Who let the Copy out? Who?

Who let the Copy out? Who?

Pack Copy issues is one of the major reasons for artwork rejections. It needs to have the below 3 attributes before its released. 

Pack Copy needs to be 

• Complete 
• Approved 
• Consistent 

Complete Copy 

Getting Copy ready for packaging artworks is a collaborative effort of multiple department users. R&D, Marketing, Packaging, Legal and Regulatory departments are usually involved in finalizing the copy content. If you are a retailer with a private label, your supplier may have to share product copy related to ingredients, nutrition and allergens. It’s also important that each content contributor has visibility into the overall copy content and not just their own, so that feedback and opinions can be shared freely. 

Copy content is not just about the text, but also about how this text ends up on the pack. So to make it complete, the following additional information must also be specified 

• Text attributes – which text needs to be in bold, italics, underlined, etc. 
• Location of the text – first on which component (primary, secondary or tertiary packaging) and secondly, where on the artwork (bottom of PDP, in the information panel, etc.) 

Any other instructions for the translation agency or the design & pre-press agency must also be part of the Pack Copy. 

Approved Copy 

Copy review may be confined within the same department or could be across departments. E.g. a marketing claim may be suggested by the Marketing team and reviewed by the Legal team. Pack Copy may also go through multiple versions before its approved. Visibility and ability to track these changes as the Copy changes is important. Audit log of who added the content and who approved the content must be maintained.  

Certain approved Pack Copy may have to change based on other Copy content. So the ability to ‘Unapprove’ and reroute it again for edit and approval is important. This is why visibility into the whole Pack Copy is important to minimize changes in one text due to another. 

Pack Copy for new products may go to senior management for approval. Ability to see all the department approvals and history of text changes is important to obtain a quick approval.  

Attachment of files that substantiate claims or confirm proof of compliance is important for Copy approval. E.g. an Organic product claim might require a proof of this claim from a 3rd party. So each Copy text must have a way to attach and link files. 

Consistent Copy 

Consistent Copy is important from a branding point of view. Customers expect a certain level of accuracy and consistency in the Pack Copy. 

One product could have many SKUs, variants and adaptations. The same product might also be sold in different markets with different languages on the pack. Is your Pack Copy consistent across all of these?  

Brand guidelines are one of the areas of consistency that must be checked when creating Copy. Adhering to brand guidelines makes sure that Pack Copy does not create inconsistency compared to marketing copy on other platforms. 

Your copy is your brand voice. After engaging with your business on social media, through your advert., etc., your customers are going to be used to hearing a specific voice from you on the Product Packaging also. They want to keep hearing that voice, not unexpectedly read a new brand voice.  

Let’s take away your brand colors, fonts, and images from your packaging. Can your customers still see you? If yes, then you have nailed your Copy and its consistent with your copy and branding in other platforms. 

This consistency is what your customer relationship is built on—so make it a strong foundation.  

Reach out to our team to show you how easy managing artworks can be.