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11.25.20 | read time: 6 min

Thinking Inside & Outside of the Box

116 & West

In the before times, when the 116 & West staff would get together for a potluck, you could frequently overhear someone saying “I bought this because of the label. I hope it’s good!” When good (or bad) packaging is brought up now, in 2020, you can frequently see the euphoria-inducing “many people are typing” notification from Slack.

In that spirit, a few of our designers put their heads together to determine some of their favorite pieces of packaging—their favorite aspect, whether they think it’s appropriate for the product, and why they think it’s successful overall. (Their opinions matter because they’re thoughtful, talented, passionate designers; plus, they can back it up with some insanely dope/functional work.)

Isabel’s favorite

One of Production Designer Isabel Sarhad’s current favs is found at Proof Eyewear in Boise, ID. Isabel believes Proof’s packaging expertly shows off a brand value that sets them apart in the saturated eyewear market: their dedication to sustainability.

Proof’s eyeglasses are made out of eco-friendly wood, and it’s reflected in the packaging. The eyewear is enclosed by sleek, natural wood, which Isabel describes as “genius, aesthetically pleasing, and an extension of the product.”

It doesn’t hurt that this example is trendy af, strongly appealing to its target audience—cool people with poor vision? . Isabel explains how trendiness helps contribute to the packaging’s overall success: “It makes you want to buy from them not just for the product, but the experience. All brands should work toward that.”

Christelle’s favorite

This next example was chosen by Production Designer Christelle Lyman for its intricacies: “The paper on the box is a die-cut which gives a potentially boring space dimension and texture.” Lollia At Last Shea Butter Handcreme employs the same die-cut pattern on the tube of lotion itself, giving the lotion more life, and the product and its packaging more cohesion.

As an all-natural hand crème, this product may appeal more to those who prefer a feminine-leaning experience. But Christelle explained that wouldn’t necessarily exclude purchases made by men, saying, “The floral die-cut is very feminine, but I also think the beauty of the packaging makes it so the product can be given as a gift, without wrapping, which might bring in a few purchases from men.” (Or for themselves; it is 2020 after all.) The details and intricacy exude a feeling of luxury, and that’s something we all deserve this year.

Some retailers offer the hand lotion with a different packaging option. It is three times less expensive, and rather than having the die-cut sleeve as a separately printed piece, the pattern simply printed directly on the box. As for this piece of packaging’s success, Christelle says she would still go with the option with the separate die-cut sleeve at the higher price point: “I think it would make a great gift without the need to wrap it.”

This isn’t Christelle trying to sell you lotion. This is Christelle telling you that this piece of packaging is so beautiful, so well done, that it’s worth paying the extra money.

Megan’s favorite

A stark contrast from the feminine beauty found in Christelle’s response is the example provided by Megan Nicholls, senior designer and UI/UX specialist. She explains that when you first receive a shipment from Signal Snowboards, which is known for bold design choices and experimentation with alternative materials, the plain cardboard box can be fairly surprising. Megan concedes this packaging likely won’t be winning any beauty contests but points out that’s not really the point.

“The intention is for the box to be unassuming which serves as an excellent deterrent for any potential porch thieves,” Megan explained. She detailed the steps Signal took to achieve this generic look: uppercase Helvetica in black ink on completely plain cardboard, and the fact that snowboard isn’t written anywhere on the packaging. Instead, it reads, “FLUORESCENT BULBS.”

Megan feels that’s this example’s pièce de résistance, saying “It’s brilliant they found a substitute product that is both unappealing to steal and more delicate, ensuring greater care in transport.” One thing Megan would change is the interior of the box, which is just as plain as the exterior. “It would make for a much more satisfying reveal if you were to open the box and be pleasantly surprised by a bold print that complements your new, beautiful snowboard,” she said.

Kelsey’s Favorite

Art Director Kelsey Selis brings us back to beauty and Boise with ERTH Beverage Co.! Both the product’s production and packaging design took place in the City of Trees (by the very rad Against!).

