Do's and Don’ts of Labeling for Your Alcohol Product

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A label for your alcohol product must not only stand out from competitors but also provide information necessary for consumers to make an informed decision. It must also contain product details legally required by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The design and hierarchy of this information will depend on the sales channel and type of product. Keep in mind these guidelines when developing your alcohol product label.

Do Keep in Mind General Label Hierarchy Guidelines

Hierarchy is a term that explains where and how information should be placed on your label. Here is the breakdown of guidelines for your label and their importance.

1. Brand name. Make sure your name stands out.

2. Product. Keep it clear and near the brand name.

3. Sourcing information such as appellation designation or grain source.

4. Production run, vintage, or limited bottle number.

5. Endorsements, such as awards and signatures.

6. Alcohol % and TTB required information.

Don’t Assume Level of Hierarchy Based on Location

The item at the highest level of hierarchy can be located anywhere on the label. The font size, color, and visual design determine where your eye will go first. Make sure to prioritize what is most important.

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Good Reasons to Use Pressure Sensitive Labels for Craft Beer

Do Make Your Brand Name Stand Out

You will want your brand name to stand out even if it isn’t the top level of hierarchy. Customers should be able to easily identify your brand on the product, so don’t hide it in the design or place it somewhere unexpected.

Don’t Clutter Your Label

Your label should enable your product to be easily distinguished from other brands and provide consumers with enough information to make a purchase they will be happy with. A label filled with meaningless information or a cluttered design will leave consumers frustrated and likely to choose a different product.

Do Take Into Account Your Sales Channels

If customers will purchase your product in a restaurant or bar, your label needs to catch the eye of the patron scanning the bar shelves. The size of the label and brand name must be large enough to be seen from a distance but not obtrusive.

Wine packaging information can be smaller since the customer is directly in front of the product buying it off a shelf or from a list. The label needs to contain enough information for the consumer to choose a wine that meets their expectations. Brand name placement in beer labeling needs to take into account product distribution and placement. Retail shelf space is very competitive, and your brand needs to stand out. You want it to catch your eye as you walk down the aisle.

RELATED ARTICLE: Wine Labels in the Digital Age: What You Should Know

A great alcohol label will not only make your brand stand out and will also provide the consumer with the information they need to make a purchase they will be happy with. For additional information on developing the best label design for your alcohol product, reach out to our team at Century Label. Call 800.537.9429 or contact us online today.

Wine Labels in the Digital Age: What You Should Know

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Wine may be one of the oldest existing libations in the world, but the way it's packaged in the digital era certainly has changed a lot since its humble beginnings. While it used to be sold in handmade clay bottles, most wine these days looks very similar. In fact, the wine label is frequently the only thing a consumer has to go on when deciding which wine to purchase.

Whether you’re selling in brick-and-mortar locations or online, you'll want to be up to date with wine labels and the way they've evolved in the digital age.

Unique Labeling Drives Impulse Purchases

People make most purchases (up to 75%) on impulse, and eye-catching labels and packaging motivate a high percentage of those impulse buys. Imagine being near the wine aisle and feeling overwhelmed by the hundreds of bottles on the shelves. A well-designed label can get an on-the-fence consumer to pick up your bottle, rather than just walking past the aisle.

RELATED ARTICLE: Why Wine Makers Must Include Sulfite on Labels

A simple, readable design, unique colors, and even novel texture can give your wine the edge it needs to catch that attention.

Brand Recognition and Confidence

Unique labeling for your wine increases brand recognition and consumer confidence at the same time. It also communicates what your brand is about. Even in keeping to simple designs, there is a lot of room for creativity in your marketing to allow you to communicate that you're responding to the needs and wants of your customers.

You might consider hand-drawn, whimsical designs for certain demographics or sleek and professional designs for others. Useful information, such as pairing suggestions, also draws consumers to your product. If your wine has an interesting origin story, be sure to integrate that into your label's design.

RELATED ARTICLE: Packaging: What Appeals to Customers

Eco-friendly labeling is another option to seriously consider, as it also communicates to your customer base that you care about the environment and are doing your part. This will further credibility and confidence in your brand.

Take Full Advantage of Technology

Re-conceiving your labels also gives the added benefit of being able to take advantage of the new technology that millions of consumers use every day. The use of augmented reality (AR) in your labels allows consumers to interact virtually with your product before they even purchase it. They can scan the label to get a virtual tour of the vineyard, for example, or unlock other features. AR labels give you the power to curate an enormous amount of content associated with your brand and connect you more closely with your customers.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 AR Labels That Shook the Industry

If you are considering updating your wine labeling for the digital age, contact Century Label. We are happy to walk you through the process, step-by-step.

