UNI Packaging and Oui3 ‘MyFlex’ to bring personalization and interactive design closer together
Codenamed ‘MyFlex’ the details of the project will be announced in Q1 2016 ‘to move UNI Packaging into a different arena compared to other European flexible packaging providers’.
Lakeland Bake, Nevis Bakery, Strathmore Foods
Gary Haston MD, Oui3, told BakeryandSnacks, in future, people will demand their packs connect to a product, and it is working with UNI Packaging’s own client base to realize that potential as an extension of its design studio.
“We are working together to be more adaptable to the digital space and looking to turn around design schemes in four weeks because that’s what the market requires. We are an ongoing service to UNI Packaging,” he said.
“The next stage is designing a website for Digiflex and ‘MyFlex’, which will create a new relationship between printer, designer and client.
“Customers still think about price per pack but that has to change to price per product. With Digiflex the product itself starts to have a personality to make the brand stand out.”
Oui3 was formed 10 years ago as a partnership between flexible printer and designer. UNI Packaging became a majority shareholder as an extension of its existing creative team. It offers clients brand concepts to final product, via a service driven approach rather than production or price driven approach ‘to create a long lasting client supplier bond’.
Oui3 clients include Lakeland Bake, Nevis Bakery, Strathmore Foods, Thomsons Coffee and Wily Worms, to name a few and it recently launched a pack design for McIntosh of Strathmore ‘Macaroni Snackpots’ for ASDA.
'Timescales and attitudes are changing'
“There are many reasons why a roll-out of a brand takes a long time, but that doesn’t negate the fact the world is changing and timescales and attitudes are changing,” said Haston.
“The instant answer is becoming very much the desired response. The customer wants to have a say now and be involved in their brand’s process. We are thinking along those lines to get the customer more involved in the design process.”
According to Haston, a lot of designers are used to designing print for paper but what can be achieved for plastic is completely different.
“We understand the benefits and limitations of flexible packaging,” he said.
“We are a small team of seven, who work on three levels; brand communication; brand packaging; digital and interactive.
“With Digiflex, packaging is easily controllable by the client, it allows them to build brand stories, it’s flexible, nimble, quick to use, and drives the process.
“Digiflex should be seen as a brand opportunity provider not just a production process because it changes the conversation between client, consumer and retailer.”
