Category: Commercial Brand Protection

The right brand protection solutions to protect your product.

 

In a recent article, produced for Beauty Packaging, we introduced the shift in implementing security features to protect your products. There has always been a struggle between brand owners and marketing on where to place a security feature: on-product/in-product or on-package/in-package. The article served as a reminder that today’s technology, combined with the
right domain experience in ink technologies and printing techniques, expands the concept of how to protect products against counterfeiters. It highlighted that different areas of the business, like the marketing team and packaging engineers,
can feel confident that selected security features will not interfere with the packaging aesthetics or production.

Our latest discussion focuses on what is readily available to you and what you can learn about your products to make better business decisions. Two questions you want to be able to answer:

• Do the benefits of including security features create a positive ROI for the company?
• Does anyone in the company know how to properly estimate the costs of product adulteration or fraud?

A risk assessment strategy will help answer the above questions by revealing critical data points associated with your high-value products. This assessment will lead to a brand protection solution that is right for you. With the right brand protection solution, you can really ascertain how much your bottom line is impacted by counterfeit activities.

Play defense by using a multilayered approach

At Authentix, we have discovered that the most effective way to protect your branded products is by utilizing a multilayered approach which provides a combination of security features (overt, covert, forensic, digital). This provides a masterful defense against counterfeiting efforts, as detection can be done quickly in the field and enforcement can be rapid—thus limiting the exposure and extent of a problem. Let’s review the various solutions by security feature.

Overt security – holograms, specialty inks, color-shifting inks—features you can see without devices. Well-known effects include:

• Tamper-evident poly seals, shrink sleeves and induction seals
• Secure holography with image shift on angular variables (OVD)
• Security inks such as color-shifting inks—also known as optically variable inks (OVI)
• Specialty substrates such as UV- or IR-emitting security fibers
• Digital QR or other visible code
• Substrate or ink tactile effects
• Security graphics / overt complexity (print effects/varnish plate anomalies, etc.)

The global economic value of counterfeiting and piracy could reach US$2.3 trillion by 2022.
(Source: International Chamber of Commerce).

Covert security – Ultraviolet inks [UV], infrared [IR] inks, invisible taggants embedded in substrates, and inks with other specialized markers—features you can see only with proprietary devices. These features include:

• Thermally or magnetically activated inks
• Pantographs or anti-copy features
• Visually discernable microtext
• Scrambled indicia
• Coin-reactive inks

Visible Digital Codes with hidden secure graphics covert solutions—features are invisible to the average person but detected upon inspection by a trained individual utilizing a specific device.

• Invisible security inks activated by illumination in invisible spectral wavelengths
• Hidden images or digital watermarks
• Micro taggants (machine readable or visible on high magnification)
• Hidden microtext or micro printing
• Marks in die-cut profile
• Deliberate mistakes in small printing fonts or other marks

Forensic – Molecular taggants, DNA, nanoparticle coatings—features only detectable with laboratory equipment.

• Forensic markers
• DNA-type inks for forensic examination
• Spectrographic signature analysis

Digital – A host of solutions, which can include the above, relating to numeric values or digital symbology that enable users to look up related product authentication data either via the internet or through a proprietary localized database.

Most highly secure overt and covert inks available today are compatible with essentially all conventional or digital printing, and applicable on most substrates such as labels, seals, closures, etc. They are also customizable in a variety of colors and coating types.

A winning appearance

Today’s anti-counterfeiting and brand protection technology advancements embody the aesthetic qualities for which your brand is recognized. Beyond maintaining an attractive package on the shelf, it is important to understand what authentication features will satisfy the key stakeholders within your organization. And how will you be able to detect counterfeiting in the field and enforce the law when needed? All of these factors need to be considered and prioritized when working through the various options.

We understand the challenges you face and can help identify and rapidly implement the product security that makes sense. Our 25 years of experience have helped us to design our many technologies to seamlessly integrate within existing ecosystems, such as packaging, printing, manufacturing and other production partners, with the primary goal of limited disruption to existing processes. Contact us to get started.

Download the PDF

The right brand protection solutions to protect your product.

 

In a recent article produced for Beauty Packaging, we introduced the shift in implementing security features to protect your products. There has always been a struggle between brand owners and marketing on where to place a security feature: on-product/in-product or on-package/in-package. The article served as a reminder that today’s technology, combined with the
right domain experience in ink technologies and printing techniques, expands the concept of how to protect products against counterfeiters. It highlighted that different areas of the business, like the marketing team and packaging engineers,
can feel confident that selected security features will not interfere with the packaging aesthetics or production.

