EMedia Professional - The Resource Directory, April 1997

Packaging Your Multimedia Product: Where are the Resources?

Debbie Galante Block

EMedia Professional, April 1997
Copyright © Online Inc.

Introduction
THE MAGAZINES
Billboard
EMedia Professional
Replication News
Tape/Disc Business
CONFERENCES
Computer Game Developers' Conference (CGDC), San Francisco, California
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Pack Expo West
Replitech International
ASSOCIATIONS
The International Recording Media Association (ITA)
Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA)
Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA)
Software Publishers Association

Introduction

For whatever reason, there are no general directories of packagers and there are no guides on how best to design multimedia packages so that they will leap off the shelves and into the buyer's hands.
Sometimes the best information you can get is that there isn't much information to be had at all. Packaging is a good example: for whatever reason, there are no general directories of packagers and there are no guides on how best to design multimedia packages so that they will leap off the shelves and into the buyer's hands. In a world where "do it yourself" usually means savings, CD-ROM developers and publishers trying to invest more capital in their multimedia content may think about designing or even manufacturing their own packaging. A good idea perhaps, but not as easy as it may sound.

Although CD-ROM packaging alternatives are abundant, it is difficult to know exactly what type of packaging will contribute to sales of your product. Everything from simple envelopes and jewel cases to four-paneled full-color boxes are options for multimedia products. In fact, CD-ROM publishers are encouraged by marketing professionals to find an innovative way to package their materials. Unlike the music industry where there are many forms of advertising--everything from radio to television to T-shirts--CD-ROM titles largely rely on their boxes for promotion. But "the bigger the better" or even "the flashier the better" doesn't always work for multimedia production.

If you are a relatively new developer, no proven track record exists on which retailers can base the potential sales of your products. If retailers know nothing about you, and your box is too big, the retailers may not agree to shelve your product. With over 14,000 consumer CD-ROM titles in print--according to most current industry analyst estimates--less than one third of those titles actually get meaningful distribution. It makes sense, then, to attempt to accommodate the retailer by offering something that is reasonable and classy. That's all well and good, but who will help a developer design an appropriate package? And who has the knowledge that will help a budding multimedia developer figure out what packaging is best.

Although there are companies that do packaging design, many of those designers have dealt exclusively with the music industry, and not with multimedia titles. Even so, the music and CD-ROM industries have begun to converge as more recording artists release Enhanced CDs. Because of this convergence, resources that have been used for guidance in the music industry make sense to explore, largely because there aren't any resources that deal directly with packaging style for multimedia. A book such as Compact Disc Packaging & Graphics 2 or Rock Art can provide a developer with a bit of graphical direction. Both books can be found in most any library and many bookstores, but are not so much directories as presentations of award-winning music packaging and promotion programs. There are other books that cover the music industry's album art, many of which can be found in local libraries.

The other avenues to explore include the slew of electronic media directories, such as the Interactive Sourcebook, TFPL's Multimedia Directory, or The Directory of Interactive Marketing. Most new media directories list graphic designers or companies who specialize in particular stages of multimedia production, such as authoring or replication. But the electronic media industry's directories don't list packagers directly. And there are no "how to" books on the subject, so searching for information on how to package your product--or how much it will cost--can be very difficult. The best way to find out information about packaging is to explore a variety of channels, such as related magazines, books, conferences, and even replicators.

Replicators are frequently listed in the industry directories--and they will generally handle a multimedia designer's packaging needs--but replicators can be biased in the packaging information they offer. They may have an automated packaging system set up already, which could limit the kind of packaging types they offer. Or they may have a contract set up with a particular packager, and as a result might not want to offer the hexagonal box style you're looking for. Despite a replicator's potential bias, however, many replicators will work with a customer on personalizing packaging. Many replicators have their own Web sites, so searching the Internet--using engines like Infoseek (http://www.infoseek.com), AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com), Lycos (http://www.lycos.com), or Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com)--is a good idea. Reading electronic media magazine classifieds--such as those found in the back of EMedia Professional--might be your best bet for finding help with your packaging needs. All the same, choosing to explore a variety of sources listed here is the best way to get in touch with the packagers that will be able to help you design a marketable box.