Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/197178
INFORMATION INTEGRATION Not only are producers and designers going wild with adventurous graphics and images, they're even incorporating the legal requirements, such as the UPC barcode and government warnings, into the design in ways that couldn't be done with a paper label, said Brent Bamberger, marketing manager at Monvera. "We had a product that used a knockout style with a lot of stick figures and they integrated the UPC code into the stick figures so that it looked like it was part of the artwork," he explained. Screen printing also removes some of the production and shipping headaches that come with using paper labels, suppliers noted. For one thing, there's no labeling machine required. If there's breakage during shipping, there aren't any paper labels on intact bottles that will get destroyed; screenprinted bottles can simply be wiped off. The label also won't tear, wrinkle or stain, and the ink won't scratch off because it's embedded into the glass grains. If the bottle neck is screen-printed, a capsule isn't needed. "We'd had several winemakers come to us because they're fed up from the production side of paper labels, worrying about adhesive or pressure-sensitive labels wrinkling or fogging up," Bergin said. Best of all, according to Monvera's Anderson, is seeing the way people react to a beautifully printed bottle; they hold it like it's a piece of art. "When we hand a potential customer a sample bottle we've already printed, they automatically start turning the bottle around in hand and look at the entire label," she said. "Don't you want your customer to do that, too? The longer they hold the bottle, the more likely they are to make that purchase, and certainly the label has a huge impact on that decision." Danielle Beurteaux is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, N.Y., who writes about drinks, business, investing and technology for national magazines and websites. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. Advertise Now Online & In Print 104 V I N EYA R D & WINE RY M ANAGEM ENT | Nov - Dec 2013 707.577.7700 w w w. v wm m e d i a . c o m