Project brief from a Johannesburg launch team
The brief came from a marketing-led product launch team in Johannesburg that needed small-format sachets for a national sampling drive. The packs had to be easy to hand out, simple to carry and neat enough to sit alongside retail stock without looking like a trial run.
They wanted a practical packaging route for a fast campaign window. The goal was to introduce the product to consumers in Johannesburg first, then move stock through to Durban, Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein without changing the pack message or colour on each dispatch.
- Format: single-serve sachets for sampling
- Print method: flexographic printing on flexible packaging film
- Use: targeted launch and in-store handouts
- Supply pattern: short run first, then repeat production if needed
Because the campaign was time-sensitive, the pack had to go from artwork approval to production quickly, with no confusion over size, colour or sealing area.
What the pack had to cope with
The sachets were intended for mixed field use, so they had to hold up in boxes, on road freight and in store bags. That meant careful choice of film and enough sealing margin to reduce split seams during handling. Johannesburg’s dry conditions and the countrywide delivery route also meant the finish had to stay clean from print room to final handover.
There were a few constraints that shaped the job. The client needed a compact format, consistent colour across the run and a clear layout for product naming and batch detail. There was also the practical issue of moving stock from Pinetown to Gauteng quickly, while keeping the same artwork on every pallet.
- Pack size selected for easy sampling and limited fill weight
- Material chosen for handling, sealing and shelf presentation
- Artwork adjusted to suit small print areas and readable copy
- Dispatch planned to fit the campaign rollout dates
The team also asked for a format that could be repeated later, so the setup had to be stored properly and the colour references kept on file.
Artwork prep, proofing and colour control
Jason Petersen handled the prepress side with close input from the sales and production teams. The artwork was cleaned up for the sachet format, with attention to line weight, barcode placement and the space needed for heat seals. Small packs leave little room for error, so the layout had to be practical from the start.
We ran proofing to check placement, text clarity and colour balance before production. Priya Naicker and Thandiwe Mkhize kept the client updated on what would change and what would stay fixed, which helped the approval process move without delay. Flexo printing works best when the colour targets are settled early, especially when the same artwork may later be used for repeat production.
- Artwork prep for a narrow sachet panel
- Print proofing to check copy, marks and positioning
- Colour matching against approved references
- Final sign-off before the run started
That stage matters more than many clients expect. A small correction in prepress saves waste later, and on short runs it keeps the budget under control.
Short-run production and finishing in Pinetown
Marius van Wyk led production from our Pinetown base, using a short-run schedule so the campaign could move ahead without waiting for a full bulk order. The run covered the quantity required for the sampling round and left room for a follow-up batch if the response was strong. The print stayed consistent across the run, with checks on registration and seal areas throughout.
Once printed, the sachets were converted and prepared for packing. That included handling the film carefully, checking cut consistency and making sure the finished sachets were stacked for easy counting. We also kept an eye on the practical side of local production, including load-shedding timing and machine planning, because a stop-start day can throw off a short campaign if it is not managed properly.
- Short run production to suit the launch budget
- Pouch converting and sachet production handled in-house
- Repeatable settings saved for future orders
- Production planned around power interruptions and dispatch timing
The result was a neat sachet that suited the campaign purpose and could be packed, labelled and sent on schedule.
Dispatch coordination to Johannesburg and beyond
Lerato Molefe coordinated the dispatch side, which mattered because the campaign needed product moving into multiple centres in a short period of time. The first pallet went to Johannesburg for the core launch activity, with the rest scheduled for Durban, Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein as the sampling plan expanded.
Good logistics on a pack like this is not only about getting it there. It is about getting it there in the right order, with the right counts and in a condition that still looks ready for consumers. That means decent packing, sensible route planning and clear paperwork. It sounds simple, but when a client is working to a launch date every day counts.
- Dispatch coordination from Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal
- National delivery planning for major metros
- Stock counted and grouped by campaign need
- Delivery runs matched to launch timing
For the client, that kept the campaign moving without last-minute repacking or unnecessary storage. It also meant their field team could start handing out samples on schedule, not two days later.
What changed after the sampling round
The campaign gave the client a usable test pack for a focused national introduction. The sachets supported a clean handout format, held their shape in distribution and gave the marketing team a controlled way to get the product into consumers’ hands. From our side, the job confirmed that a short-run flexo approach is often the right fit when a brand wants to test response before committing to larger volumes.
What would we do again? We would keep the same process: early artwork prep, tight proofing, a short controlled run and dispatch planning before production starts. That sequence keeps the pack consistent and helps avoid waste, especially when the client is working across several towns at once. A simple job can become messy fast if the pack spec is not locked in early, so that discipline matters.
- Best approach: approve artwork before production starts
- Best format: small sachets for targeted sampling
- Best timing: short run first, repeat production if response warrants it
For a Johannesburg launch team, the result was a practical campaign pack that travelled well, printed cleanly and fit the purpose from the first drop to the last.
Key facts
| Project type | Short-run national sampling campaign |
|---|---|
| Client town | Johannesburg |
| Packaging format | Flexible sachets |
| Print process | Flexographic printing |
| Timeline | 3 weeks from artwork prep to dispatch |
| Service mix | Artwork prep, proofing, colour matching, production and dispatch |
