save us time.”

UHH has started printing color by using continuous labels, which requires the use of the built in cutter in the TM-C3500.  Continuous material allows for variable lengths; cutting exactly to the required length.  In the future, UHH will move to die cut matte poly labels to get the rounded corners.  In addition, die cut labels may be easier to apply for this specific application over the top of the Mylar.

Two years ago when I first started the Color Labels On-Demand blog, I wrote about one of my customers who manufactured flexible hoses.  Although not mentioned by name, you might find this post of interest:  http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-name-companies.html

Working with companies like UHH and good guys like Pat is one of the pleasures of leading Color Label Solutions.  If you need a heated hose, contact Pat at Universal Heated Hoses.  If you need color labels printed on-demand, contact us!

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com

#colorlabels