1800 Select Silver Tequila, from super-premium distributor Proximo Spirits of New York, NY, uses the brand's iconic, Mayan-pyramid-inspired bottle design to convey authenticity and luxury.

How is it possible to position a brand as premium in the crowded carbonated soft drink aisle? Turn to an aluminum bottle and to artists to create engaging, limited-time labels for 360-degree impact.

By instituting a liquid-nitrogen injection packaging process, AriZona Beverage Co. has extended the shelf life of its products by 12 to 18 weeks. That change enables the company's inventive promotional products to stay on the shelf longer than normal.

When Hillsboro, KS-based Golden Heritage Foods LLC heard the buzz about DreamWorks Animation's feature film, Bee Movie, it jumped at the chance to create a bee-themed promotional package for its honey.

Packaging plays a key role in authenticating a brand to win over consumer trust.

A number of "attitude" beverages have been entering the market lately, and a new one demonstrates the power of the bottle and label working together. Melbourne, Australia-based Hazardous Fluids Pty. Ltd. is rolling out Sportsdrink + Bodily Fluids in the U.S. as an isotonic supplement drink designed for athletes participating in motor and power sports.

In Germany, design's distinctive appeal on a glass bottle has given Bonn-based "true fruits" fruit juices a 72% market share among fruit smoothie drinks sold at gas station convenience stores.

The 250-mL bottles are marked by printed lines that act as visual indicators of the percentage of individual fruit portions contained within. The design emphasizes the clarity of the glass.

"The bottle is an important part of the product," says Marco Knauf, General Manager of true fruits. "It underlines the quality of the content and stands out strongly from the packaging monotony on the store shelves."

O-I designed and developed the flint glass bottle, which uses Applied Ceramic Labeling decoration for the ingredient amount lines and graphics. It's topped by a twist-off metal closure.

Suggested retail price is about $3.50 to $4.25.

In the hardware business, Elmer's Wood Glue is No. 1 in market share. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Elmer's Products Inc., Columbus, OH, decided the brand needed to look more contemporary to support its reputation as a reliable product.

Sustainability is driving the excess from packaging materials, energy use, and waste. The challenge for brand owners will be to improve product protection and shelf impact while also using materials and technologies that lessen packaging's environmental impact.

One bottle shape, more than any other, has managed to not only differentiate itself from the pack but also to cross category boundaries to represent purity in products as diverse as dish soaps, high-end whiskeys, and perfumes. Remarkable!