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(2591, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', 'By Todd Maute\n<strong>Go beyond national-brand ‘best practices’ to create a superior private-label brand by leveraging package design that is seen by consumers as having meaning and purpose.</strong>\n\nAre private-label brand development best practices beneficial or not? I say maybe not so much. Why? Well, let’s start by looking at the definition of “best practice”: a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means; and that are therefore used as a benchmark.\n\nIf you think about it, since their inception, retailers have been developing private-label product brands and packaging designs by following a “benchmark” that’s been set by national brands. Historically, they benchmark product spec, and follow packaging spec and color cues, and even the communication hierarchy on packaging.\n\nBut just what has this yielded for private label? I’ll tell you: on average, less than 20% to 25% of market share, depending on how you look at the numbers. Do you think that is a superior return on investment? I’d say probably not.\n\nThe issue is this: When it comes to brand development and package design, the process is really personal, emotional, and very specific to each individual brand. Of course there are some fundamental creative problem-solving processes that will help to develop great brands and great packaging—and if you insist on calling them “best practices,” then be my guest and go ahead.\n\nBut regarding private-label packaging, the term “best practices” really describes a situation where everyone ends up following the same processes and ends up developing the same end result. Let’s face it, brand and package designs that yield truly superior results are ones that have been developed “out of the box” instead of by following the leader.\n\nSo I’m saying that retailers need to take more risks by breaking the mold and doing things differently. This is the only way you will truly achieve brand status in the consumer’s mind—where brands have meaning and purpose, and where they stand for something. But a private-label brand will never reach that hallowed status by benchmarking itself against standards that other brands have already determined.\n\n<strong>\nPrivate-label brands blazing their own trail</strong>\n\nOne retailer that dared to look at branding, package design, and structure a bit differently, and has achieved brand status, is the Duane Reade/Walgreens’ Good n’ Delish brand. From a product perspective, the fundamentals of this brand were “benchmarked” against other successful premium private-label brands. Yet the company did push the envelope by developing unique and differentiated products that were sourced from local as well as international vendors.\n\nWhen it comes to premium brands, most all retailers develop unique and differentiated products, but the core difference with Duane Reade/Walgreens’ products is the way in which they were branded and packaged. Yes, some fundamental brand development “best practices” were used—including understanding who the consumer is; analyzing category and market data; a deep study of the competition; and evaluating other successful private-label programs—yet in the end, Duane Reade/Walgreens traveled down its own path to create brand meaning and purpose that would uniquely belong to its own brand and enhance its desired market positioning.\n\nThe design, for example, was a combination of gut feeling and market insights. To start, Good n’ Delish as a brand name just felt right for the unique New York City market. CBX knew that the design strategy for premium goods involves setting the product as a hero and developing a very high-quality product appeal. Yet in this case, the product depiction was more about what the brand stands for—Making NY Living Easy—and giving New Yorkers, who are notoriously demanding and expect the best, just what they wanted—a New York brand image they could relate to.\n\nThat kind of fast-forward personality is why you see a chessboard made of dark chocolate squares, salsa using street lights to depict heat levels, and cashews in cabs in New York City—the city’s residents can relate and emotionally connect with these images, bringing Duane Reade a step closer to brand status.\n\nWalgreens also made this brand connection with Ology, a nationally accessible and affordable private-label brand that’s free of harmful chemicals. The core essence is about good for you and good for the environment. It has an easy-to-remember name that means “the sciences” and a unique recyclable structure—all the elements of a successful brand, and one that stands for something that consumers can relate to and support.\n\nRetailers like Trader Joe’s also march to their own beat. Their brand stands for things like sustainability and natural living, and so does their private-label and package design strategy. Other retailers that “get” private label are Whole Foods, Target, and Safeway, all of which have created unique brands and great design that has their own image, is centered on the consumer, and supports their desired positioning in the marketplace.\n\n<strong>\nTips on leveraging package design\n</strong>\nSo what do you do after you’ve chucked the proverbial “best practices” out the window? Start by gathering good information about your customers so you know them deeply. Then find out all you can about your category. Then, as you build a private-label brand, leverage design as a powerful marketing tool that can tell your brand story and can also support your market position.\n\nIf you ignore this, and simply keep your private-label design functional and benchmark it against national brands, you might be able to get your brand to a “national average” position; but is that what you’re really looking to do? I doubt it.\n\nDon’t be afraid to look at analogous brands outside your category or area of business. You might just get inspired. Think about how truly powerful great design can be, and how far it can take your private-label brand. Think about the technology and fashion fields, and how forward-thinking design can help make people want to associate with and buy your brand.\n\nWe all know that the shopping behaviors by channel category (for example) vary. Shopping for headphones has different cues than the dynamics of shopping for a battery. Headphones are an emotional choice in which performance and style are important, while battery purchases are functional. So understanding the way design can be leveraged by category is extremely important in trying to make a solid connection with a customer. Using a single packaging design across all products, where consumer purchase intent varies, could potentially be a mistake. Instead, develop a brand and package design that communicates excitement for each product, in each category, and potentially, in each channel.\n\nYou can create that level of excitement for your products, too, if you’re willing to step outside of the box and go for it. So when you approach a private-label design initiative, I would challenge you to set a goal for the brand, understand your customer, dive into the category, and look at the world outside your business. And then push the design approach far past the functional strategy and think about how you can leverage that package to truly make an emotional connection with your customer. This will lead your program to achieve brand status and provide superior results.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/strategy/create-benchmark-busting-private-label-brand\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/strategy/create-benchmark-busting-private-label-brand</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6927\" title=\"_K5L6891 Ology Group\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/K5L6891-Ology-Group-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"194\" />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6926\" title=\"_CBX0075 TJ Lineup\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CBX0075-TJ-Lineup-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"196\" />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6925\" title=\"_CBX0035 deLish Group\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CBX0035-deLish-Group-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"195\" />\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6924\" title=\"_CBX0045 deLish Orange Choco\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CBX0045-deLish-Orange-Choco-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"195\" />\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;', 'Create a benchmark-busting private-label brand', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1847-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1847, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1847-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2592, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', 'Picture a steak — beautiful, medium-rare filet with grilled asparagus. Can you smell it? Now picture it on a paper plate on your desk as you read this. Not as appetizing? That steak will taste differently depending on where you are and how it’s presented.\r\nYour environment has an effect on how you perceive food — a huge effect. McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson explains, “If you have a restaurant that is appealing, contemporary and relevant from both the street and the interior, the food tastes better.”\r\n\r\nWith foodservice emerging as one of the biggest trends in convenience, many retailers are reexamining many aspects of their brand and business. The type of consumer we are targeting has changed to include females, families and Millennials. Chefs are being consulted and culinary trends are being analyzed. With a focus on food, internal capabilities such as health, operations and purchasing are being affected. What\'s not always obvious is that design plays a huge part in the success of a foodservice offering.\r\n\r\nDesign wasn\'t always critical. Convenience stores were a place to buy stuff: cokes, smokes, chips and lottery tickets. Stores needed to be clean and bright. In order to differentiate between other stores, over-the-top branding was used. You know, the “Xtreme Mountain Fountain Zone” type of thing.\r\n\r\nWell, times are changing. Convenience stores have long been moving away from highly disruptive graphics toward restaurant cues. Many top c-store chains compete with the Dunkin’s and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) of the world on a regular basis. Casey\'s pizzas, Wawa hoagies and Stripes’ Laredo tacos are all credible alternatives.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Screen-Shot-2015-01-15-at-Thursday-January-15-2015-2.29.27-PM.png\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-8755\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Screen-Shot-2015-01-15-at-Thursday-January-15-2015-2.29.27-PM.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2015-01-15 at Thursday, January 15, 2015, 2.29.27 PM\" width=\"661\" height=\"182\" /></a>There are many ways to design for food and not every store has to be cookie-cutter to be successful. Neighbours, a concept designed for Petro-Canada more than 10 years ago, made waves in the convenience industry with a more restaurant-inspired look and feel.\r\n\r\nFormer senior director of foodservice at Petro-Canada Ed Burcher explains, \"We needed the guest to think ‘FOOD’ from the time they pulled into the parking lot to when they entered the store. The colors, textures and design had to reinforce the food purchase. We were able to do this and people thought of Neighbours as a restaurant and coffee shop, not a c-store. Our competition for the food occasion was Tim Horton\'s and McDonald’s, not other gas stations.”\r\n\r\nNeighbours’ exterior was made of stone, while dark, earthy colors covered the interior. The atmosphere was rounded out by specialty lighting, imported glass tile in the bathroom, a barista and an open kitchen with chef-inspired uniforms. In the first year, the first 10 stores sold more coffee than the rest of the network. Was the offer better? Of course it was. But it looked like a place to buy coffee, not a place to buy motor oil and toilet paper that happened to sell coffee.\r\n\r\nIt was a successful design that showcased food on a pedestal. This aesthetic has become an industry paradigm, borrowed and imitated for nearly a decade. But what\'s happened now is that everyone is chasing it and only looking inside the industry for design inspiration. We\'ve seen new stores across the nation from different convenience retailers sporting similar details. It makes you want to be in the stone, red awning and gooseneck lighting business.\r\n\r\nTo be with and even ahead of the times, you need to look inside and outside of the category. Where are people buying food? Grocery stores, drugstores and QSRs are only a few channels that have become competition.\r\n\r\nInterestingly, about two years ago, top QSRs started adapting a more European approach to design. McDonald’s, Wendy\'s and Burger King were all updated. Bold, solid colors, liberal use of wood and geometric architecture have all been seen in new store offerings. Inside, they are experimenting with multiple chair types and specialty lighting. They look like dining rooms, not bathrooms. (Look at your store to see if the flooring, lighting and wall colors are the same inside the bathroom as in the foodservice area. If they are, it might be time to reconsider.)\r\n\r\nFood presentation is also key. Even if you sell hot dogs, you have to be willing to overstock in order to show abundance and appetite appeal. You have to invest in foodservice. If you are set on waiting until the last hot dog is sold off the roller grill, then you should get out of the business. No one wants that last dog.\r\n\r\nA little food theater can go a long way. We are seeing more open kitchens, fresh produce areas and eye-catching equipment like the tap-style Unicorn soda dispenser from Lancer.\r\n\r\nCustomers will respond to your efforts. They will associate the design of your store with a place to come for fresh food and beverages. People eat with their eyes before they eat with their mouths. Design is an amazing thing. It lives. It evolves. It changes people\'s emotions. It comforts. It excites … and it sells food.\r\n\r\nThe full article is available <a href=\"%20http://www.csnews.com/product-categories/foodservice/designed-foodservice-success#sthash.R0DjrKIb.dpuf\">here</a>.', 'Designed for Foodservice Success', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2054-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2054, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2054-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2593, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', 'The concept cars unveiled at major auto shows always seem a bit “out there.” But by making a practice of radically rethinking their products, global car makers have learned to unleash their creativity and position themselves for the future.\r\nAre chain drug stores doing the same? How much time and money does the industry spend envisioning radical, out-there, seemingly impractical prototype stores — metaphorical “concept cars” that could ultimately exert real, paradigm-shifting influence years or decades down the line?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to the already lagging front of the store in particular, the industry would do well to entertain the possibility of radical shifts that would amount to an overthrow of the current, convenience-oriented model.\r\n\r\nWhat could replace that current model?\r\n\r\nWhen they aren’t ordering stuff online, both baby boomers and Millennials are keenly interested in health and wellness — a trend that is likely to gather steam with time. Indeed, the definition of health and wellness is expanding to encompass an ever-wider circle of both products and services.\r\n\r\nFor example, people will continue to embrace the notion that food is medicine, and that community is essential to both health and well-being. For nationwide drug store chains, then, this all spells potential opportunity.\r\n\r\nAnd so one strong possibility is a front of the store in which the focus is on curating a bigger message around health and wellness. Arguably, such a focus would be more on-brand and relevant, because drug stores are all about consumers taking better care of themselves.\r\n\r\nFrom CVS Health boldly and bravely ditching cigarettes to Rite Aid launching its wellness ambassadors program, the industry has taken its first steps in this direction anyway.\r\n\r\nWhat would a huge leap look like? If a national drug store chain were to launch a prototype that took health and wellness even more seriously, one approach would be to focus on four fundamentals: footfall (how to get more people in the front door), frequency (how to get them in the front door more often), relevance (selling things that matter to consumers) and brand consistency (offering on-brand products and services that are connected to a healthy lifestyle).\r\n\r\nWith respect to brand consistency, the Drug Store of the Future could offer products that reflect a more elevated consciousness. For example, candy and high-sugar drinks would play a less prominent role, and the store’s business plan would not include tempting shoppers with chocolate at every possible turn.\r\n\r\nSigns already point to the growing numbers of consumers who are rejecting sugared drinks in favor of bottled water and other healthier options; the prototype store would have a deep selection of artisanal waters, unsweetened teas and the like.\r\n\r\nThe prototype would also place far less emphasis on the commoditized products — anything from Styrofoam coolers to lawn chairs to low-end electronics — that formerly gobbled up square footage at the front of the store. This type of merchandise has nothing to do with health and wellness. If it is already omnipresent at dollar stores, discounters, convenience stores and in other retail channels, how much more available will it be in the future?\r\n\r\nAnd so the front of the store will no longer be reminiscent of Dollar Tree or a c-store. Instead, it will have polished wood floors and call to mind the supplements section at Whole Foods Market.\r\n\r\nThe pharmacy would still offer flu shots, but the preventive medicine clinic would do brisk business as well, in part because of revolutions that will make diagnostic tools and techniques cheaper and more portable.In fact, given all the research proving the health benefits of societal engagement, the prototype might even include a small community room, perhaps adjacent to the pharmacy/clinic. You could look through the oversize windows and see that an on-brand yoga class is in full swing. What’s on the schedule for tomorrow? Massage.\r\n\r\nOn the food front, it isn’t too hard to imagine a high counter that has a juice bar that offers customizable, kale-infused concoctions. Shoppers may also find a display at the front of the store that features organic, zero-sugar and antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice. It’s right next to the big display of anti-inflammatory turmeric supplements. Does the store have cashew nuts? Sure. But they’re dry-roasted and organic. You may even find a tilt table with some fresh organic produce from local farms.\r\n\r\nBear in mind that chain drug stores are already in the food business. Shifting into a higher orbit with more healthful offerings might be a stretch, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility. We are already seeing urban fresh format stores that are designed to combat food deserts.\r\n\r\nTechnology would be an integral part of the store as well. Say you’re a member of a rewards program. When the RFID scanner detects your phone, you could receive a text that gives you the option of downloading a free article on nutrition or on high-intensity fitness, or maybe a digital recording of a stress-reducing guided meditation. It would be the health and wellness equivalent of the free MP3 downloads that Starbucks offers to its loyalists.\r\n\r\nThe store’s exterior could also reflect the growing opinion that a healthier planet is a healthier you. That could mean lots of e-vehicle charging stations in the parking lot — all of them topped, of course, with solar panels — as well as rain barrels here and there outside and maybe even a rooftop garden and “living wall” covered in greenery.\r\n\r\nInside and out, the idea here is to shoot for a future in which consumers think of you first whenever they contemplate anything related to health and wellness. After all, that is your niche. So that might mean a product offering that includes things that might seem unthinkably impractical today such as organic cotton yoga pants or expensive fitness-tracking gizmos from the Quantified Self movement.\r\n\r\nToday, drug stores are full of merchandise that dilutes or even harms their brands, which is precisely why CVS Health kicked tobacco to the curb. And yet drug stores have just as much of a brand to uphold as all of the brands they carry.\r\n\r\nIf American society becomes increasingly focused on health and wellness, as it appears likely to do, then why not try to bring about a future in which consumers strongly associate national drug stores with their health and wellness needs? Why cede this territory to the likes of Whole Foods, which could never achieve the geographic market penetration of a CVS or Walgreens?\r\n\r\nFar-out prototypes rarely go to market as is, but they can and do lead to new ideas and incremental changes that, over time, translate into competitive advantages for chain drug retailers in the real world. The industry has already identified a need to reinvigorate the front of the store and carve out a stronger identity for itself in a world of both channel blurring and commoditization. Pushing prototypes past what might seem possible or practical is one way to shift that quest into overdrive.\r\n\r\nOriginally printed in <a href=\"http://www.chaindrugreview.com/envisioning-the-drug-store-of-the-future/\" target=\"_blank\">Chain Drug Review</a>', 'Envisioning the ‘drug store of the future’', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2093-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2093, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2093-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2594, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<p>Well-executed branding strategies for private label products can help convenience stores set themselves apart, bolster shopper loyalty, improve price perception and, ultimately, boost their bottom lines. And yet the industry still has a long way to go when it comes to taking full advantage of private label’s powerful potential, said Todd Maute, a partner in the global branding firm CBX, during a panel discussion Sunday at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) annual expo and convention in Las Vegas.\r\n“Private label is a hot commodity and is in the news a lot these days,” Maute told the audience during “Private Label Profit Puzzle,” a panel discussion featuring c-store and branding experts from four national firms. “But much of its recent growth has been driven by the sluggish economy and is the result of consumers ‘trading down’ in search of better price values.”\r\n\r\nDuring the panel discussion, Maute underscored the need for the industry to adopt a new attitude about private label—one in which companies see private label products, not as lower-tier alternatives to the national brands, but as powerful marketing and branding vehicles in their own right.