Kelsey couldn’t pick just one favorite aspect, saying “it’s clean, interesting, playful but balanced, with spot-on hierarchy and beautiful colors” and that “the subtle details call for attention but do not take away from the legibility of the type-work.” She explained the overall feeling as bright, natural, holistic, and supportive of the product inside.

The drink itself is incredibly well thought out, and Kelsey says that must be the case for the packaging as well: “There is a lot of thought that goes into these beverages, and the design mirrors that intentionally. It shows that balance of clean yet playful, organic yet strategic, professional yet creative.” When this much thought and love are put into packaging design, it’s bound to be successful. (To other creatives at the very least.)

Mel’s favorite

Executive Creative Director Mel Mansfield also coordinates Earth Week for the agency each year, so her initial response about packaging wasn’t exactly surprising: “My favorite types of packaging are those that don’t further damage our planet. I love the brands that are committed to creating a greener future through sustainable packaging.” She also loves when companies employ packaging that include instructions to create things—origami, animals, directions to make a fort or a mask, anytime that a package also fosters creativity instead of immediately getting thrown away.

Mel is currently really impressed with Seed Phytonutrients. She explained that their products come with a packet of seeds hidden behind each recycled, recyclable bottle. (Yes, that is a bottle that is made from recycled products that can be recycled again. New tagline alert: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recycle, Recycle, Recycle, Recycle… you get it.)

Mel appreciates that the organic and earth-friendly feelings of the brand are reflected by the simple, 2-color label on top of kraft-colored paper. She feels “this packaging approach can help consumers to feel good about their purchase as if they are participating in something bigger than just buying shampoo.”

All wrapped up

Next time you find yourself in a commercial setting without a plan, check out the different packaging. Pay attention to the details, and let yourself select the product that speaks to you—it was likely created to speak to its target audience.

Thanks for nerding out with us about packaging. If you’re looking for a partner who will absolutely match your level of excitement for your packaging project, reach out to whatsup@116andwest.com and let’s revamp your cans, bottles, boxes, cartons, and/or personalized packing tape.

Note: We are not receiving any form of compensation for talking about any of these products/companies. We’re just nerds who really love what we do.

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11.25.20 | read time: 5 min

Branding: doing it, and doing it right

116 & West

As marketers, we feel a great sense of accomplishment when we do fire branding work that hits the mark, tells the right story and makes people talk. When clients come to us with a need for a new logo design or evolution, a tagline, or another big aspect of their brand, we get pretty excited.

Branding work can be high risk, high reward. Agencies can feel a lot of pressure to do it well—and they should. Great branding can help your client invent or reinvent themselves in the best possible way.

What makes a brand, though? What aspects make it good? These are important questions to understand before any branding work gets done. They’re also questions we’ll attempt to answer in the contents of this blog.

What’s In a Brand?

Before we get into the components that make up a brand, it’s important to distinguish what a brand IS. In essence, a brand is the experience and memories customers have of products or services. Perhaps, more importantly, a brand is the perceived experience a person thinks they’ll have with the product or service.

In order for a person to have this perception, your brand needs to tell a story. The name, logo design, and copy need to work together to paint the picture of what the brand is and what it stands for. Depending on the brand, it also needs to speak to the target audience. News flash: If the brand doesn’t look or feel right to the people it’s trying to reach, it won’t reach them.

The story of your brand, however, can’t be built without the strategy of how to connect to your audience. It’s not enough to design a logo and write a mission statement.

Good brands understand these four ideas:

Audience Awareness

Good branding is very aware of their target. One of the worst mistakes a brand can commit is trying to be “for everyone.” Although it’s scary and can feel risky, it’s intelligent to build your branding to “talk” to the people you’re trying to sell to.

Good companies, therefore, spend a LOT of time doing research. They don’t just know the surface-level demographics such as gender and race, they know political leanings, household income, hobbies and interests, and how their brand fits into their audience’s life.

The design work and copy should therefore reflect the audience. Over time, your brand will start to be shaped by your target audience. (Which is kind of lovely, if you ask me.)

