With the speed of packaging innovation gathering pace, we take a look at the next big thing in smart packaging, and explore what it means for 21st century brands and their consumers.

It’s a truth widely acknowledged that in today’s fast-paced world, digital reigns supreme. In the world of packaging, this is certainly the case. Today, a quick scan of a soft drink or packet of chips in the supermarket aisle can provide consumers with a brand’s product information as well as current promotions, and even enable full-blown conversations between brand and consumer.

In recognition of the huge potential of smart packaging, Amcor, in partnership with Kezzler, launched MaXQ, an end-to-end digital packaging system designed to take advantage of a captive digital audience, and drive consumer engagement and loyalty in the process.

MaXQ allows brands to personalise the experience by creating dynamic codes that can be used for consumer engagement, anti-counterfeiting, and track and trace. The possibilities – in terms of consumer experience, brand marketing and brand safety – are endless.

The digital revolution's impact on the customer

One advantage of this is the opportunity for brands to tailor offers to products that are already displayed in stores. A brand owner, for example, might want to respond to a competitor’s promotion in a local region: using a mass serialisation product like MaXQ, they can activate on-pack codes in specific locations and launch a new marketing campaign in the same region as their competitor. They can also build expand gifting opportunities and create new ways to actively interact with consumers and create engaging communities. The technology allows savvy brands to jump on trends, news stories and sports fixtures with timely promotions – moment marketing at its finest.

MaXQ’s technology also means that the labelling is no longer time-sensitive. Packaging and labels can be manufactured and stored as they are now, but have a longer shelf-life because codes are not activated until the time of filling. This has many advantages, which include counterfeit prevention, tax and duty verification, and food safety. With the latter, mass serialisation allows consumers – identified through MaXQ’s integration with store loyalty cards – to be messaged immediately in the event of a product recall.