\r\n\r\n“If economic weakness is driving much of the growth in private label, this says to me that companies have not done a good job of repositioning their private label brands in the customer’s mind,” he said. “But c-stores can remedy this by standing behind their brands, marketing them with confidence and educating customers that their private label brands really are worth buying.”\r\n\r\nIn the grocery and big-box discount sectors, Maute explained, smart retailers like Safeway, H-E-B, Target and Walmart are making much more of their private label brands. But, while c-stores certainly have more limited shelf space and shallower offerings in various product categories, their “captive audiences” ought to translate directly into stronger private label market share, Maute noted.\r\n\r\n“Let’s say you’re in a hurry, go into a convenience store and cannot find the national brand version of a product you happen to need,” Maute said. “You’ll be perfectly willing to try the c-store’s private label brand, rather than walk out empty-handed. If it happens to be an attractive package, well merchandised, with a high-quality product inside, you’ll buy it again. C-stores are missing out on an opportunity here with products that tend to deliver higher profits for retailers.”\r\n\r\nThe private label branding veteran drew a sharp-distinction between product-led and brand-led strategies. All too often, c-stores’ private label strategies are product-led, he explained, which means the attributes of the product itself—whether it is potato chips, soda or motor oil or is a “premium” product vs. a “national brand equivalent”—drive the way it is packaged, merchandised and marketed. In a brand-led strategy, by contrast, smart retailers create coherent and appealing private label brands that become instantly recognizable to consumers.\r\n\r\n“If the strategy is brand-led, you will innovate and differentiate,” Maute said.\r\n\r\nRetailers with the highest private label market share maintain a laser-like focus on smart advertising and promotion for those brands, up to and including social media, Maute revealed. They understand that every private label purchase carries with it three distinct impressions on the consumer, he added.\r\n\r\n“The first is when they see the product on the shelf. The second is when they buy it, and the third is when they actually consume or use it,” he said. “If you sell 50 million units per year, that translates into 150 million consumer impressions per year. And so the way you package and merchandise your private label products, the way you price them and place them on the shelf can be more powerful than a Super Bowl ad when it comes to shaping customer loyalty and building your overall brand.”\r\n\r\nHow should c-stores go about reorienting their private label strategies? “Start with the fundamentals of good retailing,” Maute said. “It is all about knowing the customer and understanding the dynamics of your store and your categories. Think of your vendors as partners, not as a mere procurement sources. Merchandise the product like you’re proud of it, which you should be. Promote it and treat it like a national brand, not like a brand alternative.”\r\n\r\nThe NACS Show, held at Las Vegas Convention Center, concludes today. The annual show highlights products and services for the convenience and fuel retailing industry.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.theshelbyreport.com/2012/10/10/expert-urges-c-stores-take-a-savvier-approach-to-private-label/#.UH2nSY7A6pV\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.theshelbyreport.com/2012/10/10/expert-urges-c-stores-take-a-savvier-approach-to-private-label/#.UH2nSY7A6pV</a></p>', 'Expert Urges C-Stores To Take A Savvier Approach To Private Label', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1711-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1711, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1711-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2595, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<p><strong>--CBX’s Todd Maute highlights marketing potential of private-label brands during NACS Show panel</strong>\r\nLAS VEGAS (10/7/2012) —Well-executed branding strategies for private-label products can help convenience stores set themselves apart, bolster shopper loyalty, improve price perception and, ultimately, boost their bottom lines. And yet the industry still has a long way to go when it comes to taking full advantage of private label’s powerful potential, said Todd Maute, a partner in the global branding firm CBX, during a panel discussion Sunday at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) annual expo and convention.\r\n \r\n“Private label is a hot commodity and is in the news a lot these days,” Maute told the audience during “Private Label Profit Puzzle,” a panel discussion featuring c-store and branding experts from four national firms. “But much of its recent growth has been driven by the sluggish economy and is the result of consumers ‘trading down’ in search of better price values.” \r\n\r\nDuring the panel discussion, Maute underscored the need for the industry to adopt a new attitude about private label—one in which companies see private-label products, not as lower-tier alternatives to the national brands, but as powerful marketing and branding vehicles in their own right.\r\n\r\n“If economic weakness is driving much of the growth in private label, this says to me that companies have not done a good job of repositioning their private-label brands in the customer’s mind,” he said. “But c-stores can remedy this by standing behind their brands, marketing them with confidence and educating customers that their private-label brands really are worth buying.”\r\n\r\nIn the grocery and big-box discount sectors, Maute explained, smart retailers like Safeway, HEB, Target and Walmart are making much more of their private label brands. But while c-stores certainly have more limited shelf space and shallower offerings in various product categories, their “captive audiences” ought to translate directly into stronger private-label market share, Maute asserted. \r\n\r\n “Let’s say you’re in a hurry, go into a convenience store and cannot find the national brand version of a product you happen to need,” Maute said. “You’ll be perfectly willing to try the c-store’s private-label brand, rather than walk out empty-handed. If it happens to be an attractive package, well merchandised, with a high-quality product inside, you’ll buy it again. C-stores are missing out on an opportunity here with products that tend to deliver higher profits for retailers.” \r\n\r\nThe private label branding veteran drew a sharp-distinction between product-led and brand-led strategies. All too often, c-stores’ private-label strategies are product-led, he explained, which means the attributes of the product itself—whether it is potato chips, soda or motor oil or is a “premium” product versus a “national brand equivalent”—drive the way it is packaged, merchandised and marketed. In a brand-led strategy, by contrast, smart retailers create coherent and appealing private-label brands that become instantly recognizable to consumers. “If the strategy is brand-led, you will innovate and differentiate,” Maute said.\r\n\r\nRetailers with the highest private-label market share maintain a laser-like focus on smart advertising and promotion for those brands, up to and including social media, Maute said. They understand that every private-label purchase carries with it three distinct impressions on the consumer, he added. “The first is when they see the product on the shelf. The second is when they buy it, and the third is when they actually consume or use it,” he explained. “If you sell 50 million units per year, that translates into 150 million consumer impressions per year. And so the way you package and merchandise your private-label products, the way you price them and place them on the shelf can be more powerful than a Super Bowl ad when it comes to shaping customer loyalty and building your overall brand.”\r\n\r\nHow should c-stores go about reorienting their private-label strategies? “Start with the fundamentals of good retailing,” Maute advised. “It is all about knowing the customer and understanding the dynamics of your store and your categories. Think of your vendors as partners, not as a mere procurement sources. Merchandise the product like you’re proud of it, which you should be. Promote it and treat it like a national brand, not like a brand alternative.”\r\n\r\nThe NACS Show, held Oct. 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, highlights products and services for the convenience and fuel retailing industry and is one of the top 50 trade shows in the United States, according to the Trade Show News Network.\r\n\r\nAbout CBX \r\n\r\nCBX is a brand agency specializing in corporate identity, consumer branding and retail. The company, with its current staff of 140, was founded in 2003 and has a client base that includes Del Monte, General Mills, Kimberly-Clark, A&P, Pathmark, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Lord and Taylor, Wawa, Sunoco, and PetroChina. In addition to its New York City headquarters, CBX has an office in Minneapolis, and through the CBX Worldwide Partnership, has operating offices in Santiago, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne, Shanghai, London and Seoul. The firm was ranked #282 in the Advertising & Marketing industry for the 2011 Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest growing private companies.\r\n', 'Expert Urges C-Stores to Take a Savvier Approach to Private Label', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1777-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1777, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1777-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2596, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<p><strong>Del Monte Pet Products plays up the bond between pets and their owners in the packaging for a new line of home-style dog treats.</strong>\r\nThe cherished relationship between “pet parents” and their canine “kids” is the focus of packaging graphics for Del Monte Pet Products’ new home-style treats for dogs. Made from 100% real jerky, sausage slices, and meatballs, the Milo’s Kitchen line of four treat varieties is packed in a stand-up, resealable pouch, decorated with graphics of pet owners interacting with their dogs, in heart-warming, full-color photography.\r\n  \r\nDel Monte worked with brand agency CBX to fine-tune the positioning and packaging design for Milo’s Kitchen. Through an extensive research process, CBX helped pinpoint the insight that pet parents regard their pets as equal members of the family unit. As such, they want to share the same kind of 100-percent real, nutritious, and flavorful snacks that they themselves would eat.\r\n  \r\n“This revelation became the driver—the distinct ‘a-ha’ moment—behind the development and positioning of a pet snack brand that would allow Del Monte to carve out its share of this burgeoning [pet food and products] market,” says CBX chief creative officer Rick Barrack.\r\n  \r\nIn addition to photography of people embracing their pets, the package design for Milo’s Kitchen includes a round bulls-eye on the package, displaying the 100-percent real quality seal, to reassure consumers of the high-quality ingredients. The light color of the packaging adds to the fresh and natural appeal of the product, as well as boosts its shelf presence on crowded grocery and retailer shelves. A clear window on the front of the bag has been maximized so consumers can see the pet snacks inside. The back panel complements the positioning on the front by telling the story of the brand. \r\n   \r\nMilo’s Kitchen home-style treats are available in small (2.7 to 3.3-oz), medium (10 to 14-oz), and large (15 to 30-oz) bag sizes, depending upon variety, and are sold at large national grocery chains, Walmart, Target, PetSmart, Petco, and other channels selling pet food.\r\n\r\n \r\n<a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/family-member-status-dogs-helps-sell-pet-treats\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/family-member-status-dogs-helps-sell-pet-treats</a>', 'Family-member status of dogs helps sell pet treats', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1724-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1724, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1724-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2597, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<strong>Retailers should better leverage dedicated own-brand teams, consumer insights, and new technology to streamline the branding process</strong>.\r\nDuring a time of negligible population growth—with millennials slow to have children but eager to try new and exotic products—retailers cannot propel private brand sales simply through low-risk line extensions.\r\n\r\n“Because there’s not a lot of population growth, retailers are looking to innovation, and we’re seeing an enormous amount of what’s called ‘rapid prototyping,’” says Todd Maute, a partner with New York-based design consultancy CBX.\r\n\r\nHow could retailers be more innovative in the store brand space? Although the national-brand equivalent tier still resonates with many consumers, market research has shown that millennials—many of whom still live with their parents and have considerable discretionary income—care about transparent sourcing, corporate social responsibility and the avoidance of ingredients they consider to be harmful. These priorities and misgivings, coupled with millennials’ more adventurous, multicultural food and beverage preferences, create opportunities for retailers to develop new must-have premium brands, lines, and SKUs. And with any luck, some of these new products will go viral on social media.\r\n\r\nAmong private brand owners, “there will always be the ‘fast followers,’” observes Doug Baker, vice president of private brands for the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). “But if we can start finding those gaps where consumers have a need we can fill, that’s going to create longevity and a breath of fresh air for private brands. Many retailers are trying to do that, so they are stepping outside the box of what private brands have done for so many years.”\r\n\r\nRetailers face a number of challenges, however, when it comes to rapid development and deployments of groundbreaking private label brands, lines, and products.\r\n\r\n“Speed to market, in my opinion, is critical,” Maute says. “But a lot of retailers have very large [private brand] programs—with as many as 2,000 to 5,000 SKUs. To execute 5,000 SKUs can take years. By the time you’re done, you have to start all over again.”\r\n\r\nSmaller launches—of new and different store brand lines and products—also face hurdles, Baker notes. One of the challenges is guaranteeing the volume that many manufacturing partners require.\r\n\r\nAnother obstacle to a rapid launch is the complexity of the private brand supply chain, Baker points out. Retailers typically work not only with manufacturers, but also with packaging design agencies, pre-press firms, logistics companies, marketing and branding agencies, and many other vendors. A cumbersome, time-consuming approval process for any proposal or change can drastically reduce the speed to market.\r\n\r\nWhat could retailers do, then, to streamline the branding process and bring their own lines and products faster to store shelves? The answers range from reconfiguring corporate infrastructures to more effectively leveraging new technologies to communicate with outside vendors.\r\n\r\n<strong>Dedicate groups to store brands</strong>\r\n\r\nMaute recommends that retailers have dedicated private brand groups—with a deep understanding of category dynamics—that are responsible for the entire branding process.\r\n\r\n“It starts with a commitment to infrastructure within a retailer,” he explains. “Each retailer is structured really differently. Sometimes merchandising owns private label. Sometimes marketing owns a piece of it, but merchandising owns another piece of it. And sometimes there are freestanding groups that own it and collaborate.”\r\n\r\nRetailers with dedicated groups tend to have more streamlined processes in place and realize, for example, that “how people shop for laundry detergent is very different from how they shop for cereal,” Maute says. Such retailers also recognize the need to tailor the branding story to consumer behavior within a particular category.\r\n\r\n<strong>Mine consumer insights</strong>\r\n\r\nMany market research groups are striving to understand consumer behavior across a wide range of demographics and categories. Such market intelligence can help determine optimal package sizes, as well as item varieties.\r\n\r\nWorking with its Private Brand Council (consisting of retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers) and IRI, FMI has been conducting research specific to how new private brand products are developed and launched and how consumers view and engage with store brand items.\r\n\r\n“We’re scrubbing social media to find out what consumers are actually saying about private brands,” Baker shares.\r\n\r\nHe notes that FMT plans to issue a four-chapter white paper on this research in phases next year, with the first chapter to be released around the end of January.\r\n\r\nPrivate label manufacturers, which frequently work with a range of retailers that target different demographics, can be founts of information on consumer behavior, too. To be innovative with store brands, Retailers and private label manufacturers need to pool their consumer and category insights and collaborate on product development, Baker says, pointing out that creativity can be found on both sides of the partnership.\r\n\r\n“From surveying our Private Brand Council, we know that manufacturers are bringing new items to retailers, and retailers are bringing new items to manufacturers,” he notes, adding that sometimes retailers and manufacturers glean new product ideas during trips overseas.\r\n\r\n<strong>Streamline communication</strong>\r\n\r\nDuring the packaging design phase, which has historically been time-consuming because of all of the external players and required sign-offs, new technologies can help shorten the time to market, Baker suggests.\r\n\r\nTo realize efficiencies, retailers may be tempted to bring or keep design in-house, but that’s usually not a good choice, according to Maute.\r\n\r\n“I believe that design is one of the most under-leverages tools in U.S. private label grocery packaging today,” he adds. “If you were to look at the UK market, which has a significantly higher penetration and market share in private brands, you’ll see that retailers like Tesco and Marks &amp; Spencer and Waitrose use the top design agencies and have some of the most beautiful packages in the marketplace.”\r\n\r\nIndeed, because of technology, design agencies can be used more effectively and efficiently today, allowing a retailer in California, for instance, to work closely with a design team in Chicago, according to Baker.\r\n\r\n“Design companies are setting up monitors and equipment inside of brand owners’ buildings so that retailers can watch photo shoots from their offices in real time and make suggestions and decisions immediately,” he says. “So technology is a major solution in trying to reduce the time it takes to get a product to shelf.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Take smart shortcuts</strong>\r\n\r\nRather than start from scratch with a new brand or line, it can pay to leverage what already has been done. Earth City, Mo.-based Save-A-Lot, a division of Supervalu, Eden Prairie, Minn., came to this conclusion when it acquired the America’s Choice trade name from the bankrupt Great Atlantic &amp; Pacific Tea Company (A&amp;P) in late April. Less than six months later, the retailer is rolling out America’s Choice Creations, its new store brand line of “decadent” sweet and savory shelf-stable products. To diminish the initial time to market and build momentum, the entire line will be introduced in three launch phases.\r\n\r\n“It’s good to take advantage of somebody else’s hard work,” Baker observes. “That brand has been around for such a long time. And in certain areas of the country, it’s going to resonate very well with consumers because they are going to recognize it.\r\n\r\n“In other areas of the country, people will be seeing it for the first time,” he adds. “But whenever you can shorten the learning curve, that makes sense from a branding perspective.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in Store Brands Magazine.', 'Faster to market', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2284-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2284, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2284-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2598, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Rick_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1070\" /></a>By Rick Barrack:\r\nToday’s purchasing decisions are made quickly. Here are some ideas for conveying your brand’s story while also standing out and educating consumers.<div>\r\n\r\nAs consumers become savvier shoppers, marketers need to communicate their brands’ key selling benefits differently. Twenty years ago, it may have been enough to slap a “sugar-free” or “vitamin-enriched” starburst on a package to get someone’s attention in the supermarket aisle. But today, every box, bag, and bottle makes one or more claims, to the point where it can warrant negative publicity. Worse, it could drive angry and mistrusting consumers to tweet, rant on blogs, and—gasp—unfriend you on Facebook! Even brands like SunChips, which tried to blaze a new trail with its groundbreaking compostable packaging, heard loud and clear over the Internet that consumers did not entirely appreciate its bags, which were very noisy.\r\n\r\nSo what’s a brand to do? Given that purchasing decisions are made in an instant, how can package design work to help marketers tell their brands’ story, educate consumers, and stand out…in an instant? Here are five lessons learned from package design to help guide your efforts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Lesson #1:</strong> \r\nTell a simple, compelling story. Jaded by all the marketing claims of the past decades—everything from “sugar-free” to “fiber-rich” to “probiotic”—consumers are now seeking out more minimal design, straightforward visual cues, and honest, authentic copy. Method, with its “good for you, good for the planet” message, creates minimalist yet beautifully designed products that are not only good for the environment but also meant to be displayed in homes.\r\nGone is the image of “green” as bare-bones (hello, Seventh Generation). The Method product line, with its brightly colored packaging; unconventionally shaped bottles; and friendly, lowercase logo; unquestionably is modern and approachable. Package copy is straightforward and minimal, with the occasional wink, and it conveys the product’s benefits elegantly and concisely. Quite simply, Method noticed a niche in the category and nailed it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Lesson #2:</strong> Do something unexpected to grab shoppers with short attention spans. In the age of the Internet, branding messages bombard shoppers with information. They can’t focus for a single minute, let alone several. The days of reading package copy in the aisle are long gone; now, you really need to grab consumers at first glance. For this reason, packaging must be bold, in a refreshing, innovative way and make people say, “Wow!”