Beverage Special - Digital 101 - Keeping up with consumer trends by MCC Label

Digital Print 101 Keeping up with consumer trends

In this magazine we share how MCC’s digital print platform provides quick turn solutions, enabling your brand to go to production quickly, and easily pivot when needed. Digital technology allows for the utmost in individualization, including unlimited design options in a single print run. This capability provides the ability to test-market different design concepts easily or incorporate a collage of graphics- a feat not doable with other print

Today’s consumer landscape is a fast and ever-evolving place. With more choice and access to education than ever before, today’s beverage consumers are savvy and demanding. In response to these changing tides, brands today must be agile and responsive. Digital printing is redefining the ways brand owners are using packaging to engage consumers and drive

impeccable level of quality as other print solutions, digital technology also allows for a wide range of unique embellishments, regardless of quantity. This makes it the ideal solution for low order volumes. For customers typically printing large volumes on other platforms, digital can provide the perfect opportunity for special seasonal marketing releases or limited-edition runs. We have also featured several customer success stories from around the globe for you to draw inspiration from. Learn how others have benefited from digital print’s speed, versatility, and personalization to maximize their brand’s impact in the market. We are excited to share our knowledge and experience with you, and hope it spurs creativity, drive, and the quest to let your label tell your story. Thank you, The MCC Beverage Team

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“Digital Print 101. Keeping up with consumer trends.” is a publication of MCC. Copyright © by MCC. All rights reserved. The content of this document, including all copy, images, and attachment(s) are property of MCC and should be treated as confidential. It cannot be shared with or forwarded to third parties and cannot be published without MCC’s prior permission. If you have any questions regarding the use of this document, please email marketing@mcclabel.com. In this issue Digital4-15 Print: the Solution for a Changing Consumer toSo16-29ManyPossibilitiesStandOutontheShelf Digital30-34Print Goes Above and Beyond 3 Visit our website www.mcclabel.com to discover more on how our premium label solutions can meet your needs.

Digital Print: the Solution for a Changing Consumer Today’s consumer landscape is a fast and ever-evolving place. With more choice and access to education than ever before, today’s Beverage consumers are not only savvy, but also particular. 4

Brand agnostic For the aforementioned reasons, millennials choose to make their own mind up about how they feel about brands instead of relying on long-standing history or reputation. They will rally behind brands and products that fit their own lifestyle and preferences.

The shifting landscape is led by the powerful millennial generation, a group that has managed to disrupt traditional market trends with their preferences. They know what they want, and more importantly, they know what they don’t want, in the products and brands they embrace. This commanding demographic has several key traits that distinguish themselves from their counterparts:

300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Tomorrow2000’s1990’s1980’sToday 0,62 Years 1,08 Years 1,67 Years 2,25 Years Launch Replenish Phase OutSource: Colgate-Palmolive business analysis

Product lifecycles are getting shorter

Millennials grew up in a socially connected world. They are well-versed in sharing their preferences and experiences with others in their network. Seek experiences They thrive on experiences and enjoy sharing these with their friends and loved ones. Uniqueness is king Individuality and differentiation are important, not only within themselves, but also in the products they use. Personalization is a big plus to this generation.

Environmentally conscious They value brands and products that are sustainable, natural, and earth friendly. Social media savvy

“ Today’s consumers are dynamic, creative, and agile. We are proud to offer solutions through our digital print platform that can respond to these needs, with both speed and innovation.”

Rachel Tzirin, Director, Global Digital Sales at MCC 200

0 100

Today’s consumer

Reduced cost With digital print, you don’t have to be dependent on product life cycles. Print what you want, when you need it. Time to market Speed is everything. Without the tooling, setup, and production times needed for alternative printing methods, digital print jobs can be turned around extremely quickly, often reducing lead times from weeks to days. Variable Data Since digital print is a plateless printing technology, the possibilities are literally endless. This flexibility delivers a unique brand experience with the ability to create collage, variable numbering/imaging, and much more. This differentiation provides countless opportunities for customer engagement, loyalty, and marketing campaigns.Thepersonalization capacity of variable data is one of the most attractive features for creative brands and marketers. Using this innovation, brands can reflect individuality and promote brand loyalty. Mosaic allows for hyper-customization of labels, with the ability to produce totally unique and customized versions, so every single label could be different from the last and 100% unique. Studies have shown that this uniqueness resonates with today’s consumer. It can also be leveraged for seasonal or specific marketing campaigns, point-of-sale displays, loyalty programs, or any other creative use that can be dreamedSimilarup.in concept to Mosaic, digital print can also provide what is known as a collage effect. Whereas Mosaic prints completely unique images on each label, collage takes the same elements, yet renders them differently on each label. Using one file, the art can be rotated, scaled, or changed in color to create different designs, maximizing the overall impact of your packaging. Environmentally conscious Digital print produces less waste, a lower carbon footprint, and non-renewable energy consumption. With its capacity for short runs and just-in-time production, it greatly reduces scrap and waste. Analog you time and

