Crown Inspires Next Generation of Marketers

Crown continues partnership with La Salle University, Philadelphia, to add value to marketing undergraduates’ B2B knowledge

Philadelphia, PA – July 19, 2016 – Ever since the late John Connelly served as chairman of Crown Cork & Seal Co, there has been a strong relationship between Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com) and La Salle University, Philadelphia. The first European visit by La Salle business students and faculty was facilitated by Mr. Robert J. Truitt, former president of the beverage can division of Crown back in 2008, and this long-standing tie between La Salle and Crown is certainly one of the key reasons for this visit to have turned into a featured stop in Paris for these students during their annual week-long study trip to Europe.

When Professor Swee-Lim Chia and his international marketing students from La Salle visited Crown this March, Noé Gailly, Marketing Manager, New Product Development CROWN Bevcan Europe and Middle East hosted the group and presented on the beverage can and its inherent benefits where marketing is concerned for brands. It started with an overview of Crown as a market leader in metal packaging, and then moved on to explain how brand owners can enhance the consumer experience by bringing more interactivity to the packaging itself.

The metal beverage can is a 360 degree billboard for advertising, and with advanced decoration techniques it can be made to a brand’s specifications almost entirely without compromise. In addition, Noé explained, with the advent of CrownSmart™ technology, consumers are now able to interact with the can itself via a unique scannable code on the underside of the tab. Consumers purchase the can and are prompted to scan the tab via promotional graphics. They are then able to interact with whatever digital format the brand in question has opted to employ – such as a survey, a game or perhaps a video. Consumers are also encouraged to share the experience with friends and family, in turn allowing allows brands to connect directly with their customers and to utilize the information gathered in order to react quickly to market trends and requirements.

Gailly commented: “Crown has always been forward-thinking in its approach to marketing and CrownSmart™ is just one good example of that. It has been a pleasure to share our knowledge with the students of La Salle and to help them to understand the benefits of a brand-building marketing strategy that incorporates the very latest technological advances. Our connection with the university reinforces our commitment to safeguarding the future of metal packaging – not just in terms of technology, but also the marketers of tomorrow who will continue to promote its benefits to brands and consumers alike.”

“We look forward to our visits to Crown because our students are always learning something new.  Crown, of course, is a leading global business and learning about cutting-edge innovations like CrownSmart™ is an invaluable experience for our students and we are grateful for this continued partnership,” said Professor Chia.

Professor Rita Dynan said, “This year's site visit to Crown was especially interesting and relevant to me because the whole idea of using product packaging to communicate with a consumer is an emerging trend in advertising. The way Crown demonstrated how they are using the beverage cans as a "media" option for communicating with consumers through technology on a smart container was very timely. The idea that each can gives consumers individual access to content is very current thinking in packaging.”

Mark Fishbough, a La Salle marketing student, commented: “I thought the visit to Crown was very useful because it gave us an understanding of how digital marketing is applied and all the factors that affect it. CrownSmart™ is clearly a great tool for collecting targeted consumer information.”

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

For more information, contact:

In the United States: Ron Skotleski, Director of Marketing, CROWN Beverage Packaging; Tel: 1 (215) 718-1303; Email: ron.skotleski@crowncork.com

In South America: Wilmar Arinelli, President, CROWN Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A.; Tel: 55 11 4529 1006; Email: wilmar.arinelli@crowncork.com.br

In Asia Pacific: Evelyn Lim, Assistant to the President CROWN Asia-Pacific Holdings Ltd; Tel: 65 6229-4880; Email: evelyn.lim@crowncork.com.sg

For editorial inquiries: Thomas T. Fischer, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs; Tel: 1 (215) 552-3720; Email: thomas.fischer@crowncork.com