\r\nWhen CBX was helping Kimberly-Clark create its U by Kotex brand, the creative team got out into the field, turned over every stone, and really tried to think “out of the box” (pun intended) to create packaging that would alter the public image of Kotex. Research showed that the feminine-hygiene category had been dominated for the last 50 years by pastel hues, script typefaces, and discreet language, and also that this approach is no longer relevant to a 21st century woman, who is anything but shy.\r\n\r\nBuilding on cues found in fashion, U by Kotex’s black matte packaging is highlighted by bold bursts of color and high-gloss circles. The copy tone that is at once both honest (our target consumer wanted straight talk) and informative (highlighted by a “Myth or fact?” section on the back panel that discarded old-fashioned notions of what happens to women during their periods). The brand also had the chutzpah to use the word vagina—previously taboo in the category.\r\n\r\n<strong>Lesson #3:</strong> Educate and entertain. In the age of the Internet, CPG companies can no longer pull the wool over consumers’ eyes with inflated, and even false, packaging claims. In addition to possibly losing sales, you also can find yourself in big trouble with the Food and Drug Administration. That happened to Nestle last summer, when the FDA cited the food and beverage company for claiming that its Boost Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink provided “immunity protection” for children against colds and the flu. But VitaminWater, a line of enhanced waters from Glaceau, now a privately owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola, struck the perfect balance between “educate” and “entertain.” A clean design and smart, witty, conversational copy convey the product benefits. For example, the brand’s “energy” drink, which contains guarana and Vitamin B, bears this copy:\r\n\r\n“In soccer (excuse us Mexico, Spain, and Italy, we mean ‘futbol’), there isn’t a more exciting moment than when the announcer screams ‘gooooooal’ (yelling ‘offffsiddde’ never quite caught on). With that said, we added Vitamin B and guarana to give you an extra kick (pun intended), so now when you’re watching soccer, playing soccer, coaching soccer, driving kids to soccer or doing anything that starts with ‘socc’ and ends with ‘er,’ you too can have the energy of a raving lunatic to yell ‘gooooooooal!’”\r\n\r\nAs opposed to packages bombarded with claims, bursts, and violators, VitaminWater’s editorial-style graphics immediately draw attention, and its informative, witty copy was groundbreaking for the beverage category. Is it surprising that VitaminWater has become one of the best-selling enhanced waters?\r\n\r\n<strong>Lesson #4:</strong> Have a big idea. When Duane Reade approached CBX to develop the expression of its private-label brands’ new positioning, “New York Living Made Easy,” the result was approach that would get even the most cynical New Yorkers to sit up and take notice. The creative team looked at every uniquely New York experience and then incorporated these experiences into the package designs.\r\n\r\nTwo examples: Spectacular Chocolate Chip Cookies feature a theatrical spotlight shining on appetizing product shots. Deluxe Whole Cashews cans whimsically position the cashews on bar stools and park benches.\r\n\r\nThis idea of uniquely New York is evident across all of Duane Reade’s private-label products, and it is reinforced throughout the on-pack copy with a dry, sarcastic tone that easily could have come out of the mouth of any New York City taxi driver. Additionally, Duane Reade now offers a value line of products that utilize UPC-style illustrations of New York Landmarks, from the Statue of Liberty to the Brooklyn Bridge to the New York City skyline.\r\n\r\n<strong>Lesson #5:</strong> Make the every day special. Our days are monotonous enough. Why not do something special for consumers in the supermarket aisle? Just because a product has a particular price point doesn’t mean it can’t feel a little more premium.\r\n\r\nMore and more, brands are realizing that they can utilize upscale design at a mass price point to really make a statement. Dorset Cereals does just that. This line of cereals takes a category, not exactly known for its beautiful design, and elevates it through simple, beautiful packaging more commonly found among boutique brands. An oversized, approachable font, elegant color choices, and peek-a-boo windows shaped as leaves—through which you can see the product—make this breakfast choice a no-brainer.\r\n\r\nI’m not saying that designing packaging based on the five lessons described above will guarantee success. However, the chances are pretty high that by following one or a combination of these suggestions, your product can stand out on shelves and inspire consumers to hit “like” on Facebook, tweet your praises, and share positive associations with your brand among their friends.\r\n\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-type/thermoformed-packaging/five-lessons-building-great-packaging\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-type/thermoformed-packaging/five-lessons-building-great-packaging</a>', 'Five lessons for building great packaging', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1556-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1556, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1556-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2599, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', 'The food gifting market has proven to be a growing entity within the specialty food realm, approaching $18 billion in sales in the U.S. in 2016.\r\n“On the consumer side, key hallmark holidays have always been a huge driver,” says Renee Israel, co-founder of Doc Popcorn. “At no time is this more apparent than in Q4 when holidays practically invented for food come around.” Some of biggest category sellers include candy, nuts, and fruit, but healthy food alternatives are also gaining ground.\r\n\r\nAccording to Dave Taiclen, president of 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc. Gourmet Food Group, giving gourmet food gifts for celebratory occasions has always been a staple in the gifting industry. In fact, Harry &amp; David began the first Fruit-of-the-Month-Club more than 80 years ago featuring its famous Royal Riviera Pears and gourmet fruits.\r\n\r\n“Gourmet food gifts appeal to consumers as they provide their recipient with a delicious experience that may speak to their taste—chocolate lover, grilling chef, and wine connoisseur—or allow the recipient to try a new flavor or food,” Taiclen says. “\r\n\r\nKim Jones, senior director, marketing of Mrs. Fields says food gifting, particularly sweet treat gifting, has had a noticeable increase over the last few holiday seasons at Mrs. Fields.\r\n\r\n“I believe consumers are going back to the basics,” Jones says. “We want to give a gift that was made with love, without actually making it.”\r\n\r\nIndeed, Sue George, owner of Harvard Sweet Boutique in Hudson, Mass., believes people are looking for alternatives to standard delivery gifts.\r\n\r\n“I have seen a huge jump in people gifting our special diet items, such as gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, egg-free and dairy-free,” George says. “Corporate food gifting is also on the rise, especially during the holidays.”\r\n\r\n<strong>The Role of Packaging</strong>\r\n\r\nThe attributes of visual design and presentation within the food-gifting category are paramount. People give gifts for the purpose of personal expression. Perhaps even more important than the food itself, is the story and experience the brand communicates.\r\n\r\n“Whatever the design, it must commit fully to a story,” says Dustin Longstreth, senior vice president, strategy group director at NY-based branding agency CBX. “That story can be about where it’s from, how it’s made, who made it, or how expensive and scarce it is. But it’s the commitment to communicating a sense of specialness through story that will set it apart from everyday items.”\r\n\r\nAs Taiclen explains, customers have many choices today, and so the decisions are often driven by brand recognition, or the attractiveness of the packaging.\r\n\r\n“Once the consumer is engaged, it’s our responsibility to communicate to the consumer the benefits of the gourmet food gift and tell the story of what makes our products great,” Taiclen says. “We want our visual presentation to be impactful, but still not take away from the components that are inside of it.”\r\n\r\nAccording to Jenny Dorsey, culinary consultant in New York City, being a \"foodie\" has become commonplace and especially for the food-obsessed millennial, gifting something that is food related and experience-worthy is at the top of the list for desirable gifts.\r\n\r\n“People are more and more interested in the why, how, where, and what of their foodstuffs, so food gifting also allows for two parties to exchange information about a food item and bond over that,” Dorsey says. She stresses that minimal design is in right now.\r\n\r\n“It needs to be cohesively designed and on-brand—if the brand is \"healthy\" then it must list ingredients, show sourcing, give information online about why or how it uses its ingredients, show artisanal harvesting process, etc.,” Dorsey says\r\n\r\nGeorge of Harvard Sweet Boutique has seen that solid gift boxes, fun and whimsical designs—polka dots, stripes, chalkboard—sell best and then classic, conservative designs for business gifts work well.\r\n\r\n<strong>Demographics and Future Trends</strong>\r\n\r\nDorsey sees urban professionals, ages 25-45, both male and female, with high discretionary income, currently being the largest food gifters.\r\n\r\n“The food gifts they provide are as much a social status symbol for themselves as they are a gift,” Dorsey says. “They care about perceived image and brand, less about ‘value’ — quantity per dollar —and especially enjoy an experiential product that extends beyond the package.”\r\n\r\nTaicien predicts food gifting to be a strong trend with continued growth in the future. Indeed, according to a study by Packaging Facts, food gifting sales are expected to rise 2.5 percent in 2016.\r\n\r\n“Feedback from retail channels is important to keep consumers engaged in gourmet food gifting,” Taicien says. “Our Gourmet Food Group brands rely on constant feedback from our customers at all touch points to ensure our quality products not only meet their gifting needs but do so in an easy and convenient way for our customers.”\r\n\r\nLongstreth, adds “And as our expectation of quality continues to grow, we’re likely to see more ultra-premium offers, made with extremely rare, expensive fine ingredients to impress that special someone on your list.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"https://www.specialtyfood.com/news/article/continued-strength-food-gifting-market/\" target=\"_blank\">Specialty Food Association</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Maura Keller', 'Food Gifting Market Remains Robust', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2240-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2240, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2240-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2600, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<strong>Smart merchandising can use the perimeter to boost center store.</strong>\r\nIt’s no secret that in the grocery channel, growth among perimeter departments is outpacing that of center store, and is anticipated to continue doing so through the rest of the decade.\r\n\r\nWhile center store sales are projected to grow from $205 billion in 2015 to $216 billion by 2020, perimeter sales are anticipated to rise from $296 billion in 2014 to $346 billion by 2019 — a whopping $50 billion, according to Chicago-based market research firm Mintel.\r\n\r\nThe reason behind this switch is clear: Americans are increasingly “counting ingredients, not calories,” eschewing heavily processed foods for fresh and natural offerings, says Euromonitor, a market researcher based in Chicago, in its April 2016 “Fresh Food in the U.S.” report.\r\n\r\nWith the rise in e-commerce, however, trips to brick-and-mortar grocery stores are on the decline, warns Stacey Ring-Sanders, VP of category management with Battle Creek, Mich.-based Kellogg Co. As a result, grocers are feeling increased pressure to ensure that they’re meeting their shoppers’ needs, making it important to develop solutions and pair items across the store to maximize sales as much as possible.\r\n\r\nA good way to do this is to work with suppliers and across departments, leveraging the perimeter’s booming popularity to boost exposure and sales of products typically seen as more processed — namely, shelf-stable and frozen items.\r\n\r\n<strong>Shelf-stable Opportunities Abound</strong>\r\n\r\nShelf-stable products are relatively easy to move to other areas of the store and promote alongside complementary fresh items. To do so, however, grocers must understand consumers’ attitudes, lifestyles and purchase behavior.\r\n\r\nOne major consumer behavior worth noting: The busy world and increasing access to exotic flavors are pulling consumers in two different directions, pitting a desire for more exotic, complex dishes that often incorporate fresh ingredients against a cramped schedule barely allowing for a phone call to order pizza.\r\n\r\nMatt Pabst, director of shopper marketing at Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods, suggests that marrying the convenience of shelf-stable products with the desirability of fresh products is a critical way of approaching cross-merchandising and -promotions in the center store category.\r\n\r\nFor instance, ConAgra partnered with its retailer clients to share with customers its “Rockin’ Guac” recipe, which pairs Ro-Tel’s canned diced tomatoes and green chilies with Avocados From Mexico avocados and perimeter items. Doing so removes a time-consuming step from preparation — dicing the tomatoes and peppers — while still giving consumers the feeling that they created something by mashing the avocados and mixing them with the other ingredients, as well as imparting the satisfaction of enjoying fresh foods.\r\n\r\nBeyond tastes, time of year also can lend itself to convenience-minded cross-merchandising and -promotion solutions between shelf-stable and fresh.\r\n\r\nOne of the more stressful periods for time-starved families is the back-to-school season, which can leave parents with little time to put together a healthful lunch or snack for their kids. And considering that parents today are more interested than ever in having their kids eat fresh, less-processed foods, adding fresh components to cross-merchandised and -promoted solutions can help retailers give parents peace of mind while driving sales.\r\n\r\nAs an example, shelf-stable peanut butter could pair well with fresh sliced breads in the bakery section, especially around back-to-school season, and offer a strong sampling opportunity. Brian Evangelista, brand manager with ConAgra, notes that during that period in 2015, its Peter Pan brand partnered with retailer clients to create trial programs based around its new Simply Ground peanut butter, which boasts a texture somewhere between creamy and crunchy peanut butters.\r\n\r\n“To bring the first texture innovation in this category for many years, we needed to focus on in-store demonstrations to share the experience with consumers,” he says. “Simply Ground is very important to the lunchbox occasion because it is the only spreadable crunch on the market,” as traditional crunchy peanut butter is more likely to tear bread apart when spread with a knife.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, category managers could work to cross-merchandise and -promote on health-and-wellness messaging. For instance, pairing free-from shelf-stable products with complementary perimeter items sporting similar free-from statements could help drive basket ring. “It’s critical that retailers have category assortments that more completely meet the different and relevant health needs of their shoppers,” says Nicolas Martinez, director of shopper insights with ConAgra.\r\n\r\n“This includes specific health needs like natural, gluten-free and organic.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Frozen Tougher to Crack</strong>\r\n\r\nWhile cross-merchandising or -promoting shelf-stable products around the perimeter requires just a bit of creative thinking, doing the same with frozen items can be far trickier. For one, such products can’t easily be merchandised outside of the frozen aisle, meaning that cross-promotions tend to be easier.\r\n\r\n“You need to have wheel-able cases to actually cross-merchandise,” points out Todd Maute, partner with New York-based retail branding firm CBX.\r\n\r\nBut the even bigger concern here is that grocers in recent years are seeing a trend in frozen foods opposite of the one in fresh perimeter departments, given consumers’ desire for more natural, less-processed foods.\r\n\r\nA good example is ready meals: The largest frozen subcategory, with sales of $8.1 billion in 2015, it fell $1 billion at the same time that the second-largest subcategory, prepared salads, with sales of $4.8 billion in 2015, grew 25 percent in value, Euromonitor notes in its December 2015 “Ready Meals in the U.S.” report. These results reflect Americans’ increasing preference for freshness, and their rising disposable incomes.\r\n\r\nThere are two areas, however, that could help with fresh-frozen cross-merchandising and -promotion: specialty and better-for-you. According to Saj Khan, VP of grocery operations and purchasing with Woodland, Calif.-based grocery chain Nugget Markets, if a frozen food doesn’t fall into either of these two categories, then it’s probably seen as loaded with preservatives.\r\n\r\n“I’m not going to have Eggo waffles or Hot Pockets or frozen pizza over in those areas,” he says.\r\n\r\nVolume sales of ice cream, for instance, are down, Mintel notes. However, interest in premium offerings here has been on the rise, helping keep market sales afloat, as many consumers are willing to pay a premium for these products. Sales of Nugget’s super-premium ice cream are “through the roof,” Khan says, which also helps with cross-promotions: The ice cream pairs well with “super-decadent” desserts, pies and breads.\r\n\r\n“Stuff like that is what’s really selling for us,” Khan observes.\r\n\r\nBut it can’t always be just the frozen specialty items like ice cream and fresh strawberries; specialty fresh items among the staples, especially in produce, also are important, according to Scottsdale, Ariz.-based produce supplier AmeriFresh in its March 2015 “Ten Tips for Retail Produce Merchandising” blog entry. Such items can pique the curiosity of patrons, bringing more of them into the department and leading to more visibility of all products in the program.\r\n\r\nAs for Nugget’s better-for-you items, frozen fruit is a good example of a better-for-you frozen product that’s a big seller, Khan says, and one that has potential for cross-promoting with fresh products such as other types of fruit, considering how many consumers use them to make smoothies or protein shakes. While frozen sales are struggling, frozen fruit does well because consumers see it as minimally processed and as healthful as its fresh counterpart, making products like this suitable for cross-promoting with fresh, suggests Euromonitor in “Fresh Food in the U.S.”\r\n\r\nThe reverse of cross-merchandising or -promoting frozen in the perimeter also can work for some grocers, although it might not be easy. While many grocers house most of their frozen foods in upright freezer cases with doors, for instance, Trader Joe’s uses coffin cases solely, allowing the grocer to place shelves above the cases for cross-merchandising purposes. Although the Monrovia, Calif.-based grocer typically merchandises shelf-stable offerings — some of which are cross-merchandised — above the coffin cases, it has cross-merchandised some fresh items in that area, such as lemons, CBX’s Maute notes.\r\n\r\n<strong>Simplicity Succeeds</strong>\r\n\r\nWhatever formats are being cross-merchandised or -promoted — frozen with fresh, shelf-stable with fresh, etc. — ultimately, no effort will be successful without full communication and collaboration between category managers. After all, why would a frozen buyer whose only job is to grow the frozen category want to work with someone handling fresh produce?\r\n\r\n“I think there’s got to be some overall company initiative, like ‘What problem are we going to solve?’ — whether it’s to increase frozen sales, increase meal solutions or give consumers the convenience they need,” Maute says. “In addition to that, both the frozen manufacturers, as well as some of the fresh providers, could collaborate on creating those solutions, and the retailer could be the conduit to actually pull those together.”\r\n\r\nAnd as is the case in many promotional and merchandising practices, grocers need to remember that simplicity typically succeeds. Retailers need to keep in mind their size and volume limitations with displays, as well as the type of product they’re trying to move. They also need not to overcomplicate promotions.\r\n\r\nIn its blog entry, AmeriFresh noted that piling on too many complementary items can cause customers to lose focus on the product the retailer is trying to move in the first place, resulting in less impact. Ultimately, retailers should position each item on display as a good deal that also provides customers with a unique culinary opportunity.\r\n\r\n“It’s critical that retailers have category assortments that more completely meet the different and relevant health needs of their shoppers.”\r\n<strong>—Nicolas Martinez, ConAgra Foods</strong>\r\n\r\n“Frozen manufacturers, as well as some of the fresh providers, could collaborate on creating those solutions, and the retailer could be the conduit to actually pull those together.”\r\n<strong>—Todd Maute, CBX</strong>', 'Fresh Thinking', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2280-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2280, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2280-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2601, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<strong>Well-executed on-pack product imagery could make a positive difference in private brand sales.</strong>\r\nWhen it comes to packaging design, product imagery is often the first thing consumers look at when comparing products. For decades, national brands have been leveraging sophisticated on-pack imagery to entice consumers to purchase. Retailers, though, were much slower to adopt such practices on store brand packaging. However, in recent years, there has been a significant trend among retailers to not only match, but also outdo national brands when it comes to on-pack imagery. Why?\r\n\r\nBecause retailers have come to better understand what the national brands have known for a long time. “Consumers eat with their eyes,” says Charley Orwig, vice president marketing services, Sailpointe Creative, Arlington Heights, Ill.\r\n\r\nBeautiful images stimulate the appetite and consumers’ interest in the product, agrees Jim Kohlhardt, president, Digital Color Inc., Waukesha, Wis. Plus, the use of strong images on product packaging increases the likelihood that a consumer will try the product for the first time.\r\n\r\n“Images are the doorway to our emotions, and the majority of purchase decisions are made emotionally,” says Jean-Pierre Lacroix, president of Toronto-based Shikatani Lacroix Design.