Our latest discussion focuses on what is readily available to you and what you can learn about your products to make better business decisions. Two questions you want to be able to answer:

• Do the benefits of including security features create a positive ROI for the company?
• Does anyone in the company know how to properly estimate the costs of product adulteration or fraud?

A risk assessment strategy will help answer the above questions by revealing critical data points associated with your high-value products. This assessment will lead to a brand protection solution that is right for you. With the right brand protection solution, you can really ascertain how much your bottom line is impacted by counterfeit activities.

Play defense by using a multilayered approach

At Authentix, we have discovered that the most effective way to protect your branded products is by utilizing a multilayered approach which provides a combination of security features (overt, covert, forensic, digital). This provides a masterful defense against counterfeiting efforts, as detection can be done quickly in the field and enforcement can be rapid—thus limiting the exposure and extent of a problem. Let’s review the various solutions by security feature.

Overt security – holograms, specialty inks, color-shifting inks—features you can see without devices. Well-known effects include:

• Tamper-evident poly seals, shrink sleeves and induction seals
• Secure holography with image shift on angular variables (OVD)
• Security inks such as color-shifting inks—also known as optically variable inks (OVI)
• Specialty substrates such as UV- or IR-emitting security fibers
• Digital QR or other visible code
• Substrate or ink tactile effects
• Security graphics / overt complexity (print effects/varnish plate anomalies, etc.)

The global economic value of counterfeiting and piracy could reach US$2.3 trillion by 2022.
(Source: International Chamber of Commerce).

Covert security – Ultraviolet inks [UV], infrared [IR] inks, invisible taggants embedded in substrates, and inks with other specialized markers—features you can see only with proprietary devices. These features include:

• Thermally or magnetically activated inks
• Pantographs or anti-copy features
• Visually discernable microtext
• Scrambled indicia
• Coin-reactive inks

Visible Digital Codes with hidden secure graphics covert solutions—features are invisible to the average person but detected upon inspection by a trained individual utilizing a specific device.

• Invisible security inks activated by illumination in invisible spectral wavelengths
• Hidden images or digital watermarks
• Micro taggants (machine readable or visible on high magnification)
• Hidden microtext or micro printing
• Marks in die-cut profile
• Deliberate mistakes in small printing fonts or other marks

Forensic – Molecular taggants, DNA, nanoparticle coatings—features only detectable with laboratory equipment.

• Forensic markers
• DNA-type inks for forensic examination
• Spectrographic signature analysis

Digital – A host of solutions, which can include the above, relating to numeric values or digital symbology that enable users to look up related product authentication data either via the internet or through a proprietary localized database.

Most highly secure overt and covert inks available today are compatible with essentially all conventional or digital printing, and applicable on most substrates such as labels, seals, closures, etc. They are also customizable in a variety of colors and coating types.

A winning appearance

Today’s anti-counterfeiting and brand protection technology advancements embody the aesthetic qualities for which your brand is recognized. Beyond maintaining an attractive package on the shelf, it is important to understand what authentication features will satisfy the key stakeholders within your organization. And how will you be able to detect counterfeiting in the field and enforce the law when needed? All of these factors need to be considered and prioritized when working through the various options.

We understand the challenges you face and can help identify and rapidly implement the product security that makes sense. Our 25 years of experience have helped us to design our many technologies to seamlessly integrate within existing ecosystems, such as packaging, printing, manufacturing and other production partners, with the primary goal of limited disruption to existing processes. Contact us to get started.

Download the PDF

Brand protection solutions that allow design and security features to live in harmony.

For the brand manager, packaging designer or packaging engineer, there are many factors to consider when designing new artwork, graphics and security for product packaging. Incorporating higher security and brand protection features into product packaging is becoming more of a priority for many companies because of the  ongoing threat of counterfeiting.

However, it is challenging to mix effective brand protection, great branding and regulatory needs into one design. With different stakeholders involved, there are numerous factors affecting the perspective:

• Ease of implementation into existing packaging and print lines
• Regulatory compliance
• Brand marketing preferences

Those same stakeholders can’t ignore that the resulting impact of consumer reaction can also be critical. How can brand owners navigate these challenges and satisfy multiple stakeholders, while enabling the necessary security features and maintaining the beautiful appearance desired? Today, implementing security or brand protection solutions is possible and the impact doesn’t have to be obtrusive to your packaging medium.

