Some consumer packaged goods products take a cue from their competitors and play it safe at retail by blending in. But in the increasingly competitive beverage space, many brands are daring to be different.

The beverage packaging industry in North America is expected to reach $26.3 billion in 2015, with plastic bottles leading the way in popularity, according to Reston, Va.-based PMMI’s new report "Beverage Packaging – An Industry Assessment," which is scheduled for release next month.

Batman has Robin, Andy Taylor has Barney Fife, Han Solo has Chewbacca, and Pinocchio has Jiminy Cricket. While sidekicks might be the background character in all of these famous duos, secondary packaging has more of a spotlight position in its role as primary packaging’s sidekick.

For many people, getting “inked” is a way to express their individuality. Although not quite the same as tattoos, inks and coatings in the beverage industry can be an important element to help brand owners set their products apart on the store shelf.

Why do shoppers choose to buy one drink instead of another in a supermarket? Is it the design, the brand, the label, the package material or the drink itself? For most consumers, the reality is that the final decision often is the result of several considerations.

Using body language, people can express themselves in a variety of ways without saying a word. Likewise, packaging offers its own form of “body language” to attract shoppers upon first glance. New York-based 4sight Inc. refers to this as “form language.”

In the “Wizard of Oz,” among the many concerns that Dorothy encounters on her quest for home is the musically entertaining “lions and tigers and bears, oh my.” Although not potentially threatening like wild animals, a trio of options often presents itself to beverage manufacturers in the form of packaging: plastic, aluminum and glass, oh my.

As technology continuously shows us, reducing the size and weight of products is a major market trend.

In the face of SKU proliferation and the growth of single-serve bottles, Cleveland-based The Freedonia Group Inc. projects that U.S. demand for beverage caps and closures will increase 4.1 percent in value and 2.1 percent in volume annually to $3.3 billion and 150 billion units in 2016.

What does it take to make a great package? According to Beverage Industry’s Best Packages of 2013 survey, emotional appeal, form and function, and a custom shape can give brands a leg up in the competitive beverage marketplace.