\r\n\r\nBut imagery doesn’t just sell the product; it also communicates the brand’s personality, says Liz Reese, creative director, Kaleidoscope, Chicago. Imagery can tell a story and create a meaningful consumer experience that leads to brand loyalty.\r\n\r\nThis is especially important for store brands that cover a wide range of products across multiple categories, unlike national brands that typically reside in only one category, and that lack the marketing/brand building support that national brands have, states Helena Yoon, creative director at the Anthem Worldwide Toronto office.\r\n\r\n“Therefore, the on-pack imagery and overall communication need to work extra hard to be both impactful and memorable,” she says. Unfortunately, store brand product imagery continues to be a shortcoming for a lot of retailers, says Todd Maute, partner at New York-based CBX. These retailers too often allow price to dictate the type of imagery they use. Custom photography with retouching can be very expensive, so many of them choose instead to use product photography provided by their manufacturers.\r\n\r\n“Store brand packaging without ‘mouthwatering appetite appeal’ imagery just leaves too much to chance, especially when the national brand is right next to it on the shelf,” Orwig says.\r\n\r\n<strong>A brief look back</strong>\r\nBut other retailers have come a long way. In the not too distant past, communication between the store brand and the shopper was one-dimensional with highly generic, function-driven packaging. Product imagery was also bland and understated — a purposeful reflection of the product’s lower price point, Yoon says.\r\n\r\n“The intent of the downplayed design was to show consumers that private labels were just as effective but cheaper than national brands,” Yoon notes. “But instead consumers walked away feeling [store brands] were inferior.”\r\n\r\nYears ago, store brand imagery felt basic and straightforward, Kohlhardt agrees. Often, the focus seemed to be on explaining what was inside rather than inspiring the consumer to choose the private brand instead of the national brand.\r\n\r\n<strong>Today’s imagery trends</strong>\r\nFast forward to the present day, and retailers are more likely to be offering consumers sophisticated imagery on their store brand packaging. This is especially true for premium private brands such as those that play in the organic, gluten-free or\r\nspecialty space, Maute says.\r\n\r\n“Retailers and suppliers are starting to realize that better use of imagery on pack helps to communicate the brand story, the product story, the taste appeal and the efficacy or healthiness or premium nature of the product in a much more strategic way,” he continues.\r\n\r\nImagery on store brand packaging today often displays the product as it fits into a balanced lifestyle, says Charlene Codner, CEO and founder of Toronto-based Fish out of Water Design Inc.\r\n\r\n“In 2005, a box of fish fingers might have featured an image of the fish fingers with a side of fries,” she explains. “Today, the packaging would be more likely to feature an image of fish fingers on a bed of greens.”\r\n\r\nSimilarly, with more consumers purchasing organic and natural foods and products, a shift toward “Earthfriendly” packaging design has occurred with the use of more browns, tans and wood tones, says Paul Nowak, director of customer experience – packaging, QuadPackaging, Franklin, Wis.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, consumers are looking for “authentic, approachable and unstyled” imagery, Codner says. Young consumers are not interested in corporate-looking brands. They want to patronize brands that they perceive to be “more real.”\r\n\r\nAlso, imagery that is “clean, simple and natural” is popular among consumers, Orwig says. For instance, in one study, packaging that used imagery to depict the origin of the product — such as fields — was most well-liked by consumers.\r\n\r\n“Consumers are looking for authenticity and a sense of discovery, and packaging is now reflecting these needs,” Lacroix says. “From ingredient propping to background point-of-origin settings, photography is trying to tell consumers an intriguing story about the product while also communicating trust and transparency.”\r\n\r\nThere is even a trend in some categories to use windows to showcase the product instead of photography or illustrations, Reese says. In doing so, the retailer is able to connect with the consumer and allow that individual to make a choice based on the “real thing.” Orwig agrees, noting that structures and designs such as clear windows that reflect unique points of difference or product attributes are more and more prevalent in store brand packaging.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, Yoon notes that some retailers are ditching highly representative product photography altogether in favor of artful illustrations, while others are using humorous or bold, unexpected images on their packaging.\r\n\r\n<strong>When is it time to redesign?</strong>\r\nAccording to Codner, we live in a culture of immediacy, and peoples’ attention spans are not what they once were. Therefore, it’s essential to keep brands fresh to stay relevant, and packaging is an enormous part of a brand’s identity.\r\n\r\n“While packaging design typically goes through a facelift every three to five years on average, there isn’t a golden rule about how frequently a private label should refresh its imagery,” Yoon says.\r\n\r\nSome retailers will even allow their packaging to sit on the shelf for five to seven years before deciding to refresh the whole line, Maute says. However, they might want to reconsider the idea that a whole line needs to be refreshed all at once. In some categories — for example, those that are commodity based — product photography has more longevity. In other categories — for example, those that are highly promoted such as snacks or meals — the dynamics of the packaging tend to change more frequently, so they warrant a packaging refresh more often.\r\n\r\n“I think it’s important for retailers and manufacturers alike to stay on top of product innovation or category trends from a packaging perspective to ensure their product is still maintaining relevance and making a difference in the category,” Maute stresses.\r\n\r\nLacroix agrees.\r\n\r\n“Brand marketers need to vigilantly watch their brand’s relevancy factor among their core customer base,” he says. “Change too slowly and you can lose the consumer to a competing brand. Change too often and you can confuse the consumer.”\r\n\r\nOther factors could induce retailers to redesign their store brand packaging even faster. For instance, government regulations are having a strong influence on how often private brand packaging is redesigned, Reese says. There is currently a 12- to 18 month trend for updating and refreshing packaging to keep up with FDA regulations and new product formulas.\r\n\r\nPlus, consumers have instant access to information while shopping in retailers’ stores. Therefore, packaging claims or information that is days or weeks out of date or off trend will stick out like a sore thumb, Orwig says.\r\n\r\n“As shoppers continue to demand immediate gratification, pressure will continue to update labels,” he notes. Jason Pryor, design manager – packaging, QuadPackaging, agrees.\r\n\r\n“As packaging continues to become integrated with mobile technology, the imagery itself may not change, but rather the digital content the customer is directed to for brand engagement [will],” he says. “Variable data, image recognition and other emerging technologies will spur the tie of media solutions into packaging.”\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, Chris Rockwell, founder and CEO of Columbus, Ohio-based Lextant, cautions retailers not to get too carried away with packaging redesign. “Change for the sake of change can be a disaster,” he says. Instead, he recommends that retailers refresh product packaging only when necessary and when it will truly benefit the retailer’s customers.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://magazine.storebrands.info/i/652941-mar-2016/46\" target=\"_blank\">Store Brands</a>', 'Freshen up product imagery', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2163-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2163, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2163-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2602, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', 'Friendly Express is joining forces with global brand agency CBX to update the design and branding of its 42-store network of convenience stores in southeast Georgia.\r\nAccording to CBX, its assignment is to update the chain’s logo and redesign the interiors and exteriors of Friendly Express\' convenience stores, which range in size from 2,000 to 3,500 square feet. The stores, which offer gasoline, are located in several different southeast Georgia communities, including Waycross, Jesup, Folkston, Brunswick and St. Simons Island.\r\n\r\n“Friendly Express, which has been in business for more than 25 years, is known for its strong commitment to the communities it serves,” said Joseph Bona, president of branded environments at New York-based CBX, which has extensive experience in the energy and convenience store channel. “In keeping with that commitment, the company’s management team is eager to exceed customer expectations by working with CBX to adopt next-generation approaches to the c-store experience.”\r\n\r\nThe strategic goals of the project include bolstering design and branding elements of important categories and areas of the store, particularly the coffee and overall foodservice experience, noted Bona.\r\n\r\nThis is in keeping with broader trends across the U.S. convenience store sector, in which higher-quality foodservice is one of the biggest growth areas, he added. “Nowadays, consumers expect more from convenience stores, in part because so many players out there — names like Wawa, RaceTrac, Sheetz and Thorntons — continually seek to innovate and push the boundaries,” he explained.\r\n\r\nFriendly Express has already scored a hit with its loyal customers through its proprietary and locally produced DeDe’s doughnut brand. “There is an authenticity to DeDe’s and we might well incorporate elements of this story into the rebranding project,” Bona said. “Today’s c-stores really need to ‘own’ coffee and bakery and, among other improvements, we aim to help Friendly Express do precisely that.”\r\n\r\nAs befits its name, Friendly Express is known for its friendly customer service, as well as its strong commitment to local communities. From providing coats for children in need to supporting research to fight breast cancer, giving back is one of the retailer\'s top priorities.\r\n\r\n“Friendly Express is excited to team up with such a reputable company as CBX,” said Danny Smith, CEO of Friendly Express. “After checking their references and meeting with them personally, we realized they have a passion for what they do and a willingness to do whatever it takes to deliver on their service. They understand our business, our financial challenges and our desire to evolve without reinventing ourselves. Most importantly, they listen and they always, always ask questions to better understand what we want to be when we grow up.”\r\n\r\nFriendly Express traces its origins to Lewis Oil Co. (now Lewis and Raulerson Inc.).\r\n\r\nCBX specializes in corporate identity, consumer branding and retail. The company\'s client base includes Wawa, BP, Aloha Petroleum and PetroChina. In addition to its New York City headquarters, CBX has an office in Minneapolis and operates offices around the globe through the CBX Worldwide Partnership.\r\n\r\nRead more: &lt;a href=\"http://www.csnews.com/industry-news-and-trends/corporate-store-operations/friendly-express-enlists-cbx-chainwide-makeover?cc=3\" target=\"_blank\"&gt;www.csnews.com/industry-news-and-trends/corporate-store-operations/friendly-express-enlists-cbx-chainwide-makeover?cc=3&lt;/a&gt;', 'Friendly Express Enlists CBX for Chain wide Makeover', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1916-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1916, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1916-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2603, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<strong>CBX to help with design and branding initiative focusing on next-generation approaches to the c-store experience.</strong>\r\nGlobal brand agency CBX will help Friendly Express update the design and branding of its 42-store network of community-focused convenience stores in southeast Georgia.\r\n\r\n“Friendly Express, which has been in business for more than 25 years, is known for its strong commitment to the communities it serves,” said Joseph Bona, president of Branded Environments at CBX, which has extensive experience in the energy and convenience store channel. “In keeping with that commitment, the company’s management team is eager to exceed customer expectations by working with CBX to adopt next-generation approaches to the c-store experience.”\r\n\r\nUnder the assignment, the firm will update the chain’s logo and redesign the interiors and exteriors of its convenience stores, which range in size from 2,000-3,500 square feet. Friendly Express stores, which also offer gasoline, are located in several different southeast Georgia communities, including Waycross, Jesup, Folkston, Brunswick, and St. Simons Island.\r\n\r\n“The strategic goals here include bolstering design and branding elements of important categories and areas of the store,” Bona noted. “In particular, we will be working with the company to improve and highlight the coffee and overall foodservice experience.” This is in keeping with broader trends across the U.S. c-store sector, in which higher-quality foodservice is one of the biggest growth areas, he added. “Nowadays, consumers expect more from convenience stores, in part because so many players out there—names like Wawa, RaceTrac, Sheetz and Thorntons—continually seek to innovate and push the boundaries,” Bona said.\r\n\r\nBut CBX will not need to create new brands from scratch: Friendly Express has already scored a hit with its loyal customers through its proprietary and locally produced DeDe’s doughnut brand. “There is an authenticity to DeDe’s, and we might well incorporate elements of this story into the rebranding project,” Bona said. “Today’s c-stores really need to ‘own’ coffee and bakery and, among other improvements, we aim to help Friendly Express do precisely that.”\r\n\r\nMany of Friendly Express’ rural stores already serve as community focal points where people congregate, eat and shop, noted David Weinberger, vice president, engagement director at CBX. “I visited one store that had a separate dining area, which is unusual even for many of today’s best-known c-store chains,” he said. “That speaks to the already strong commitment to food at Friendly Express.”\r\n\r\n“Friendly Express is excited to team up with such a reputable company as CBX,” said Danny Smith, CEO of Friendly Express. “After checking their references and meeting with them personally, we realized they have a passion for what they do and a willingness to do whatever it takes to deliver on their service. They understand our business, our financial challenges and our desire to evolve without reinventing ourselves. Most importantly, they listen and they always, always ask questions to better understand what we want to be when we grow up.”\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.csdecisions.com/2014/05/29/friendly-express-updating-georgia-c-stores/#_\" target=\"_blank\">www.csdecisions.com/2014/05/29/friendly-express-updating-georgia-c-stores/#_</a>', 'Friendly Express Updating Georgia C-stores', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1918-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1918, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1918-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2604, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Peter_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Peter_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Peter_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1077\" /></a> By Peter Burgoyne:\r\nLast month, web retailer Piperlime opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Manhattan’s SoHo, just up the block from the first freestanding store opened by online retailer DwellStudio back in June. But the motives for these two online retailers to open “on-the-street” are likely very different. And the reasons have to do with the nature of their offerings.\r\n\r\nDwellStudio is a lifestyle retailer that only sells its own products, and the nature of those products is a tactile one. Sure, the company made a reputation for itself by putting bold graphics on sheets and accessories for adults and children, but at the end of the day, people want to touch the products, feel the thread-count, smell the candles. DwellStudio has a deep inventory on its site, but since it only sells products it manufactures, the inventory is not as deep as, say, a Zappos, which offers tens of thousands of different brands.\r\n\r\nBy contrast, Piperlime, the fashion retailer owned by the Gap, Inc., has an extremely deep inventory of products under hundreds of different brands on its site. But its store features a variety of designers that are representative of the Piperlime brand overall, rather than the site’s entire inventory. Celebrity contributors Rachel Zoe and Rachel Bilson have a presence in the store, and customers can purchase all of the items offered on the site, free of shipping costs, via three on-site, interactive kiosks. The fact that the Piperlime web site has the support of a retail giant like Gap means it can benefit from the Gap’s existing infrastructure. With its parent company’s stock on the upswing for the first time in years, moreover, a Piperlime store has the potential to further elevate the Gap’s image overall.\r\n\r\nOne online retailer that is a strong contender for brick-and-mortar (but not yet opening a shop) is Net-a-Porter. It amazes me that people are willing to buy $2,000 bags without actually experiencing the bags firsthand. But how would a Net-a-Porter store be any different than a Barneys New York? One strong differentiator could be location. If Net-a-Porter had a strategy to put these stores in unusual touchpoints – say, airports or subway stations – and to build paradigm-breaking convenience, Net-a-Porter could have an edge over its high-fashion competitors.\r\n\r\nOn the flipside, it’s no surprise that massive online retailers like Zappos or Amazon have not opened retail stores. Amazon won’t go there, as others retailers’ brick-and-mortar stores increasingly serve as “showrooms” for products available on the cheap from Amazon. If Zappos can undercut its competitors, it is because of the sheer volume of product it turns over online, as well as the amazing next-day delivery it offers. I could see a monstrous brand like Zappos considering an on-the-street location if it were positioned either as a showpiece – a physical marketing vehicle – or if the company wanted to push some of its more upscale brands, like Sigerson Morrison, Stuart Weitzman and Vera Wang. Providing a touch-and-feel experience for these $300-plus products, and offering the same type of fulfillment customers have come to expect from Zappos, could equal a retail homerun.\r\n\r\nHere are three tips for knowing if your online brand is ready to go on-the-street:\r\n\r\n1.    Would your consumers benefit from experiencing your products in person? \r\n2.    Are you able to offer the same benefits, á la free shipping and fast fulfillment, in a freestanding store that you currently do on your site? \r\n3.    Can you create a unique experience that enhances your brand position, and does it help differentiate you in the marketplace?\r\n\r\nIf you can answer in the affirmative to all of the above, then starting a store might well be a smart strategic move. After all, many conventional retailers are racing to adopt channel-neutral (or so-called ‘omnichannel’) strategies in which distribution channels are inter-connected. This might well mean that, over time, consumers will cease to draw big distinctions between online and brick-and-mortar retail. Instead, they will simply expect their favorite retailers (online or otherwise) to offer seamless and consistent experiences across a variety channels — from smartphones, PCs and iPads, to catalogs and, yes, even real-world stores. Getting good at multichannel retailing, in other words, might just be the best way for today’s dot-coms to chart a course for the future.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/online-street\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/online-street</a>', 'From Online -to- On the Street', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1776-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 1776, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1776-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2605, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '<strong>Throw out the PIE to build your career with CARE</strong>\r\nCareer advancement and self-promotion go hand-in-hand, but how do you avoid undesirable side effects like appearing narcissistic or looking like an obnoxious over-sharer on social media when trying to get ahead?\r\n\r\nSome swear by the so-called PIE self-branding model, which focuses on Performance, Image and Exposure. But alas, PIE is flawed. For starters, performance is overrated. <a href=\"http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/reasons-you-were-not-promoted-that-are-totally-unrelated-to-gender\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Reasons You Were Not Promoted that are Totally Unrelated to Gender</em></a>, a sardonic piece published on the daily humor website McSweeney’s, deftly describes the quandary:\r\n\r\n<em>“You’re abrasive, for example that time when you asked for a raise. It was awkward and you made the men on the senior leadership team uncomfortable.”</em>\r\n\r\nBut equally likely, the author notes, is a criticism like:\r\n\r\n<em>“You don’t speak up. We’d really like to see you take on more of a leadership role before we pay you for being a leader.”</em>\r\n\r\nDid you notice how performance wasn’t exactly an issue in either case? So how are women supposed to navigate such ‘lose-lose’ scenarios?\r\n\r\nThe key is to base your career-building efforts on confident and well-orchestrated (as opposed to calculated or manipulative) self-promotion. Unfortunately, lack of confidence continues to hold many women back. The 2009 bestseller <em>Womenonics: Write Your Own Rules for Success</em> highlights that self-doubt pervades even among women at the top of their game.\r\n\r\nExamples of this abound. Last fall, I attended a conference for hopeful female MBA applicants at an Ivy League university and repeatedly noticed the timid stature, humility and deference displayed by many of the women there. On the bus ride home, I remembered my former job at a tech company, where I could not get a word in edgewise with the engineers unless I interrupted and spoke loudly to own the room. At another former employer, I had to encourage my younger female colleagues to speak up, while a male college intern let his opinions be widely known—even during his first week.\r\n\r\nConfidence is a huge factor in how people are evaluated. No advice can magically confer confidence, but there are some tried and true strategies that you can use to get noticed and build your career.\r\n\r\nConsider my CARE model (Confidence, Approach, Risk-taking and Exposure), which centers on building and using confidence to propel your career to the next level.