Greg Hrinya, Associate Editor07.06.15
The labels adorning various containers of face moisturizer and mascara are set for a smart redesign. As the industry sees expansion with NFC technology, consumers will have the opportunity to go beyond the label in cosmetics packaging. In this case, beauty is not only skin deep.
Thinfilm, an industry leader in printed electronics, rewritable memory and smart labels, will showcase its OpenSense technology in the cosmetics industry. These smart labels feature interactive packaging that can transmit information to users with the tap of an NFC device. The technology involves more than just informing consumers about product information, which can include videos and coupons.
“We manufacture electronic components and systems through printing, instead of traditional methods, where silicon-based materials are produced in a very expensive fabrication plant,” explained Bill Cummings, vice president of marketing and communications at Thinfilm. “There are a number of reasons why a paradigm shift is needed if we are to diffuse just enough intelligence out into the market so we can make everyday items – like cosmetics - smart.”
Thinfilm’s NFC technology chronicles the sealed and opened state of the products, which has various security and safety benefits. OpenSense can detect when the product was opened and help make sure consumers are not using expired products. The tamper-evident features also let users know if the product’s original seal has been broken.
“In cosmetics, for example, I read an article recently where a global cosmetics leader had a brand portfolio that distributed through Target stores,” said Cummings. “It was a relatively higher end product line, and the manufacturer discovered that counterfeit product was making its way into the distribution chain and into Target stores. A product like OpenSense, incorporated into a cosmetics brand and delivering authentication messaging to a smart phone, would give buyers some added confidence that the product they’re buying is genuine.”
The ability the track an item’s date of opening has health and safety benefits, as well. “I learned that the ingredients in mascara have a shelf life,” said Cummings. “Once you open it and break that seal, the clock starts ticking. Older product can cause irritation, and bacteria that gets into a tube as a result of multiple applications can cause even more problems and create safety issues. That’s something that’s top of mind for cosmetic brands.”
Educating the consumers is the next step for Thinfilm. Cummings believes that it is important to let customers know that they can access product information–including the date of opening–by tapping their smart phones to the packaging. With NFC, reminders can also be sent out that the product is no longer optimal or has reached its expiration date. For example, if a mascara tube is used over the course of three months, customers can be reached via notification at around 2.5 months that the product is nearing expiration. All of this information can subsequently be stored in the cloud, perhaps to remind customers to buy new products or recommend other choices based on past purchases. A specific eye shadow might be recommended to match a certain shade of lipstick.
The smart labels can be printed with various forms of conventional printing, including flexo and offset. The passive tags feature a 13.56 MHz High Frequency (HF) operation and require no battery. “We’re using traditional print methods featuring roll-to-roll processing to generate ultra-high volumes and get unit price points down,” said Cummings. “These tags are unforgeable and laser-encoded with a unique ID, which makes every product trackable to the individual-item level.”
According to Cummings, China has seen a tremendous explosion in counterfeit goods. Some reports say that up to 70% of the wine in the commercial market is fake, and there are similar issues in the cosmetics field. The embedded NFC OpenSense smart tag, which cannot be reproduced, has the ability to authenticate the product all along the supply chain – from the factory to the retail shelf, thus verifying it as a legitimate good.
Thinfilm’s product has gained some early traction in the cosmetics market. According to Cummings, many of the leading global cosmetics companies have displayed interest. “There’s no doubt that applications related to counterfeiting, product security and consumer engagement rank very high on the list of many cosmetics and health and beauty companies,” added Cummings.
According to the recently published “Cosmetics Packaging Market Forecast 2015-2025,” the packaging is seen as a “secret salesman” in this growing industry. Competition for shelf space and product design can further be enhanced with additional ways to reach the customer that go beyond traditional packaging methods. It is also predicted that the industry will see steady growth through the next decade, with China experiencing the most significant. India and the US will also experience this upward trend. Sustainability and quicker turnaround demands are two other trends expected to increase in the coming years.
One of the other benefits of NFC technology is it lacks the intrusiveness present with other forms of communication like Bluetooth and i-beacons. “As you walk around, they have the ability to infiltrate your personal space and send you messages,” said Cummings. “Many don’t like that from a security standpoint and from a privacy standpoint.”
As smart technology becomes more common in everyday industries, such as cosmetics, wine and spirits, and even disposable items like coffee cups, Cummings said the label price will ultimately dictate how quickly it takes hold. Thinfilm anticipates that NFC-enhanced labels can be used with ordinary disposable items–estimated at over one trillion–in flexible packaging, cosmetics and wearables. Price points were previously too high to incorporate this technology into disposable items like shampoo bottles, lipstick and chapstick, and makeup containers.
“I think the pervasiveness has to do with the ability to scale electronics and get price points of these smart labels and NFC tags down to the point where it makes economic sense to incorporate them into everyday items,” he explained. “In that regard, we believe smart technology is very much going to be a part of life in the very near future and beyond. And we believe printed electronics technology will help make it a reality.”