Why Wine Makers Must Include Sulfite on Labels

It’s a long-standing myth that the sulfites in wine cause headaches. The reality is that many headaches associated with drinking wine result from dehydration, or failure to drink enough water before consuming wine. While this myth has been busted by scientific research, winemakers must still list sulfites as an ingredient on their labels.

What Are Sulfites?

Sulfites are chemical compounds that contain sulfur. Sulfites are naturally occurring substances found in many different foods, including dried fruits, black teas, eggs, peanuts, and many fermented foods. Sulfites are also commonly used as additives in different types of foods to prevent spoilage, including jellies, sausages, soft drinks, and pickled foods.

Sulfites in Winemaking

Any wine enthusiast knows that good wine takes a long time. Typically, the longer a wine ages, the deeper and more complex its flavor becomes. Winemakers use sulfites to slow the oxidization process and maintain their wines’ freshness. Sulfites also help prevent bacterial growth thanks to their antimicrobial properties.

Most wines contain a sulfite content of about five milligrams per liter up to about 200 milligrams per liter. In the United States, the legal limit for sulfite content is 350 milligrams per liter. For the sake of comparison, a high-quality dry red wine will have about 50 milligrams of sulfites per liter.

Acidic wines generally need lower sulfite content than less acidic wines. The higher the pH level of a wine, the less stable it is and therefore it needs more sulfites to maintain freshness. Wines with higher sugar content also need more sulfites to prevent a secondary fermentation from occurring in the sugar.

Why Must Winemakers Label Sulfites?

Ultimately, sulfites are harmless in small portions, but there is a section of the population that may be sensitive to sulfites. The standards set in the United States for the packaging and sale of food products require manufacturers to list any and all ingredients that may cause food allergies or adverse reactions.

If you are a winemaker who uses sulfites in the production of your wine, it is essential to include this sulfite content information on your wine bottles’ labels. Failure to do so could have your wine products removed from store shelves and may you even incur fines and other penalties. As you design your custom labels for your wine bottles, it’s vital to include all required information so you can sell your products with confidence.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Create the Perfect Wine Label

Century Label has decades of experience as a professional label printing service, and we have helped many companies create and produce high-quality labels that not only look and perform great, but also meet all compliance requirements under the law.

Contact Century Label today for more information about wine bottle labeling services and find out how we can help you.

How to Create the Perfect Wine Label

Wine making is a niche industry. Winemakers planning to make an impression with modern wine enthusiasts need the kind of marketing and brand image that appeals to a crowd that demands quality, originality, and value. That kind of top shelf marketing necessitates a type of thoughtfulness that other kinds of alcoholic drink marketing techniques don’t require. Because of this, wine labels need to be about more than just a logo; they need to both stand as something unique and as something that exemplifies the maker’s understanding of this product.

When it comes to designing a wine label, several crucial decisions need to be made that will eventually impact every potential customer’s relationship with that brand. Winemakers also need to make several decisions solely for the safety, quality, and shelf life of the product.

Visual Design for A Wine Label

For newly developed wines, it is imperative to design a new label that conveys the brand’s identity as well as the personality of the product.

Hip, younger brands looking to develop a more sophisticated wine may need to dial back on the usual visual flair for something more polished, but do so without sacrificing brand image. Similarly, something new and lighthearted added to a more high-end line of wines might feature bolder color choices and unconventional design elements—as long as it stays consistent with the overall brand aesthetic.

RELATED ARTICLE: Why Millennials Are Changing the Future of Wine

Ultimately, the visual design of a wine label comes down to brand identity. It is important to develop something that will resonate with the type of wine enthusiast the brand owner is trying to attract. Font, color palette and stylization all come down to the brand owner’s preferences for their unique brand identity.

Functional Wine Label Design

Wine labels do more than display brand imagery and report product information to the buyer. When it comes to wine, labels and bottle quality can help protect the product. For example, red wines require darker bottles to prevent oxidation from sun exposure. White wine makers bottle with clear bottles so buyers can see the purity and transparency of the product inside. A label design should flow with the type of bottle being used for the wine. For example, labels for red wine work well with darker bottles.

Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for wine label branding success.

4 AR Labels That Shook the Industry

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AR-enhanced living wine labels from 19 Crimes

The idea of using augmented reality (AR) to boost a product was, until recently, something only found in the world of Harry Potter. Now, businesses using AR for their labeling is a fairly common practice—and something that shows a real return on the investment.

