3,600 personalised product packs in 3 days for Merci

Merci wanted to use pop-up stations in shopping malls to turn its core product into an emotional, personalised gift. The result: 3,600 physically personalised product packs from 2,846 sessions — produced through real-time label integration between the UpReach software and industrial printing systems. At the same time, the integrated data gate converted mall walk-in customers into GDPR-compliant CRM leads.

More than 200 B2B brands from across Europe trust UpReach — from agencies to enterprise corporations.

The initial situation

Merci planned pop-up activation stations in shopping malls. The concept: passers-by were not simply to buy a product but to turn it into an individualised gift on the spot — with their own face on the packaging.

The core technical challenge was the print interface. Standard photo booths output images on photo paper or by QR code. This set-up, however, had to send the generated data in real time to specialised label printers whose output fits the exact product packaging to scale. Format errors — even a few millimetres — would have required a manual check of every label and reduced throughput to an unacceptable level.

On top of that came the environment: shopping-mall operation means a heterogeneous audience, limited floor space and no option for permanent IT staff on site.

The UpReach solution

UpReach configured fully branded terminals at the pop-up locations. The software interface guided the visitor through an intuitive process: take a photo, enter text for a short personal message on the touchscreen, confirm the preview.

In the background ran the critical print pipeline: the system immediately rendered a print-ready layout in the exact format of the product packaging and transferred the file directly to the integrated industrial label printer over the local network. The promoters on site stuck the finished label onto the packaging — the only manual step in the entire process.

Alongside the print station ran a vyndo LED wall as a live photo stream of all generated images. The social wall actively drew passers-by to the stations, as visitors saw their own and others' images at oversize scale.

The data gate was integrated into the download flow: visitors who wanted their image digitally went through a GDPR-compliant form with a separate newsletter opt-in. This created physical product experiences and digital CRM contacts at the same time.

Setup & Logistics

Lead time six weeks: three weeks for the critical print integration (API mapping between the UpReach software and the label-printer drivers, format testing with product packaging across different batches), two weeks for UI design and brand adaptation, one week for logistics coordination of the two locations.

Transport and set-up were coordinated separately per location. Each location received a complete set-up: terminal, label printer, vyndo display and connection hardware. Set-up and teardown by UpReach technicians, briefing of the promoters on site via a structured protocol.

Print infrastructure: label consumption was monitored daily by promoters. Resupply was secured through local print suppliers at the locations. The data pipeline for CRM leads ran in parallel with no dependence on the print infrastructure.

Results by the numbers

3.600

personalised product packs

2.846

completed terminal sessions

mall locations operated in parallel

The 3,600 personalised product packs from 2,846 sessions show a rate of more than 1 pack per session — possible thanks to visitors who had several copies made as gifts for different people. The print pipeline handled the load with no misprints.

The key brand effect: visitors carried the personalised packaging through the mall as visible brand communication. Other passers-by saw the product with a face on the packaging, asked about its origin and were led to the station — a physical FOMO effect with no digital amplification.

The social wall reinforced this effect: live images of visitors on the LED wall drew walk-in customers and raised the average dwell time at the stations. CRM leads were captured via the data gate in parallel with the product personalisation.

Key takeaways from this setup

The print interface requires specific expertise: standard photo booths do not deliver print-ready product-label layouts. The API integration between the UpReach software and specialist printers requires initial development time — but it is the precondition for error-free mass production at the POS.

Physical value beats digital: a personalised product label has a substantially longer half-life than a social-media post. Visitors keep physical keepsakes — which extends the brand contact time well beyond the event.

The social wall as a traffic magnet: the live display of the generated images on the vyndo LED wall was the strongest footfall driver in the mall. People like to see themselves at oversize scale — that reliably draws passers-by to the station.

CRM alongside the product experience: every physical output should generate a digital contact in return. Integrating the data gate directly into the download flow, without interrupting the product-creation process, keeps the drop-off rate low.