Emotional Connection

A good brand creates an emotional bond with the audience. Hopefully, your brand will make your audience feel a certain way. Those feelings, (the goal being good ones), your audience will then attribute to your brand and to the products or services your business sells.

When designing the logo, art direction, and brand architecture, it’s important to remember what you’d like your audience to feel about your brand. Emotion is the most important part of making your brand because people often make purchases based on emotion.

For example, what feelings do you get from this brand?

To me, Patagonia feels empowering, adventurous, and high-quality. It makes me want to go outside. Patagonia is also true to its values and has no qualms about whether or not that would politicize the brand or make some people not want to shop there. They’ve done their research on their audience, and they know their choice to be outspoken is the right call.

Does Patagonia gear differ all that much from North Face’s? Does it differ all that much from a Costco brand? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the only discernible difference is the logo. That logo, however, is the emotional tie that helps to make a purchasing decision. 

Consistency

In order for people to learn and know your brand, it needs to look the same no matter where it is. Your branding, no matter where it is (t-shirt, email, billboard), needs to feel the same everywhere. A scattered brand makes for a confused target audience. People need to see your brand and immediately know what it is. 

Consistency is why it’s important for brands to have a brand guide. A brand guide delineates all the rules for design and copy, so no matter who is doing the creating, your brand will look and feel the same. 

However, consistency doesn’t mean you can’t make changes to your brand if needed. If you do decide to rebrand or change packaging, keep some recognizable elements. Dunkin’, for example, used the same colors and fonts as their brand morphed. So, even if the name or signage was a little different, the brand elements were consistent. 

Clarity & Simplicity

Maybe the most important part of branding is keeping it simple, and, well, telling the truth. For a brand to be successful, it’s essential it stays in its lane and on top of its skis. It’s also important that the branding and messaging paints an accurate picture. 

We have a billion choices for every single product on the market. Want soap? Here are 800 choices—good luck. Need a car? Select from hundreds of models and make sure you like the color. Consumers have a lot of choices, and, because of the nature of digital advertising, those choices are pretty much always front and center. With all those choices and all that cheap internet real estate, your brand needs to make the decision easy. 

Simplicity and clarity should also be part of your company’s internal communication. Your purpose and mission statement should be easy for employees to understand and use. All aspects of your company should help show your target audience and your customers precisely what they’re getting when they buy your brand.        

Not a single aspect of your brand can be confusing. Otherwise, you risk losing a person’s attention (and possible dollars) to another product, good, or service that’s easier to understand or use. 

Building A Brand

Need some help with all this branding stuff? Hit us up! We’re experts in branding, rebranding, style guides, persona development, and anything else you’ll need. Our email is whatsup@116andwest.
Contact Us

 

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11.19.20 | read time: 6 min

Hot Takes: Black Friday & Cyber Monday

116 & West

Hello and welcome to the first written edition of Hot Takes! (You can find past live versions on our YouTube channel.) This time, the Westies put their heads together to answer all of your burning questions about the madness that is marketing in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday realms.

You asked, and we’re ready to answer! Let’s get right to it.

Is it beneficial for all businesses to participate in Black Friday?

We’re going to have to be a little wishy-washy here: it depends. It is historically a major spending day in the United States. One study asserts that Americans are projected to spend “$148.5 billion on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year.” So, like, a pretty penny. The same study reports that the industries most likely to benefit from Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales are furniture, appliances, electronics, and travel. (Admittedly, we are kind of curious to see if the travel industry will benefit much this year.)

Conversely, it may not make as much sense for smaller businesses to participate in Black Friday for several reasons. Many small businesses are either too focused on preparing for Small Business Saturday, can’t afford to advertise their incentives, or don’t have the flexibility in their margins to provide price cuts like large corporations. Regardless of these factors, consumers are looking to spend money.

To a certain extent, the built in Black Friday tide will float all ships. If it works for your particular business model, it’s well timed for you to participate. But, the massive amount of competition must be taken into account. If your offers aren’t compelling, it may not be worth the time or investment. Soooo, what we’re trying to say is: It’s up to individual businesses to determine whether or not Black Friday would be beneficial to them.

