Animated labels on Turmeon vermouth create a buzz

The innovative label design for Turmeon vermouth takes beverage packaging into a new dimension, creating the illusion that the package graphics are moving. This effect tempts shoppers to pick up and bottle and interact with it, which in turn builds a brand connection—and, hopefully(!), sales.

Turmeon vermouth bottles are decorated with a moveable acetate sleeve positioned on top of a printed paper label. When consumers slide the acetate sleeve around the bottle—across the paper label, that is—it appears that the static images printed on the paper label are moving.

For Turmeon Honey, the newest vermouth in the product line, the visual is a bee beating its wings. Six static images of bees are used to create the effect. Turmeon Honey is purportedly the first vermouth to be sweetened with honey, hence the bee imagery.

Turmeon’s brand owner, Spain-based Bodegas Jaime, also used the animated “kinesiogram” label technology for its first two vermouths. The first of those, Turmeon red vermouth, launched in October 2015 with a kinesiogram of Pac-Man eating a series of hearts. Bodegas Jaime later released its Turmeon white vermouth with a kinesiogram label featuring a leaping dolphin.

The Pac-Man animated label won a People’s Choice Award in HP Indigo’s second EMEA Inkspiration Awards competition. The awards ceremony was held in April 2016 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Bodegas Jaime created its first kinesiogram label, and continues to use the technology, based on data from a wine-marketing and -label study indicating that 80% of consumers who pick up a bottle in a store go on to buy that product. The idea was to create a package that consumers would be tempted to pick up and examine.

This packaging strategy appears to be working. According to the company, 60% of Turmeon’s production is now exported to Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and the United States.

In addition to creating buzz at retail, Turmeon’s animated labels are cost-effective. According to Bodegas Jaime, its paper labels cost the same as regular paper labels, and the acetate sleeves cost 0.03 Euro (about 3 cents, U.S.) apiece.

Martín Jaime, creator of Turmeon and manager of Bodegas Jaime, answers a few questions about Turmeon vermouth and the kinesiogram labels.

How many animated labels has Turmeon used so far?

Jaime: We’ve had three different labels, for three different vermouths, but this month we will launch another one for a new wine: “Valdiñon.”

Can you quantify the success of the kinesiogram label for the Turmeon brand?

Jaime: Turmeon, as a brand, was born with this label, so we don’t have any data about sales growth. But, in our first (and our last) year, we sold 35,000 bottles of Turmeon original [red vermouth] in seven different countries without traditional publicity and without going to any international fairs—just [word of mouth] and viral effect.

How does the label animation work?

Jaime: The animation happens using a semi-transparent wraparound overlaid on top of the printed paper label, which when rotated gives the impression of the label’s graphics becoming animated. This is called the Colin Ord effect.

How does the label attract attention on the shelf?

Jaime: We put a big red dot on the top of the label explaining how to “use” the label. So the people can pick it up and interact with the label.

Who is the label supplier?

Jaime: We have two different suppliers: Coreti and Graficas Z.

Did you coin the term “kinesiogram” for this type of label, which creates the illusion of movement?

Jaime: No, the kinesiogram (or Scanimation) is a well-known optical effect based in the moiré effect. We are the first in applying that to a product label.

Technology is available to add moving “displays” to labels. Why use kinesiograms to create the optical illusion of movement rather than actual movement?

Jaime: We don't want people to only watch our label, we want people to interact and play with it. We think that is a better way to create a link with the customer and the product. It also is far cheaper than adding displays on the label.

Have you had any issues with applying the labels to the bottles?

Jaime: Actually, we are applying the plastic one by hand, because we have limited production. But in the future, we don’t think that we’ll have serious problems automating this process.

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