by Miriam Hara | Sep 25, 2015 | Creative, Design, Latest, Marketing
Are you on trend? In the creative field, being on trend or staying ahead of the trend curve is something that needs to be constantly monitored. As designers of packaging, creators of TV ads and developers of Social Media initiatives, being on trend is a must.
… being on trend really means being next to the minute or slightly ahead of the curve. That takes talent … or does it?
We hear a lot about trending these days … we can thank Twitter for that! However being on trend and trend setting are completely different things. Of course, the concept of trend is still the same. Ultimately, it’s about what people are adopting. In other words, what’s the next big thing? What are people tweeting about most right now?
Within the creative field, being on trend really means being next to the minute or slightly ahead of the curve. That takes talent … or does it?
It’s not about talent, it’s about taking the time.
There’s a subtle difference between what is popular and what is on trend or trend setting. The ability to identify what is already passé is necessary in order to understand what’s next. How do you do that? It’s actually easy. It’s about turning habits into skills. It’s not about talent, it’s about taking the time.
- Read: Read a variety of things from a variety of sources – the more unrelated the better. Of course not everything you read will take flight. But accumulating knowledge is the first step needed before assimilating the information you gather.
- Surf the Net: Look at shops, (both online and bricks and mortar) to see what it out there. When you travel, even when you’re just out for a walk, look around. See what’s happening. Look at people, cars, colours and styles.
- Be Aware: Associate similarities across different categories (i.e., fashion, food, automotive, consumer electronics, leisure, etc.). It’s important. It allows you to connect the dots in order to see what “trend” is about to explode onto the scene.
It’s been my experience that a trend usually happens in one context. If it really catches on, it’s adopted and applied to a variety of contexts across different categories. Bamboo is a great example. Think back eight years, bamboo was a real ‘on trend’ material. Think about bamboo today. It’s definitely popular, but is it still on trend? Is it next to the minute or has it become passé?
What’s your experience with identifying trends? Let me know.
Read more:
Search Insights: Spotting Category Trends and Opportunities
by Miriam Hara | Sep 17, 2015 | Advertising, Branding, Creative, Design, Latest, Marketing
Powerful product packaging. It’s not just about the product experience anymore. Today, even the packaging needs to be an experience. Powerful packaging requires more than a basic understanding of packaging fundamentals. It’s not just about being pretty and persuasive with packaging, it’s also about being practical.
… powerful product packaging design can be likened to a powerful social media initiative
As you may have guessed from previous posts, packaging design is one of my favourite aspects of marketing. I’ve written about it often. In an earlier post, Package Design: Think of it as Social Media on a shelf I spoke about how a good package design compares to a good social media initiative: it’s inherently social, stands out from its neighbours, starts a conversation and gets people to connect with it. I promised a follow-up to that post with 7 quick tips for creating better package design. Here goes …
Product Packaging: 7 tips to get it right!
Want powerful product packaging? Here are 7 things you need to know before you even begin to design:
- Know your market. Who are you designing for? Research is the foundation for all successful marketing and advertising and that includes packaging design.
- Know your competition. Take a walk down those crowded store aisles and see what your competition is doing, then do it better! Be original.
- Know your story. Every brand has (or should have!) a story. Packaging tells your brand story but in a thoughtfully scaled down version that fits the physical format.
- Know your product. Packaging copy must tell your customers what you want them to know as well as what they need to know. These two things are not necessarily the same.
- Know your personality. Is your brand/product personality serious or fun? Your packaging design (i.e. shape, size, colours, textures, imagery and type fonts) must work together to reflect that personality. Don’t be afraid to use humour!
- Know your materials. Can the design be reproduced effectively in mass and is it cost effective to reproduce? Will your materials stand up well in the retail landscape … from initial transport to life on the shelf.
- Know your responsibilities. Brands have a responsibility to be environmentally conscious. Packaging should be eco-friendly.
Read more about the fundamentals behind powerful product packaging …
Packaging: More than a pretty on-shelf face
Delivering Great Packaging Design
10 Secrets to Eye-Popping Package Designs
by Miriam Hara | Sep 14, 2015 | Branding, Design, Latest, Marketing, Social Media
What does your product’s package design say about your brand’s personality? It should say (almost) everything.
If people haven’t seen any advertising for your product, then the first time they’re going to see it is in the store. Think of packaging as Social Media on a shelf – its role is the same: good package design is inherently social, it’s original in that it stands out from its neighbours, it starts a conversation and gets people to connect with it. Creating an engaging brand/product personality is the key to establishing these vital connections. The ultimate retail challenge is getting consumers attention.
… if your product’s package design doesn’t immediately establish a connection with consumers, it’s lost
Unlike the Social Media space, ‘real estate’ is physically limited on a store shelf, so if your product’s package design doesn’t immediately catch the consumer’s eye, it’s lost. This is particularly true if you’re launching a new product and you can’t rely on established brand equity or the halo effect.