\r\n\r\nStart by learning how to own the “room” no matter the audience size through eye contact, a strong speaking voice and a modulated, well-paced, statement-oriented tone. For tips on body language, just watch psychologist Amy Cuddy’s <a href=\"http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en\" target=\"_blank\">2012 presentation at TED Global</a> for some “power poses.” Cuddy’s talk illustrates how standing in a posture of confidence can affect your brain chemistry—and maybe your chances for success.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, in a 2014 study (“Vocal Fry May Undermine the Success of Young Women in the Labor Market”), researchers conclude that young adult female voices exhibiting “vocal fry” (low pitched, creaky-sounding speech) are perceived as “less competent, less educated, less trustworthy, less attractive, and less hirable.”\r\n\r\nEqually detrimental are practices such as ending your statements as though you were asking a question, using filler phrases like “kind of,” or peppering your sentences with the likes of “actually” or “basically.”\r\n\r\nYou have already gone a long way toward projecting Confidence. Now it is time to hone your approach to others. That means actively managing your career by networking. Of course, texts and emails aren’t enough: You need to approach others in person by strolling into corner offices, striking up conversations with higher-ups and, of course, having something interesting to say. Consider reading Susan RoAne’s classic <em>How to Work a Room</em> and Keith Ferrazzi’s <em>Never Eat Alone</em>.\r\n\r\nIn the latter book, Ferrazzi suggests that instead of avoiding the most senior people in the room, you should approach them and bring something to share. (At a minimum, introduce yourself.) RoAne’s advice includes specifics on how to “break and enter” a small group and then gracefully exit. The goal is to significantly enhance your confidence, both real and perceived.\r\n\r\nNext, ramp up Risk-taking with respect to career opportunities, new ideas and solutions. If you have been talking to enough of the right people, you will have contacts to advise and support you. Make sure to learn your manager’s top values and priorities and deliver on those prior to taking a risk like asking for a raise. Whenever you approach your manager, come with solutions to share, not just questions or problems.\r\n\r\nFinally, we have Exposure. In some fields this is critical. A recent c-suite placement at a fashionable fitness organization in New York City was reportedly hired in part because of her social media following. Figure out if leaders in your field are active on social media. If so, get involved. A word of caution: be sure to ask yourself the typical reporter questions first: <em>who</em> is interested, <em>what</em> are they interested in, <em>when</em> is it best to post, <em>where</em> are the networks that are most appropriate, and <em>why</em> will this help me further my career. That way, you won’t be just a narcissistic over-sharer. Your social media profile will have a clear purpose.\r\n\r\nIt is 2015, and times are changing—but not fast enough. Use the CARE model to kick-start your advancement and get ahead in the workplace.\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a href=\"http://career-intelligence.com/get-ahead-with-c-a-r-e/\" target=\"_blank\">career-intelligence.com</a>', 'Get Ahead With C.A.R.E.', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2116-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 2116, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2116-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2606, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>When it comes to premium own-brand packaging, retailers should leverage current trends to create a unique consumer experience.</strong>\r\nWhether they feature high-end ingredients, a one-of-a-kind recipe or an exotic country of origin, premium foods and beverages are perceived as being a step above common grocery fare. But if the specialness of the packaging falls short of the specialness of the product, the premium message won’t get through to consumers.\r\n\r\nOne way retailers could communicate the specialness of premium own-brand products via packaging is by tying into some current premium packaging trends.\r\n\r\n“We see premium as more of a mindset than anything: Consumers reconcile the cost implications with a perceived value for that spend,” says Chris Ertel, managing director for Kaleidoscope, a brand consultancy with offices in Chicago and New York. “Because of this, we see several high-level trends that influence consumer choice for premium: ceremony, story and authenticity.”\r\n\r\nWithin the ceremony trend, Ertel points to trends in structural design that are driven by “the rise of ‘unboxing’ and packaging as badge value.” For instance, the Boxed Water brand was able to create a high badge value by communicating its “entire proposition” via its structure and brand name.\r\n\r\n“Consumers will pay a premium for packaging that provides secondary functionality, is beautiful to look at and [delivers] a layered experience from purchase to open to consumption and beyond,” he stresses.\r\nAs for storytelling, retailers could talk about origin, ingredients, the brand itself or other compelling details. Design cues for storytelling, Ertel says, include hand-crafted details, slight imperfections, real people and more.\r\n\r\n“Man Cave [Craft] Meats is an example of a brand disrupting a commodity category through the story behind the product more so than the story of the product,” he says. “A retailer that can create a conversation, either through process, product or purpose, will be able to separate the taste/functional benefits of the surrounding competitive set.”\r\n\r\nPaul Stallard, strategy director for UK-based Storm Brand Design, agrees that storytelling is a major trend for premium product packaging. Consumers who gravitate toward premium brands want to know what the product is, where it’s from and how it’s made.\r\n\r\n“When we recently developed a new brand for the five-times distilled premium vodka Brittains, we were inspired by the history of the stately home it originated from and the former owner’s penchant for flamingos,” he notes. “This led to a brand story combining authoritative heritage with Alice in Wonderland style eccentricity to deliver the brand message of ‘an extraordinary spirit’ — and a pack dominated by a beautifully crafted flamingo.”\r\n\r\nAnd storytelling that romances a premium private brand product’s uniqueness could help retailers clearly separate that product from its national-brand-equivalent cousins, suggests Todd Maute, partner with New York-based branding agency CBX.\r\n\r\n“When consumers explore trading up, they want to feel like they are getting a much better product and will also have an indulgent experience with the product and brand,” he adds.\r\n\r\nAuthentic product stories could help retailers connect with millennials, too, says Jean-Pierre Lacroix, president of Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc., Toronto. Today’s millennials are seeking brands that not only mesh with their lifestyles and social needs, but also give them a platform for story-sharing within their social communities.\r\n\r\n“They are looking for brands that are truly authentic and transparent, with product stories, features and ingredients that are both good for them and the environment,” he says.\r\n\r\nLike Lacroix suggests, authenticity is linked closely to storytelling.\r\n\r\n“The story has to be rooted in what is true about the product or brand,” Ertel points out.\r\nRetailers have many opportunities here — from communicating a product’s locally grown status to detailing the simplicity of the process used to create a certain item, he adds.\r\n\r\nSpeaking of simplicity, Stallard says retailers could let the product “speak for itself” via understated packaging that evokes “artisan simplicity” and a real commitment to product quality.\r\nPublix Super Markets uses the back of the package to engage in storytelling related to its Publix Green-Wise crackers.\r\n\r\n<strong>The experience counts</strong>\r\nAnd all of these trends could be considered to be part of one overarching trend: delivering an experience to the consumers.\r\n\r\n“Increasingly, premium branding is about delivering an experience that goes beyond the product itself,” Stallard explains. “The emergence of flagship stores delivering an involving, immersive experience around the product is testimony to this,” he adds, pointing to the Magnum (ice cream) Pleasure Store in London as an example.\r\nRetailers could win on the premium side by ensuring that premium own-brand packaging delivers an experience that extends beyond the store, he says.\r\n\r\nMaute points to Ahold USA’s Simply Enjoy and Walgreens’ Good &amp; Delish as brand names that are all about consumers’ experience with the product. Simply Enjoy communicates that experience through bright colors; large, clear product descriptors; and simple, clean imagery. Good &amp; Delish, meanwhile, “romances the experience,” conveying the product origin or experience through clever imagery.\r\n\r\n<strong>Handle with care</strong>\r\nJust as important as being on-trend when it comes to premium packaging design is avoiding some common missteps. One potential blunder is falling back on overused “premium” colors such as black and gold and premium descriptors such as “signature,” “premium,” “select” and similar terms, Maute suggests.\r\n\r\n“I don’t think retailers have invested enough in breaking away from the ‘traditional’ premium brand image,” he asserts. “President’s Choice from Loblaws pioneered the tier — leveraged black and beautiful imagery to separate the brand from No Name; this is still widely used today,” he says. “With the multitude of new and unique product offers available, it is truly an opportunity to step away from the obvious premium cues and do something different to communicate the product’s point of difference.”\r\n\r\nStallard notes that UK retailer Tesco recently relaunched its Tesco finest range, moving from a simple black and silver design across all categories to category-relevant styles and identities. He calls the change “a distinct shift from universality to eclecticism.”\r\n\r\nHe says retailers have an opportunity to do something similar, but in their own way.\r\n“This requires thinking about the brand holistically and considering everything from the structure to the story and the experience of interacting with the brand — being distinctive and even disruptive to better meet consumer needs in the category,” Stallard says.\r\n\r\nAnother potential misstep is not capitalizing on the “foodie” trend in brand and packaging development here, Maute says. Instead of taking a product-led approach to brand development, retailers should consider appealing to consumers’ emotional side.\r\n\r\n“Study food culture and try to understand why consumers love unique foods so much,” he advises. “This [is] about the experience consumers will have with a unique and differentiated product experience versus stating ‘extra chocolate chips.’ Create a brand that consumers can emotionally connect with, one that relates to their desires.”\r\n\r\nRetailers should avoid the “more is more trap ” too in both product and packaging development Ertel says This baby boomer mindset doesn’t work to drive purchase like it did in the past. Instead, retailers should consider the job of the packaging structure and design.\r\n\r\n“If it is to delight or engage, then that is the brief,” he says. “Premium products, by nature, tend not to be staple items people need, but rather feelgood purchases people want.”\r\n\r\nAnd retailers that cloud their on-pack message with pragmatic benefits and reassurance about the product are “speaking the wrong language” to consumers who are looking for an emotionally driven reason to pay for a premium product, Stallard says. Instead of explaining to consumers why the product is worth more money, he advises retailers to “think about what drives irrational engagement.” They should identify relevant visual cues such as “delight,” “energy” and “respite” associated with the consumer “want state” and transfer those visual clues onto the packaging itself.\r\n\r\nBut perhaps the greatest mistake is ignoring the high-margin own-brand premium space altogether — something Lacroix suggests some retailers continue to do “as they rush to the bottom of the customer value pyramid.” Or they price such offerings below national brands.\r\n\r\n“Retailers need to seek premium brands that are rooted in unique value-added stories that talk to the emotional lifestyle needs of their customers who are willing to pay more if given an authentic reason why,” he says. “Jump in — the water is warm, and your customers want to discover new offerings that give them bragging rights,” he advises retailers.\r\n\r\nMaute adds that retailers can’t be afraid to step out of their comfort zone to create something truly unique.\r\n“Go for consumers’ heartstrings versus their ingredient intellect,” he stresses. “Think about it — the whole point of a premium program is to tell consumers you have great food and unique products. … If you do the same thing that everyone else does, it will go unnoticed. Be different.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.storebrands.info/research-and-data/category-intelligence/packaging/get-ready-wow-them\" target=\"_blank\">Store Brands</a>', 'Get Ready to Wow Them', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2148-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2148, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2148-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2607, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'By Nancy Brown\nClaims are popping up everywhere on packaging, and brands are using them for education, not just attention.\n\nMichael Pollan is at it again. His new book, “Cooked,” is guaranteed to be a runaway hit, largely because Pollan has become the high priest of ethical eating ever since he published “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” in 2006. So, I guess we have him to thank for the fact that we now spend $2 more per gallon on organic milk, suddenly believe the world should be gluten-free and think twice before reaching for that hot dog at summer barbecues.\n\nWe have him to thank for one other thing: The fact that pretty much everything we eat now touts its lineage right front and center on its packaging. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, food claims were mainly about how products would make you look, e.g., they were low calorie and fat free. Today, claims are all about where your food actually came from — in other words, how your food was grown or what your food ate before it landed on your plate (in the case of meat and eggs). Have you ever seen the “Portlandia” sketch with the couple at a restaurant asking about the lineage of its farm-raised chicken? I highly recommend you Google it for a good laugh.\n\nConsumers are now way more educated and care much more than ever about where their food is coming from and how it’s raised. As a result, there has been a surge of better-for-you claims on food packaging, everything from “gluten-free,” “cage-free” and “no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)” to “organic,” “100 percent real” and “grass-fed.” Whereas packaging of the past simply put a burst on the box and called it a day, packaging is now being used to educate consumers about the importance of knowing where their food came from and why that makes it better. Consumers are not just embracing it — they are actively looking for it. According to a recent\nExaminer.com article, more than 90 percent of Americans support the labeling of genetically modified foods.\n\nPeople are not only buying these foods, but they are also making them an entire way of life — e.g., joining “claim clubs.” Last week, a woman in line with me at Trader Joe’s talked about how thrilled she was with all the gluten-free offerings at that store, not because she suffered from celiac disease, but because she voluntarily opted to stop eating gluten to feel better. Michael Pollan and his protégés are vehemently “no GMO,” and this movement has spawned many organizations and websites. Twenty first century moms wouldn’t dream of serving their children anything but grass-fed milk, cheese and meat.\n\nSo what exactly do all these things mean? Here’s a guide to some of the new terminology popping up in the supermarket aisle.\n\n<strong>GRASS-FED</strong>\nWondering why you’re seeing blades of grass on so much packaging lately? It’s because companies want to show off just what they’re feeding the animals who made your food.\nAccording to the American Grass-fed Association, grass-fed products are better for people, animals, the planet and communities. It defines grass-fed animals as those that have eaten nothing but grass and forage from weaning to harvest, have not been raised in confinement and have never been fed antibiotics or growth hormones. Grass visuals are prominently featured on packaging for Organic Valley milk, Pat LaFrieda meat, Big Gorilla beef jerky and Vital Farms’ eggs, which put a creative spin on the grass-fed message by saying, “Our hens live outdoors.” They also use the term “ethical eggs,” which is as catchy as all get-out. Not coincidentally, Vital Farms was “Est. 2007,” the year after “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” was published. Just call this the pasture that Michael Pollan built.\n\n<strong>GLUTEN-FREE</strong>\nYou’d have to be living under a loaf of bread to not know that the anti-gluten movement has been raging for a while now. Sufferers of celiac disease have been avoiding gluten — a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough — for years, but in the past decade, it seems that gluten has been shouldering the blame for a whole plethora of other illnesses, and many Americans are voluntarily cutting it out of their diets. In fact, TIME magazine labeled the gluten-free movement second on its top 10 list of food trends for 2012. It’s questionable (and often controversial) that gluten-free’s popularity is here to stay, but many brands, from Applegate to Newman’s Own to Annie’s Homegrown, are counting on it, offering gluten-free variations on their most popular offerings. Grain loving company General Mills offers more than 200 gluten-free products. But perhaps the best-named gluten-free product is Goodbye Gluten bread. How’s that for telling it like it is?\n\n<strong>NO GMO</strong>\nA few weeks ago, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Peter DeFazio introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, a bipartisan legislation that would require the Food and Drug Administration to label clearly GMOs in food so that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat. For the past few decades, the FDA has allowed genetically modified foods to be marketed without labeling, saying they were not materially different from other foods because the genetic differences could not be recognized by taste, smell or other senses. But today’s research shows that\nGMOs are harmful to both people and the environment, and the public is demanding to know which products contain them. Brands like Silk, Earth Balance, Nature’s Path and Amy’s Kitchen are not only proudly GMO-free, but they also feature sections on their websites explaining what this claim means. Even if they don’t say “no GMOs” on their packaging, nearly all organic brands — like Cascadian Farm and Applegate — are GMO-free, and my guess is they’ll soon be wearing that badge very proudly.\n\nBut this new claims terminology is not just being used by in-the-know, farm-to-table foodies. People’s Most Beautiful Person Alive, Gwyneth Paltrow, just published “It’s All Good,” a cookbook that shares the gluten-free recipes she makes for her own children. The book just topped the New York Times bestseller list, further proof that the general public is developing a greater interest in high-quality, well-grown, well-fed food. Michael Pollan, eat your heart out.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/84488-getting-to-the-root-of-2013-claim-trends\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/84488-getting-to-the-root-of-2013-claim-trends</a>', 'Getting to the Root: 2013 Claim Trends', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1824-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1824, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1824-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2608, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'By Gregg S. Lipman\nRecently, I’ve noticed that charity, that noble concept of giving back to those less fortunate, has fallen to victim to—no surprise here—commercialism.</br>\nCharitable efforts continue to play a significant role in our culture, traditions, and identity, as they have since the beginnings of civilization. According to Giving USA’s Annual Report on Philanthropy, Americans donated nearly $300 billion dollars in 2012. (BILLION, folks. That’s more than the GDP of say Greece. Or Finland. Or the Kardashians.)</br>\nAs you’ve probably noticed, there’s been a veritable explosion of charitable initiatives in recent years. Not from your local church, Red Cross, or United Way, or even the Girl Scouts (Thin Mint or maybe the nouveau Dulce de Leche, anyone?) but from the vast galaxy of for-profit consumer brands. Why this explosion? Call me a cynic, but we marketers have the data to back up the fact that Americans across socio-economic strata want to get involved and make an impact, and will reward a company that they perceive as making charitable contributions on their behalf. Good for the consumer–good for the brand—good for those in need. A win-win-win.</br>\nOne noteworthy example is the venerable Newman’s Own, which started giving away all of its after-profits to charity way back in 1982.</br>\n<a href=\"http://www.newmansown.com/charity/\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Newman’s brainchild</a> paved the way for hundreds of other companies, and it inspired the one-for-one purchase-to-donation model practiced today by <a href=\"http://www.toms.com/\" target=\"_blank\">TOMS shoes</a> and trendy eyewear company <a href=\"http://www.warbyparker.com/do-good/#home\" target=\"_blank\">Warby-Parker</a>. Most recently, <a href=\"http://www.joinred.com/\" target=\"_blank\">the (RED) campaign</a> has partnered with companies including Nike, Gap, Bugaboo and Starbucks to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in Africa, and the <a href=\"http://one.laptop.org/\" target=\"_blank\">One Laptop Per Child</a> and Charity. Water initiatives have both achieved a great deal of success and garnered enormous amount of media attention and goodwill. Each of those campaigns appear to provide seemingly altruistic programs for the common good, without an overly zealous attachment to its host.</br>\nBut has the whole idea of branded charity and its almost ubiquitous presence at retail, on packaging, in advertising, on television, via celebrity endorsements, on apparel, etc. become so widespread, so expected that consumers will become progressively numb to it? Are charitable campaigns perilously close to becoming counter-productive? Have they become white noise that actually begins to demotivate consumer behavior?</br>\nTake, for example…</br>\n<a href=\"http://www.skenergyshots.com/\" target=\"_blank\">StreetKing</a>, an energy drink that wears its gang-cred on its graffitied sleeve, is endorsed by 50-Cent and, by the way, also provides a meal to a hungry child through the United Nations’ World Food Programme, with every purchase made.