Bolt!

When to Ditch an Old Package Design.

Marketers are fond of saying: "“What’'s old is new again.”" They refer to wistful consumers who associate retro brand packaging with a sense of nostalgia; a recalling of simpler, less complicated times. With all due respect: there’'s more at play here. Of course, consumers who see classic … Read More

Packaging the Unmade Brand.

Less is more. There’'s a great deal of insight in that statement. We, as package designers, understand that clarity and simplicity help consumers to hone in on specific brands to the exclusion of everything else. But “"less”" can allude to something that’'s not quite perfect as well. … Read More

Using packaging to elevate the customer experience

Using Packaging to Elevate the Customer Experience

User Experience Design. It’'s a goal for which many brands are aiming. But UX design is about more than usability and accessibility. It’'s about providing pleasure and enjoyment in interactions with the brand. And before consumers interact with products, they usually engage with packaging in many categories … Read More

How traditional toys are driving toy industry growth

How Traditional Toys are Driving Toy Industry Growth

Many industry experts have theorized that the rise of technology would spell doom for traditional toys. If anything, the opposite has been true. Today’'s kids, tech savvy almost from birth, have found traditional toys engaging because of the integration of technology, which has given rise to a … Read More

Brands are going counterculture to win consumers

Brands are Going Counterculture to Win with Consumers

It’'s an American thing. We’'re attracted to individuals who swim against the cultural tide. Artists. Rebels. Challengers of mainstream groupthink. Heroes, real and virtual, who accomplish amazing feats against overwhelming odds. They are all the purveyors of unconventional viewpoints, lifestyles and philosophies, forming subcultures within society. They … Read More

Disrupting a product category before being disrupted

Disrupting a Product Category Before Being Disrupted

We admire brands that carve out unique niches within categories. We’re even more enamored by those that stake out new ground and join an elite group known as the “category of one”. These are brands that actually create new product categories because they dare to disrupt. They're … Read More

Establishing an emotional connection through package design

Creating an Emotional Connection Through Package Design

Successful packaging for consumer product and licensed brands not only fosters attention and an emotional buy response out of the gate but satisfies consumers' unconscious need to identify who they are by the brands they choose and to get "emotional validation" from them after they make a … Read More

Superheroes redefined for a new generation of fans

The Superhero: Redefined for a New Generation

Kids have always loved the superhero genre from one generation to the next. Young children and teens idolize their favorite superheroes and they can actually learn a lot from them as they are being entertained. Superheroes can be role models, teaching kids to stand up for themselves … Read More

creating live experiences that align with brand

Brand Experiences… Going Live in 3 – 2 – 1

Live experiences can be compelling and memorable, and they have the power to stimulate strong emotional connections. The implications for brands and licensed properties are huge because today's consumers want to do more than purchase products and services. They want to have rich brand experiences that are … Read More