On 18 September 2025, at The Pulse, Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Digital Link’s Co-founder & CEO Paula Rivero took the stage to deliver one of the most anticipated sessions of the event. Her talk, titled Connecting brands & consumers, showed how connected packaging is moving beyond compliance to become a direct, conversational bridge between people and products.
An industry leader setting the pace
Paula Rivero has long been recognized as one of the leading voices shaping the future of connected packaging. With years of experience driving innovation in the field, she has helped redefine packaging from a static container of information into a dynamic channel of communication.
At Labelexpo Europe 2025, she continued this trajectory with a session that was both insightful and surprising. Attendees walked away with a clear sense of how packaging is being reimagined in a digital-first world.
Packaging as a communication tool
Paula emphasized that in today’s economy, packaging is no longer limited to carrying nutrition facts or regulatory details. Instead, it has become a living, interactive platform capable of building trust, loyalty, and deeper consumer relationships.
Her presentation highlighted two driving forces behind this transformation:
- The rise of next-generation QR codes, which unify compliance, marketing, and traceability in one standard.
- The growing expectation from consumers for instant, accessible answers that integrate seamlessly into their daily routines.
By embracing these trends, brands can transform packaging into a gateway to connection, not just compliance.
The reveal: products that respond to questions
The highlight of Paula’s talk was the unveiling of Cleo, Digital Link’s new AI-powered assistant for packaging.This groundbreaking feature enables consumers to ask questions directly to a product after scanning its QR code — and get instant, accurate answers.
She illustrated this with live examples. In one case, a shopper scanned a clothing tag and asked: “How should I wash this fabric to keep it in good condition?” The product, powered by Cleo, immediately provided tailored care instructions. In another, a consumer scanned a food label and asked: “Does this dish contain ingredients unsuitable for children under three?” The product delivered an instant, reliable response.
This feature marked a turning point. It showed how packaging could move from being a passive information carrier to becoming an active conversational channel.
What this means for brands
The implications for businesses were clear. By embedding Cleo into packaging, brands can:
- Build consumer trust by offering accurate, real-time answers at the point of need.
- Strengthen loyalty through personalized, useful interactions.
- Lower support costs by automating frequent queries without compromising quality.
- Gain insights into customer behavior by tracking the questions people ask most often.
In Paula’s words, packaging has become an ambassador—not just a label, but a voice that represents the brand.
From regulation to innovation
While many companies initially viewed GS1 Digital Link as a compliance requirement, Paula reframed it as a powerful opportunity. She demonstrated how the same QR code that ensures regulatory alignment can also host product passports, marketing campaigns, personalized engagement, and now AI-driven conversations through Cleo.
By looking beyond minimum compliance, brands can turn a global mandate into a competitive advantage.
A session that stood out
The session Connecting brands & consumers was not simply another product update. It offered a compelling vision of the future of connected products. Paula’s combination of industry expertise, bold storytelling, and live demonstrations made it one of the standout moments of Labelexpo Europe 2025.
The audience saw firsthand how a QR code, combined with Cleo, could become a two-way communication channel, capable of transforming everyday interactions with products.
The future of connected packaging
As more aspects of life move online, consumers are demanding transparency and responsiveness. They want packaging to provide more than static information—they want it to guide, explain, and even solve problems.
Paula’s announcement showed how this vision is no longer theoretical. With Digital Link’s new AI feature, packaging can provide personalized guidance in real time. A question about food safety, fashion care, or appliance troubleshooting can be answered instantly, directly from the label.
For brands, this technology is more than convenience. It represents a way to create genuine relationships with consumers, meeting them in the exact moment of curiosity and need.
Looking ahead
Labelexpo Europe 2025 made it clear: the future of packaging is interactive, intelligent, and consumer-focused. Digital Link’s unveiling of Cleo AI-powered product conversations demonstrated how far the industry has come—and how much further it can go.
For those who attended Paula Rivero’s session, the message was unmistakable. Connected packaging is no longer an emerging idea; it is a transformative reality that will define how brands and consumers interact in the years ahead.
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