Design Prepress&

money by optimizing production 6

Responding to the trends: the digital print solution In response to these changing tides, brands today must be extremely agile and responsive. Their offerings must be refreshed often, showing not only innovation and creativity, but a desire to engage and connect with consumers.Aboveall, the pressure on brands to get to market quickly is stronger than ever before. The product lifecycle has changed dramatically, with speed to market increasing by over 70% over the last several decades. Brands must keep up, or risk being left behind.The digital print platform has been a benchmark of adaptability. Its core benefits make it an ideal and versatile solution for today’s dynamic consumer set.

printing workflow makingPlate Make registrationready Makecolorready Printing Converting Finishedproduct Storage Digital printing workflow Design Prepress& Printing Converting Finishedproduct Storage Digital saves

LabelsCraft

Consumer thirst for beer and other alcoholic beverages shows no sign of drying up. If anything, the flow of manufacturers and their products into the market has grown stronger, increasing the reliance on labels and packaging to deliver brand awareness and commercial success. “ Themed labels, such as those around major sporting events, are big business when it comes to alcoholic beverages, whilst reward campaigns and gamification of labels are useful additions to non-alcoholic beverage labels.”

Taste the difference With beverage a hyper competitive market, engaging consumers with eye-catching and relevant labels and packaging is increasingly important. Themed labels, such as those around major sporting events, are big business when it comes to alcoholic beverages, whilst reward campaigns and gamification of labels useful additions to non-alcoholic beverages. Interactive and ‘smart’ labels take this one step further, and give consumers the chance to interact directly with the product and the brand, with augmented reality explored as a way to connect a physical label with the digital world. For craft producers, delivering eye-catching and relevant labels is a must, as it provides them with a point of difference to larger legacy brands. There have been some stunning examples of this already out in the market, many of which have relied on digital printing to deliver a value-add proposition that enabled them to win at the ‘Moment of Truth’. These highlight how fast the beverage market is moving, and how cutting-edge digital technologies can help facilitate the next generation of beverage products to satisfy the tastes and demands of tomorrow’s consumers. MCC is part of this world, with its global digital footprint able to respond to these trends and allow companies of all sizes to tap into the potential of this market.

As consumers tastes evolve, so the beverage industry has seen the rise of ‘craft’ products. From cider and beers, through soft drinks, craft has been one of the standout trends in the beverage industry in recent times. This has been aided by the trend towards more personal drinking experiences, with craft products often winning out owing to their varied flavour profiles and the very nature of their perception as small-batch, artisanal products. These products are also increasingly consumed in smaller volumes and away from conventional retail and hospitality settings, as consumer behaviours evolve alongside tastes. What does this mean for the beverage market, and its labels?

Getting Crafty with Labels

Harry Havenga, Marketing & Business Development Manager at MCC Africa

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• Material; highest print quality and matching that on an elevated material feel and look Speed & quality Speed to market and quality are two important objectives for HK Beer. The team at MCC Malaysia identified HP Indigo digital printing to address these needs. This allowed not only the best visual for their label designs but it enabled the Just In Time model at the best speed vs MOQ. Digital printing also allowed the team to provide rapid prototyping samples. “Working across borders can at times be difficult, but MCC was very quick to respond to our requests, was able to ship multiple samples out to us and our US based designers, and offered their own expertise on material and printing methods that allowed us to find a perfect solution within tight timelines.”

• Samples; as they seek a supplier that can react to sample development for approvals, prior to commercialisation

Today, it is brewing small batches of continuously evolving, authentic, full-flavoured craft beers in Hong Kong, delivered fresh to the local communities. Labeling goals HK Beer was looking for a reliable label supplier that could help the team address 5 key areas.

Hong Kong Beer | MCC Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

• Speed to Market; labels to be supplied “Just In Time” for core and seasonal brands

Hong Kong Beer Co started in 1995 with an ambitious goal: to brew fresh, full-flavoured craft beer for the first time in Hong Kong, a city whose beer market was dominated by industrial lagers.

• Print Quality; highest print quality across all their labels

“ It’s great to work with people as obsessed with quality and finding the right solution as we are. When we both have the same goal, all problems can be solved.”