How Does AR Work on a Product Label?

Current AR technology is possible with most modern smartphones. Using the device’s camera, an AR reader app scans the surrounding environment and enhances the display for the user. This technology has evolved tremendously in just a few short years; AR is making incredible strides in fields outside of marketing like medical training, education, public safety and product development. Today, AR labels can provide customers with real-time product demonstrations, supplemental information, previews of how products will look and function.

RELATED ARTICLE: Augmented Reality vs. QR Codes

AR Labeling Success Stories

Companies considering AR-enabled labels for their branded products should look at some of the most recent successful AR campaigns. Four of the most impressive AR label examples from recent years include:

• Buffalo Wild Wings. Everyone knows that Buffalo Wild Wings is a great place to enjoy good food and a game with friends and family. It’s also a great place for customers who enjoy tableside competitive games. Buffalo Wild Wings recently took tableside competitive games to the next level with an AR-enhanced viewing experience with the Big Shot Challenge for the NCAA Final Four.

• Lego. Kids of all ages have enjoyed building with Lego for years, and the company just took their experience to the next level with AR-enabled viewing screens in their brick-and-mortar store locations. When a customer carries a box over to an AR screen, the screen starts playing a real-time AR display of the Lego set coming together on top of the box.

• Red Bull. The Red Bull marketing team created the Red Bull Augmented Reality Racing game to provide customers with the unique experience of crafting their own digital racetracks using Red Bull cans, which they could then race using a smartphone or camera-enabled touchscreen device like an iPod Touch.

• 19 Crimes. Think of this as Pokémon Go for adults. The name of this wine refers to 18th century Britain and a list of crimes that were punishable by “transportation”—offenders were sent to live in Australia in lieu of suffering the death penalty. Some of these infractions include impersonating an Egyptian, stealing letters, and bigamy. Now, these “criminals” come to life and tell their side of the story through inventive AR labels. 

AR can offer surprising, memorable, and valuable experiences in countless ways. Virtually every modern smartphone has a camera, and developing an AR-enabled app is easier than one might expect.

RELATED ARTICLE: 3 Features of AR Packaging You May Not Be Considering

Capture Your Audience’s Attention with AR-Enabled Product Labels

Century Label has nearly 40 years of experience helping customers create beautiful, memorable labels for various industries and applications, and we can help you transform a traditional label into a living experience.

Our label design team will work closely with you to determine the best applications for AR technology in your product labels, taking you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques. Contact us today to learn more about AR-enabled labels and start thinking of the possibilities for your brand.

Why Millennials Are Changing the Future of Wine

Why should wine sellers start paying more attention to millennials? The wine industry generates about $62 billion every year, and millennials account for about 42% of wine sales. This is far too big a market for any wine company to ignore.

Unlike previous generations, millennials grew up with much easier access to wine. Not only are millennials more likely to purchase “cheap” wines like canned wine and bag-in-box wine, but they are generally more willing to go farther and spend more on imports, special blends, and exclusive runs of limited-edition wines.

Modern Consumers Need Modern Marketing

Modern millennials who enjoy wine are not following the “traditional” wine marketing methods; they spend more time looking at influencer content on social media. Instead of long-winded reviews from sommeliers and text-rich newsletters, millennials are more likely to pay attention to concise advertisements that get the point across quickly. Social media is absolutely crucial. Millennials prefer companies that offer adventure, human connection, and good stories.

Millennials are also more concerned with intrigue and adventure over expense and the appearance of luxury. Many California wine sellers report that their millennial customers aren’t interested in the expensive and exclusive vintage bottles; they’re more interested in something different than the usual handful of the most popular varieties.

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Millennials Love Labels That Pop

On top of social media marketing prowess, authentic advertising, and making personal connections through label branding, wine sellers also need to focus on aesthetics—namely, wine labels and marketing that grab millennials’ attention.

Research shows that front pack labels are the primary factor for a customer to determine the value of a product. One study using a group of millennials in Portland, Oregon found that these customers responded best to features such as label texture, colored sealing foil, label and bottle colors, font, simplicity, and iconography when choosing which wine to purchase.

The study found that wine bottles millennials thought offered the best value had de/embossment features on the label. Bottles millennials thought were “fine wines” were heavier, used foiling, and had textured labels.