What should businesses do for Black Friday in the Covid world?

First and foremost, we highly, highly recommend having a fully optimized, intuitive website. Even prior to the current pandemic we find ourselves in, this is a necessity. You can read more about that on #7 in a recent blog of ours.

Don’t get too down on yourself if you don’t quite have an e-commerce site set up at this time. (We definitely suggest adding it to the top of your to-do list, though.) It’s okay to rely on brick-and-mortar sales—just make sure you’re following all guidelines put in place by your state, city and/or county. Additionally, as a privately-owned business, it’s your prerogative to enact any additional safety measures you feel are appropriate, such as a mask requirement, limiting the occupancy, or providing hand sanitizing stations throughout your store.

If you are relying on in-person sales, consider offering additional training for your employees. Black Friday is hectic during non-pandemic years; tempers might flare. Having employees prepared in relation to store policies, offer details, extra Covid precautions, and conflict resolution will be helpful in the long run.

What if my business can’t afford to run a big sale?

That’s okay. Instead, choose to share information about your brand and what value your products or services provide, whatever that may be. (A fantastic example of this is Deciem’s KNOWvember campaign; check it out.)

In the past, we’ve gone into detail about how much consumers want to support businesses that share similar values, but here is a quick recap:

• 76% of Americans would refuse to purchase a product if they found out a company supported an issue that does not align with their beliefs.
• 50% of global consumers said they would be willing to reward companies that give back to society by paying more for their goods and services.
• 76% of young people said they have purchased (53%) or would consider purchasing (23%) a brand/product to show support for the issues the company supported.
•  67% of young people that have stopped purchasing (40%) or would consider stopping purchases (27%) if the company stood for something or behaved in a way that didn’t align to their values

Tell your potential customers about all the care that goes into the products and/or services you provide; show them the extra effort you put in to ensure they have a pleasant experience shopping with you. Consumers want to get behind brands; show them why your business is worthy of that kind of loyalty.

What if my business can’t afford to promote our big sale?

That’s also okay. Two words for those of you in this predicament: social media. Utilize organic social media posts across all platforms. Commit to posting 2-3 times a day. Consumers want to support small businesses right now, so spread the word—and do it for free, baby!

Collaborate with other small businesses. Swap social media profiles with one another to engage with an entirely different audience. Both parties will benefit from the exposure at no cost to either.

Consider running a contest or giveaway that encourages your followers to spread the word for you. Meaning, tell them to tag x amount of people in a specific post for a chance to win something.

How do you approach Black Friday/Cyber Monday in a way that doesn’t follow the status quo/feel too “salesy?”

First, we’d like to say that there is absolutely no shame in screaming about the details of your sale from the rooftops—that’s exactly what these days are for, and consumers have come to expect this type of promotional advertising. And as previously discussed, consumers are looking to spend right now. But, if that strategy doesn’t jive with your brand, no worries. We have additional ideas for you.

While you should still advertise your special offer(s), it doesn’t have to be the focus of your messaging. Consider explaining the benefit of your product with an afterthought of “now x% off through [date.]” Consumers will focus on the good your product provides and then will be pleased to learn about the additional price cut.

There are likely some businesses who don’t feel ethically or morally right encouraging people to make purchases right now. For some brands, encouraging consumers to spend money rather than helping their community is not in alignment with their values, and feels wrong to do. And that is 100% valid as many people are struggling financially in the wake of the pandemic. But, this doesn’t take away from the fact that businesses need to make money to pay their employees and stay in business.

Again, deciding the best course of action for this particular conundrum will depend on what feels true to your company and your brand values. If you are feeling guilty about your company’s  participation in Black Friday or Cyber Monday, consider implementing some sort of charity aspect into your sale, such as encouraging customers to donate one canned food item to unlock a deal.

Thanks so much for kicking it with us and joining this extra special edition of Hot Takes! Contact us via social media (@116andwest on all platforms) or shoot us a line at whatsup@116andwest.com with any additional, burning questions about Black Friday and Cyber Monday.