The team also selected a label substrate on PP Silver (premium release) and PP White (standard) replacing the current paper based PSL for a more premium effect.

Phillip Rankmore, Brewing Ops at Hong Kong Beer Co.

Digital Labels Tick all the Boxes for Hong Kong Beer

Another challenge for HK Beer was adhesive performance on their neck label. Using an acrylic emulsion based adhesive allowed MCC to achieve the best result for anchoring the label onto glass bottle.

Phillip Rankmore, Brewing Ops at Hong Kong Beer Co

• Adhesive Performance; neck label that does not easily detach from the bottle

Digital Labels Add the Finishing Touch to Innis & Gunn’s New Look Innis & Gunn | MCC Cwmbran (Wales) Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn has unveiled a new look for its ‘Originals’ cask matured beer range. StudyCaseLabelsCraft 10

Dougal Gunn Sharp, Founder and Master Brewer at Innis & Gunn What has changed? The updates to The Original and Caribbean Rum Cask across various packaging formats are visible ones. Part of the change was to move to clear glass from amber so people can see the brilliant colors of the beers.Updated labels introduce further clarity of what to expect in terms of taste and describe how each quality beer is made. Details including gold foil, print embossing and watermarks have also been incorporated to solidify the beer’s position as premium and unique. A flexible solution Multiple SKUs and relatively small runs meant that digital was a more cost effective and speedy option for Innis & Gunn. However, the quick turnaround associated with digital print did not hinder the quality of the label. The digital team were able to add foiling, screen and embossing to the labels from 1 SKU to another.

Wah Lo, Technical Manager at MCC Cwmbran The result is a modern, fresh label to match the contemporary clear glass whilst still retaining the Innis & Gunn logo and signature barrels.

Cask matured Founder and master brewer, Dougal Gunn Sharp believes strongly in evolution in the beer category and in the possibilities of beer maturation. So much so that in 2003, he founded Innis & Gunn to bring his aptly named Original beer and original ideas to the world. A beer, matured in single malt whisky casks, The Original is Innis & Gunn’s flagship. Alongside its Caribbean Rum Cask, both beers have been repackaged into clear glass bottle with an updated label design, which better showcases the premium brand and beer. “ We are extremely proud of the beer we make. We believe this design update simply brings our packaging in line with the quality of beer within the bottle. The new look is standout both in its design and its quality. We are clearly showing the different liquid colors of our beers, better describing their provenance and our innovative brewing methods and we are sure this is a move that will be welcomed by our current and new drinkers.”

“ Getting the gloss finish and raised text to stand out was technically challenging. We achieved it using tactile screen without the need for emboss and the use of a full matte varnish for the background.”

new

Nix & Kix is a premium soft drinks brand based in the UK. Known their natural ingredients and impactful flavour, the brand a a brand proposition ‘The Drink with a Zing’.

for

recently unveiled

StudyCaseLabelsCraft Refreshingly Different: Nix & Kix Opt for a Textured Label Finish

Nix & Kix | MCC Cwmbran (Wales)

redesign and

The previous label was protected by a standard gloss hi-rub varnish. Print trials involved getting a textured finish that would offer the same levels of label protection whilst giving the look and feel of a premium product.

Silver pp was selected to achieve a metallic look. A tactile varnish then applied which creates a rough textured surface adding to the premium effect.

The result is a more premium label with a textured surface with the protection required for the vigorous filling and application lines and transit journeys.

Premium label

Design agency Kuba & Friends carried out the redesign. The label design incorporated bold ingredient visuals in order to communicate each flavor.

The fact the products are 100% natural with no artificial ingredients is also now better and more clearly communicated in the design.

The requirement for the label was to carry through this new, premium design into the print. The team at MCC worked closely with the customer to choose the correct material and embellishment options.

The efficient choice The relatively low quantities and multiple SKU’s, concluded that digital would be most suitable and cost effective option for the customer. Digital does not require any setup time, which allows for quick changeovers.

StudyCaseLabelsCraft Digital Pressure Sensitive Labeling Gives Cawston Press a New Look Taking its inspiration from the kitchen garden, Cawston harvest the best fruit and press it to make their fresh fruit drink range – with no added sweeteners. Cawston Press | MCC Cwmbran (Wales) 14

Laura Hedderman, Head of Marketing at Cawston Press

“ The Gallus label fire hybrid press has extended color gamut capabilities so color matching was made easier using the digital engine, with the analogue part running the tactile ink. The key was the white opacity so with the ink jet technology we were able to provide an opaque white to match a standard screen printed white.”