Other research on which wine labels pop most to younger consumers found that bright colors–such as reds and oranges–are most attractive, along with other unique elements such as clever, creative, and stylish images. One study resulted in Twin Fin wine voted as the “Most Attractive.” The bottle boasted a colorful photo of a convertible on the beach, along with a bright orange cap.

The more colorful and interesting the label, the more it stands out to millennial wine shoppers. Women in particular prefer creative and eye-catching wine labels, while men responded more robustly to plain and less-colorful labels. Wine sellers can use this information to target a certain audience.

Furthermore, millennial survey respondents said that descriptions of aromas and flavors are the most important information to include on the back of a label. Awards the wine has won and climate information can also increase the odds of making a purchase, as could a romantic story of the wine’s origins (although this factor fell low on the list).

Many wine companies are using even more dramatic marketing methods with their labels. Incorporating humor has become increasingly effective for some brands, while others are using augmented reality as a way for consumers to interact digitally.

Ramping up your labeling and related marketing efforts will grab the right kind of attention from the shelf.

Wine Sellers Need to Change How They Stock Wine

A decade or so ago, many wine sellers could count on their usual varieties comprising the lion’s share of sales. Basic, safe choices typically made up about 70% of an average wine company’s sales, but that number is dwindling rapidly. Now, basic wine offerings may only make up about 30% of sales because millennials aren’t interested in the usual fare that was popular a decade ago. Millennials are making more adventurous wine selections. They want imports and exclusives, and wine sellers all over the country are taking notice.

Previous generations may have relied on wine critics to make their wine-purchasing decisions, but that is not the case for millennials. Modern wine companies need to offer something new, enticing, and adventurous to capture the attention of a young but very discerning market of wine lovers. They prefer authenticity over pretentiousness and often go right to the source and connect with wine companies, distributors, sommeliers, and social media influencers directly.

Modern wine marketers need to capitalize on this audience to capture the massive market share of the wine industry that millennial customers command. Millennials are not like previous generations that valued their wine based on the price paid for it. Marketers can succeed by showcasing sustainability, authenticity, and offering robust backstories to their smaller runs and cheaper wine offerings.

Let’s Get Started

The team at Century Label is ready to help you take your vision and apply it to your products. We will offer guidance to ensure that the proper high-quality printing techniques are used in order to preserve the integrity of your brand.

Our customer care specialists are standing by to make sure every order is exactly the way you imagined it, meeting your expectations. Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for wine label branding success.

Hanging with Style: Digital Neck Hangers Provide Marketing Flair

Tommy Johnston, regional sales manager, Easley Winery, Indianapolis, is a firm believer in creative ways of going to market. Neck hangers, printed digitally on one of the HP Indigo digital presses at Century Label, Bowling Green, OH, are part of his innovative approach to retailers and their customers. Johnston calls them “neckers.”

“The necker for our popular Reggae Red Wine was a co-op program in Ohio and Kentucky with Coconut Jack’s Coconut Rum,” he says. “It features the recipe for a drink called Reggae Jam that’s a mixture of the wine and coconut rum. We wanted people to pull the product off the shelf and it worked. The Neilsen rating in Ohio for dollars spent on this product has doubled.

“We forged a good partnership offering reasonably priced ingredients that are appealing to people. And, retailers want a one-stop shopping experience for customers to increase their ‘basket ring.’”

Launched in 1974 by Indianapolis attorney Jack Easley and his wife, Joan, the Easley Winery today remains a family business that makes more than 20 wines and Indiana champagne, plus mead and several fruit wines. Easley wines can be found in a selection of grocery and retail chains in a five-state area—including Giant Eagle, Kroger, Biggs, Marsh, Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and CVS.

New to Digital

“We’d never used digital printing before,” Johnston says. “It offered so much more than I expected. It allowed us to really merchandise our product and make it look top-of-the line. We’re thrilled with the quality and appreciate the fact that we only have to order what we want and need. We’re also passing out the neckers at trade shows as a takeaway.”

He also points out that neckers are a superb way to offer consumers more information. In addition to suggesting drink recipes or food pairings, neckers can carry the things like the wine’s point rating. “That stands out,” Johnston says.

Mary Ann Morse, a customer care representative at Century Label, points out that Easley was excited about being able to produce a bright colorful piece. “Given the cost of the number of plates, another process would have used to achieve this result, they would have had to go with a one- or two-color necker,” she says.

Century Label has over 30 years of award-winning printing experience, providing custom printed products to businesses and individuals nationwide. It has been using HP digital equipment for the past 10 years. Its current HP Indigo lineup, the webfed ws4500 and its new sheetfed 5500, provide the company with the ability to offer a wide range of specialty printing products and services. The company’s website devoted to showcasing its capabilities.

