Think Tank is integrating physical packaging and digital back-end platforms into a single smart packaging service, intending to help brands deliver bonus content to consumers for Black Friday and Christmas.
While near-field communication (NFC) technology is already used as a tool to lead consumers from physical products to digital content, brands have previously been required to provide their own back-end sites. Think Tank provides the physical packaging and back-end platform in one service to help brands ‘seamlessly’ integrate SMART formats into their packaging ideas and strategies.
Physical products are embedded with unique digital access codes; these can be tapped by an NFC-enabled smartphone, leading consumers to an online back-end hub where they can access digital content.
This can be used to link users to videos, music, online games, and other bonus content from the brand, which can be uploaded directly to the platform and continuously added throughout a campaign or a product’s life cycle.
It is also set to provide customers with unique access codes to increase the exclusivity of their packaging.
Think Tank suggests that SMART product ‘carriers’ can include gift boxes, mugs, football shirts, toys, headphones, footwear, watches, and more.
“SMART technology opens up a whole new window of possibilities in packaging design, by creating exciting and exclusive digital journeys,” says Nick Seston, head of Think Tank. “Per packaging unit, customers can use their unique code to access additional content from the brand, enabling a rich experience that can be evolved in real time.
“Particularly with Black Friday and Christmas coming up, not only can SMART products elevate a brand’s packaging ideas, but strengthen the essential brand-customer relationship.”
Late last year, Avery Dennison and Levi Strauss & Co put NFC chip technology into action by delivering an exclusive iron-on patch to San Francisco 49ers season ticket holders in start-of-season gift boxes. When scanned with a smart phone, fans could access a “Thank You, Season Ticket Holders” video from general manager John Lynch and ten seasons’ worth of football highlights.
Tetra Pak and Appetite Creative have also joined forces in several connected packaging projects in 2024. For instance, the partners have redesigned an interactive smart packaging experience for a European fruit juice producer, linking consumers to an interactive personality test, competition draw, and more via QR code.
Appetite Creative and Advertising Design Studio have also provided Tetra Pak with new on-pack communication, applying QR codes to direct consumers to games and information related to Tetra Pak’s sustainability efforts.
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