Cawston approached MCC to help with its redesign for front, back & neck labels on a 250ml white flint bottle (clear). The brief: crafty looking but unique and punchy labels to create shelf appeal. Being new to Pressure Sensitive Labeling and designing on a clear substrate, we were able to guide them through the whole process.

The first stage of any new project are bottle drawings. Along with glass samples, these were provided to our engineering team. Engineering Manager Chris Cotter discussed preferences with the customer and gave advice due to the small nature of the bottle, a patch neck, 140 degree wrap front and back. As this process was new to Cawston we agreed that a full trial of all labels would be beneficial, given that during the pandemic they would not be able to attend approval in person. This gave them the confidence to explore some design/color changes, as well as run an application trial of three thousand labels at the co-packer, ahead of a full production run. It’s all in the detail The artwork itself had some challenging features in terms of tactile varnish on the front and a sand textured varnish on the neck label. The biggest challenge on the front label was the need for a kiss fit white under the main graphic/text elements. These were also distressed, so producing on a normal flexo combination press would have resulted in mis-registration during a run. It was decided that the Hybrid press would enable us to kiss fit the white ink under the main color areas.

Technical guidance

Matt Rowley, Technical Manager at MCC Wales A successful approach Digital printing allowed us to produce a limited amount of fully printed trial labels to enable us to trouble shoot any potential application issues. Using this system approach, we were able to identify what the customer’s primary needs were, aesthetically & functionally. By producing the fully printed trial, all issues were addressed systematically and mitigated whenFromrequired.adesign perspective, the opportunity of the trial allowed the team to tweak some of their initial thoughts for the production run. Cawston and the design team were delighted with the results. “ We’re over the moon with how our Glass Bottles are looking – thank you and the MCC team so much for all the hard work.”

Unique labels for lower volume brands and limited editions So Many Possibilities to Stand Out on the Shelf A quick solution does not necessarily have to be a ‘boring’ solution. Digital printing techniques have a lot of possibilities to add the bells & whistles to your design, and on top of that, to you make each label unique. Below are listed the possibilities and special effects of digital printing, focusing on unique labels. What a great opportunity to show off your limited edition or small run, right? 16

Unique techniques make customization a reality Mosaic Variable data Collage

Mosaic Mosaic allows for hyper-customization of labels, with the ability to produce totally unique and customized versions, so every single label could be different from the last and 100% unique. Studies have shown that this uniqueness resonates with today’s consumer. It can also be leveraged for seasonal or specific marketing campaigns, point-of-sale displays, loyalty programs, or any other creative use that can be dreamed up. How does it work? Different perspectives of the same pattern will be printed on the label. The output of mosaic labels are endless. The Mosaic software program crops, rotates, expands and mixes seed files to create randomized artwork patterns that produce a 100% unique label for each unit. Digital print that utilizes the HP Mosaic software can vary the image (background or fixed image) in many ways.

Variable data

The personalization capacity of variable data is one of the most attractive features for creative brands and marketers. Using this innovation, brands can reflect individuality and promote brand loyalty. This type of printing allows you to personalize texts and even images. Perfect for adding a touch of innovation and differentiation to your labels. How does it work? The various print engines can recreate randomized image/ data from the variable images/data supplied. This will allow a new digitally-generated image/ data (random or sequentially generated) on the base artwork, with or without repeats, throughout the entire production. It’s a great feature for games & promotions – there will only be one winning number.

Collage Similar in concept to Mosaic, digital print can also provide what is known as a collage effect. Where as Mosaic prints completely unique images on each label, collage takes the same elements, yet renders them in differently on each label. Using one file, the art can be rotated, scaled, or changed in color to create different designs, maximizing the overall impact of your packaging. How does it work? The labels are made out of the same components, but those components vary randomly in size and place. The HP printer changes these elements randomly, which also gives endless label designs.

The brand Inspired by a craft beer enjoyed in a brewpub on a ski trip in the Alps, Devils Backbone Brewing Company founders decided to start a brewery focused on serving European-style beers. This unique brewery is located in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, USA and is named after this area’s rugged terrain. This award-winning brewery has a passion for nature and that’s reflected in their thoughtful approach to brewing. This brand has grown and can be enjoyed in two of their brewpubs in Virginia or found in restaurants and retail locations across much of the US.

