Ball Packaging Europe and EskoArtwork help Pepsi score World Cup success

Ball Packaging Europe’s adoption of EskoArtwork technology has helped Pepsi Cola achieve its highest ever share of cola sales during the World Cup period. As part of a Pepsi Cola promotional campaign, Ball Packaging Europe printed images of some of the world’s best footballers – including Frank Lampard, Thierry Henry and Didier Drogba – on Pepsi cans using EskoArtwork’s flexo technology. 

The hi-res optics on the CDI Spark computer to plate device enables images to be applied directly to flexible letterpress printing plates. The Pepsi cans held up to close scrutiny, according to Gary Brown, manager graphics UK for Ball Packaging Europe: ‘The differentiation we achieved on the flesh tones and the fine text detail for the nutritional information was very impressive.’ 

For Brown, the results were particularly satisfying as they were created using the letterpress process at full production speed: ‘Producing work of this caliber requires input from all areas of the business.However, the result was worth the effort. It means we can offer our customers exceptional qualityand at the same time a competitive value-added solution to the market.’ 

The campaign attracted more than 1.4m consumer entries, and Pepsi achieved its highest ever share of cola sales during the World Cup period, according to the Nielsen total cola volume percentage share analysis. 

Jon Ellis, Britvic UK activity marketing manager, sponsorship and equity, commented: ‘Key to the success of a promotion like this is being able to produce a stand-out design that engages consumers and ensures Pepsi's brand identity remains clearly visible. High-quality, sharply defined print is an essential element in that process. We have been working with EskoArtwork and Ball Packaging Europe to make the most of the innovative solutions available and maximize our product design potential.’

Brown is delighted with the success of the campaign, and believes EskoArtwork technology will continue playing a key role in helping Ball PackagingEurope meet future demand for high-end, short-run work: ‘The hi-res CDI from EskoArtwork let us offer brand owners premium print that stands out on the shelf and grabs consumers’ attention. EskoArtwork technology enhances promotional campaigns by delivering incredibly sharp graphics that support a brand’s image and ensure product differentiation.’ 

Pictured l-r: Images of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry on the Pepsi cans

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