As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when it comes to package design for toy brands, which can play a crucial role in whether or not parents will even pick up and consider a particular … Read More
All marketers should be able to sum up their brands in a few, concise words. This is an important exercise. And, if it hasn't been undertaken before, it should be. When clarity precedes any marketing strategy, it's far easier to execute and produce better results with a … Read More
Just a couple of months ago, we were in the midst of the holiday season. The bells were jingling and store aisles were filled with holiday-themed products. With spending increasing during the holiday season, it’s no wonder many manufacturers try to capture their share of sales with … Read More
The year was 2009. And it marked the last time we developed an actual printed and die-cut licensing program style guide. This highly-immersive piece was created for Hasbro’s The Littlest Pet Shop lifestyle licensing program to announce the brand’s new “paw print” creative strategy, which we established … Read More
There’s a reoccurring mindset among some of our toy industry clients that’s somewhat baffling to our creative team. Whenever we’re in the midst of a package design refresh, and we determine that the brand would benefit from leveraging black as its dominant color, there’s considerable push-back. It’s … Read More
My experiences have likely been a marketer's dream. As a parent who has watched my kids and their friends grow up, I've made plenty of observations. It's true. Kids are more sophisticated today. They take to the latest technological marvels effortlessly. They're media savvy and exposed to … Read More
Given the fact that our roots are in the toy industry, appealing to kids has always been an area of expertise for our team. Over the past twenty years, we've conducted a considerable amount of research to understand how best to capture and maintain the attention of … Read More
A well-designed packaging program and guidelines to support its standardization are a necessity for every licensed property. It's truly the only way to ensure that a cohesive package design system is in place across a variety of consumer product categories. One of the biggest challenges for licensed … Read More
Brands need cultural relevance to survive and thrive. Relevant brands merge with specific consumers lifestyles, but the strongest brands inspire and create their own cultures. They're edgy in some way and they transcend boundaries. They are understood and embraced globally as long as they remain unique, authentic … Read More
Whenever someone writes a piece about the 3 things you should do to ensure success at anything, I’m usually skeptical. Because I know there’s a lot more to it than just getting a few things right. And, yes, that’s certainly true in this scenario as well. There’s … Read More
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