In June this year, Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI), created thermochromic inks for pull tabs to show when beverage cans are at the ideal drinking temperature. In August, it launched Sunlight (photochromic) Inks for labels. in November, it launched CTI PowerCapsules - thermochromic colour concentrate pellets - for plastics that change colour due to temperature shifts.
Sunlight inks are now available worldwide for decorating and branding cans.
Sunlight Inks are the first photochromic inks that provide (1) fast kinetics which turn on rapidly when sunlight hits it, (2) repeatability which enables the ink to turn ‘on and off,’ (3) a broad color spectrum offering, as well as (4) durability in the sun.
“We are committed to helping brands win the summer, tailgating and other popular outdoor usage occasions,” explained Patrick Edson, chief marketing officer for CTI. “Sunlight Inks create ‘theater-in-the hand’ for a brand’s audience: a consumer walks outside and, in seconds, the Sunlight Inks transform their product from clear to colorful reminders of their product choice, activity or social media involvement regarding the product they are using or consuming.
“Our dedicated innovation team includes CTI’s chemists and inventors committed to the can manufacturing market. Our goal is to ensure every can in the world is interactive with a consumer and that it dramatises a brand’s positioning,” Edson added.
Sunlight Inks can be applied to the can itself or its secondary packaging.
In consumer testing, the inks scored highly in consumer purchase intent (“definitely will buy”) across a great many product categories.