The perfect analogy is a book cover
The cover is a book’s packaging. (Typically, authors don’t have much say about the covers of their books, it’s left to those marketing the book.) You’re at the library or in a book store. If you already enjoy the author, you’ll reach for their latest book — that’s brand equity in play. If you don’t know the author, it’s often the cover that attracts you. If it resonates with you, you reach for it. If it doesn’t, you pass over it. It’s the same with product packaging. And the process happens in seconds.
The look and feel of a product’s package design plays a definitive role in consumers’ purchasing choices
Never underestimate the power of package design and the influence it has on purchasing behaviour. Research shows that the look and feel of a product’s package design plays a definitive role in consumers’ purchasing choices.
An excerpt from The Consumer Factor’s website on consumer insights, market research, consumer behavior and neuromarketing …
“According to a recent study published by researchers from the University of Miami and California Institute of Technology in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the packaging of a food product would have a proven and important influence on the consumer purchase decision in-store. Researchers showed that the aesthetic aspects of products’ packaging (color, brightness, typography, etc.) will influence where the shopper’s eyes will land on the shelf – and thus the products he will look at and the time spent for each product.
The study showed that packaging influences consumers in a ratio of 1:3 or 2:3 compared to their personal preferences. Thus, even if consumer’s tastes have a bigger influence, a product’s visual attractiveness plays a significant part into the decision to buy.”
We make decisions based solely on a product’s package design
Before we even know if we enjoy the experience of the product, we make decisions based solely on its package design. It should go without saying that the inside has to deliver on what the outside promises. If the actual experience of the product is a letdown, the consumer won’t reach for that product again, no matter how smart and sexy the packaging. Packaging, particularly that for a new and as yet unknown product, gets only one chance with consumers, so it’s important to get it right.
Packaging is psychology in action
Packaging is psychology in action, particularly the psychology of design. It requires expertise and creativity to get right. Most important, it demands an understanding of the people who are going to buy your product and that’s where research comes in … who will buy your product? You can’t create personality for your packaging design without knowing your target market intimately.
Good package design tells a story
Good package design is good storytelling. You don’t skimp on the cost of packaging. As I’ve said before, packaging design shouldn’t even be viewed as a cost, good package design is an investment. My next blog will offer 7 quick tips to help you create better product package design.
Additional reading:
by Joyce Turner-Gionet | Sep 9, 2015 | Agency, Branding, Business Success, Communications, Creative, Design, Interactive, Latest, Marketing, Social Media
Rah-Rah, Google! Give us an ‘E’ (but make it crooked!).
Gotta LOVE that crooked ‘e’ in the new Google logo. It’s so Google! Irrepressible, playful. I hear it’s annoying people. They want to straighten it. Personally, I think it’s perfect. Think about it. Leaving the ‘e’ crooked speaks volumes about Google’s personality.
Not everyone agrees with me, Twitter Users Think Google Copied Heineken with its new logo’s crooked ‘e’ (Google kind of admits it.)
All done in house, the rebranding is a composite of three elements: the word mark, a four-colour ‘G’ monogram and animated dots that represent the Google search engine in ‘thinking’ mode. For those who’ve been under a rock, or enjoying the last days of summer up at the cottage, here it is:
New Google Logo
New Google Dots
New Google Monogram
Here’s a reminder of the old Google logo:
1999 – 2015
Here are some Google logo ideas that presumably didn’t make the cut
Here’s why Google did the rebranding …
Says Google … (from the official Google blog)
“So why are we doing this now? Once upon a time, Google was one destination that you reached from one device: a desktop PC. These days, people interact with Google products across many different platforms, apps and devices—sometimes all in a single day. You expect Google to help you whenever and wherever you need it, whether it’s on your mobile phone, TV, watch, the dashboard in your car, and yes, even a desktop!
Today we’re introducing a new logo and identity family that reflects this reality and shows you when the Google magic is working for you, even on the tiniest screens.
Read everything Google said …
Are we impressed?
I asked a few graphic gurus and marketing types across the industry for their opinion on the rebranding:
“Google, with an upper case G … it’s all grown up!”
“The lower case (previous) logo was approachable. With this new logo, Google has maintained its approachability, but made it more mature. More established. The colours and the playfulness with the dots has added to its “fun” nature … almost showcasing its “magic”. Turning questions into a found result. The use of an uncluttered, streamlined font adds to the contemporary nature … the G, unencumbered, is almost futuristic.
More importantly, I love the Alphabet name … the idea. It’s the basis of communications. With letters and building blocks, imaginations soar. What else can we develop? Where else can we go? It offers the ability of each letter to have its significant place in the sun!”
