UDEX announces product imaging services

UDEX, provider of Product Data Quality (PDQ) software and services, has announced a range of high quality product image services ‘which are set to transform the way in which product packaging designs and images are developed and used in retail promotional activity’ according to a statement.  

Aimed at retail marketing, manufacturing and supply side companies, UDEX 3DQ takes e-commerce to the next level for the FMCG market, generating 3D models of consumer retail products using detailed dimensional data, which is overlaid with digital files containing labeling images. The result is a perfect product image: no dents, no misalignments, and all at a fraction of the cost of traditional product image photography.  

As part of the new service UDEX 3DQ also offers a new bespoke animation solution, providing five seconds of fluid product movement to show off new designs for use in commercials, presentations and even websites; a natural progression from 3D imagery. 

‘Photographs record what's there, and individual products aren't always perfect,’ said Jon Mier, chief technology officer of UDEX. ‘It's not just a question of labeling glitches: for instance, a best-before date in the picture can quickly render it unusable. By contrast, a digitized 3D image creates an ideal and enduring representation of the product, which can be rotated until you get the angle you want. It costs less than traditional photography, it is faster to produce, it's stored digitally and so it's always accessible 24/7, 365 days a year, and because the image is the property of the customer, there are no copyright issues.’

UDEX 3DQ is integrated into the company's PDQ service, which validates and makes consistent all key data associated with any retail product. This data includes not only standard product identifiers such as manufacturer, brand, product name and physical dimensions, but all other key information in successive layers of detail, including barcodes, ingredients, pack sizes and promotional offers. The 3D image ties in to this data as its quick visual summary: ‘”show-and-tell” is better than just “tell”,’ said Jon Mier. ‘It's a natural extension of the Product Data Quality concept.’

UDEX 3DQ can be put to all kinds of uses. Virtual prototypes can be created as part of the product development process, even before mock-ups are made. The speed of image creation - less than four hours - means that product promotional packs can be created ahead of the supply chain. Also, retailers themselves can use the image data not only to create in-store planograms, but in their online ads and shopping websites as well as in various hard-copy media including point-of-sale materials, advertising and flyers.

The UDEX 3DQ service was developed in partnership with Brandsauce Ltd of Manchester.  UDEX is the exclusive sales and marketing partner for the 3DQ service in the UK.