\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sk1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6236\" title=\"sk\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/sk1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"621\" height=\"63\" /></a></br>\n<a href=\"http://www.sheetz.com/main/community/charities.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">Sheet<img class=\"size-full wp-image-6235 alignright\" title=\"ftk_logo\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ftk_logo.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"95\" />z</a>, the massive convenience store chain, sells two private label charity products: <em>Buy this Water. Help Kids. (water) and Buy this Energy Drink. Help Kids</em>. (Yup, this is an energy drink talking.) That reminds me of the original cover of National Lampoon: ‘Buy this magazine or I shoot this dog.’</br>\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/images.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6238\" title=\"images\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/images.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"106\" height=\"137\" /></a><a href=\"http://oregonpublichouse.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Oregon Public House</a>, a pub in Portland, purports a lovely sentiment and/or subversive marketing ploy.\nHmmm. Drinking for charity? I’ll buy into that, however far-fetched it may be.</br>\nSo, I ask, what’s next? <em>Fly Business Class, Give Hope? File your Taxes, Prevent Malaria?</em></br>\nLook, I get it. Businesses are playing a relevant role in helping pull the loose change out of your pocket (which you might not have done on your own) and redistributing it to a worthy cause. But given this undeniable rise in branded charity, can marketers simply choose charity as a marketing strategy without the gimmicks, the spin, and the self-congratulatory back-patting?</br>\nTell me that your charity work is a pillar of your brand. Tell me you do it all the time instead of sometimes. To be effective, differentiated, and become a positive voice for change, branded charity–like “regular” charity—needs to be well intentioned and believable. Not accompanied by a shot of 50 Cent’s favorite energy drink.\n</br>\n<a href=\"http://www.mpdailyfix.com/corporate-charity-work-give-back-without-gimmicks-or-give-me-a-break/?adref=nlt041613\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.mpdailyfix.com/corporate-charity-work-give-back-without-gimmicks-or-give-me-a-break/?adref=nlt041613</a>', 'Give Back Without Gimmicks', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1910-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1910, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1910-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2609, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>CBX EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS ROLE OF SHOPPER ENGAGEMENT DURING SPEECH AT GLOBAL SHOP 2013</strong>\nFuturistic gizmos and fast-paced tech trends loom large in the strategic thinking of retail leaders today. But according to Joseph Bona, President of Branded Environments at brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX, key insights for competitive store design over the next few years might just come from some unexpected sources—including the traditional gathering spots of the past.\n\n“Even in this digital age, like-minded people still enjoy being together amid a sense of community in tried-and-true gathering places like football stadiums, churches, concert halls and cafes,” Bona said during an April 18 presentation at Global Shop, the annual retail design and shopper marketing show. “The real opportunity for retailers moving forward is to leverage their stores in ways that lead to meaningful social engagements in just the same way. The look and feel of the store should encourage shoppers to linger, interact with one another and, ultimately, form a strong identification with the brand.”\n\nIt is no accident that Lululemon’s highly profitable stores happen to call to mind the yoga lofts of New York or San Francisco, Bona told the audience at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center. “With its in-store yoga classes, Lululemon has done a really good job of making connections to its community of like-minded shoppers, and the company has skillfully enlisted both technology and store design to complement this effort,” the veteran store designer said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for other retailers to make the in-store experience richer by doing the same. After all, this is precisely what can motivate someone to get in the car and make that trip to the mall.”\n\nThe rise of free shipping, mobile retail, “show-rooming” and the like means that stores are now just one of many different purchase options, Bona added, but this does not mean technology should be considered a death knell for brick and mortar. “To be sure, the pressure is on for stores to be more meaningful and experiential,” he said. “But the digital sphere has actually enhanced brick-and-mortar operations, because it has allowed retailers to connect with consumers in ways they never could before. This translates into incremental purchases, long-term loyalty-building opportunities and other benefits.”\n\nIndeed, Macy’s and other chains are now using brick-and-mortar assets as shipping and distribution centers for online orders, in-store pickups and same-day delivery, he noted. “Such channel-neutral strategies, sometimes dubbed ‘omni-channel retail,’ are empowering retail companies to react more nimbly to the marketplace,” Bona said. “Technology is helping retailers to become dramatically more efficient.”\n\nThese developments mean that cohesive brands and uniform customer experiences are more important than ever—regardless of whether the channel is in cyberspace or a real-world mall, Bona said. “The imagery, colors and graphics associated with the brand—the whole sensory experience, with sights, sounds, fonts, lighting, you name it—should be an integral part of each channel,” he advised. “Today, everything is retail. A shopper could scan a QR code in a print ad and, literally, be a click away from buying that item with her phone. The emotional resonance always counts.”\n\nDuring the Global Shop presentation, Bona showed images of successful gathering places that evoke various emotional responses in consumers—from magnificent cathedrals, to inviting theaters, to historic sports stadiums, to sumptuous stores. “People still like emotion,” he noted. “They still want to connect in a social way. Branding and store design can and should reflect this reality.”\n\nBona gave a similar presentation earlier this month in Tucson, Ariz., during the Global Retailing Conference of the University of Arizona’s Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing. The annual conference brings together CEOs, retail technologists, brand strategists and other thought leaders for discussions on winning strategies, retail trends and the global outlook.', 'Hotspots Past Hint at Retail Design of the Future', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1813-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1813, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1813-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2610, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'By David W.\r\nLooking ahead at a year that will most certainly see a continued evolution of what retail is and what it does, I am excited at the prospects of participating in, toying with and influencing that evolution. For this forecast, I am concentrating on physical retail since I believe this is where the innovation will — and indeed, must — occur. E-tailers and hybrid-tailers will continue to make transactions easier and safer while adding algorithms that suggest products and services tailored to the individual. Online purchasing will become more intuitive and smarter, connecting you with various electronic devices, apps and, soon, even your refrigerator and closet.\r\n\r\nBecause of this, retail designers will focus on humanizing the in-store experience. The goal is to give consumers a reason to get out of their pajamas and walk into a store. Here are five trends likely to influence the evolution of retail in 2014.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. ‘Pop Up’ turns to ‘Drop Off’</strong>\r\nPop-up stores have traditionally taken advantage of empty storefronts for short periods of time and have been used to promote products and generate buzz. This year we’ll see a dramatic increase, not of pop-ups, but of “drop-offs”: storage container-sized retail spaces dropped off in the middle of public spaces. If successful, these concepts will stay for months or even years.\r\n\r\nIn the shadows of the Flatiron building in Manhattan are two examples of this trend: Flatiron Green Cafe, which offers a wide variety of natural, local and organic foods, and Ilili Box, which bills itself as “inspired Mediterranean takeaway.” Both are small and placed in the tourist oasis where Broadway crosses Fifth Avenue. Keep an eye on highly trafficked parks, urban gathering spots and similar locales in the coming year you’ll likely see more concepts dropped off in 2014.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Enhanced person-to-person interaction</strong>\r\nCash wraps are getting smaller or being replaced altogether by roaming sales people armed with iPads. Apple instigated this “death of checkout,” and many other tech-related retailers have followed suit. We also see this in smaller retailers where two or three associates cover the store. The trick with larger stores is having enough associates, otherwise, shoppers are forced to jockey for position and form impromptu queues in the middle of the aisles. Burberry recently opened a technology-enhanced store with no checkouts, and larger retailers such as Nordstrom and The Home Depot have offered mobile POS checkout for a couple of years now. This trend will continue in 2014.\r\n\r\nRemoving the sales counter allows for more human interaction — the feeling that you’re in this together. Thanks to this trend, sales associates are becoming more knowledgeable. The best of them become de facto consultants. Why is this important? The proliferation of underwhelming, online review sites is part of the reason. Consumers are waking up to the reality that the likes of Yelp are only as good as the mass of people participating in them (“Hey, this dish stinks. How can @slickharvey57 have been so wrong?”). Little wonder in-store help will come back into vogue in 2014.\r\n<strong>\r\n3. Use of emotion</strong>\r\nRetro versions of consumer packaged goods — throwback Pepsi, old Doritos and Miller Lite retro cans — have grown increasingly popular over the years. CPG companies have learned this is a way to reconnect with consumers through emotion. I see retailers trying their hands at this game in the coming year. It is much more costly to build a retro store, but the gamble might just pay off by creating nostalgic spaces that consumers want to linger in. RadioShack, for example, recently opened CBX-designed retro stores in Texas and New York. They play up the retailer’s history and all the fun stuff we remember about technology.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Wasting real estate</strong>\r\n“Stack it high and let it fly” has long been the battle cry of retailers. Walk into your local grocer and chances are this applies (unless it is Mrs. Greens or Fresh Market). In 2014, we\'ll see more retailers devoting space to things that don’t sell: Art-like exhibits, entertainment and lounges will all find their way into retail spaces in order to draw people in and connect. One example of this is Uniqlo. While the international retailer does have massive amounts of product in its stores, it also devotes huge areas to art exhibit-like sculptures.\r\n\r\nWith online saturation of gorgeous product photography from Instagram and Pinterest, consumers also have elevated expectations of presentation. Because of this, more and better propping is being used in stores. One example is Brumby’s Bakeries, one of Australia’s largest franchise groups, whose new stores bank heavily on attractive visuals.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Unexpected use of materials</strong>\r\nBuilding on your brand strategy is the right place to begin for store design, but I see the physical design of many retailers zigging and zagging in 2014. This will be true, not just of retro stores, but also of unexpected use of materials.\r\n\r\nA new Pep Boys concept store in Tampa made me do a double take when I drove by. The exterior makes heavy use of wood (or, more likely, an aluminum panel that looks like wood). I don’t know about you, but nothing about wood makes me think of automotive design, which focuses on sleekness, technology and the appearance of speed. And yet wood is a material that feels inviting. The Tampa store even includes wood in the interior — no doubt an attempt to make an intimidating selection of merchandise more palatable. This store even has a lounge, which could be an attempt to make this experience easier for other family members and, by extension, Dad.\r\n\r\nIncidentally, Pep Boys also brought Manny, Mo and Jack out of retirement for the new stores. Quite nostalgic.\r\n\r\nAll of these trends relate in one way or another to a basic imperative in retail today — humanizing the shopping experience. Some of these efforts will fail. Others will conquer. But take note of both the winners and losers as they emerge in 2014. After all, this amounts to a glimpse into the fast-changing future of retail.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://chainstoreage.com/article/humanizing-retail-five-design-trends-likely-loom-large-2014#\" target=\"_blank\">http://chainstoreage.com/article/humanizing-retail-five-design-trends-likely-loom-large-2014#</a>', 'Humanizing Retail: Five design trends likely to loom large in 2014', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1963-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1963, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1963-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2611, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'Recyclable polystyrene shot glass with colorful graphic bursts aims to attract sophisticated millennial consumers.\r\nFounded in 2013 by Michael Glickman and Harley Bauer, two born and raised New Yorkers with a passion for premium spirits, LIQS worked with brand agency CBX on the design of innovative packaging and the formulation of other branding initiatives for its eponymous line of LIQS™ super-premium, ready-to-drink cocktail shots.\r\n\r\nLIQS products are packaged in a 50-mL recyclable, crystal polystyrene shot glass that weighs 21 g. It is sealed and tamper-resistant. Three individually sealed shots of a single flavor are sold in a 24-pt SBS multi-unit pack, printed in four colors with an aqueous coating. Each shot, as well as the outer packaging, carries the burst graphic. Three packs sell for $9.99. LIQS retailers include Crown Wine &amp; Spirits, Big Daddy’s Liquors, I Love Liquor, and other South Florida retailers, which was the market targeted in advance of a strategic regional rollout.\r\n\r\nOn the LIQS website, Bauer says, “The sophisticated drinker is no longer satisfied with low-grade spirits and artificial ingredients. Our blend of premium spirits and natural flavors make enjoying expertly mixed shots convenient in any setting, from boating, pool or beach parties, home entertaining and catered affairs to music festivals and sporting events.”\r\n\r\n“We were inspired by the growth and trends taking place within the premium cocktail and ready-to-drink markets,” adds Glickman. “After witnessing the love consumers have with shots for years, we wanted to disrupt that market by offering a solution that would give people access to delicious shots in any setting and without a bartender.”\r\n\r\nLIQS and CBX partnered on a variety of efforts, including strategic alignment and development of the LIQS’ brand mark and package design. “We took our design cues from LIQS’ target customer, a sophisticated millennial who loves spontaneous get-togethers with friends, whether poolside, at the beach, or boating,” says Gregg S. Lipman, CBX Managing Partner.\r\n\r\nSunny and stylish Miami, where LIQS was launched and is based, offered CBX inspiration for the package designs. The firm reinterpreted a sunburst in a series of colorful graphic bursts to correspond with each LIQS flavor—red-orange for Tequila Cinnamon Orange; yellow-green for Vodka Cucumber Lime; aqua-blue for Vodka Kamikaze; and red-pink for Vodka Lychee Grapefruit. The cocktail shots use 45-proof vodka and 55-proof tequila.\r\n\r\n“After many years of witnessing the love that consumers have with shots, and the lack of being able enjoy them at home as if made by a bartender, we set out for a solution that would give people access to quality shots they can take anywhere,” says Glickman. “LIQS is a convenient and attractive alternative to a bartender and bar setup and a far cry from ‘test-tube’-style shooters. With the new packaging, we’re delivering mixology with the mixologist.”\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/innovative-package-design-dazzles-liqs-rollout\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/innovative-package-design-dazzles-liqs-rollout</a>', 'Innovative package design dazzles for LIQS', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1968-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1968, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1968-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2612, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>Retailers and suppliers that develop true innovation-focused private brand partnerships could reap numerous rewards.</strong>\r\nMuch has been said in recent years about the need for true retailer-supplier partnerships for the store brand market to realize true innovation. Still, such partnerships remain the exception instead of the norm.\r\n\r\nNoting that advantages often are “measured in very small increments” within the store brand industry Steve Fay executive vice president with Berner Food &amp; Beverage, Dakota, Ill, believes that retailers are hesitant to bring suppliers into their internal processes for competitive reasons.\r\n\r\n“I believe there is also the thought that too much involvement with a supplier may break down their ultimate negotiating position for price and support,” he says. “In other words, and probably accurately so, retailers view suppliers as adversaries. So the question is how to bridge two parties that on other levels are adversarial to a point of collaboration.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Other obstacles</strong>\r\n\r\nThat adversarial view isn’t the only stumbling block. The traditional procurement mindset many retailer own-brand decision-makers still have also is an obstacle to collaboration, notes Todd Maute, a partner with New York-based branding agency CBX. And a couple of external factors come into play here as well.\r\n\r\n“The economy is not that great; value is still very important,” he notes. “So when those types of things happen, I think people tend to focus more on price and value than they do on innovation and growth.”\r\n\r\nEven when a retailer begins a push toward innovation, that push doesn’t necessarily involve the supplier until it’s time for production.\r\n\r\n“Often the retailer does the brainstorming at a higher level than the buying team and sends the goal down,” notes Teri Valentine, president and CEO of The Perfect Bite Co. Inc., Glendale, Calif. “We arrive to ‘innovate,’ and all the flavors and specs are decided — we like to be in on the development using our expertise and selling experience.”\r\n\r\nObstacles can be found on the supplier side as well.\r\n\r\n“Most are focused on their core business, which is ‘How do I keep the core engine running 24 hours a day, as efficiently as possible, to keep my costs and margins where they need to be?’ And historically, and I think notoriously, private label manufacturers haven’t really been seen as innovators,” Maute says.\r\n\r\nMany private label suppliers, therefore, possess neither the infrastructure nor the mindset needed for true innovation, he says.\r\n\r\nFor suppliers that do have the right infrastructure and mindset, oftentimes it becomes an issue of scale, Maute adds. Investing in innovation for a relatively small retailer might not make a lot of sense in terms of the return on that investment (especially if the retailer is not sharing in those costs).\r\n\r\nAnd a lack of trust — and true sharing of the risk — can be a challenge, too.\r\n\r\n“I have experienced doing development work for a retailer only to have them bid the program out after we had invested a good deal of money into the development,” Fay points out. “We have developed packaging for programs that did not do well and had to write off large inventories. Suppliers simply have to go in with their eyes wide open knowing the challenges.”\r\n\r\nIt takes time to build that trust, Valentine adds.\r\n\r\n“Once a list of winners [is] developed together, the relationship evolves,” she says.\r\n\r\n<strong>Partnerships reap rewards</strong>\r\n\r\nRetailers and suppliers that focus on overcoming the obstacles, however, will be able to develop successful innovation-focused private brand partnerships. And those partnerships can result in numerous rewards for both parties.\r\n\r\n“Forming a lasting partnership requires both parties to look at the long term and to create win-win situations rather than focus on any individual transaction,” explains Stefani LiDestri, president-elect and chief sales and marketing officer for LiDestri Food &amp; Beverage, Fairport, N.Y.\r\n\r\nShe adds that LiDestri Food &amp; Beverage boasts some partnerships that have been in place for more than 30 years.\r\n\r\n“There are tremendous advantages in harnessing the power of partnerships, including the stability, service and loyalty that come with them,” LiDestri says.\r\n\r\nOne of the ways LiDestri Food &amp; Beverage has managed to build great partnerships with both retailers and national brands is by getting “deeply involved” in those companies’ innovation and research and development processes, LiDestri notes.\r\n\r\n“It’s one thing to take a formula and transform it into a product,” she says. “It’s quite another thing — a very valuable thing — to help execute an idea from the market research and formulation stage.”\r\n\r\nIn 2014, LiDestri Food &amp; Beverage opened its Innovation Center, which LiDestri says has been described as “a playground for research and development.” The center already has served as the launch pad for a number of products that went on to become a success.\r\n\r\n“When we as contract manufacturers are involved from square one … that kind of partnership adds tremendous value,” she maintains, adding that her company recently worked with Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans Food Markets Inc. — a long-time retail partner — to develop the Jammin’ line of low-sugar fruit spreads under the Wegmans Organic Food You Feel Good About brand.\r\n\r\nTo get to the collaborative level LiDestri discusses, many suppliers and retailers will have to rethink some standard practices.\r\n\r\nPrivate label suppliers, for example, might want to stop shielding costs from potential retailer-partners. In Fay’s view, such a practice is not productive, as “any reasonably intelligent person” generally can figure out the approximate cost of packaging, commodities and other supplier resources.