AIPIA launches Interactive Brand Packaging Network to elevate packaging as media

GLOBAL – The Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA) has unveiled the Interactive Brand Packaging Network (IBPN), an ambitious new initiative designed to redefine packaging as a dynamic media and consumer engagement channel.

Rather than viewing packaging as merely a container, the IBPN aims to build an industry-wide ecosystem that transforms it into a strategic branding tool.

The IBPN will officially launch at the upcoming AIPIA & AWA World Congress, scheduled for 23–24 June 2025 in Amsterdam.

The debut will include a dedicated conference stream headlined by Patrick Collister, former Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather and a trailblazer in digital innovation.

Functioning as a working group within AIPIA, the IBPN will focus on creating measurement standards, best practices, and return-on-investment (ROI) frameworks.

These tools are intended to help brands integrate connected packaging into their broader media and marketing strategies effectively.

“The Interactive Brand Packaging Network represents the next step in AIPIA’s mission to advance intelligent packaging,” said Eef de Ferrante, AIPIA founder and managing director.

“As traditional media channels fragment, packaging remains the most direct and consistent way to reach consumers. This new network will lay the groundwork to position packaging as a legitimate and measurable media channel.”

The initiative is being spearheaded by Jenny Stanley, Managing Director at Appetite Creative and author of Connected Packaging: The Game Changing Marketing Tool, along with Paul Simonet, founder of Experience is Everything.

Their extensive experience in connected experiences and digital engagement, combined with AIPIA’s global network, will serve as a catalyst for the IBPN’s ambitious goals.

“Packaging has evolved from a passive container into an active consumer engagement platform,” said Stanley.

“This initiative marks a key moment in establishing packaging as a quantifiable media space.”

Simonet added, “We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in how brands connect with consumers. Interactive packaging offers the tangible, physical engagement that digital platforms often lack.”

The AIPIA & AWA World Congress will feature expert presentations and case studies from major brands and tech innovators such as AB InBev and GS1, demonstrating how interactive packaging can solve modern marketing challenges while promoting sustainability.

To recognise innovation in this evolving space, the IBPN will also introduce its first Innovation Recognition Award at the event, celebrating outstanding achievements in interactive packaging.

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