14 unique designs A promotion with 14 unique label designs printed sequentially throughout the production presented challenges that could only be achieved with digital printing. However, beer labels must withstand moist conditions during the filling and packaging process and perform well in ice coolers. In addition, because of Devils Backbone’s focus on freshness, the brewer laser prints a “Best by Date” to the label during filling. Due to the requirement of the sequential printing, the need for robustness and the ability to be date coded, this ruled out traditional digital printing. Variable print solution MCC tapped into our UV digital printing capabilities in one of multiple plants with this technology. This

Find your Trail: Devils Backbone Vienna Lager has a Trail Label for you

Vienna Lager’s Appalachian Trail promo features 14 unique designs

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Devils Backbone’s connection to nature and proximity to the Appalachian Mountains led them to create a unique promotion for one of their most popular beers, Vienna Lager. This promotion features 14 different labels each depicting a scenic highlight from each state the Appalachian Trail passes through. This promotion is intended to engage with consumers and appeal to those who likely share their passion for the outdoors.

Vienna Lager, Devil’s Backbone | MCC Cwmbran (Wales)

“ Our Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows is located just off of the Appalachian Trail, and we wanted to honor not only the trail and the journey it represents, but the many thru-hikers that visit us each year for a cold beer and camaraderie. The best way to do it was by representing the 14 most beautiful A.T. with a unique label design each on our best-selling and awardwinning Vienna Lager.” Kim Oakley, Marketing Director at Devils Backbone Brewing Company 19

Coca-Cola Bring in the New Year with 24 Inspiring Labels

“ Digital printing is the optimum medium to provide customization for brands. Using this innovation, Coca-Cola are able to reflect individuality and promote brand loyalty.” Caroline Burgess, Global Key Account Manager at MCC France

The digital difference MCC Nantes offered to deliver this promotion using variable digital printing, as this was the only solution to guarantee the 24 personalized messages into one daughter reel. Since digital print is a plateless printing technology, the possibilities are endless. MCC produced more than 7 million labels, 100% digitally printed with 24 consecutive personalized messages. Delivered prior to Xmas 2020 at the Dongen plant in the Netherlands the promotion took place over the New Year period.

To mark the beginning of a new year, Coca-Cola in the Netherlands launched a campaign featuring labels with 24 inspiring resolutions for the year ahead. The special edition bottles encourage not only to reflect on what can be improved, to ask for help where possible and to make promises to loved ones, but above all to approach the new year with an open mind.

The 24 personalized messages needed to be printed onto the roll fed labels. Due to the constraints in the number of labels/cylinders conventional printing was not an option.

StudyCaseCustomization

Coca-Cola | MCC Nantes (France)

Good intentions Following a difficult 2020, the idea behind the campaign was to bring positivity to the New Year with encouraging messages on each bottle. In the summer Coca-Cola launched the campaign Open like never before to tap into the momentum during first re-opening of horeca. Open to Better is the follow up and Coca-Cola wanted to engage with its consumer using messages of motivation and furthermore for them to share this among family and friends. And most importantly, look ahead.

“ We are really happy with thisrightMCCandbetweencooperationtheCCEPMCC.Ithinkwasthepartnerinproject. ” Rianne Kamphuijs, NIM & Commercalization Manager at CCEP. 21

Nowhereman’s winter seasonal Alpha Ron Stout label takes the brewery founder’s dad, Ron, and turns him into a futuristic space adventurer! The artwork draws inspiration from sci-fi pop culture greats, such as Es cape from New York, Star Trek and Logan’s Run with a little Clint Eastwood thrown in for good measure.

Label Upgrades to Achieve Any Look

There are no strict guidelines on which substrate and face-stock you should use to print digital labels. Our team of experts will be happy to inform you on the options. Together with you, we’ll make sure you have the best label possible, within your budget and desires.

Alpha Ron is a yearly release beer where the customer & designer embark on telling a story via the package, with Alpha Ron getting himself into different scenarios.

Pia Poynton at Nowhereman Brewing Co

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There is also the option of invisible or fade resistant inks for security measures. These types of ink for digital printing are truly in a class of its own. Combine special inks with mosaic, collage and/or variable data, and your label will be even more unique. Metallic inks mixed with digital inks can create a pantone book of metallic effects. Substrate and face-stock versatility

Discovery and adventure Ron himself had originally pitched the name “Alpha Dog Stout” but it was thought naming it after the man himself who loves stouts was far more fitting. So here is Ron, on an alien planet and ready to explore a whole new world where at night, all manner of things glow in the dark, adding a fun element of discovery and adventure for customers too! Design by Studio Papa and illustration by local artist, Lisa Max. “ It was very exciting to work with MCC to bring the feeling of adventure and new horizons to our Alpha Ron Stout label. It suited the artwork concept so perfectly and the crew at MCC were, as always, a pleasure to work with.”

