Grade A Advertising

EggFusion, Deerfield, IL, introduced a technology that enables laser marketing of eggs. The company is targeting the technology to egg producers for placing freshness and traceability codes on eggs to alert consumers on product freshness—and for marketing messages.

CBS hired the company to put slogans on eggs to promote its television shows. More than 35 million eggs will be marked with phrases such as “CSI: Crack the Case on CBS” and “The Class, New Grade-A CBS Comedy.” The campaign, which will begin in September when the fall TV season begins, is part of what the network calls its “Outernet strategy,” an effort to reach viewers “outside their homes as they go about their daily lives.”

Using laser light and a suite of proprietary software applications, EggFusion uses a USDA-accepted process to etch a micro-thin groove on the egg, quickly and accurately, without slowing the production process or affecting the integrity of the eggshell. A laser light leaves a micro-thin darkened mark on white eggs and a lightened mark on brown eggs. Only the outer 5% of the eggshell is impacted. Messages cannot be printed in colors. Because eggs are held horizontally by calipers as they travel through the packaging process, the messaging can only be placed on one side of the egg.

The company says the high visibility of eggs makes them an ideal marketing tool. More than 50 billion eggs are distributed through retail stores per year in the U.S. www.eggfusion.com