For more pictures, click here for the slideshow.
Thinfilm, an industry leader in printed electronics, rewritable memory and smart labels, will showcase its OpenSense technology in the cosmetics industry. These smart labels feature interactive packaging that can transmit information to users with the tap of an NFC device. The technology involves more than just informing consumers about product information, which can include videos and coupons.
“We manufacture electronic components and systems through printing, instead of traditional methods, where silicon-based materials are produced in a very expensive fabrication plant,” explained Bill Cummings, vice president of marketing and communications at Thinfilm. “There are a number of reasons why a paradigm shift is needed if we are to diffuse just enough intelligence out into the market so we can make everyday items – like cosmetics - smart.”
Thinfilm’s NFC technology chronicles the sealed and opened state of the products, which has various security and safety benefits. OpenSense can detect when the product was opened and help make sure consumers are not using expired products. The tamper-evident features also let users know if the product’s original seal has been broken.
“In cosmetics, for example, I read an article recently where a global cosmetics leader had a brand portfolio that distributed through Target stores,” said Cummings. “It was a relatively higher end product line, and the manufacturer discovered that counterfeit product was making its way into the distribution chain and into Target stores. A product like OpenSense, incorporated into a cosmetics brand and delivering authentication messaging to a smart phone, would give buyers some added confidence that the product they’re buying is genuine.”
The ability the track an item’s date of opening has health and safety benefits, as well. “I learned that the ingredients in mascara have a shelf life,” said Cummings. “Once you open it and break that seal, the clock starts ticking. Older product can cause irritation, and bacteria that gets into a tube as a result of multiple applications can cause even more problems and create safety issues. That’s something that’s top of mind for cosmetic brands.”
Educating the consumers is the next step for Thinfilm. Cummings believes that it is important to let customers know that they can access product information–including the date of opening–by tapping their smart phones to the packaging. With NFC, reminders can also be sent out that the product is no longer optimal or has reached its expiration date. For example, if a mascara tube is used over the course of three months, customers can be reached via notification at around 2.5 months that the product is nearing expiration. All of this information can subsequently be stored in the cloud, perhaps to remind customers to buy new products or recommend other choices based on past purchases. A specific eye shadow might be recommended to match a certain shade of lipstick.
The smart labels can be printed with various forms of conventional printing, including flexo and offset. The passive tags feature a 13.56 MHz High Frequency (HF) operation and require no battery. “We’re using traditional print methods featuring roll-to-roll processing to generate ultra-high volumes and get unit price points down,” said Cummings. “These tags are unforgeable and laser-encoded with a unique ID, which makes every product trackable to the individual-item level.”
According to Cummings, China has seen a tremendous explosion in counterfeit goods. Some reports say that up to 70% of the wine in the commercial market is fake, and there are similar issues in the cosmetics field. The embedded NFC OpenSense smart tag, which cannot be reproduced, has the ability to authenticate the product all along the supply chain – from the factory to the retail shelf, thus verifying it as a legitimate good.
Thinfilm’s product has gained some early traction in the cosmetics market. According to Cummings, many of the leading global cosmetics companies have displayed interest. “There’s no doubt that applications related to counterfeiting, product security and consumer engagement rank very high on the list of many cosmetics and health and beauty companies,” added Cummings.
According to the recently published “Cosmetics Packaging Market Forecast 2015-2025,” the packaging is seen as a “secret salesman” in this growing industry. Competition for shelf space and product design can further be enhanced with additional ways to reach the customer that go beyond traditional packaging methods. It is also predicted that the industry will see steady growth through the next decade, with China experiencing the most significant. India and the US will also experience this upward trend. Sustainability and quicker turnaround demands are two other trends expected to increase in the coming years.
One of the other benefits of NFC technology is it lacks the intrusiveness present with other forms of communication like Bluetooth and i-beacons. “As you walk around, they have the ability to infiltrate your personal space and send you messages,” said Cummings. “Many don’t like that from a security standpoint and from a privacy standpoint.”
As smart technology becomes more common in everyday industries, such as cosmetics, wine and spirits, and even disposable items like coffee cups, Cummings said the label price will ultimately dictate how quickly it takes hold. Thinfilm anticipates that NFC-enhanced labels can be used with ordinary disposable items–estimated at over one trillion–in flexible packaging, cosmetics and wearables. Price points were previously too high to incorporate this technology into disposable items like shampoo bottles, lipstick and chapstick, and makeup containers.
“I think the pervasiveness has to do with the ability to scale electronics and get price points of these smart labels and NFC tags down to the point where it makes economic sense to incorporate them into everyday items,” he explained. “In that regard, we believe smart technology is very much going to be a part of life in the very near future and beyond. And we believe printed electronics technology will help make it a reality.”
For more pictures, click here for the slideshow.