The use of special inks makes it possible to achieve a wide array of looks. Achieve a mid-brilliance look with silver ink, comparable to a foil look. Or stand out with the impact of fluorescent ink to really make a statement.

Nowhereman Brewing Co | MCC Western Australia Digital printing techniques have a lot of possibilities to add the bells and whistles to your design. What a great opportunity to show off your limited edition or small run! Special inks

“ As always, MCC were legends to work with on this project. The guys know I’m always keen to find the edges of what’s possible with different mediums and finishing techniques, and they were thrilled to explore these ideas together on this project. Alpha Ron Stout (Version III)’s result is a label that really takes punters to the outer limits this year!”

Marcus Taylor, Designer at Studio Papa Digital differentiates Digital print was the clear option for this project due to the highly detailed image, multiple colors, tight registration and a white layer, which included vignettes going down to 0%. The project team at MCC worked closely with the design studio to develop many label options. They examined how effectively they would complement the design in regards to the print & the consumer uptake. It also needed to be considered that even though they wanted to push the boundaries within the beer market, the labels still needed to be affordable. The option of digital, requiring no plates and being cost effective for smaller quantities, allowed the customer to go one-step further this year. The addition of a glow in the dark silk screen is lively and unique and really differentiates the brand on shelf.

The Heineken Brand Team is at the forefront of creativity when it comes to promotional concepts and their digital campaign “One in a Billion” really stands out from the crowd. We spoke to Heineken’s Senior Packaging & Identity Design Manager, Ramses Dingenouts to learn more about this campaign and get his outlook on digital label printing. MCC Cwmbran (Wales)

Can you walk us through the One in a Billion project? For celebrating the festive season, we launched an unlimited collection of special edition bottles in 1 billion possible different designs. If we have an idea we start with the packaging and multipacks then our internal teams begin the work. With this project, the idea was for 1 billion labels – because this is a celebration and we want to celebrate with a different label for each consumer. That was perceived extremely well and everybody in our team and in our company were getting excited. The advertising agencies were getting excited and making beautiful advertisements, the OpCos were getting excited. Everything was extremely well perceived. Our requirement was to incorporate the Heineken DNA colors and branding within the uniqueness of each design. The MCC Beverage Team developed a bespoke algorithm, which guarantees that no duplications or pattern conflicts happen up to 1 billion variants. This allowed us to create a truly unique label and ensure the consistency of the Heineken DNA brand elements around the brand’s iconic red star and the Heineken lettering. It all started with a nice idea that MCC could fulfil technically. Innovation is not only about ideas but it’s also about technical possibilities. Everyone can come up with nice ideas but you need to adapt it to make it a reality and we did! Do you feel the market is the same is it was 5 years ago –what has changed? There is a big, big change because we have a new generation – Gen Z. That is, of course, very important for our new pool of customers and consumers. Gen Z has other needs. They want more personalization and faster – we have to work much quicker with innovations, showing what we can do to be really relevant to Gen Z. Gen Z is the core target consumer group, because they are the future and also the future of our company. We need to make sure they are happy and would prefer to buy a Heineken versus something else. We want to be extremely relevant for them and that is why we worked with MCC on our testing project with the festive packaging in the USA. It was all digital packaging; it was beautiful and gained a lot of PR – a lot of talk on social media, which of course is the way to go. That is very important and a big change for us. Your CEO wrote he wants to be the youngest brewery in the world. What does that mean for your creative role? How do you strategize your activities according to this objective? When we consider our portfolio we are relooking at

Ramses Dingenouts Senior Packaging & Identity Design Manager at Heineken

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1 Bottle, 1 Billion Possible Label Designs!

Heineken |

Then we started thinking how we could use this for our sponsor labels. With UCL, Festive, rugby there are special editions. MCC showed us what was possible and from a creative point of view we were able to make a MCCdifference.alsointroduced us to a new Indigo digital press and we tried that with a small program, Festive and it worked really well, it was big success. There is always the case that when MCC show us something, we work with it. Now this year we will be doing some exciting things with the knowledge we gained from you!

MCC show me what is possible from a technical standpoint and together with my team, we make a creative solution. 8 years ago we saw the possibilities of changing the images on one reel, that was a big change. You showed us what was possible, I adapted to it and with our design team and supply team, in one year, all of the countries of the world could be seen on our bottles.

things to be relevant for the new consumer so a lot more innovations will come. How do you adapt to changes? What do you do differently?

