FDBusiness.com

To increase shelf appeal and consumer interest for its new addition to the Malibu family, France-based beverage manufacturer Pernod Ricard looked to Eastman Chemical Company and Embrace copolyester when creating labels for Malibu Red, a rum and tequila liqueur. Embrace offers superior clarity and high gloss to showcase graphics as well as eye-catching 360-degree graphic capabilities and high print definition for maximum shelf appeal.
Pernod Ricard wanted to maintain a consistent brand image with its other products while developing a unique look and feel to grab consumer attention on the shelves. Eastman Embrace copolyester helps differentiate products by promoting brand image, increasing sales, attracting consumer attention and encouraging brand loyalty.
“Malibu Red is pushing the boundaries of existing categories so we wanted a groundbreaking design,” says Valérie Chhoeu, global brand manager, Malibu. “Unlike the traditional opaque white sleeve and bottle Malibu is known for, the see-through sleeve and silver and red colors bring a modern, premium feel to the Malibu Red bottle.”

Tough material, bold colors
The toughness, clarity and printability of Eastman Embrace copolyester made it a good fit for the label’s high-end look and feel. To achieve the mirror-image, metallic silver and red look, the image was reverse-printed on the clear, water-like label to bring out bold colors and enhance graphics. Embrace allows for surface printing with existing technology and without special pretreatment.
“The shrink memory of Eastman Embrace copolyester is ideal for the bottle, which has a long base and a short, narrow neck,” says Alan Wolk, vp of innovation and technical support with Gilbreth, a subsidiary of Cenveo Corporation and a shrink sleeve label manufacturer in Croydon, PA, which prints Malibu Red bottle labels. “The print characteristics of Embrace marry perfectly with the bottle.”
Eastman Embrace copolyester has greater than 75 percent ultimate shrinkage, making shrinkage around the neck possible. In addition, with its maximum shrinkage potential and ability to shrink around highly contoured or complex containers, brand owners can potentially eliminate secondary packaging, such as tamper-evident bands and plastic rings, when using Embrace.
“Packaging drives sales and attracts consumer attention on retailer shelves,” says Ronnie Little, market development manager, specialty plastics packaging, Eastman Chemical Company. “We are pleased the Eastman Embrace family of resins can provide opportunities to enhance brand experience through increased functionality and sustainable packaging.”
Recipe for success
The result of this collaboration with Eastman, Malibu and Gilbreth is a product with a high-end, vibrant label that gives a distinctive shelf presence and differentiates itself from competitive products.
“A consumer makes a purchase decision within just a few seconds, and eye-catching graphics on a product is one way to get their immediate attention,” says Wolk.
Malibu Red is currently available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, South Africa and the Netherlands.