Right or wrong, algorithms and cookies are shaping much of society’s engagement with the modern world. Whether relevant Instagram reels in a feed, a TikTok Shop suggestion, or sponsored Pins shown on Pinterest, digital experiences are highly personal to the individual and are intended to elicit the most visceral of reactions.

At the same time, it’s an inescapable truth that people are not fully in control of what they see and engage with on TikTok (#FYP, anyone?), Instagram, X, Facebook, or even LinkedIn. Every cookie accepted, post liked, or comment made evolves the algorithm’s perception of the what the user is looking at and, therefore, wants to see more of.

For brands and retailers, navigating such a complex digital world is a challenge fraught with obstacles and pitfalls. Is my brand visible enough and is it being seen by the right people? Is engagement resulting in sales? Are sales more ad hoc and are there more pronounced fluctuations in buying patterns?

Bringing products to life

Back in the physical world, labels and packaging provide the perfect tonic for brands wanting to maximize engagement with consumers, create brand loyalty, and transform buyers into repeat business. This ranges from winning on the shelf at the all-important “Moment of Truth,” and use and interaction in the home, to acting as a brand ambassador in the cupboard and the fridge door.

From material innovations and new structures to legislation governing the future of the packaging industry, this event is a platform for the future and reflects the ongoing needs of the market.

This is one reason why Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 is critical to the industry’s future. From material innovations and new structures to legislation governing the future of the packaging industry, this event is a platform for the future and reflects the ongoing needs of the market.

An example of this is digital label and package printing, which has quickly become prominent on the show floor. An increasing number of printers exhibiting offer digital print and workflows as a service, with more attendees seeking out digital print solutions.

At the same time, technologies have matured and enabled brands to react to the fickle nature of consumerism, embrace agile supply chains, and respond with packaging that captures the imagination and ensures consumers stay switched on and engaged.

The best example of this remains Coca-Cola’s Share-a-Coke campaign, which leveraged the capabilities of digital print to produce millions of labels that featured hundreds of different names and forced consumers to seek out their own bottle on shelf.

While not a fully digital campaign, Share-a-Coke opened consumers up to the idea of products being personal to them. More importantly, it showed brands the value and potential returns from utilising digital printing.

While the first iteration of Share-a-Coke was more than a decade ago, an updated campaign ran in certain European markets across the summer in 2025.

There have been countless other examples of digitally printed labels and packaging in recent years, as notes David Richards, managing director at Amberley Labels.

“Digital printing has evolved dramatically since the Share a Coke campaign. Today, customization can go far beyond names on labels. Brands can tailor designs by region, season, event, or even individual consumer preferences.

“Variable data printing enables real-time changes in overall design, text, and even substrates. This has made mass personalisation not only possible but scalable. The Share-a-Coke project was the beginning, but what was once a novelty is now a strategic capability.”

Andrew Mansfield, managing director at Harkwell, uses a bottle of honey rum as a specific example: “Add a honeycomb into the design, then add a bee, and link it to the HP Indigo Collage software. The bee travels around each label landing in different areas. So, from 100 to 100,000 labels, they are all unique.”

Richards continues: “Brands are no longer asking if they can personalise but are asking how fast and how flexibly it can be done. Digital printing enables this by removing the need for plates and long set-up times, allowing for short runs, quick turnarounds, and dynamic content. This scalability is especially valuable for seasonal promotions and influencer collaborations, something our own customers reference in our innovation presentations.”

Smirnoff and Nutella are other notable brands to have succeeded with personalised labels and packaging, although it doesn’t suit all brands, advises Mansfield, with some varying degrees of success for different reasons.

“Some brands still don’t know how to use digital and are stuck in their old ways,’ examples Mansfield. “There are still design houses today that don’t understand digital printing.”

He directly references recent instances of design houses visiting Harkwell’s facility and being astounded at the speed with which test prints, artwork adaptions, and approvals are made. “They were going home just after lunch having come to site and expecting an overnight stay!”

Infinite possibilities

For those that succeed with digital, the rewards are huge. “Brands that are open to digital and invest in it will start to take a larger share of the market,’” says Mansfield. “Coca-Cola did it and look how their sales climbed. That’s why they have just done it again. It was worth the investment.”

He goes on to assert that small brands similarly stand to benefit from the effective use of digital printing. They are boosted by being more agile and responsive, as well as more receptive to the opportunities digital printing presents.

Richards says: “Brands need to understand the full potential of digital printing: not just what it can do, but how it can be integrated into their marketing and supply chain strategies.

“Digital printing of packaging enables smaller brands to produce high-quality, customised packs without the prohibitive costs of traditional methods. They can test designs, run limited editions, and upscale them quickly, all with minimal investment. This agility allows them to compete with larger players on creativity and consumer engagement, even if their budgets are smaller. As noted on our stand at London Packaging Week 2025, the start-up and smaller brands demand the same products and offer as the larger players, and our digital offering makes this happen.”

So, what does the future hold for brands and their use of digital printing for labels and packaging?
Richards suggests: “We’re moving toward packaging that responds to data, thinking about smart labels that change based on location, weather, or user interaction. AI-driven design, augmented reality integration, and even packaging that adapts to consumer behaviours are on the horizon. The limit is no longer technological but imaginative and design agencies we work with are asking for this all the time.”

In practical terms, continued advancements in print speed, substrate compatibility, and software integration will make personalisation even more seamless.

“To scale effectively, businesses need agile supply chains that support short runs, fast turnarounds, and not always focused on a centralised production. Working with partners to outsource and offer fulfilment is a key to success in smaller campaigns.

“The future is incredibly exciting,” surmises Richards.

Mansfield views the future of digital printing as such: “There is an infinite arena of ideas for the future: new technology, new presses, and a new breed of people.”

Technology and people are the cornerstone of Packaging Innovations & Empack. This includes digital printing and those working with it. They will be an important part of the event experience when Packaging Innovations & Empack returns to the NEC, Birmingham, UK, February 11-12, 2026.