Tetra Pak’s Digitally Printed Cartons Take Center Stage

Flow Beverage Corp. made waves this week as the first customer for Tetra Pak’s digitally printed aseptic cartons.

Canada's leading live event producer, Live Nation Canada, will debut five different Flow carton designs at upcoming concerts across the country.

Flow Beverage, which distributes flavored alkaline spring water across the US and Canada, is the first brand to leverage this unique technology to create one-of-a-kind designs, for an immersive and engaging consumer experience.  The cartons' smartphone-readable quick-response (QR) code leads concert-goers to the brand's website.

The announcement follows the successful validation of the Tetra Pak Custom Printing solution, encompassing more than 100 million digitally printed cartons.

"We are thrilled to be the first brand to market the unique Tetra Pak Custom Printing solution, which has allowed us to not only elevate the design of Flow's cartons, but also to open up new horizons in advertising possibilities,” says Nicholas Reichenbach, Flow founder and chief executive officer. “The packaging provides an artful medium that speaks volumes about our commitment to quality, sustainability, and memorable experiences. This is just the beginning, and we can't wait to see more of our strategic food service and retail partners express their brand and sustainability values on pack together with us, as we continue to flow with creative ideas and shape the future of beverage carton packaging together."

“The five bespoke designs illustrate how digital printing can be utilized to test different package designs and marketing messages in the real world,” Pedro Gonçalves, vice president of marketing, Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada, tells Packaging Digest. “Each of the five designs showcases a unique color and messaging, providing customers an opportunity to collect a series of mementos from their concert experience. Future cartons have the possibility of featuring the artist performing at the venue itself which could lead to collectible cartons for those concert goers.”

There will be a total of 30 shows across six different venues in Toronto, Vancouver, and Edmonton, according to Gonçalves. Attendees will receive a free carton when they exit the concert at the Budweiser Stage and History Stage venues during the campaign.

“A total of 400,000 cartons will be distributed, divided equally among the five designs,” Gonçalves notes.

Digitally printed cartons redefine digital printing.

The technology is poised to unleash new business and marketing opportunities with increased flexibility and customization, all done through the package in the consumer’s hand.

"In today’s world, brands need the ability to quickly activate marketing efforts and capitalize on consumer trends, ” Gonçalves explains. "Tetra Pak Custom Printing allows brands greater agility than ever before to create impactful, unique campaigns that diversify their advertising strategies in a cost-effective way. We are proud to collaborate with Flow to bring to life five bespoke designs that will soon be available at select Live Nation Canada venues as concert attendees leave their favorite shows this fall." 

Tetra PakCustom Printing is the first and only premium ink jet-based carton package printing solution to offer brands an innovative, cost effective, and customizable system while providing all the environmental benefits of paper-based beverage cartons. With this offering, companies can utilize promotional activations such as varied designs within a single case or limited-edition packaging collaborations to take their marketing and media mix to the next level.  

“Digital printing opens a world of opportunities for brands looking for powerful promotional campaigns, and it is an ideal solution for start-up businesses launching a new product,” explains Ola Elmqvist, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions, Tetra Pak. “By enabling crisp high-quality images and lifelike designs, it can also give products a premium look. We look forward to innovating alongside more brands to unlock untapped potential with one-of-a-kind marketing collaborations through Tetra PakCustom Printing.” 

For more information, see Digitally Printed Aseptic Cartons Create Marketing Magic, published June 2023.