Innovative packaging for tobacco products

Challenge

Advertising through traditional channels is highly regulated in the tobacco industry. Packaging is a key way for companies to differentiate their products. Novel carton design can go further than simple graphical enhancements to reinvigorate brands by encouraging customers to share and discuss the novelty of the new package. The key is finding the enhancements that will be accepted by the consumer before moving toward mass production.

Solution

ITCM applied its disciplined risk managed process to the design of a new carton with distinctive branding. The new package included a feature to reinforce an existing and very recognisable component of the brand. Beginning with the new product development stage ITCM crafted the blanks required to form the carton and was able to retrofit existing machinery to assemble and fill the cigarette pack. At this stage, the customer decided to conduct market trials in three different European markets and we were able to support the low-volume, high-quality manufacturing required.

Benefits

Within 9 months of the initial concept market trials were conducted. While the product has not been launched to a broader market, the quick development effectively managed risk. Concept quickly became reality. Both ITCM and the customer have learned from this project and have yet more experience with new and novel packages. This package included 3 components for the blank, though an additional cutting operation after assembly created four distinct components. Innovations developed for this pack will be useful for future applications.