Packaging design

Whether we like it or not, our brains can be persuaded without much conscious thought. We are hardwired to make decisions in a fraction of a second; it can save our lives. However, it usually allows us to run on autopilot, reliant on cognitive biases and heuristics.

Familiarity breeds indifference. If you want to excite your audience, you need to continuously refresh your offering. This can be as simple as updating your colour palettes each season. We reveal our predictions for 2024-2025 colour trends.

Get ahead of that Magic 8 Ball and stabilise your business in a shaky economy. Our trend methodology is here to support you and your organisation’s commercial success.

Let’s be honest, the competition for retail brands of all shapes and sizes is fierce. Plus, with the increase in digital touch points, it feels like everyone and anyone has a campaign or story to tell. It can be hard to know how to cut through the noise.

There is a clear desire for human connection and community in our post-COVID world. Online consumerism has spiked, and now consumers want to be able to engage in their high streets again (albeit in an omni channel way).

It’s clear the high street has gone through a significant period of change in the last few years. The developments across e-commerce and social media have changed how we interact with brands and, ultimately, our shopping habits. Drop a pandemic into the mix and you have a catalyst for seismic change.

Design is reactive to societal changes and, consequently, it continues to evolve. We like to get in on the ground floor of trends so our work continues to feel fresh and relevant. With this in mind, we are excited to announce three key predictions for branding design in 2023. 

Brands are facing a huge amount of change and it’s harder than ever to connect with scrambling audiences. You need to guarantee your brand’s commercial success, fill your team with confidence, and make sustainable choices. Our trend methodology is here to support you and your organisation. The ability to spot trends is vital in securing the survival of a brand, service, or product.

The business of doing business. It’s tough! Every day you’re taking risks, realising ambition and organising tasks. When there is a wobble, it can be so easy to retreat. Yet, that’s not the right timing to do so. You must continue to invest, especially in branding and marketing.

The business landscape is topsy-turvy and ever-changing. We set out on a mission to find out how businesses are getting by. So, we visited the Kid’s Hub and Playtime trade shows in New York to meet with brands and see how they’re fairing.

We recently turned to you, our loyal community, to discuss current challenges. We discovered many brands are struggling to reach new audiences. In response, we're offering a number of complimentary resources and a specially designed support package.

Colour changes everything, and everything changes with colour. It evokes so much emotion and interest. “What’s your favourite colour?” It’s a question we’ve all asked, and all answered. It’s divisive, and reveals a little part of us. We reveal our predictions for 2023-2024 colour trends.

The Metaverse will be an immersive version of the internet where users can interact with stores, brands, and communities in 3D. It has the power to grant us richer online experiences – imagine this – you and your friends could visit the mall without leaving your living room!

The power of visuals to aid learning is clear and its efficacy has been cited in numerous research studies. Many of us will remember the eye-catching board-books of our childhood. Our teachers and caregivers supported learning through pictures and purposeful typography.

Deciding whether to build your website on Squarespace or Shopify can feel like choosing between Diet Coke or Coke Zero. Fundamentally they are different, but no ones entirely sure why or how… (it’s the taste, apparently). Crucially, they are both fantastic tools for building websites, both offer: easy-to-use templates, different plans tailored to your needs, and a platform to share content and sell your products.

Life’s tough enough without experiencing gloomy brands too! In their Lifestyle Trends report, WGSN identified that interior design will be increasingly geared towards harnessing the power of design to “energise the mind, body and soul” (2021) by elevating everyday moments and fostering joy.

Brands must take a committed and authentic pledge to understanding and implementing diversity. The decision to be more diverse should be seen as an opportunity to improve and grow on a personal, organisational and creative level! What’s not to like?

Every organisation reaches a point where growth becomes an important focus. However, deciding on the next steps can be difficult, as there are different ways to grow a business. We’re going to show you (with tried-and-tested knowledge) how branding can be a huge asset to you, and how it can instigate growth!

Conscious living, whether that’s being more considerate to the planet or to the people on it, is a huge mega trend that we’ll continue to see for the foreseeable future (Trend Bible, 2021). So, what are some of the key ways family brands can address this trend in 2022 and 2023?

The cultural sector has faced real challenges as a result of COVID-19. Now that restrictions have eased, how can cultural organisations ensure they use the right strategy to eradicate any remaining barriers? Download our complimentary resource for practical guidance.

It’s bamboozling trying to understand the variety of file types on offer! If you’re struggling to understand who’s who, and what’s what, and why it needs to be that way, have a read of this handy blog! We’ll run through everything you need to know about creative file types, in a friendly and simple way.

Even following the pandemic, people will still feel that deep urge to stay integrated with their community and nature. We all want to feel self-sufficient and have gained an appreciation of slow living, forced by recent lockdowns.

LinkedIn is a wonderful platform for connecting with other like-minded professionals. Yet, when we want to encourage meaningful conversation, we experience "writer's block". No fear — we've curated 30 days' worth of content to keep your LinkedIn fire burning! So, there are no excuses now! Let’s get networking.

The benefits of engaging with arts and culture are clear — it can lead to a happier life, full of self-expression. As specialists within the cultural sector, how can you communicate this to the public? Another run-of-the-mill exhibition may not always capture your audience’s imagination.

It’s no surprise, tastes change depending on the cultural climate. What’s hot one year is not the next. Therefore, brands should use colour trends to influence their overall aesthetic, from products to marketing campaigns. We share our trend insights to help you create a long-term design strategy.