High-Impact Foil Adds Distance to Titleist Packaging

If you've been out to your local golf course lately, you can't help but notice the huge crowds of people waiting to tee off. The legendary game has not only become extremely popular, but it has also turned into very big business.

Titleist has spent more than 62 years in relentless pursuit of ultimate golf ball performance for golfers at all levels and is considered the preeminent golf ball manufacturer and technology innovator. The company continuously strives for brand excellence in all areas of production, performance, design and marketing.

Deploying contemporary packaging that projects advanced technology and product leadership is paramount within the highly competitive golf industry. Titleist teamed with a conglomerate of packaging industry players to combine its advanced golf ball technology with progressive, cutting-edge packaging. The golf giant worked with Curtis Packaging Corp., Packaging Consultants, Hub Folding Box Co., Unifoil Corp. and Imagination Communication + Design to create packaging that would reinforce Titleist's premium brand image and its revered leadership position as the #1 ball in golf.

Packaging Material Selection
Titleist's goals for its new packaging and resulting brand personality assignment was to convey ingenuity and product innovation as well as reinforce the Titleist brand's leadership position. George Sine, Titleist Director of Marketing, Golf Balls - Worldwide, says, "The design intent was to strike a balance between our position as the golf ball technology leader and the heritage, tradition and prestige of the Titleist brand persona. As we look to attract new golfers to the Titleist brand, it is important to apply panache for the brand at point-of-sale while maintaining the image and brand message consistent with our origins."

Initially, Titleist decided to incorporate a holographic Lens Flare logo on the foil boxes of the new Titleist Tour Distance golf balls. Imagination Communication + Design (Dayton, Ohio) created the Lens Flare logo. The logo design and light diffraction effects were so well received by both customers and consumers that the Lens Flare logo was applied across the entire Titleist packaging family and promptly became established as the product category icon for the Titleist golf ball franchise.

Titleist this year is utilizing UniFoil, a premium quality foil from the Unifoil Corp. (Passaic Park, NJ), for the HP2 Tour, HP2 Distance, Tour Balata and Tour Distance golf ball products. The material was selected for its dynamic in-shop merchandising impact. "UniFoil works wonderfully," says Greg Fullington of Imagination Communication + Design. "We have been able to achieve a very attractive, purchase-influencing look while still retaining Titleist's classic style."

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Unique Production Process
Titleist's new package design featuring the stamped holographic Lens Flare logo consists of a foil-covered dozen golf ball carton with four 3-ball sleeves enclosed. The package design also involves a single 3-ball sleeve sold separately.

Curtis Packaging (Sandy Hook, CT) and Packaging Consultants (New Bedford, MA) developed the manufacturing process for the Titleist packaging. Bob Drum of Packaging Consultants notes that the project was unique. "To my knowledge," says Drum, "no consumer packaged goods manufacturer has ever attempted to apply foil and a graphic image in the manner we were able to achieve."

Prior to production, test runs determined the compatibility of the inks and foil material. A similar foil material was used by Curtis for the printing, die-cutting, embossing, gluing and window production testing. Prepress work took approximately 6-8 weeks.

For this year's crop of golf balls, Hub Folding Box Co. (Mansfield, MA) used UniFoil foil for its portion of the Titleist packaging business. The material was chosen, says Hub's Tony DiRico, because it offers durability and heat-resistance during the printing and converting cycles. "There were no snags during the printing process, and during the converting phase, UniFoil remained consistent and did not crack or warp."

Hub used an 8-station sheetfed offset printing press during the printing cycle. Printing was done on UniFoil laminated with aluminium to 16-pt. board. Once printed, the material went through a die-cutting, embossing, windowing and gluing stage. DiRico says, "Foil is often susceptible to cracking. However, our manufacturing processes enable us to try different things to prevent that from occurring."

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Successful Results
The Titleist packaging initiative made for yet another successful golf season for Titleist. The work of the packaging suppliers involved helped Titleist keep a cut above the competition.

"This was a challenging assignment for us," summarizes DiRico. "It was a cost-effective and creative project. The team effort involved produced results to Titleist's complete satisfaction."

For more information:
UniFoil, 217 Brook Ave., Passaic Park, NJ 07055, Tel: 973-365-2000, Fax: 973-365-0924.

Packaging Consultants, 9 Welby Rd., New Bedford, MA 02745, Tel: 508-998-3098, Fax: 508-995-0865

Hub Folding Box Co., 774 Norfolk St., Mansfield, MA 02048, Tel: 508-339-0005, Fax: 508-339-0102

Imagination Communication + Design, 5700 Far Hills Ave., Dayton, OH 45429, Tel: 937-436-4500, Fax: 937-436-5888.

Curtis Packaging Corp., 44 Berkshire Rd., Sandy Hook, CT 06482, Tel: 203-426-5861, Fax: 203-426-2684

Edited by Bill Noone