Luxury packaging conference launched in UK

Leading luxury and premium brands will top the speaker panel at the UK’s inaugural Luxury Packaging Conference. Speakers include senior representatives from Karl Lagerfeld, Godiva Chocolatier, Diageo, Elizabeth Arden, Harrods, Procter & Gamble (Prestige Brands), Hotel Chocolat, Edrington Group and Neal’s Yard Remedies. They will be joined by inspiring luxury experts to explore the vital role packaging has to play in positioning and promoting luxury and prestige brands.

The Conference takes place alongside the Luxury Packaging and Packaging Innovations exhibitions, being held at London’s Business Design Centre on September and 1 October 1, 2014.

This is the first event of its kind in the UK, and fills a gap in the market for luxury and premium brands to have a forum to learn, discuss, challenge and debate the key questions and concerns that the industry faces. The programme has been compiled in consultation with the industry and from extensive research with the market to find out the key topics of interest.

Alison Church, event director of the Luxury Packaging Exhibition & Conference, explains: “We are delighted with the feedback from the industry as to the need for the conference and for the content it includes, particularly from some of the major luxury brands. We have a star-studded line-up of speakers from major luxury and premium brands, which will ensure that the conference really delivers real-life examples and inspiration for those attending.

 “As a crucial part of a brand’s marketing strategy, packaging’s role in consumer engagement, delight, and interaction is one that cannot be overlooked, and this ground-breaking conference will address the key issues in building a true aspirational brand and how you can really innovate in this space.”

Laurence Koutny, International Innovation director at Godiva Chocolatier in Belgium, will open the conference, discussing the role of packaging to engage the consumer beyond the shelf. This will set the scene for the theme running through the first day – of luxury brand strategy, trends and innovation.

Other companies focusing topics such as luxury and premium market trends, telling a brand story through packaging, building a successful aspirational brand, luxury in a global context, the sensory experience and innovation will be addressed by Harrods, Hotel Chocolat, Diageo, Faraday Centre for Retail Excellence and Procter & Gamble. The first day will be closed by an insightful seminar presented by Antonella Di Pietro, director, creative coordination at Karl Lagerfeld, on how far style and fashion are driving luxury packaging trends.

Inspirational international designer Cédric Ragot will open the second day, addressing the much-debated topic of whether luxury packaging and sustainability are mutually exclusive in a seminar entitled ‘Luxury packaging – costing the earth?’ Cédric is probably best known in the packaging world for having designed ‘Naturally Clicquot’ – the first 100% biodegradable isothermal bottle packaging (pictured).

The following seminars on the second day of the conference will address the practicalities of delivering effective luxury packaging, addressing topics around new print techniques and technologies, if digital print has a role in luxury packaging, how luxury packaging works in an online context, how to create cost-effective luxury packaging and how to take a brand from premium to luxury. The conference will be closed with a look to the future of luxury in a stimulating seminar by Robert Bergmann, creative director and owner of Bergmann Creative, who is also the VP / creative director of L'Oréal.

www.easyFairs.com/LuxuryConference

16 June 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor