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5 ways package designers use digital systems to improve projects By Linda Casey Artico, Daymon Design, Hewlett-Packard, Kaleidoscope, Karstedt Partners, LLC, Kodak, Logotech, Inc., OpenText Corp., To re-invigorate their brands, consumer packaged goods companies are tapping into consumer thirst for choice. The result is a surge of niche and seasonal products that’s pushing the number of packaged goods higher. Last year marked nearly a decade of double-digit, year-on-year SKU growth, according to printing industry and consulting firm Karstedt Partners, LLC (New York, NY). While brands may have more SKUs, they’re not necessarily selling as many products in each SKU. Lower-volume SKUs require smaller package printing jobs, challenging designers to amortize the cost of new creative for these products over a shorter print run. Lucky for them, digital technologies that support design have also grown. Here are five ways package designers and consumer packaged goods companies are benefiting from digital technologies. 1. Calling off the hunt A common way for packaged food companies to expand their product offerings is to add more varieties under proven product lines. This process clearly offers built-in product manufacturing efficiencies, but it can also be a challenge for designers to extend the product lines visual consistency especially when the other packages (and their product photography) were completed months or even years ago. According to Chris Powell, senior manager of imagery for strategic branding firm Daymon Design (Stamford, CT), the fly in the ointment might be something as modest as a simple white bowl. He explains that product photography props (such as a bowl) can be difficult to identify and match with those used in previous photo shoots for the same product line. “We have got 50 white bowls,” says Powell. “And believe me, they are all slightly different.” But making sure that the same white bowl is used for all flavors is a lot easier since Daym