Ball presents beverage cans with eye-catching designs
At Drinktec in Munich, Germany, Ball presented three new special-effect finishes for aluminum beverage cans. Featuring ranges from combined glossy and matte effects, to hidden messages in invisible ink and signal-sending neon colours, Ball believes that beverage manufacturers can use these finishes to effectively highlight their brands and products and make them stand out at the point of sale.
Sunlight Effect (pictured right)
Design elements printed on cans with the new sunlight effect ink are not noticeable at first glance. The idea is similar to invisible ink popular among children, as the designs become visible when you place it in the sun and UV rays strike the beverage can. When the UV light disappears, the images or text vanish. “Sunlight Effect adds a sense of excitement to buying drinks – consumers want to find out what the hidden message on the packaging says,” explains Marc Schoeppner, product manager at Ball Packaging Europe. “Consumers pick up the can from the shelf, which increases the likelihood that they will buy the product.”
Silk & Shine Effect
Silk and shine effect is a new Ball printing technology that, for the first time, combines the effects of high gloss and matt printing. Certain areas and design elements on the surface of the can have a special tactile-like effect, which adds an exclusive look and feel that Ball feels is especially appealing for premium products. “By combining two printing processes in our silk and shine effect, we create visual and haptic effects”, Schoeppner continues. “This provides our customers with additional design options and adds an element of surprise for consumers.”
Neon Effect
A popular trend in the 1980s, neon colors are back as an innovation for beverage cans. The neon effect creates an intense, neon-yellow for enhancing can designs, and a new ink pigment produces a striking colour effect and adds sharp, vibrant contrasts – especially against a black background. “Our neon effect achieves the strongest colour effect currently available on the market – it virtually grabs consumer attention,” Schoeppner notes. “The neon is especially effective as a design element for energy drinks, because the yellow colour itself is packed with energy.”