– Miriam H, Chief Creative Officer at 3H
“… suits their position as a search engine (wayfinding system)”
“Overall, it’s a thumbs up from me. The font they used is called Product Sans and was one they created specifically for the new logo and overall rebranding with the animated dots and icons. Similar to the new-ish Twitter icon, it was (mostly) created using only circles and semi-circles. I think it has a much more ‘current’ feel and suits their position as a search engine (wayfinding system).”
– Lindsay S, Senior Graphic Designer
“They’re still leading the way, now with their very own font.”
“It has retained its simple look and colour palette, while bringing a more accessible and contemporary feel. The font also has a uniqueness, a quirkiness, which demonstrates Google’s lighthearted, forward-thinking approach. They’re still leading the way, now with their very own font.”
– Jayne B, Integrated Marketing Manager
“fun and playful”
“I loved the way they presented it, the animation is fun and playful. I like the sans serif font more than the previous serif font. They’ve had the same logo for a long time. The previous logo was dated and the trend is towards sans serif fonts. Nice and chunky. It was a smart move since Google is now owned by Alphabet company. A new beginning for Google and the new logo is a great start.”
– Craig C, Senior Graphic Designer & Mixed Media Artist
“Just another logo”
“Just another logo. Cultural relevance? There’s a lot of talk about this, but I really don’t think it changes much.”
– Jason H, Photographer
“… reminiscent of the avant garde style of the TTC subway signs that came out in the 1950s”
“The new direction of the Google logo makes it easier to display on smaller devices, the switch from a serif to sans serif will make displaying on smaller screens much cleaner and simpler, it will also scale nicely. The thickness also lends itself to displaying more clearly on mobile screens. The change in the Google Icon, the New “G”, now reinforces the colour coding that Google has progressively moved towards, so now even the icon hints towards the growing suite of properties and product offerings. It seems to be a successful step in streamlining the branding of the complete picture of essential elements that Google is trying to put forward. I find it clean, modern and simple, reminiscent of the avant garde style of the TTC subway signs that came out in the 1950s and are still used for everything in the TTC Subway System. I like it.”
– Kyle M, Digital Designer
“Google’s big enough to be brave”
“Rebranding is never easy. You can’t please everyone and it always opens you up to negativity, particularly for a global giant like Google. Not everyone likes change but Google’s big enough to be brave. The clean, linear font ties in beautifully with the Alphabet name that came out of the overhaul of Google’s corporate structure. The company’s new url abc.xyz gave me a chuckle. Nice, clean, modern logo.”
– Mark A, Marketing, PR & Social Media Consultant
“It’s not a WOW logo, but …”
“It’s simple. The colours are very basic. It’s not a WOW logo, but I think that’s the way it should be for Google. Google is not just a company name, it’s a verb, it’s part of our culture. The logo doesn’t need to be beautiful, it needs to be recognizable and it still is. Just like ‘Google Doodles’, the logo gets changed in those but we always recognize it.”
– Yukari Y, Senior Designer
What do YOU think of the new Google logo? Does the crooked ‘e’ bug you? Let me know!
A HISTORY, FROM A TO … no Z, because Google is far from finished changing the world:
From Gizmodo … The Evolution of Google’s Iconic Logo
From Time Magazine … A History of Google Doodles
by Joyce Turner-Gionet | Aug 21, 2015 | Business Success, Creative, Deadline, Design, Latest, Management, Problem Solving
Do you have a creative routine or ritual?
If you’re creative, work in the creative field, or simply find yourself a slave to routine or ritual, read this book: Daily Rituals. How Artists Work, by Mason Currey. You’ll feel better about it all — your procrastination, your late-night working habit, the note pad beside your bed on which you jot things down when you wake at 3 a.m., the odd, quirky things you do that help you get creative and the odd, quirky things you do when you’re just not feeling it!
“An encouraging read for creative types, and a delightful peek into that world for the rest of us.”
– NPR’s Morning Edition
A quirky little gem
My girls were shopping in Toronto not long ago and found this quirky little gem in a Queen Street bookstore. To me, it’s not a book you read once, then pass on to a friend; although I’ve recommended it to many people. It’s not a book I store on my bookshelf. I leave it out, so that I can pick it up whenever I need to remind myself that, just like anyone who earns a living in a creative field or as a freelance, some kind of schedule to your days is imperative, deadlines are (mostly) immutable and like the rest of us, even the great ones grappled (and still grapple) with the universal issues of time and productivity.
It’s not a book about how to be creative, it’s a book about how some of the most brilliant creative minds of the last 400 years found the time, energy and willpower to be creative on a (mostly) day-to-day basis, through their own routine or ritual.