\r\n\r\n“If retailers would enter into an agreement at the onset of a project where they would be willing to allow a profitable cost-plus program to evolve from the project and to split cleanup costs if the program failed, [it] would probably [encourage] a lot more suppliers to jump onboard,” he adds. “I also believe non-disclosure agreements with suppliers would be helpful.”\r\n\r\nValentine agrees.\r\n\r\n“[Get] confidentiality agreements signed, and let everyone work together towards the goals of each retailer,” she says. “As suppliers, we are a ‘free’ research and development arm available to each retailer; we profit when we all profit as business partners.”\r\n\r\nWhen it comes down to it, successful retailer-supplier private brand partnerships really require a different approach to the business model — one that takes the shape of a joint venture or a strategic alliance, Maute says.\r\n\r\n“The value that I think a strategic alliance has between a retailer and a manufacturer [is] they both have very different skill sets,” he says. “The retailer supplies, hopefully, marketing support, distribution, consumer insights and knowledge, while the manufacturer has the manufacturing capabilities, the category expertise and, hopefully, knowledge of the supply chain. So if the two were to strategically align and potentially share in the risk as well as the investment, you can probably get economies of scale and quicker market penetration.”\r\n\r\nTo take the relationship even a step farther, that alliance could involve joint ownership of the intellectual property, says Paul Schwada, managing partner of Chicago-based Locomotive Solutions LLC.\r\n\r\n“Whoever owns the intellectual property really owns the product,” he points out. “If the supplier and the retailer are really looking for a true partnership, and they’re actually willing to share intellectual property, that is the most permanent form of bond that I can think of.”\r\n\r\n“There are tremendous advantages in harnessing the power of partnerships, including the stability, service and loyalty that come with them.”\r\n— Stefani LiDestri, president-elect and chief sales and marketing officer, LiDestri Food &amp; Beverage\r\n\r\n“The value that I think a strategic alliance has between a retailer and a manufacturer [is] they both have very different skill sets.”\r\n— Todd Maute, partner, CBX\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.storebrands.info/store-brand-insights/special-features/it-takes-two-innovate\" target=\"_blank\">Store Brands</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"http://whatsnext.nuance.com/customer-experience/fostering-customer-experience-innovation/\" target=\"_blank\">Nuance</a>', 'It Takes Two to Innovate', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2158-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2158, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2158-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2613, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'With consumers receiving brand and marketing messages from so many different outlets, it is more important than ever to have consistent brand equity builders—color, logo, patterns, tagline—across all touchpoints.\r\nThat’s where point-of-purchase (PoP) marketing comes in. PoP marketing is a proven method of marketing in which messages are delivered to a brand’s target customers at the point of purchase either online or in a retail store.\r\n\r\n“Building a strong brand equity system that extends consistently to all media touch points is hugely important,” says Lesley Stordahl, creative director at branding agency CBX. “That most certainly does not mean ‘matching luggage.’ With shopper journeys diversifying more every day, establishing brand awareness and consistency is a much bigger battle than it was 10 or so years ago.”\r\n\r\nMoreover, gone are the days of “stack ‘em high and watch ‘em fly.” That’s why it’s important to bring an experience to life—letting shoppers have a sensorial connection to a brand through touch, taste or even smell.\r\n\r\n“Shoppers are looking for curated experiences, stories that fit into their world,” she shares. “Both brands and retailers need to find new ways to educate and/or excite.\r\n\r\nFrom candy-colored waves of La Croix seltzer when you walk into a Whole Foods to Sephora mascara endcaps, brands and retailers need to work together to create an experience that is tailored to what the shopper is looking for, rather than whatever message the brand wants to get out at the time.”\r\n\r\nFor instance, a quick message testing with a small group of online consumers can be very illuminating in helping to understand what shoppers want and help brands get out of their own way from time to time.\r\n\r\n“With any retail environment, you are looking to not only stand out from other competitors on the shelf but have a point of differentiation,” says Hakyun Lee, vice president of Dot Matrix Design Group. “You want to have something different to say or else your brand or product could get lost in the sea of products on the shelves.”\r\n\r\nWhile loud graphics and colors can call attention to a product, Lee notes that sometimes the easiest way to stand out is not the best way. Just capturing the consumers’ attention is not enough, and there needs to be more to further explain the benefits of one’s product over another.\r\n\r\n“Having something honest in the story behind your product really is what’s trending now,” Lee says. “Optimally, the story will be on the product itself, but if you’re talking PoP, on the display case or shipper, somewhere that is easy to see.”\r\n\r\nOnce a brand is established, Stordahl notes the messaging should be tailored to the experience.\r\n\r\n“Brands should be thinking like a shopper and tailoring their message to where they are in their journey of the day,” she says. “Empathy goes a long way from brands in environments where shoppers are being inundated with messages.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Brands in Action\r\n</strong>\r\nJeff Camosci, vice president of marketing and sales, North America for Paragon Pet Products, manufacturers of Whimzees dog chews, notes PoP materials can help retailers educate consumers about their products as well as separate its product from the masses.\r\n\r\n“We offer our retail partners a variety of PoP and on-shelf communication,” he says. “The goal of each display option is to clearly explain the benefits of oral health while highlighting our products’ features and benefits in a Whimz-ical way that engage a pet-parent shopper inside the store.”\r\n\r\nLee once served as design manager of Colgate and notes that in the past, the brand has leaned heavily on its brand recognition and the Colgate/Chevron banner was used very large and prominent because it meant something to consumers.\r\n\r\n“People just felt safe with the company,” he says. “Where Colgate is today, they are leaning toward making the Colgate name smaller on their packaging and relying on their sub-branding to be more front and center.”\r\n\r\nFor example, on their optic white packaging, the optic white is taking more of the front and center hierarchy, with the Colgate/Chevron banner smaller behind it.\r\n\r\n“I think the reason for that is that store brands are taking a bigger bite of the market and emerging brands are getting more credibility, especially with today’s consumer having a millennial mindset and more into the smaller mom-and-pop brands,” Lee says. “People are paying more attention to these sort of companies.”\r\n\r\nFor a brand strong in both brick and mortar and online, Stordahl points to the popular men’s grooming brand Harry’s, which recently transitioned from an online retailer to brick-and-mortar in Target.\r\n\r\n“Their endcap and in-aisle displays are a great representation of creating a look and feel that not only connects strongly to the online brand, but also works seamlessly with the Target personality as well,” she says. “They eliminated traditional shelving on the endcap, creating a fully designed brand world with less product but more education. In-aisle displays show the handle unboxed for customers to touch and feel. Overall, it makes the brand feel very approachable while retaining their ‘hipster’ online status.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Tech Talk\r\n</strong>\r\nA unique PoP display trend that Lee has seen lately is the idea of incorporating different technology into the displays themselves. That has resulted in a lot of freestanding LED displays running short animation and graphics for the brands on the shelves.\r\n\r\nTechnology can also help push coupons to a phone, which can take the PoP marketing to a new level. Geofencing is also on the rise. This allows a store or marketer to pinpoint when someone is in the vicinity of the store and they can push a message out to them by text.\r\n\r\n“The whole PoP game is getting more complex, and it’s making things seamless and invisible to the consumers’ eyes,” Lee says. “These marketers know where people are now and how long they’ve been there, and they are making sure their messages are being seen.”\r\n\r\nStordahl says that while technology and digital displays are changing the way things are done, at the end of the day, these tools are all in service of creating a brand experience that allows shoppers to connect with products in more meaningful ways.\r\n\r\n“Tactile displays with unboxed product in aisle, as well as education pieces that fit in endcaps are powerful tools to appeal to shoppers,” she says.\r\n\r\n<strong>PoP in a Digital Age\r\n</strong>\r\nOnline retailers shouldn’t assume they get out of the “experience” conversation. While in-store and retail PoP marketing has most to do with quick purchases, digital PoP is focused on clicks and awareness, and is still vital to a company’s success.\r\n\r\nThis strategy attempts to market to shoppers who are already on the site and ready to make a purchase—and it provides a last-minute way for retailers to influence the details of that decision.\r\n\r\nStordahl says that the ability for shoppers to choose a complimentary sample, enjoy a “surprise and delight” of free shipping or discount at checkout, or even have access to reviews from the shopping cart to reinforce their decision can be powerful connection tools.\r\n“What’s interesting with online retailers is that they are collecting more and more data from their online customers and learning their buying habits and seeing their whole history of purchases,” Lee says. “Through that data, they can suggest purchases during checkout that are tailored towards that consumer and whatever purchase they are making.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.bxpmagazine.com/article/itching-impulse\">BXP Magazine</a>', 'Itching the Impulse: How Effective Pop Marketing and Design Influence Shopper Behavior', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2308-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2308, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2308-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2614, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<p>Most dairy brands engaged in the day-to-day battle for survival in the refrigerated section only wish they had the problems that Philadelphia Cream Cheese has. After all, the soft white brick of cheese named after the City of Brotherly Love has prospered for nearly 90 years now. Making cream cheese is extremely difficult (the careful introduction of acid-secreting bacteria is what turns milk into a solid), and Kraft is said to keep its formulas sealed in a Chicago safe. But the brand has its routine down cold. So instinctively do shoppers reach for that gray-foil wrapper with the blue lettering that Kraft now enjoys a 70 percent market share—especially sweet, considering that Americans buy $800 million worth of cream cheese every year. Sure, people may feel guilty about eating cream cheese (33 percent of it is pure fat), but since when did guilt stop people from buying something?\r\nAs it turns out, however, things are not as easy as they may look for Philly Cream Cheese—at least not when it comes to the marketing. Think about it. When your core product is an emulsified cake of breakfast food that’s hung out on the end of a butter knife for decades, keeping the brand image fresh and interesting is no mean feat. But judging from the ads shown here, Kraft’s done a pretty good job of it, at least according to Rick Barrack, chief creative officer of New York branding firm CBX. While it’s easy to look at the contemporary image and spot all of the requisite cultural updates (butcher-block table, T-shirted father and son bonding, etc.), the real device that’s kept the brand current is more thematic than physical. “In the ‘50s ad, they were talking only about what the product has to offer,” Barrack said. “But they’ve moved from product attributes to product experience.” In other words, if all that used to matter was the brand’s quality, what matters now is the quality time that the brand makes possible.\r\n\r\nWhen the ad at right appeared in the pages of McCall’s in 1958, food marketing was little more than an argument over quality. In this case, high-quality cream cheese as part of a proper, middle-class American breakfast. Those female hands? They belong to mother, who is, of course, making your breakfast for you. See it there, laid out nicely on the table? She’s even put a hard-boiled egg down beside the coffee. The language sells the Philly even better, assuring us that it’s “wholesome” (whatever that means) and will satisfy “sleepy morning appetites.” “The ad is just a reflection of the conventions of the times,” Barrack said. “Mom is responsible for setting the table and whatever helps her do it better will make her take notice. Philly Cream Cheese is playing right to that.”\r\n\r\nBut now look at what the same-old cheese is doing 54 years later. Gone is the goofy talk of wholesomeness, of satisfying hungry tummies. Safely able to presume that the cream cheese’s taste and quality are already a given for most consumers, Kraft has shifted the entire selling strategy from the food to the occasion surrounding it. Cream cheese isn’t what you smear on bread; it’s a conduit for connecting with your family. “Today the homemaker is time-starved, and that’s mirrored in this ad,” Barrack said. “Carving out time to spend with your loved ones is a challenge. Multitasking is the new norm—as evidenced by the father holding the paper while eating with his son.” And, of course, “it’s interesting that they’ve chosen a man to start with,” Barrack said.\r\n\r\nBut what’s most interesting in these two ads isn’t that they show how the rigid domestic norms of the 1950s have developed into the fast-paced, nontraditional free-for-all that is today’s home; it’s that they show how Philadelphia Cream Cheese has come along for the ride and still fits in.\r\nYou just might want to go lighter on that schmear. After all, the stuff is 33 percent fat.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-01-2012.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-01-2012.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-01-2012\" width=\"475\" height=\"599\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1193\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-02-2012.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-02-2012.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"persp-laying-thick-cream-cheese-02-2012\" width=\"652\" height=\"546\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1194\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/laying-it-thick-143745\"></a></p>', 'Laying It on Thick: Philadelphia Cream Cheese changes its marketing recipe', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1654-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1654, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1654-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2615, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'LIQS come in sealed and tamper-resistant 50ml recyclable, crystal polystyrene shot glasses.Brand agency CBX recently assisted start-up company LIQS with the design of innovative packaging and the formulation of other branding initiatives for its eponymous line of super-premium, ready-to-drink cocktail shots.\r\n\r\nThe CBX design team worked with LIQS cofounders Michael Glickman and Harley Bauer on a variety of efforts, including strategic alignment and development of the LIQS’ brand mark and package design. “We took our design cues from LIQS’ target customer, a sophisticated millennial who loves spontaneous get-togethers with friends, whether poolside, at the beach or boating,” says Gregg S. Lipman, CBX managing partner.\r\n\r\nSunny and stylish Miami, where LIQS was launched and is based, offered CBX inspiration for the package designs. The firm reinterpreted a sunburst in a series of colorful graphic bursts to correspond with each LIQS flavor — red-orange for Tequila Cinnamon Orange; yellow-green for Vodka Cucumber Lime; aqua-blue for Vodka Kamikaze; and red-pink for Vodka Lychee Grapefruit.\r\n\r\nProduced in the U.S., each LIQS product comes in a 50ml recyclable, crystal polystyrene shot glass that’s sealed and tamper-resistant. The product is sold in a multi-unit package that offers three individually sealed shots of a single flavor. Each shot, as well as the outer packaging, carries the burst graphic.\r\n\r\n“After many years of witnessing the love that consumers have with shots, and the lack of being able enjoy them at home as if made by a bartender, we set out for a solution that would give people access to quality shots they can take anywhere,” explains Glickman. “LIQS is a convenient and attractive alternative to a bartender and bar setup and a far cry from ‘test-tube’ style shooters. With the new packaging, we’re delivering mixology with the mixologist.”\r\n\r\nLIQS is currently available at numerous liquor stores in Florida in advance of a strategic regional rollout.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/84694-liqs-shots\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/84694-liqs-shots</a>', 'LIQS Shots', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1966-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1966, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1966-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2616, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>The talk show host’s new site, EDbyEllen.com, sells clothing, housewares and accessories marked by DeGeneres’ distinctive style.</strong>\r\nEllen DeGeneres is already a comedian, author, talk show host, and producer. Now she can add lifestyle brand maven to the list.\r\n\r\nDeGeneres launched her new e-commerce site, <a href=\"http://www.edbyellen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">EDbyEllen.com</a>, on Tuesday. Pronounced “Ed,” the brand covers everything from clothing and accessories to barware and throw pillows.\r\n\r\nThough it was <a href=\"http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ellen-degeneres-new-luxury-line-795383\" target=\"_blank\">previously reported</a> that the site would carry luxe items like $2,000 cashmere sweaters, DeGeneres appears to be sticking with more reasonably priced goods, at least for now. Items on the site range from $8 pins to a $365 cake plate. Apparel starts at $34.50 for a crewneck t-shirt and goes up to $245 for tailored jackets.\r\n\r\nED joins a flood of <a href=\"http://fortune.com/2015/05/12/reese-witherspoon-retail-draper-james/\" target=\"_blank\">celebrity lifestyle brands</a> already on the market, including Gwyneth Paltrow’s <a href=\"http://fortune.com/2015/05/06/gwyneth-paltrow-makeup-goop/\" target=\"_blank\">Goop</a>, Jessica Alba’s <a href=\"http://fortune.com/2014/08/26/jessica-alba-honest-co-ipo/\" target=\"_blank\">The Honest Co.</a> and Blake Lively’s <a href=\"http://time.com/3907683/blake-lively-preserve-interview/\" target=\"_blank\">Preserve</a>. Reese Witherspoon joined the mix last month, launching <a href=\"http://time.com/3848424/reese-witherspoon-draper-james-launch/\" target=\"_blank\">Draper James</a>. Within a few hours, Witherspoon’s site had sold out of a $325 shoulder bag and a $225 dress.\r\n\r\nOf course, DeGeneres says that ED will offer something unique. In an <a href=\"http://www.refinery29.com/2015/05/87665/ellen-degeneres-clothing-line-ed#.2vxulo:JQ16\" target=\"_blank\">interview with <em>Refinery29</em></a>, she talked about the particulars of her own “sort of non-gender-specific” style and her impetus for creating the line.\r\n\r\n“[W]e started making my own clothes on the show and noticing that a lot of people who were coming to the show were trying to dress like me, but those clothes weren’t out there,” she said. “I mean, I have a very distinct way of dressing, and clearly other people are responding to it, so that was the impetus to launch the brand. So, there’s a line that’s out there that’s not extremely feminine, it’s not masculine, it’s just comfortable.”\r\n\r\nSome industry watchers believe DeGeneres has the potential to become a major force in the lifestyle brand space. “Most celebrities don’t have a really specific point of view,” says Laura Ries, president of Ries &amp; Ries branding strategy firm and the author of several books on branding. For a star’s brand to succeed, “it has to be very specific and authentic to them. Ellen has a really unique style, and it’s one that we haven’t really seen in the fashion world.”\r\n\r\nHer accessibility may also help her stand out. While we’re used to spotting Paltrow, Lively or Witherspoon looking glamorous on the red carpet, Americans are more likely to associate DeGeneres with her goofy talk show escapades.\r\n\r\nCompared to other brand-fronting celebrities, “I’d put her as ‘real people,’ and I don’t see those others as real people,” says Christina Papale, vice president of strategy for the brand agency CBX.\r\n\r\nIn many ways, DeGeneres is already a brand, with an empire that has rapidly expanded over the last decade. <em>The Ellen DeGeneres Show</em> is in its 12th season. Her production company, A Very Good Production, is developing six projects, including a new NBC series that starts production next month. Then there’s her three <em>New York Times</em> #1 bestsellers, her record label, streaming video site and game app. Now she has an interior design book, <em>Home</em>, coming out in October.\r\n\r\nDeGeneres has assembled an experienced team for ED. Her partner, Christopher Burch, co-founded Tory Burch and C. Wonder. (The latter closed in January after three years in business and its former president, Andrea Hyde, is now CEO of Draper James.) ED’s managing partner is Marisa Gardini—the former president and CEO of Isaac Mizrahi. The company’s board of directors includes Michael Frances, chief global brand officer of DreamWorks Animation (and the former global CMO of Target) and Janet Grove, the former CEO of Macy’s merchandising group.\r\n\r\nElizabeth Talerman, CEO of the brand strategy firm Nucleus, worked with Martha Stewart Living in 2006, the year the brand entered Macy’s stores. Her best advice for Ellen? “Think carefully about what your legacy will be and honor that, so you don’t go from an entertainer to a huckster. You want to go from an entertainer to a style.”\r\n\r\nAbove all, Talerman says DeGeneres should hold on tightly to the same accessibility that makes her Ellen.\r\n\r\n“If she gets up on a high horse of guidance and preachiness—which I think is where Martha Stewart’s brand may have gone wrong—that’s a guidepost for her brand stewards. Oprah is apart from us—a deity, a queen,” says Talerman. “Ellen needs to make sure she’s a part of us.