Modern candy hearts update old holiday staple

Products that are colorful and expressive, and use this as a selling point, should be marketed with labels that fit the brand. Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, this holiday could be a call for companies to use this holiday as a chance to reflect on some of the most successful candy staples associated with this time of year.

The Atlantic recently profiled the subtle changes that have been applied to candy hearts over the years, the small, brightly-colored confections that have traditionally sported simple messages and are especially popular every February 14.

The candies have managed to be surprisingly versatile despite their size, and have used the familiar pink “ink” to reflect popular linguistic trends in different generations, including internet slang and famous memes.

Capitalizing on popular trends gives the candies both a timeless quality and a way meet changing audience expectations. NECCO, the company that officially produces these hearts, has most recently decided to incorporate the images called “emojis” used in online messaging onto the surface of the small candies.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, NECCO’s social media specialist, Mary Lane, explained the importance of keeping in tune with the times.

“We have to evaluate what’s modern, what’s hot, how people are actually communicating,” she said. In previous years, the hearts have referenced technology and even social trends like the Occupy movement.

When designing the packaging for a popular seasonal item, similar concepts should be taken into consideration. Using the highest quality label software in conjunction with color label printing systems will help businesses improve their products and put a new spin on familiar consumer goods while still highlighting their most obvious traditional selling points. By combining  all of the different printing tools they need in-house, companies of all sizes can reinvent their approach to packaging.