Digital printing has the challenge of meeting all the established quality and application expectations of traditional offset and flexo processes, and does so flawlessly, albeit with a very different printing process. Productivity gains can be made from the automated workflows that digital printing boasts, and lead times are greatly reduced from those of traditional printing processes.Though traditionally thought of for lower volumes and/or multiple SKU’s, digital printing can be a great solution for traditional offset users with unique one-off projects or promotional campaigns.

For customers who are traditionally printing via flexo or offset, there are many use cases where digital print can be the perfect solution:

• Private label offerings Print on demand also offers greater flexibility. Label design changes can be made on the fly without having to wait weeks to get a new batch of pre-printed labels or scrap existing printed inventory. Customers also could customize products in bulk in an affordable way; they are never required to order large batches of labels to get a reasonable price.

Quality and versatility

• Holiday campaigns

• Temporary/unique marketing or promotional campaigns

The Flexible Solution

• Special editions or limited releases

A flexible solution for unique projects Digital presses expand the scope of label applications, providing excellent print quality, color control, and registration consistency, at an affordable cost for short to medium runs. Additionally, digital printing is becoming increasingly attractive to brand owners because it offers production flexibility, a versatile substrate range, customization, and shorter delivery times.

Another way to demonstrate the flexibility of this technology is through the marketing possibilities that customers and brand owners can take advantage of. Digital press platforms can have different designs on each sheet, allowing customers to test market a design. Digital allows for changes to colors or design with immediate visibility. This is a great way to decide between concepts before doing a complete run. Today, brands can print countless different designs and test their products live on the shelf. With this real time consumer feedback, brands can then go to production with only the designs they know resonate with their consumers.

• Point-of-sale displays

Every Possible Label SolutionOurdigitalportfolio includes: • Pressure Sensitive Labels • Shrink Sleeve • Wrap Around • Cut & Stack • Folding Cartons • Heat Transfer • Variety of analogue converting near-line to digital printing Take

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The possibilities for substrates have continued to evolve from the labels where digital printing got its start. This flexibility in printing materials allows companies to design campaigns and choose the substrates that best fit their goals, instead of only being able to use a limited number of options compatible with their printing process. The solution must align with our customer’s hierarchy of needs as it relates to their primary labels. This packaging component is often “the face” of the visual brand and is the single most important packaging element. With digital print the package becomes the media – no ads, no radio, no event internet banners, its all in the product. Hand the mic to your consumers and empower them in choosing and even co-creating their most personal experience around a physical product they can interact with. MCC has the market expertise and resource network to deliver your best digital label solution. Whether it’s comparing the most competitive technologies through price, deciding on additional functionality requirements to engage end-use consumers, or to simply add visual brand appeal to get noticed by a consumer on the shelf. a look on map available label solution requires.project wide range

of label solutions.

above at all the MCC facilities around the world that are made

Shrink Sleeve Label for a Highly SeasonalAppreciatedProduct

Birra FORST Brewery | MCC Lucca (Italy)

“ We were very satisfied with the performance of this edition. The product was appreciated to such an extent that in a short time it was sold out in our online shop.”

StudyCase 28

Birra FORST Brewery, Italy

The brand wanted to create a product with a high visual impact, in small quantities for special occasions, such as international sponsorships, and largescale events, which develops particularly innovative packaging with an aesthetic impact. To achieve that they trusted MCC Lucca, Italy to guide them in their experience with shrink sleeves, a solution never adopted by the company before, but the best for this occasion.Since this was a first shink sleeve label packaging project, MCC Italian team made sure to offer the customer the necessary technical assistance, such as the implementation of rapid prototyping samples, and the possibility of confirming their decision to use metallic inks such as gold, which is the typical color of Christmas. The choice to use digital printing allowed them to obtain a rapid time to market, as well as six different designs in small quantities.

The challenge in this case was the desire of the brand to continue to be close to their customers, even in such a difficult situation as the Covid-19 pandemic, with a packaging specially created for Christmas. They wanted to bring Christmas Forst to Italian homes, and they did it well.

In a year as unique as 2020, Birra FORST wanted to create something special that reminded us of their magical Christmas atmosphere. So they created, thanks to the shrink sleeve with metallic gold, a limited edition Christmas label, with six different subjects representing the enchanted world of their Christmas Forest, dedicating the product exclusively to the e-commerce channel.

Read more inspiring success stories like this one in our LabelTalk magazine.

In addition to helping brands keep up with market trends and being a flexible tool for small volumes, the digital print solution has several other key benefits. In the following pages, we will explore these added benefits, including: Digital Print Goes Above and Beyond • Using digital print for security and brand protection • Using digital print to achieve your sustainability goals 30

Graphic elements To fight counterfeiting and diversion, MCC can print micro QR codes, serialized microtext, or variable guilloche. These graphics are impossible to replicate.

