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Produced by Packaging Strategies, a BNP Media publication

Welcome Reception

Co-Keynote Presentations
Remarks by Joseph Pryweller, Editor/Conference Director, Packaging Strategies

The Quest for Better Packaging: An Exploration of Upcoming Trends and Technologies in Package Development
Chip Tonkin, Director, Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics, Clemson University

The Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics has been a driving force in the development of new packaging materials, processes and technology development since it opened in 2009 at Clemson University. Chip Tonkin, the institute's director, will take attendees on a journey of discovery in a wide range of packaging development disciplines, including structural attributes, material attributes and environmental needs. This presentation promises to deliver a fascinating behind-the-scenes look from a prominent research institute on the emergence of packaging development for the 21st century. 

How to KISS Innovation (keep it simple stupid)
Ronald deVlam, C.E.O. and Global Managing Partner, Webb deVlam

It's no secret that innovation plays an integral role in the success of some of the biggest brands and businesses today. In 'How to KISS Innovation,' Ronald de Vlam, CEO of Webb deVlam, one of the world's best-known brand strategy and structural design firms, will prove that innovation is really easier than you think.

By looking at innovation as a bespoke creative process, Ronald will explore how brand designers can successfully exceed client expectations and project objectives, while sharing innovation strategies that have resulted groundbreaking designs for clients like P&G and Valspar.

Structural Packaging: Containing Products and Building Brands
Scott Young, President, Perception Research Services 

Not only must packaging structures contain, transport and dispense product, they must also succeed as brand communicators. Done well, the structure identifies the brand, stands apart from competition and provides compelling differences.

For this session, one of the nation's top packaging research firms will discuss how package structures help marketers win at retail. Attendees will earn how manufacturers are using structural packaging to connect with shoppers; build brand image and impressions; and enhance functional benefits, brand recognition and sustainability.

Case Studies in Success: Rapid Refresh in 28 Weeks - An "Idea to Tool"
Christopher Yows, Business Unit Manager, R&D/Leverage
Patrick George, Director of Engineering, Dr Pepper Snapple Group

This joint presentation will introduce a new approach to structural brand development by deeply integrating consumer research, design, engineering and implementation functions. Christopher and Patrick will touch on innovative methods used in understanding how consumers literally 'feel' a brand. You will hear firsthand how results of the applied methods were translated into actionable insights and then incorporated into form development.

The presentation doesn't stop there as it continues downstream into the implementation phase where the "Idea to Tool" process comes into play. Finally, a quantitative perspective is introduced and used to validate the previous qualitative methods. All of this is wrapped-up in the introduction of a national launch for Dr. Pepper Snapple that touches on a return-on-investment (ROI) output for the program.

Co-Creation is the future of structural packaging design. Going at it alone won't work anymore. Brand owners who do not embrace the integration of upstream-to-downstream competencies will not be fast, comprehensive and flexible enough to innovate and sell more product in today's marketplaces.

Kaleidoscope, the premier Strategy, 2D & 3D Design & Realization agency in the world, believes organizations that utilize the interdisciplinary insight, design and implementation process of Co-Creation, Rapid Ideation and Prototyping will be the ones best equipped to harness the power of "Co" and succeed!

Case Studies in Success: Creating a Revolutionary Household Cleaner and the Role of Package Development Partners 
Jason Foster, President, Replenish Bottling Co.
Matt Dudas, Global Market Development Manager, Eastman Chemical Co.
Joe Stodola, Vice President, Global Business Development, Nypro Inc
Joe Tokich, Director of Product Development, Radius Product Development

Eastman Chemical (the material supplier), Nypro (the injection molder), and Radius Product Development were the chief collaborators on an evolutionary new household cleaner from Replenish that offers a reusable concentrate pod and an innovative trigger sprayer to pave the way for a new era of refillable bottles. Hear from the team involved in this project – one that has gained immediate market attention – and learn about Eastman's innovation laboratory and the emphasis by all parties on collaboration and package development.

Retail-Ready Packaging: Development in North America
Tom Hammann, Senior Operations & Packaging Manager, General Mills

Retail Ready Packaging (RRP) is a global packaging initiative that is starting to arrive in North America and promises to have a major impact on the packaging development process. A large CPG will share perspectives on how the initiative may unfold, as well as some key lessons learned from the Western European food industry.

Package Design, According to (Steve) Jobs
Jim Scott, Principal, JES Packaging

Many find surprising the fact that Steve Jobs, the person who revolutionized four major industries, had time to micromanage and continually tweak Apple's most iconic products as they were designed, as well as the packages. How would Steve have designed the package for your latest product?

Jim Scott, Principal of JES Packaging, previously directed packaging development groups at Nabisco, Eastman Kodak and POM Wonderful. One of the examples he will cite is a successful design project at Kodak where packages for their upscale digital cameras were based on Apple's package design elements ... even down to the white color which "violated" Kodak's historic package color standards. He will also use examples showing how to put Steve Jobs' tenets to work for your next structural design opportunity.

Technology Spotlight Session: Exclusive Introductions!

Using Technology to Effectively Visualize Innovations
Dan Abramowicz, Executive Vice President, Technologies and Regulatory Affairs, Crown Holdings

Finding a visually effective means to communicate new concepts and innovations to customers without actual products has always been a challenge for the packaging world. Today, industry leaders like Crown are incorporating new processes and technologies into their design practices that alleviate this issue. With the latest advances in digital rendering and prototyping, there is an increased range of capabilities for rapidly and easily creating and refining packaging mock ups.  In an engaging session, Dan Abramowicz will introduce and survey a variety of techniques available to package developers today:

Digital Rendering

• The evolution from hand drawn concepts to 3D images to photo-realistic renderings;
• The ability to incorporate brand labels onto a virtual package

Paper From Straw: The World's Most Sustainable Packaging Product
Mitch Crews, C.E.O. and Managing Partner, YFY Jupiter, Inc.

