The NEC
The Brief
The UK’s leading live events business – with world-class expertise in venue and destination management – required promotional ‘welcome’ boxes to send to prospective clients.
The pack needed to be fun, sophisticated and distinctive to create a wow-factor experience when received and opened by customers. The NEC team was looking for a robust, durable design which could hold multiple components safely and securely in transit, including a high-value Echo Dot, an A4 brochure, keyring and business card.
Pleased with the progress on the welcome pack, the company also turned to BoxMart to develop concepts for a short run of bespoke presentation boxes to support another promotional campaign. The box needed to be similar to that of a board game, with multiple compartments to neatly hold Lego bricks which the customer could use to build a mock up of their ideal event.
BoxMart’s Role
Having worked with the client on a number of previous projects, BoxMart were well placed to suggest packaging solutions for both boxes which complemented the NEC’s overall approach and brand. Working closely with the client, and using its expertise in bespoke packaging, BoxMart created two eye-catching constructional designs, one for each pack.
The Welcome Box
The final design for the welcome box included a base, insert and full-width sleeve. When the sleeve is removed, carefully designed fitments are revealed which hold and present a number of promotional items, offering a great opening experience for customers.
The Lego Box
For the second promotional campaign, BoxMart developed a lid and base style box. Clever fittings, that formed five compartments from one continuous piece of board, held a range of Lego blocks, each representing a different element of event design and management such as seating, staging, rigging and AV. Each box was personalised to specific clients and featured vibrant and fun artwork to capture the board game concept the NEC required.
At the client’s request BoxMart also assisted with building the boxes, and fully assembled units were delivered direct to the client.
Production details
Both boxes were made from an N flute corrugated board to give a smooth premium finish, utilising the strength of the microflute to protect their valuable contents. Run lengths were just a few hundred boxes, with different print versions required for the welcome box. BoxMart therefore took advantage of its access to the latest high speed, premium quality digital print technology and achieved two very different looks; the welcome box featuring a strikingly realistic doormat design and the Lego box a fun, bright and eyecatching appearance.
Results
BoxMart’s bespoke designs have enabled the NEC to attract the attention of customers who would usually use another venue. The boxes stand out in a crowded market place – customers are no longer looking just for a space for their events, but the delivery of an experience. Both promotional boxes promise this, enticing customers to use the NEC Group for future events.
The NEC was also named as a finalist in The Drum Marketing Awards 2019 for the Lego box.
So satisfied were the NEC with the results, they also recommended BoxMart to another company in the same group, Amadeus Foods. The recommendation successfully led to a further project and the result was a bespoke digital run of attractive food hamper boxes.