Brands are out to tackle the global threat of coun terfeiting attacks. Due to customer demand, MCC’s goal is to maximize your firewall with brand security features on your label. HP Indigo solutions are divided into different security levels and types of authenticators. The more levels and/or authenticators you combine, the better your brand will be protected. Variable data This feature is not only a nice innovation to use in games and promotions; it is also a great way to secure your label. A combination of unique codes gives added protection, and if these codes are registered in a database, it allows tracking down to the item level.

Invisible elements If your label’s aesthetics cannot be ‘disturbed’ by visual elements, you could consider using invisible ink. The micro QR codes and serialized microtext can be digitally printed, remaining invisible to the naked eye.

Secure Your Digital Printed Label with Brand Protection

Authenticated by brand inspectors or authorities byAuthenticatedendusers 31

Why Matters?Sustainability

Sustainability

75% of Millenials / GenZ only engage brands that protect regulationsAcceleratingGOVERNMENTSconsumerlegislationRespondingBRANDSECONOMYCIRCULARearthto&stricterdemandsnew 33

Consumers today demand greater and more ardent responses from vendors on their sustainability ef forts. Brands need to take the lead on seeking ways to lower their carbon footprint, reduce pollution and be responsible citizens of the world. In response, brands are putting sustainability objectives at the top of their agenda and most companies have set goals around sustainability policies and printed materials. Digital printing is well placed to help reach these goals by reducing waste and lessening the environmental impact of printing.

• Launch NPDs and better manage tail SKUs Amplify messagingsustainabilityviaconsumers

• Overall less material & energy usage by avoiding the need for plates/cylinders and its cleaning. At MCC we aim to provide our customers with the most optimum label offering that is also going to provide the most sustainable solution. This is not only taking into account the label construction but also the way this is produced. We optimize our supply chain and production process, by maintaining a continuous improvement approach in each facility globally. Where our aim is to reduce energy and water usage, as well as implementing waste reduction strategies. For lower volumes, digital printing is the perfect solution to provide a high quality label that is produced in a sustainable way. MCC has digital presses across the globe and the number is still increasing. MCC invests in presses that are designed to work as sustainable as possible and use water recycling in combination with green cooling systems. The last additions to our digital printing assets were even produced in a carbon neutral way. with Printing Create efficiencies via short run printing

Sustainability Request a copy of our Beverage Sustainability Roadmap to learn how MCC is developing sustainable labels and advancing sustainable initiatives at facilities around the globe. This whitepaper also includes inspiring success stories.

• Disposal of plates after use

• By integrating technology in supply chain

• Plate production • Plate cleaning (including high water requirements)

Sustainability in printing Whether environmental impacts are a driver for choosing digital printing from the outset or simply an add-on benefit downstream, digital printing offers clear advantages in this area. Traditional printing has some environmental impacts throughout the process, including:

Go Green

• The ability to prevent and reduce waste because of the minimal print setup.

• Wasted packaging due to changes, outdated materials or printing more than needed. With digital, you print only what you need, where and when you need it. From long runs and large inventories that may go unsold, to short-run, on-demand printing, it’s the nature of digital to make printing more sustainable. Advantages include:

Digital

• To accelerate sales

• To lower costs and avoid minimum order quantities

• To strengthen consumer engagement via personalization “ With its capacity for short runs and just-in-time production, digital print offers the opportunity to reduce scrap and waste, leading to a lower carbon footprint.” Stijn Billiet, Global Director of Sustainability at MCC

Discover KnowledgeourCenter!Discovereducationaltopics inyourfavoriteformatsuchasvideo,whitepapersandofflinemagazinestohelpyougrowandinnovateyourbusiness.www.mcclabel.com/en/beverage/knowledgeMagazinesWebinarsLearnaboutthelatestmarkettrendsandinnovationsinourBeveragewhitepapers!Providingyouwithdedicatedbeveragewebinars. 35

3 Reasons to Get in Touch With Our Digital Experts From Around the Globe 1 This marketenablingturnaroundprovidessolutionaquicktime,youtogettoquickly. 2 Small multiplevolumesorderorproduct SKU’s are ideal for digital print. 3 Stay relevant and maintain brand identity with easy change of graphics. Want to get more education on Digital Printing? Check out our website www.mcclabel.com Our digital solutions expert, Jennifer Hyland Contact: marketing@mcclabel.com to arrange a packaging innovation consultation.