Stand-out Mainstays

Necessity is frequently called the “mother of invention.” Even when new products evolve into cultural mainstays, there’s always room for improvement or repositioning in the marketplace. Breweries in the United States, for instance, have been up and running since 1663, when Nicholas Vartlett opened one in Hoboken, N.J., according to the Hoboken Historical Museum and Cultural Center. Almost 400 years later, companies making and marketing beer still seek ways to maintain market presence. And no matter how successful the daily deluge of direct mail continues to be, upping response rates by adding personalized notes and incentives has become an increasingly popular advertising technique. Liquid Crystal Resource/Hallcrest—with United States facilities in Glenview, Ill.—and Middleton, Wisconsin-based NAStar have found ways to improve the visibility of these two dependable American products.

Reveal-ation

For beer distributor Molson Coors Brewing Company, a new twist on its ubiquitous Coors label is due to premiere this month. The company selected Hallcrest’s ChromaZone thermochromic ink for its national 2007 “Chill ‘n’ Reveal” campaign. The trademark snow-capped mountains on the company’s 12-ounce Coors and Coors Light bottles will turn from the standard white to blue when the beverage reaches prime drinking temperature.

Similar campaigns (including one for Coors Ultra Light cans) have previously launched in the United Kingdom, Aluminum Now reported, but ChromaZone is exclusively offered by Hallcrest in the United States. In addition, Coors is the nation’s first beer to implement a campaign as large-scale as “Chill ‘n’ Reveal.” As for Hallcrest, it specializes in the manufacturing of color-changing inks, products and dyes, and has also supplied ink to clients such as Coca-Cola, Burger King, Kellogg’s and Target, noted Scott Szafraniec, Hallcrest sales manager, ChromaZone products.

Coors and Hallcrest first crossed paths in 2003, but successful reproduction initially required comprehensive testing. “Not only did we have to ensure that the image changed color, but that it was vibrant and reproducible. We worked extensively with Coors and the label manufacturer in refining the ink and production process for the label,” said Szafraniec.