Why You Can’t Ignore the Need for Security

Counterfeit operations have evolved into large, well-funded, sophisticated organizations with their tentacles in multiple countries. They survive on easy access to technology and domain expertise to compete with legitimate and other counterfeit businesses.

Companies have learned (many the hard way) that not implementing product authentication solutions and monitoring for leakage adversely affects the bottom line and potentially the health and well-being of their loyal consumers. More specifically, brand owners have discovered that adding security features on packaging can greatly mitigate:

• Lost revenue and declining market share
• Patient or consumer safety and related liability
• Recalls due to product adulteration and fraud
• Long-term erosion of consumer confidence and brand value

Counterfeiting a branded product has become easier as the supply chain expands to a global model where product visibility decreases, resulting in more opportunities for illegal activities. For years, many consumers knew of counterfeiting in terms of fake designer handbags, clothing and jewelry. Now, more consumers are becoming aware of counterfeit beauty products such as makeup, hair products, sunscreen and more. Even ‘man’s best friend’ isn’t safe from counterfeit pet food, prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. (Source: Fake goods are not fake news, Denver Business Journal, Oct. 2018)

Flexible Security Features in Today’s Market

Product security has shifted in the last 30-35 years. In the 1980’s, the first mass deployed authentication feature, in the form of secure holography, began to show up in the industry. Early adopters were major pharmaceutical, wine/spirits and consumer electronics firms. Today, brand protection is on the radar of any company with a significant investment in high-end branded products.

Brand protection begins with the understanding that it is a process and not a product. A product undergoes the product life cycle stages: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. Brand protection as a process is a series of actions, changes and functions all directed toward the pursuit of a return on investment (ROI).

Different levels of security, varying ink technologies, and numerous covert and overt physical features can be applied to all types of packaging to challenge counterfeiters and help you stand out against your competition.

The first step of any brand protection platform is a risk assessment strategy based on the three risk dimensions: product-specific, geographic and supply chain. This then leads to solutions that match the needs recognized by that assessment.

When thinking about a multilayered approach, there are several elements to consider, starting with the type of packaging being used. The types of packaging range from flexible, barrier and decorative to promotional, rigid or dispensing. Keep in mind that no matter the type of packaging, there is an appropriate security feature to apply.

One approach in a  multilayered solution is to utilize visible color-shifting inks with hidden machine-readable covert components within the ink blend (incorporate photo of our folding carton). The overt feature is a recognizable first line of defense, while the covert elements ensure evidence of authenticity. Even deeper, a molecular level marker can be added to create a forensic and court-defensible component. Most higher-security overt and covert inks are available in a wide variety of printing capabilities, including digital, offset, rotary and flexographic, and are hard to reproduce.  These solutions are applicable to most substrates and customization is available in a variety of colors and coating types.

Brand Protection with Good Design—All Stakeholders Benefit

Today’s brand owners have more security choices than ever before, and should realize there are effective ways to combine brand protection, great branding and regulatory needs into one design. With domain guidance and expertise, brand owners can leverage the right functional authentication feature combination that also satisfies key stakeholders within the organization. Some of the most common interests and outcomes sought by primary stakeholders are:

• Brand Protection: Desire to protect a product (brand) against counterfeiters, diversion and illicit trade. The solutions that help detect, quantify and remediate through one or more enforceable actions create a positive return on investment for the company.
• Packaging: Security solution that won’t slow down the production line or existing process. Be sure to consider the effects of implementation before selecting the solution, including graphic design, printing processes, manufacturing processes, and risk to production interruption or delays.
• Marketing: Features that don’t take away from the aesthetics of the artwork or design. The marketing department has worked hard to come up with the preferred design, color schemes and budget considerations for packaging – therefore, it’s best to only make minimal changes when adding security features to the brand.

The challenge of incorporating effective brand protection with great branding has gotten easier with the flexibility of multilayered authentication solutions. These solutions won’t jeopardize the look of the packaging; in fact, they can add to the product appeal.

Download PDF Here

Brand protection solutions that allow design and security features to live in harmony.

For the brand manager, packaging designer or packaging engineer, there are many factors to consider when designing new artwork, graphics and security for product packaging. Incorporating higher security and brand protection features into product packaging is becoming more of a priority for many companies because of the  ongoing threat of counterfeiting.