NPulp – a revolutionary "Ultra Rapid Renewable" chemical-free enzymatic process of producing paper from straw - is being developed by YFY Corp. and will be produced in a new paper mill opening in 2012 in Southern China, the place where paper was invented nearly 2,000 years ago. The paper mill will be the world's first 100% chemical-free straw pulping and paper-making facility and will utilize a production process that eliminates the need for wood-based fibers in paper making and sets a new standard for zero emissions paper making – another "first" in paper production technology.  

Hear an exclusive introduction to this technology that could change the shape of paper-based package development.

Case Studies in Success: The Easy-Open Battery Package
Rebecca Oesterle, Leader-Global Packaging Development, Energizer Battery Co.

Energizer, with the help of Tegrant and other collaborators, has developed a EZ Turn & Lock battery blister package for hearing aids that offers an innovative spin design that opens easily with a twist of the package while maintaining protection against pilferage and offering sustainability elements. Learn how this type of new blister package could help change the market for consumer electronics and high-value products and how Energizer developed this new packaging solution.

7:00 AM
St. Augustine EFG Foyer

Key takeaways:

• A brief synopsis on who is winning the brand war and why among such recognized and competitive brands as Coke & Pepsi, Reebok, Nike, Kroger and Safeway, Sony & Panasonic...to name a few
• Learn what role packaging plays in influencing a brand's chances for success
• Understand what types of internal and external factors can significantly impact a brand's performance
• Understand how the total brand experience, including packaging, contributes to winning the war

The Structure of Value and the Value of Structure
Robb Ziegler, President, Brandimation
Rick Green, Senior Packaging Engineer, Schwan’s

Great packaging not only communicates value, it creates value. User value. Brand value. ROI. Too often, value goes undiscovered or underleveraged by the same people charged with generating it, usually because they're throwing the wrong resources at the right problem or the right resources at the wrong problem.

The solution starts with an understanding of the difference between design-to-value and design-to-cost. This session will take a look at why market researchers can't design, designers can't engineer, and engineers can't market value. But when they play well together, they can bring value to products which Simply... Inspire.

Community Power: Harnessing the Crowd for Innovative Packaging 
Mike Samson, Founder, crowdSPRING

Crowdsourcing, a term coined by Wired writer Jeff Howe, is without a doubt a key trend for packaging innovation. Mike Samson, co-founder of crowdSPRING, the largest online marketplace for crowdsourcing creative, will discuss what is crowdsourcing, the benefits it offers for packaging professionals, how to make a creative crowdsourcing project successful and best practices. Samson will also share sample projects and trends from recent projects.

Moving the Immovable: The Challenges of Design-to-Scale
Moderator: Robb Ziegler, President, Brandimation
Panelists:
George Nukuto, Senior Packaging & Innovation Design Manager, Heinz North America
Rick Green, Senior Packaging Engineer, Schwan's
Jeffrey Brunner, Design Manager, GlaxoSmithKline

Big-brands measure new product success at over $100 million per year or 1 million units a week. Achieving that scale involves a large community, much collaboration and multiple levels of consensus. The change itself is both disruptive and constructive.

In this panel discussion, we'll ask brand owners and design specialists about the unique challenges and rewards of design-to-scale, drawing from their experience with examples like Heinz Dip & Squeeze, Freschetta Simply Inspired, and others.

Are You Prepared for the Effect That Patent Reform Laws Will Have
on Packaging R&D?
Marc Drucker, President, Newlogic
Tom Hambleton, Food & Beverage Practice Leader, Newlogic
Wil Jacques, Patent Portfolio Management Practice Leader, Newlogic

Significant changes to the U.S. patenting system are going to take place starting in Sept. 2012. The law’s provisions, such as inter parties reviews and first-inventor-to-file, will likely have a profound effect on packaging R&D. Failure to respond proactively to these changes will increase the likelihood of competitive threats, alter open innovation initiatives and provide fewer opportunities for leadership. We will present strategies that can help packaging companies successfully respond to patent reform and increase their ROI from innovation.

Key takeaways:

• First to file, post-grant review, and fee collection; a review of these new rules and what the packaging R&D leader needs to do to prepare.
• What patent reform means for the framework and process of packaging project design and development.
• A review of industry leaders and suppliers, providing insights on how the packaging R&D professional can prepare for patent reform.
• Tools to help manage patent reform for R&D

Biodegradable Plastic Additive Innovation
James Rooney, President, EcoLogic
Dan Tafaro, Director of Marketing & Sustainability, Letica

EcoLogic's Eco-One is a brand of organic additives which enhance the biodegradation of plastic products in a biologically active landfill. A new launch by major foodservice supplier Letica has helped move the needle for development of biodegradable additives in structural packaging. In the future Letica plans to utilize Eco-One to facilitate biodegradation in the large rigid plastic containers they offer through their rigid products division.

Key Takeaways:

• Plastic biodegradation in landfills is a feasible, responsible solution for persistent waste in landfills and the environment
• Proper sustainability practices are good business – attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the terms and the science behind enhanced biodegradable plastic, separating green from greenwashing