Food Entrepreneur - September 15, 2020 - 4

FOOD ENTREPRENEUR

SHELF LIFE

imitating

ART

STACY'S

How brands can recapture discovery through innovative packaging design
BY NATALIE SHMULIK

he pressure to "innovate or die"
drives constant product (re)development - but what about the
package? Mindful shoppers now spend as
much time analyzing what's on pack as
they do consuming what's inside. As instore sampling decreases and online retail
grows, product imagery
is increasingly becoming
brands' first opportunity
to connect with consumers. The boldest brands
are incorporating everything from augmented
reality to gamification,
replacing the in-store
discovery experience -
or are dropping the label altogether. This
growing trend signals an opportunity for
brands to redefine the box as a point of
interaction and innovation, rather than
simply a vessel for goods.
Impactful package design starts
with defining the brand and thinking
through "the why of the company's
vision," said Scott English and Victor

LaPorte, founders of the Scott & Victor
branding and marketing agency. Building on their experience as creative directors at firms like Nintendo, Kellogg Co.
and P&G, Mr. English and Mr. LaPorte
now work with smaller clients more
closely connected to their brands. S&V's
define-first approach informed the

bottle emphasizes the firm's commitment
to sustainability.
The effectiveness of the labels
relies on technical execution. All that
hard work cultivating the brand can be
undone by poor printing, misalignment,
and a lack of polished completion, said
Susan Gornell, brand design director
at PepsiCo, Inc. Her
successful launch of
Stacy's Pita Chips'
limited-edition
packages illustrates
how high-quality
images and story
can work together in
package design. Sold
exclusively online for
women's history month, each product
sported an inspiring snapshot of a female
entrepreneur's journey.
Ultimately, this strategy made an
emotional connection with customers
and tapped into their values. As ethical
shopping expands, brands should take
this opportunity to feature their unique
stories, whether they are women-led,
minority-owned or are making a measurable social impact.
Equal parts messaging, technical
design, art and immersive experience,
packaging offers brands a chance to reengage disconnected consumers. There's
never been a bigger opportunity or need
for entrepreneurs to express their passion
and artistry on pack. As retail square
footage continues to shrink, design will
be integral to improving the shopping
experience and influencing purchase
decisions. Creative, stand-out packaging
can reframe rushed in-store and clickthrough shopping into a captivating
adventure worth discovering. ▪

As retail square footage continues to
shrink, design will be integral to improving the shopping experience and
influencing purchase decisions.

Natalie Shmulik is the chief executive officer
of The Hatchery Chicago, a food and beverage
incubator. Email editor@sosland.com.
4

Food Business News

transformation of RXBAR, propelling
the energy bar's muted granola image
to the industry-leading "No B.S." health
brand it is today.
Once the vision and direction are
clear, brands may be tempted to list
every certification on pack. However,
the limited real estate means simple is
better. To avoid falling prey to "classified
ad syndrome," brands should highlight
their unique strengths. With customers
rushing their in-store shopping, packaging gives brands a chance to recreate
the experience of sampling and product
discovery. The most successful designs
dare to make "everything from patterns
to packing tape into another form of expression," according to S&V. Rather than
following category trends, S&V recommends brands "be bold and go with the
most audacious expression of self."
For example, Australian brand 19
Crimes Wine produced an app that scans
QR codes to animate its labels. Evian's
new label-less, 100% recycled water

September 15, 2020

Food Entrepreneur - September 15, 2020

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