Creative Routine or Ritual
As Currey conveys in his Introduction: This book is “about the circumstances of creative activity, not the product; it deals with manufacturing, rather than meaning. But it’s also, inevitably, personal … I wanted to show how grand creative visions translate to small daily increments; how one’s working habits influence the work itself, and vice versa … The book’s title is Daily Rituals, but my focus in writing it was really people’s routines.”
Igor Stravinsky only composed music when no one was around to listen. When creatively blocked, he had the routine of standing on his head!
A few teasers to tempt you to go out and buy (or borrow) this little gem …
According to Currey, Stephen King has the daily routine of setting himself a quota of 2,000 words to write. He writes every day of the year! Frank Lloyd Wright never made a single sketch until the entire project was completely worked out in his head. Andy Warhol kept “everything” that was sent or given to him in what he called his “time capsule,” a brown cardboard box. James Joyce kept to no schedule at all and often entertained people, including his tailor, from his bed. Playwright Henry Miller wrote all night long and then one day, discovered he was really a morning person. Thomas Wolfe stood up while writing, using the top of his refrigerator as a desk. Truman Capote did all his writing in bed and wouldn’t start or finish a project on a Friday. In the early days, Alice Munro kept her writing a secret from everyone but those closest to her. Glenn Gould ate one meal a day and on the days he was recording, ate nothing at all. His routine was to go to bed at an hour when most of us are just getting up.
Daily Rituals is a fascinating glimpse into the artists’ private lives, personal habits and unique routine preferences — some of them peculiar, others downright bizarre (I won’t spoil the read by telling you more here) — peppered with sometimes astonishing quotes from the artists, unearthed during Currey’s extensive research. The excesses — smoking, drinking, drugs, food, sexual proclivities — are revealed, as is the other side of routine excess, as in Joan Miró’s inflexible commitment to vigorous exercise and Woody Allen’s obsessive need to shower in order to invoke the creative muse.
Fresh and Fascinating
Perhaps the most delicious aspect of the book is that you don’t have to read it beginning to end, as you would a novel, because it’s not.
Currey’s book is series of vignettes, colourful snapshots of the artists if you will, written in a style that flows effortlessly to and fro. You can start at the beginning and read through to the end; read when you have a moment, one or two accounts at a time; start at the end and work backwards; or pick up anywhere in between. It’s that kind of book.
In some ways, this is a “How To” book, a ‘ ways to manage your time’ manual, written from a completely fresh and fascinating perspective that reveals how those famous “others” did it. It reminds us that, in the end, we’re all human and it’s often our idiosyncracies that make us interesting and unique. It’s part motivational, part inspirational, and all of it is a darned good read.
Daily Rituals. How Artists Work by Mason Currey.
Mason Currey Website
by Miriam Hara | Mar 24, 2015 | Business Success, Creative, Design, Latest
Packaging design has always been touted as the “art of art”. If a designer can make it as a packaging designer, they can make it anywhere! Developing great packaging design is essential for any brand. Often the package is the only advertising a product does while sitting on shelf. It goes without saying that capturing the consumer’s attention on shelf is paramount for any product.
How do you turn good packaging into great packaging?
Here are some contributing factors that make a world of difference towards the success of package design:
Production Knowledge:
It’s important to understand that a package design won’t live in the environment where it was created. Many beautiful designs falter when they are produced in mass. What’s the point of designing and presenting a package that can’t be reproduced effectively? More importantly, what’s the point of designing a great looking package that adds to the costs of goods – thereby affecting the ROI of the product? Essentially, it’s all about production: Designing with the knowledge of production and the printing processes in mind will make you a packaging design hero.
Market Understanding: Competition
It may seem to be a motherhood statement although I say this with the utmost respect: Designers shouldn’t just design. Packaging design, or any commercial design doesn’t live in a vacuum. Packaging design must compete against other products and their packaging design. Packaging design must respect the tone and character of the brand and more importantly, it must maintain its individuality. If being a me-too brand is the objective, well the design is already dictated, isn’t it?
Market Understanding: Culture and Consumer
Hand in hand with competitive evaluation is the need to assess and understand whom you are designing for. It’s important to design within the framework of the culture to make the design relevant and to have it resonate to the intended target audience. There’s a lot of marketing that goes into a packaging design, so research is key. Listening to the research feedback is monumental.
Design for Performance:
Packaging design must perform on shelf. Although I love the use of “white” space, sometimes it’s just not the right strategy to employ in order to gain optimal on-shelf performance. Depending on the product category, it’s important to see how the design works on shelf with all the visual noise that goes with it. Be honest with the design. Even though it hurts to let a “beautiful” design go, if it doesn’t perform, it will be let go eventually and the cost associated will be significant.
This is only a short list of what I view as important to creating great packaging design. Do you have any other considerations to add? I would love to hear about them.
P.S. If you love design as much as I do, download our design eBook: re:design here.
