2012 will continue to be a tough environment for retailers. Consumers have no reason to throw off their new found sense of caution and propensity to put saving ahead of spending. If anything 2012 may produce even more reasons for them to retreat with some recent news of the financial services sector spruiking the need to lay off workers, and a sense that flat retail sales is placing huge pressure on retailers to reduce costs.
Having just spent three weeks in California over the holiday period, I couldn’t help but marvel at the wide array of creative expressions seen in the every day. From the impressive graffiti and street art in San Francisco, to the high end museums and art galleries in Los Angeles, there was something for everyone. On my travels, I came cross a truly unique creative project which I wanted to share. Creative Future is a creative publication and art project, featuring some of the most talented and inspiring individuals in the art and design industry. The purpose behind the project was to create a handcrafted quality product that’s not only a creative publication, but also an artwork in itself.
The ever-changing digital reality for Brand Communications – 60 Seconds on the Net
Recently a friend emailed me this iconographic of what’s happening every 60 seconds in the online world. The numbers are seriously noteworthy, especially for someone who works in the brand space day-in and day-out. What was equally of interest was how these numbers have changed since we last looked at them just six months ago.
Boxed and labelled Two – New Approaches to Packaging Design
Our packaging design work for Gelati Sky and for EO Melbourne’s Easter event invitation have been featured in the latest publication from international design book publishers, Gestalten.
In 2011, Twitter’s influence in shaping brand reputations continued but most content was driven by the public. This year, Twitter’s new Facebook-style brand pages promise to provide more opportunities for brands to customise and highlight content.
This also creates opportunities for brands to take Twitter parties to whole new level as HP and Intel showed us this week.
We always say you either get branding or you don’t. There is no real middle ground. It was therefore a pleasure to visit our mate Lester Marshall from the Coffin Bay Oyster Farm just before Christmas. Lester farms oysters in Australia’s premium seafood area on the Eyre Peninsula. Internationally recognised for their quality, flavour and size, Coffin Bay is South Australia’s most famous oyster growing location. This is largely because the waterways surrounding Coffin Bay are constantly being nourished from the nutrient-rich seawater and up welling from the Southern Ocean. It is a remarkable area, amazing oysters and Lester is doing his best to tell the world about it.
The Pulling Power of Brand Rituals
To be successful, all brands must develop a culture that builds-upon their differentiated proposition with all they do each and every day. Brands able to create unique and engaging ‘rituals’ performed by their people create an indisputable brand property to leverage in the battle to win customers and their loyalty.
Our Brand Design work featured in Big Brand Theory
Our brand identity project for Spudbar has been featured in the recently published Big Brand Theory, an international publication of inspiring brand design from around the world, by Chinese publisher of international design books; Sandu.
We Love Pop-Up Retail
There’s something about retail experiences popping-up in spaces that were previously public thoroughfares that creates an irresistible energy and attraction. The right offer, appearing magically in the path of the right consumer with the right brand proposition and brand identity creates a dissonance for consumers that is both compelling and inspiring. ‘Snackbox’, a shipping container turned modern canteen has recently popped-up in New York’s Times Square.
Masters of Stunning Retail Brand Design
As retail brands go, AESOP have built a formidable reputation on the back of their stunning store designs, and the latest installation on display within Hong Kong’s I.T Hysan One flagship store continues the theme.