Local Colors

The HP Indigo press ws4500, which ran the Reggae Red neck hangers, is a high-productivity, cost-effective digital solution. Designed for high-volume 24/7 operation, it has an economic run length of 6,500 linear feet. It can print with IndiChrome and up to seven colors, including spot colors and white.

The HP Indigo digital press 5500 offers a wide color gamut, with up to seven-color printing. It has special and spot color capabilities, including new photo inks—light cyan and light magenta, digital matte, and brand colors—with the ability to print thick substrates.

Bob Petrie, Century’s vice president of wholesale marketing, says that although the new sheetfed Indigo’s first tasks have been fulfillment for the company’s WebChannel business, they are looking to print shorter run labels on this press. “We use the ws4500 as a production press,” Petrie notes. “However, we fully intend to look into also running pressure sensitives on the 5500.”

More neckers for Easley are also in the future for Century’s ws4500. Johnston says he’s planning one with a “going local” theme. “We’re in Indiana and the Midwest,” he says. “Why not support your local economy by buying locally?”

Article originally published in the April 6, 2010 Issue of Package Design Magazine. Article also reproduced here with permission from Package Design Magazine March 2010 issue (Vol. 8 No. 2).

Winning by a Neck

The neck hanger on Reggae Jam wine is printed on an HP Indigo digital press.

Image is No. 1 in importance in our business," says Tommy Johnston, sales and marketing director for Easley Winery of Indianapolis, IN, USA. "You first have to get the prospective customer to go to the shelf and pick up the bottle. If it passes muster by catching their eye, then price and the actual type of wine become important. Once they buy it and try it, they'll come back for more. We use a catchy necker on the bottle, which lets them find our particular wine quickly among dozens or more of other bottles. It just jumps out at them from the shelf."

Easley Winery is relatively young by winery standards but only because they're in Indiana, a state where holdover Prohibition laws made it illegal to make wine in the state until a group of would-be winery owners banded together and got the law amended in 1974. The Easleys have a vineyard on 14 acres in Southern Indiana and they buy from five other vineyards in Indiana and a few more in nearby Michigan.

Johnston is ecstatic over what he calls the necker, a digitally printed hang-tag that fits over the neck of the bottle and made by Century Label of Bowling Green, OH, USA. They used the necker for a co-op promotion on their highly popular Reggae Red, a sweet wine that won a gold medal at the Taster's Guild 2009 International Wine Competition. "We were recommending one part Coconut Jack's Coconut Rum with three parts of our Reggae Red as a great casual drink," Johnston said, "and the necker really contributed to successful sales."

Being a local winery, Easley has had some success with restaurants that want to go local, but conversely, being local sometimes makes it more difficult to get in on the menu in some establishments. Through promotions and persistence as well as the neckers, Easley now has its wines in a good many grocery and retail chains in a five-state area including Giant Eagle, Kroger, Biggs, Marsh, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, and CVS.

"We're already looking down the road to the next generation of neckers for the fall," Johnston said, "so we're ordering bamboo racks to tie in our Reggae Red with Coconut Jack's as an adjunct to the popular Corona beer line."

Johnston says that he'd recommend Century Label to anyone, "and I really appreciate what they've done for us. They are close enough for us to visit and exchange ideas, and their professionalism shines through. They provide us not only with reasonable quotes, but they also can turn out labels that are cost effective even in smaller quantities."

Robert Petrie, VP of wholesale marketing at Century, says, "Sales of the digitally printed neckers or hang tags are taking off, and are a great complement to our digitally printed wine bottle sleeves. Our digital printing capabilities enable us to do test marketing and trial runs very efficiently and effectively. We pride ourselves on prompt order fulfillment with fast turnaround times, incredible accuracy, and above all, customer satisfaction."

Century Label currently has significant sales in distribution markets throughout the United States, including label printers. "Our Wholesale Division has experienced tremendous growth in recent years," Petrie says. "This growth can be directly attributed to the personal, knowledgeable, experienced sales team we have, working with distributors to make sure their needs are met. We also have such a diverse body of equipment and printing techniques that we are able to offer nearly anything a distributor envisions in the label field from digital printing and hot stamping to digital die cutting and eco-friendly materials. It is our combination of industry experience, printing technology, and a committed team that understands our clients' concerns, that has made the Wholesale Division a success.”

Article by Larry Arway originally published in the October 7, 2009 Issue of Label & Narrow Web.