Customisation for the masses

摘要

Beer and beverage brands have been looking for ways in which they can engage more intimately with consumers with individually-targeted products. Most notably, the Share a Coke campaign two years ago printed people's names on labels, with the beverage can industry offering wide ranges of labels within pallet loads by exploiting a specific feature of the decorating process. At a stroke, the mass-produced can became a mass customised product. Coca-Cola's campaign was a roaring success. Since then all the leading beverage can manufacturers have been offering brand owners the facility to print labels within normal production runs featuring 24 different base elements. It has been exploited by beer and beverage firms who have linked up with sports organisations, cultural events and music concerts to attract consumers at the point of sale with on-shelf differentiation. Collectable cans are not new, but when they're made at high speeds, the opportunities for higher impact is so much the greater.