However, it is challenging to mix effective brand protection, great branding and regulatory needs into one design. With different stakeholders involved, there are numerous factors affecting the perspective:

• Ease of implementation into existing packaging and print lines
• Regulatory compliance
• Brand marketing preferences

Those same stakeholders can’t ignore that the resulting impact of consumer reaction can also be critical. How can brand owners navigate these challenges and satisfy multiple stakeholders, while enabling the necessary security features and maintaining the beautiful appearance desired? Today, implementing security or brand protection solutions is possible and the impact doesn’t have to be obtrusive to your packaging medium.

Why You Can’t Ignore the Need for Security

Counterfeit operations have evolved into large, well-funded, sophisticated organizations with their tentacles in multiple countries. They survive on easy access to technology and domain expertise to compete with legitimate and other counterfeit businesses.

Companies have learned (many the hard way) that not implementing product authentication solutions and monitoring for leakage adversely affects the bottom line and potentially the health and well-being of their loyal consumers. More specifically, brand owners have discovered that adding security features on packaging can greatly mitigate:

• Lost revenue and declining market share
• Patient or consumer safety and related liability
• Recalls due to product adulteration and fraud
• Long-term erosion of consumer confidence and brand value

Counterfeiting a branded product has become easier as the supply chain expands to a global model where product visibility decreases, resulting in more opportunities for illegal activities. For years, many consumers knew of counterfeiting in terms of fake designer handbags, clothing and jewelry. Now, more consumers are becoming aware of counterfeit beauty products such as makeup, hair products, sunscreen and more. Even ‘man’s best friend’ isn’t safe from counterfeit pet food, prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. (Source: Fake goods are not fake news, Denver Business Journal, Oct. 2018)

Flexible Security Features in Today’s Market

Product security has shifted in the last 30-35 years. In the 1980’s, the first mass deployed authentication feature, in the form of secure holography, began to show up in the industry. Early adopters were major pharmaceutical, wine/spirits and consumer electronics firms. Today, brand protection is on the radar of any company with a significant investment in high-end branded products.

Different levels of security, varying ink technologies, and numerous covert and overt physical features can be applied to all types of packaging to challenge counterfeiters and help you stand out against your competition.

Brand protection begins with the understanding that it is a process and not a product. A product undergoes the product life cycle stages: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. Brand protection as a process is a series of actions, changes and functions all directed toward the pursuit of a return on investment (ROI).

The first step of any brand protection platform is a risk assessment strategy based on the three risk dimensions: product-specific, geographic and supply chain. This then leads to solutions that match the needs recognized by that assessment.

When thinking about a multilayered approach, there are several elements to consider, starting with the type of packaging being used. The types of packaging range from flexible, barrier and decorative to promotional, rigid or dispensing. Keep in mind that no matter the type of packaging, there is an appropriate security feature to apply.

One approach in a  multilayered solution is to utilize visible color-shifting inks with hidden machine-readable covert components within the ink blend (incorporate photo of our folding carton). The overt feature is a recognizable first line of defense, while the covert elements ensure evidence of authenticity. Even deeper, a molecular level marker can be added to create a forensic and court-defensible component. Most higher-security overt and covert inks are available in a wide variety of printing capabilities, including digital, offset, rotary and flexographic, and are hard to reproduce.  These solutions are applicable to most substrates and customization is available in a variety of colors and coating types.

Brand Protection with Good Design—All Stakeholders Benefit

Today’s brand owners have more security choices than ever before, and should realize there are effective ways to combine brand protection, great branding and regulatory needs into one design. With domain guidance and expertise, brand owners can leverage the right functional authentication feature combination that also satisfies key stakeholders within the organization. Some of the most common interests and outcomes sought by primary stakeholders are:

• Brand Protection: Desire to protect a product (brand) against counterfeiters, diversion and illicit trade. The solutions that help detect, quantify and remediate through one or more enforceable actions create a positive return on investment for the company.
• Packaging: Security solution that won’t slow down the production line or existing process. Be sure to consider the effects of implementation before selecting the solution, including graphic design, printing processes, manufacturing processes, and risk to production interruption or delays.
• Marketing: Features that don’t take away from the aesthetics of the artwork or design. The marketing department has worked hard to come up with the preferred design, color schemes and budget considerations for packaging – therefore, it’s best to only make minimal changes when adding security features to the brand.

The challenge of incorporating effective brand protection with great branding has gotten easier with the flexibility of multilayered authentication solutions. These solutions won’t jeopardize the look of the packaging; in fact, they can add to the product appeal.

Download PDF Here