What is the brand owners responsibility vs. the print manufacturer.
If you work in packaging design, CPG manufacturing, or product development, this is something you need to understand.
Because one of the most expensive mistakes brands make happens right before the packaging goes to press.
Signing a packaging press proof.
I see founders, brand managers, and even marketing teams treat this step like a quick formality.
It’s not!
It’s one of the most important quality control steps in packaging production, print manufacturing, and brand execution.
Real hard facts. Print this out. Hang it on the wall.
📣 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿.
Signing off on a press packaging proof is a lot of pressure. Your signature on a press proof means you are taking full responsibility of the following:
👉 Checking the blank prototype and test that the product fits in the package properly. Your signature tells them this dieline fits.
👉 That all the copy, messaging and type on the package is accurate and free of mistakes including typos.
👉 The colors are accurate representations of what you expect to come out on the press.
👉 The dieline the artwork is placed on is the correct dieline for the product.
👉 Your artwork gives a 1/4″ tolerance around all seams and cut lines for shifting during diecutting.
👉 All graphics on the package are laid in the proper sections of the dieline and where you intend them to be.
👉 Barcodes scan.
👉 NFPs and ingredient information is correct.
👉 The artwork has been FDA/USDA approved PRIOR to proofing.
👉 Important information is not caught up in a glue seam, a tuck or a folded panel.
👉 Art must be in ILLUSTRATOR. NOT INDESIGN!!!!!!!
Indesign is for magazine spreads.
Photoshop is for photos.
Illustrator is for illustrations. 🫣
👉 Artwork is in layers. If you have spot layers, it needs to be noted. If foil, noted.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿!
The pressmen take this exact proof with your signature on it and lay it on the press and watch every single sheet as it’s fed through the printer and verifies what comes out the other end against the proof.
The printers responsibility is as follows:
👉 Accurate registration of all the plates so there is zero ghosting effects in the type or graphics.
👉 Color matching to the proofs.
👉 Accurate diecutting to the dieline with a minimum tolerance shift of 1/16″.
👉 Proper glue application so seams do not pop.
👉 Proper coating application (Aqueous, Soft Touch, UV, etc) so that the ink on the package is protected and stops from scratching.
👉 Proper stripping of all excess materials so that when you recieve the package there are no scrap pieces left over.
I have signed off on hundreds of client proofs because many brands don’t know how this process works.
But if you are building a CPG brand, food brand, beauty brand, supplement brand, or any retail product, you need to understand how packaging manufacturing and print production actually work.
Because when something goes wrong at press?
You don’t fix it with a quick edit.
You fix it with a very expensive reprint.
And that mistake goes straight into your COGs.
If you don’t know how to read a proof.
Call me.
I will help you.
And get yourself a loop (see below). It helps!
“Anyone can push the pixels. It’s about who is leading the brand. Every bold brand needs a force behind it.” – Nicole Light
