How is brand enhancement evolving to meet changing customer requirements? How are the lines between enhancement and authentication blurring and what options are most suitable for your brand? How can enhancement help a brand stand out?
Welcome to the latest in our Q&A series: Everything you ever wanted to know about Brand Enhancement. This topic explores how enhancement and authenticity solutions can work together, and the role that each plays in building impact and consumer experience. We consider the many ways to enhance brands, products, and packaging, as well as covering the innovations and regulations that are having an impact in this area.
Brand enhancement and brand protection often go hand in hand. Each acts to create a distinctive impression, often to distinguish a brand, or create obstacles for counterfeiters seeking to piggyback on brand reputation. To explore the evolution of brand enhancement, Giles Walker, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer of OpSec, sat down with Jim Bowman, VP of Apparel and Brand Enhancement, Dave Stewart, Creative Director, and David Cherson, Director of Sales for Global Trim. With recognition and differentiation at the top of many corporate agendas, enhancement remains a vital method for creating unique brands and securing their market positions.
What does brand enhancement mean at OpSec?
Brand enhancement involves a strategic approach to making products more appealing, more recognizable, and ultimately more authentic. It combines aesthetic and functional elements that elevate brand presence and impact in the market. The ultimate measure of brand enhancement is its ability to enhance both visual appeal and the perceived value of products, as well as reinforcing the brand. Examples include the use of labels, heat transfers, patches, and foils that not only attract attention but offer security. Such enhancements can incorporate security yarns, optical security, and unique codes that verify authenticity and encourage consumer engagement.
“The consumer experience often starts with distinctive products and packaging that provoke recognition and evoke appeal.”
00:56 | Giles Walker – Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer
What has been driving changes to brand enhancement in recent years?
Recent years have seen significant shifts in brand enhancement, driven by evolving customer needs and the developments made possible by new materials, production techniques, and technologies. Today, many consumers interact more frequently with brands and are more aware of marketing claims and authenticity. This heightened awareness requires stronger support from manufacturers in both design and supply chain consistency. Customers now demand more from brands, seeking authenticity and transparency in every interaction. This has led to an increased focus on creating products that are not only visually appealing but also verifiable and trustworthy.
“We work with global brand owners and licensees with global manufacturing, so any enhancement requires coordination before it can go into production.”
05:58 | Dave Stewart – Creative Director
The integration of digital elements, such as NFC chips and codes, into products is becoming essential to build authenticity and engage consumers. Moreover, the rise of social media and e-commerce platforms has amplified the need for brands to stand out and build trust through innovative enhancement. Many manufacturers are now expected to support brands in ensuring design consistency and supply chain integrity, in order to meet these heightened consumer expectations. This shift has also driven the development of new technologies and materials that can enhance both the aesthetic and functional aspects of products, helping brands to elevate their appeal.
Given the developments, how should brands think about brand enhancement?
Today, brand enhancement requires decision making based on strategic objectives, rather than purely aesthetic considerations. For example, it is important to integrate complementary aspects such as authenticity and security into the enhancement process. This approach ensures that products and packaging not only look good, but meet other objectives, such as consumers being able to verify a product is genuine and engage with a brand. Resolving these varied considerations requires an integrated approach to design, marketing, technology, and production.
“Being able to physically and digitally distinguish genuine from fake goods will always be important in maintaining the trust of consumers.”
07:39 | Jim Bowman – VP of Apparel and Brand Enhancement
Incorporating elements like NFC chips and secure digital codes can address multiple objectives, from inventory management and channel compliance to product-based calls to action. Brands can begin by defining disparate goals and understanding how different enhancement solutions and technologies can support those objectives. It has become somewhat of a cliché, but consider the unboxing experience that Apple has cultivated by prioritizing this aspect of its packaging design. Similarly, the approach Burberry took in selecting a packaging material that both mimicked its iconic gabardine fabric and ensured a degree of security through its sourcing. Aligning brand identity and marketing goals with wider considerations can create more cohesive, impactful brand experiences.
Why should so many different functions be involved?
Inevitably, a holistic approach to brand enhancement involves bringing together various stakeholders within an organization. This includes those responsible for brand protection, product design, legal aspects, and, of course marketing. Collaboration across these functions is crucial to ensuring that the enhancement solution aligns with the overall brand strategy and meets all necessary requirements. Each stakeholder brings a unique perspective and expertise, from the strategic to the practical, which can help in identifying the most suitable solutions.
“Bringing together people from all areas of the business remains an important part of what we do. Getting people together in the same room, so to speak, allows stakeholders to recognize and understand the issues facing others.”
09:53 | Jim Bowman – VP of Apparel and Brand Enhancement
Working with suppliers that are capable of managing all aspects of enhancement can simplify the process and ensure greater consistency across production sites. This approach helps bridge gaps and create solutions that can benefit the entire organization. By fostering collaboration and open communication among stakeholders, brands can ensure their enhancement strategies are well-rounded, effective, and aligned with overarching goals. This comprehensive involvement is crucial for implementing solutions that are both innovative and practical, ensuring a smooth integration into an existing brand framework, as well as production that may span multiple sites.
How are brand enhancement and sustainability initiatives intertwined?
Today, brand enhancement can play a significant role in supporting sustainability initiatives, through the choice of materials, adoption of digital product identity and passporting, and better understanding of product lifecycles. Digital product passports provide detailed information about product origin, materials, and manufacturing processes, enhancing transparency and supporting environmental claims. This traceability helps in verifying the sustainability of products, allowing brands to back up their environmental claims with substantiated data.
“There have been some amazing innovations in this space in recent years, things like recycled polyester yarns, soy-based inks, or FSC and recycled paper options.”
10:15 | David Cherson – Director of Global Trim Sales
Innovations like vegan leathers, recycled polyester yarns, soy-based inks, and local manufacturing practices also contribute to sustainability efforts. These elements can be integrated into products and packaging to ensure they meet sustainability standards and appeal to environmentally aware consumers. By incorporating these practices, brands can enhance their reputation and build trust. Furthermore, product passporting can facilitate recycling and proper disposal, ensuring products minimize their environmental impact. This integration of sustainability into brand enhancement not only meets regulatory requirements, but aligns with consumer expectations for environmentally responsible products, creating a positive impact on both the brand and the planet.
Why does brand enhancement play such an important role at OpSec?
As a pioneer of brand protection, OpSec has evolved a long way from its origins in optical security and physical brand protection. We take an integrated approach to enhancement, security, design, and engagement marketing, allowing us to develop solutions that meet and reconcile a wider range of brand objectives. The development and safeguarding of intangible brand value has become ever more important, which is why we continue to invest in new enhancement and authentication technologies that empower brands to create impact through practical solutions. Moreover, we recognize the distinct needs of the industries that our customers operate within.
About the contributors:
Giles Walker | Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer
Giles has more than 25 years in strategy, corporate development, and marketing, primarily in security sectors. His previous positions span Accenture, BAE Systems, and a start-up technology company.
Jim Bowman | VP of Apparel and Brand Enhancement
Jim has over 35 years of experience in the brand enhancement field and was the founder and CEO of Delta Labelling Ltd, which was acquired by OpSec in 2012.
David Cherson | Director of Global Trim Sales
For over 20 years, David has been an industry leader, building Global Trim into a respected trim manufacturer that works closely with top apparel brands to bring their branding ideas to life.
Dave Stewart | Creative Director
With over 30 years in brand protection, authentication, and enhancement, Dave specializes in developing solutions to secure and enhance brands through a range of products and creative services.
