To Gen Z, shopping in a store isn’t just a quick trip to buy some essentials or a weekly pantry fill-up — it’s an experience. They need antidotes to digital immersion, and authenticity and sensorial experiences fit the bill. How something tastes or smells, what it looks like and how it feels are all part of the in-person experiences that reconnects them with the real world. That’s why a wine bottle and its label play such an essential role in influencing purchase decisions.
Jarod Hernandez, the Product Manager for Wine, Spirits & Craft Beverages at UPM Adhesive Materials, explains the role of labels. “Given how competitive the market is today, label designs can make or break a brand at the shelf. Premiumization embellishments like foils or embossment can open the door for younger generations to have that first introduction not only to that bottle but also to the market and the brand.”
UPM conducted neuromarketing studies on how consumers select wine at retail. Eye-tracking technology and brainwave analysis captured responses to wine labels. They found that visual contrast in color or materials attracted the most consumer attention in the first five seconds. The next aspect to capture their interest was a thicker, textured paper label with embossed lettering, a high-quality tactile signal they imagined reaching out to touch.
By sponsoring this type of market research, combined with extensive customer collaboration, this leading self-adhesive materials supplier drives innovation in high-performing label materials. In fact, UPM’s next introduction will be a wine label solution using Estate Label® #3 ultra-white materials that looks and feels like felt. The felt-like label face will deliver the kind of handcrafted tactile experience that elicits a response at the shelf — without the premium price.
Anna Hunt, UPM’s Director of Marketing, Sustainability and Communications, explains, “We focus on material science and innovation, creating label materials that deliver memorable consumer experiences while helping our customers achieve their branding and business goals.”
The company’s newest innovation, however, focuses on how well that label performs on the bottle. UPM Vetro™ is a new line of adhesives designed to ensure that labels maintain their premium appearance and performance throughout the wine’s life. Most labels can wrinkle or fail when water reaches the adhesive in an ice bucket or when condensation forms in chilled and refrigerated environments. Not so with UPM Vetro.
Hunt notes, “The fact that our adhesives keep the label firmly on the bottle throughout the product life cycle protects the brand’s identity.”
UPM Vetro adhesives do not require reducing the label face paper's weight to achieve performance, as they work as well on the tight mandrel curves of the neck as on the bottle’s body. This eliminates the need to maintain a supply of two different materials, simplifying the supply chain and reducing waste. In addition to its adhesive for tight mandrel surfaces, UPM also offers a repositionable adhesive for up to an hour, ultimately preventing unnecessary rework and reduces waste caused by operator errors during label application.
Hernandez points out: “UPM Vetro adhesives allow brands to use premium 60- to 70-pound materials on tight mandrels while maintaining consistent adhesion and a premium feel. The adhesive also works equally well with wet-strength papers and premium welded materials that incorporate a thin polypropylene film barrier to help protect the adhesive, maintain label performance, and its integrity.”
These innovations are reinforced by UPM’s core commitment to advancing the sustainability of its products and its customers’ and end-users’ businesses. In recognition of its efforts in this area, EcoVadis has once again awarded UPM its highest possible Platinum recognition — placing UPM in the top one percent of more than 150,000 companies, where it has been since 2020 — and has now earned it an outstanding score of 90/100 for the second consecutive year.
Visit the UPM digital label materials swatchbook to explore your choices for wine and spirits labeling. https://labelswatchbook.upm.com/s/
