There are only two places I ever want to see a wine bottle. (1) Uncorked, in front of me, ready to be poured into a glass in my hand or (2) protected by an Inflatable Packaging AirBag™ Wine Shipper. And while I am no expert on wine, I do know that after spending months harvesting and fermenting, the last thing any winemaker wants is to have a bottle shatter in transit because of poor packaging. 

We do a lot of drop testing at Inflatable Packaging. And it's quite a bit of fun when a new design is created and everyone gathers for the drop test to see how it performs. But the joy that comes from a successful drop test is contrasted with the horror that arises when we receive a package with poor protection or, worse, no protection at all. Sometimes companies fall into the trap of just writing off protective packaging as simply an expense instead of an investment. But there are a few key things to remember when thinking of protective packaging.

Making a mess can be fun.  Of course there is a time and place for everything, but for the most part, creating a little bit of chaos is enormously entertaining. So while I am moderately annoyed when I receive packing peanuts in shipments, I do appreciate the brief moments of pandemonium they provide. 

I'm a bit of a word geek. It's best to come out with that now.

First impressions are sometimes the only impression. We live in a fast world and if something (or someone) does not appeal to our senses immediately, we quickly move on to something that does.

Words are important.  Use the right words, (“In Einsten’s thesis of molecular dimensions…”) and you sound pretty darn intelligent.  Use the wrong words and the results can vary.  For example, going on a first date with Donna and saying, “Thank you for a wonderful night, Diane” would drastically diminish your chances at a second date. Epic Fail.

We all think we know how to do it.