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://fortune.com/2015/06/30/ellen-degeneres-lifestyle-brand/\" target=\"_blank\">Fortune</a>.', 'Look Out, Gwyneth: Ellen DeGeneres Launches a Lifestyle Brand', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2117-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2117, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2117-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2617, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'Two restaged brands have generated high hopes in the skin care and hair care categories.\r\nThe Cetaphil skin care brand has been revamped by Galderma Laboratories L.P., while Hain Celestial’s Avalon Organics skin care and hair care products have been repositioned by brand agency CBX. Cetaphil has undergone a full graphics and packaging upgrade to provide a more simplified shopping experience at shelf and improved portfolio differentiation, as well as clarity of product benefits.\r\n\r\n…\r\n\r\nAvalon Organics, one of the first brands to offer a full line of certified organic products, has been given a fresh perspective for a new era by CBX. The brand got its start when organic personal care products were mainly purchased by well-educated, high-income women in their 30s or 40s with kids, noted CBX managing partner Gregg Lipman. “Avalon Organics earned a reputation for offering the highest-possible quality personal care products” he said. “As the consumer has evolved, Millenial and Gen X women crave an emotional connection ‘beyond organic.’ It was time to clarify Avalon Organics brand story for today.”\r\n\r\nTo that end, CBX experts in branding, design strategy, and verbal strategy relied on extensive consumer conversations to reframe the brand with the personal care team at Hain Celestial. In addition to creating the new packaging, design, and nomenclature systems for Avalon’s five product lines, the team built a brand book, defined visual and verbal principles with expansive voice guidelines for use in social media and other communications, and conducted personal training to support writing around the new master brand.\r\n\r\nMultiple research sessions by CBX revealed the extent to which Avalon consumers had shifted to what the CBX came to classify as “Modern Hollistics”—including contemporary Gen X or Millennial consumers who crave an emotional connection, in addition to caring about the safety and quality of the beauty products they use.\r\n\r\n“It is always critically important to consider where a brand is in relation to culture,” Lipman said. “CBX’s research process engaged women in conversations about the role of beauty in their lives and focused on beauty-themed stories to discern the specific language that most resonated with them.”\r\n\r\nThe new products are available at Whole Foods Market, Target, Walmart, drug stores, grocery stores, and natural food stores, as well as at <a title=\"Avalon\" href=\"http://www.avalonorganics.com/en/\" target=\"_blank\">avalonorganics.com</a>\r\n\r\nWhat emerged was an appreciation for beauty that is beyond skin deep, Lipman related. It was really important to consumers “that it was deep, stable, and all-encompassing,” he said.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by Chain Drug Review', 'Makeovers Reinvigorate Two Brands', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2197-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2197, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2197-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2618, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>Brand refresh puts convenience-store retailer front and center for growth</strong>\r\nIt’s Millers time.\r\n\r\nMiller Oil Co., Norfolk, Va., is part-way through a dramatic facelift for its convenience stores, one that will place its own store brand front and center. “If you look at the progressive marketers out there, everyone is trying to stay current and relevant,” president Jeff Miller told CSP Daily News. “Part of it is value, part of it is product selection and part of it is image. We’ve put off the image part for quite a while, and now we’re finally addressing it.”\r\n\r\nThe journey started on the forecourt. Some of Miller’s major-oil branding contracts were expiring, and the retailer saw it as an opportunity to expand its private brand. The 50-site chain competes with the likes of Wawa, RaceTrac, Royal Farms and 7-Eleven, and so building up the Millers brand is key. Miller points to a site on the campus of Old Dominion University, which sells Shell-branded fuel, as an example.\r\n\r\n“You could probably walk through campus and ask kids about Millers. Some would know it was there, some not,” he said. “Ask about the Shell and they would say, ‘Oh yeah!’\r\n\r\n“We have been working very hard to build inside sales,” he continued. “And it’s really hard to get traction on that when people don’t know you’re there.”\r\n\r\nMiller Oil hired retail design consultancy CBX to spearhead the refresh, which started with the brand logo. The original, red-and-yellow Millers Neighborhood Market design first debuted around 1998, and was starting to show its age. Customers also found the name a bit of a mouthful, so it was shortened to “Millers.”\r\n\r\nCBX and Miller kept the same script and red as a primary color, although this time used is as the backdrop. “We wanted it to be an evolution, not a change,” Miller explained. The design team also dropped the “swoosh” in the original Millers logo, a surprisingly controversial move because of how much the retailer’s management team liked it.\r\n\r\n“The problem with the swoosh, especially when it came to canopy treatments, is it forced you to have a much smaller logo to get the swoosh to fit in, or you needed to customize it so the swoosh fit in above the canopy,” said Miller. “One day I said, ‘You know what—we need to come to a conclusion here, and we really want to get most exposure we can out of signage these days, get the biggest logo we can get, so we let the swoosh go.”\r\n\r\nThe next move was to update the fuel island with the new logo and graphics. To provide a cohesive look across the chain, the CBX team designed special pump wraps for the two different models of dispensers. Miller is gradually installing new Ovation pumps from Wayne Fueling Systems with the inOvationTV media platform.\r\n\r\nAround this time, one site in Hampton, Va., near the Hampton Coliseum, was going through a raise-and-rebuild. This provided a great opening for a refresh inside of the store, where the new focus is refreshment. As soon as a customer enters, they see the fountain. Miller is testing fountain taps for carbonated beverages. Four taps each offer four soda choices. The fountain also offers chewable and cubed ice. Reach-in coolers with fresh food are positioned on either side of the store entrance, complementing Millers’ cobranded offers—Dunkin Donuts at this particular site, and Subway, Dairy Queen, Arby’s and Huddle House at many of the others.\r\n\r\nThe refreshed sites will also have new EMV-compliant VeriFone Topaz point of sales Commander site controllers.\r\n\r\nAcross the rest of its 26 sites, Miller is refreshing the forecourt first, and then inside the store. Four thus far have the new forecourt look, with 16 to go.\r\n\r\nTen locations remain under branding contracts, and Miller said they have their place, especially on the interstate, where the major flag helps draw in customers from out of the area. But locally, the retailer sees greater leverage and potential in the Millers store and fuel brand.\r\n\r\n“We needed to make a change and get more competitive,” said Miller. “Now on the Miller sites, it really allows us to get into the game.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.cspdailynews.com/industry-news-analysis/marketing-strategies/articles/millers-lets-swoosh-go\" target=\"_blank\">CSP</a>', 'Millers Lets the \'Swoosh\' Go', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2170-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2170, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2170-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2619, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>Retailers that approach the private brand naming process thoughtfully will be better able to build consumer trust and loyalty.</strong>\r\nA badly chosen brand name can kill a product or product line. 7-Up soda, for example, likely would not have survived had it retained its original mouthful of a name: Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. And the fast failures of Colgate Kitchen entrees and Bic underwear prove that a brand name that works successfully in one segment doesn’t necessarily extend well to another.\r\n\r\nBut sometimes the reasons for brand name failure are not so obvious. Retail private brand teams, therefore, need to understand how to fine-tune the brand-naming process so they can build brands that truly connect with their shoppers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Study your shoppers</strong>\r\nAs store brands evolve, brand name is becoming more important to overall program success.\r\n\r\n“We now need to communicate about brand and value,” explains Rachel Bernard, vice president, verbal strategy for New York-based CBX. “Consumers aren’t looking to buy private label products anymore; they’re buying into private label as a brand and as a concept.”\r\n\r\nAnd the brand-naming process begins with consumer insights. Retailers need to gain an understanding of how consumers (particularly their own shoppers) view both their banner brand and their private brands, Bernard says.\r\n\r\n“They should also understand how their customers shop across key categories,” she adds. “Are they focused on price in paper products yet care more about benefits in hair care products, for example?”\r\n\r\nRetailers also should gain insights into which categories are most important to their most valuable shoppers. Some categories might warrant a “new name that tells a distinct story,” Bernard notes.\r\n\r\nInsights gleaned from consumers will help direct retailers not only in brand naming, but also in determining how many unique brand names they need, Bernard says.\r\n\r\nRoger Beahm, co-executive director of the Center for Retail Innovation at Wake Forest University School of Business, Winston-Salem, N.C., agrees, but adds to the list of shopper insights needed.\r\n\r\n“You need to think about them not just demographically, but also in terms of psychographic considerations — what’s important to them, what they value, what their lifestyles are like, what they connect with,” he stresses. “Behavioral characteristics, too — how often they buy, what places they shop, how much they buy on different shopping occasions.”\r\n\r\nOf course, retailers also need to think about the product or product line itself. They should ask themselves, Beahm says, about the product’s “story” — how the product is going to be different and relevant to their target shopper audience.\r\n\r\n<strong>Create and test</strong>\r\nThe next step is the creation of a set of potential brand names. Such names must consider both the target audience and the product benefits, Beahm notes.\r\n\r\n“One might argue that the benefit [the product is] going to deliver is even more important than the target audience itself in terms of being reflected in the brand name,” he says. “Your brand name should be suggestive in some ways of the benefits to your target customer if you can make it suggestive.”\r\n\r\nIt’s not always possible to create such a name, reinforce the brand and its uniqueness, increasing appeal to the target audience.\r\n\r\nBernard also points to the importance of “creating a cohesive narrative and experience” across the portfolio and across the store in the brand naming process.\r\n\r\nAlso consideration-worthy in the naming process are the six criteria marketing professionals typically rely on to evaluate a brand, Beahm says. The brand should be 1) meaningful, 2) memorable, 3) likeable, 4), transferrable in terms of line or category extensions, 5) adaptable and 6) able to be protected from a legal standpoint.\r\n\r\n“So once you’ve got your list of, say, a half dozen name options, you’ll want to weigh them against those criteria,” he says. “How well do they meet the criteria? Where do they fall short?”\r\n\r\nBeahm stresses that a brand name seldom meets all six criteria, but the more it can meet, the better.\r\n\r\nNext on the agenda should be testing among consumers — something Bernard calls important, but infrequently accomplished well.\r\n“Normally, consumers are asked ‘What do you think of this name?’, and their responses are reduced to ‘I like it’ or ‘I do not like it,’” she explains. “Brands should make sure to communicate the brand attributes, vision for the future and encouraged behaviors in addition to the name when testing. That way, consumers will be able to evaluate the name more strategically than basing their assessments on personal anecdotes and feelings.”\r\n\r\nFor his part, Beahm has found focus groups to be valuable to the testing process. Such groups could evaluate potential brand names against the six criteria, as well as evaluate other brand aspects such as packaging, packaging colors and more. But he also advises retailers to perform such testing within the retail environment, where the product is on a shelf or a hanger, and also allow employees to weigh in.\r\n\r\n“It’s hard to get a name agreed to by everyone,” he says. “But names are those kinds of things that you put up, and the good ones stick and the bad ones fall to the ground.”\r\n\r\nFinally, once a retailer identifies a brand name that scores positively with a large percentage of its target audience, it needs to champion that name inside its organization, Beahm stresses. That championing is part of building consumers’ brand knowledge and awareness, which ultimately will be key to the brand’s success. Knowledge of the brand encompasses what the brand/product is, what it does and what it stands for.\r\n\r\n“It’s not going to matter what criteria you use if you stop with the name,” he adds. “If you don’t build knowledge, you’re not going to create equity and, ultimately, loyalty.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Banner name or not?</strong>\r\nTraditionally, many retailers have used the retail banner name as their store brand name — or part of their store brand names. But recent years have seen a number of retailers moving away from this brand naming convention.\r\n\r\n“Both strategies can be very effective,” says Rachel Bernard, vice president, verbal strategy for New York-based CBX. “In fact, many retailers choose to deploy both strategies. Deciding which is best for a particular situation starts with the ‘masterbrand’ — consider loyalty and equity.”\r\n\r\nAlthough he’s not completely against the retail banner name being used as the store brand, Roger Beahm, co-executive director of the Center for Retail Innovation at Wake Forest University School of Business, Winston-Salem, N.C., does note that traditionally, brands are associated with a specific category or related categories.\r\n\r\n“So it’s oftentimes better, for a number of reasons, to use different brand names on different products when they are in unrelated categories,” he says. “And allow each brand to stand on its own, to build its equity, to develop its own loyal following and to earn that trust with the customer. If you do that, you are going to be able to protect yourself better competitively against premium brand promotions and advertising.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.storebrands.info/store-brand-insights/special-features/name-brand\" target=\"_blank\">Store Brands Magazine</a>', 'Name That Brand', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2166-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2166, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2166-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2620, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>WHEN RETAIL IS LITERALLY EVERYWHERE, WHEN WE CAN BUY VIRTUALLY ANYTHING OFF OUR PHONES AND HAVE IT DELIVERED, WHY GO TO A STORE?</strong></br>Pessimistic pundits claim that “show-rooming” and the explosive growth of ecommerce will be the death of brick-and-mortar retail. But by drawing inspiration from the kinds of social experiences Americans crave—live-action football games, rousing concerts, moving religious services and the like—retailers stand to reap big profits even as they prove the pundits wrong, writes Crosby Renwick, executive director of strategy at brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX, in a May 30 column published at Chain Store Age Online.\n\n“Is retail really dead?” Renwick asks in the piece. “No, but its role is changing.” The veteran CBX strategist begins the column—titled “‘Social Retail’ to the Rescue”—by outlining the basic problem as just about everyone sees it: “When retail is literally everywhere, when we can buy virtually anything off our phones and have it delivered, why go to a store?” he writes.\n\nBut while Renwick concedes that many stores will close in the decades to come—particularly those focused on commoditized goods that shoppers can easily buy online—he describes the rise of ecommerce as an opportunity for retail to refocus. “When Pablo Picasso was asked if painting human figures was still possible after the technologies of photography and cinema were depicting them much more truly, his response was, ‘Now at least we know everything that painting isn\'t,’” Renwick writes. “Technology had killed painting’s previous purpose: depiction. But, on the other hand, technology freed painting to become something else.”\n\nLikewise, the proper role of retail in the 21st century is not to sell humdrum commodities in cavernous, uninspiring big-box stores, Renwick writes. “What to do with the empty storefronts?” he asks in the piece. “The success of social media provides the clue because it highlights the deep desire for human connection. People get lonely. They’ll pay for the chance to enjoy real-world social experiences with others who have similar interests.”\n\nRenwick describes several popular—and in some case, expensive—social experiences that continue to inspire consumers. But the point is not to try replicate, say, a Bruce Springsteen concert, but to tap into the brand-, traffic- and loyalty-building potential that is inherent to such an experience. “These are the kinds of social experiences people pay money for,” he writes. “Am I suggesting a chain of stores that hosts rock concerts? No. But lessons drawn from these social experiences can and should be applied to retail. Lululemon has already done so with its in-store yoga classes. Likewise, I’d love a store where I could buy clothes that speak to the sensibilities of the classic rock fan. Where the staff would ‘get’ me.”\n\nShopping in a physical store has to be as much about social experiences, unique environments and customer validation as it is about the merchandise, Renwick notes in the conclusion to the piece. “Today’s shoppers can have nearly any merchandise brought right to their doors with little more than the swipe of a finger,” he writes. “But if we can bring them the kinds of experiences that forge memories, friendships and lifelong brand loyalties, they will keep getting in their cars and coming to us.”\n\n<a href=\"http://www.furninfo.com/Furniture%20Industry%20News/1866\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.furninfo.com/Furniture%20Industry%20News/1866</a>', 'Need For Socially Relevant Stores', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1827-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1827, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1827-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2621, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>About</strong>(Previously Del Monte Foods’ Pet Products) “Big Heart Pet Brands is the largest standalone producer, distributor and marketer of premium quality, branded pet food and pet snacks for the U.S. retail market. The company’s brands include Meow Mix®, Kibbles ‘n Bits®, Milk-Bone®, 9Lives®, Natural Balance®, Pup-Peroni®, Gravy Train®, Nature’s Recipe®, Canine Carry Outs®, Milo’s Kitchen® and other brand names. Big Heart Pet Brands’ portfolio enjoys strong U.S. market share, and is #1 in the dog snacks category, #2 in Dry/Wet Cat and #3 in Dry Dog.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Design by</strong>\r\nCBX\r\n\r\n<strong>Related link: CBX Press release</strong>\r\nAt the core of the visual system is a dynamic new \"heartpaw\" logo that reinforces the company\'s love for pets and desire to continually create better solutions for them. The logo represents both a pawprint—to root the company in the pet category—and a heart to convey the bond between pet and pet parents. The highlight \"shine\" marks used within the broader visual identity symbolize positivity, energy and innovative thinking. \"Simple yet impactful, the identity signals a strong position in the pet space and a bright future for the company and the pets it supports,\" said Rick Barrack, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer at CBX.\r\nRead the full press release:<a href=\"http://http://www.cbx.com/press/cbx-collaborates-on-new-company-name-and-identity-for-big-heart-pet-brands/\" target=\"_blank\"> CBX Collaborates on New Company Name and Identity for Big Heart Pet Brands</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Logo detail:</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-8018 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: 50px;\" title=\"big_heart_pet_brands2_logo_detail\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/big_heart_pet_brands2_logo_detail2.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Business cards:</strong>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8011 alignleft\" title=\"big_heart_pet_brands3_BusinessCards\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/big_heart_pet_brands3_BusinessCards.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Brochure:</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-8017 alignleft\" title=\"big_heart_pet_brands4_brochure\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/big_heart_pet_brands4_brochure1.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Reception:</strong>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8013 alignleft\" title=\"big_heart_pet_brands5_reception\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/big_heart_pet_brands5_reception.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Cafeteria:</strong>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8014 alignleft\" title=\"big_heart_pet_brands6_cafeteria\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/big_heart_pet_brands6_cafeteria.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Opinion/notes</strong>\r\nThe \"heartpaw\" icon is kind of cute, except that it\'s not really a paw and it barely registers as a heart. Look at how paw prints are usually represented and here the toes are far too thin and the forced heart is the inverted paw pad — before reading the release I thought it was a dog snout, shiny from the wetness of dog snouts and the sunburst-y rays were the dog smelling. The typography is fairly serious and heavy-handed for the fun-loving attitude they were aiming for. At least it\'s not called the prescriptive \"Del Monte Foods\' Pet Products\" anymore.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_name_logo_and_identity_for_big_heart_pet_brands_by_cbx.php#.U3TVMy8meSD\" target=\"_blank\">www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_name_logo_and_identity_for_big_heart_pet_brands_by_cbx.php#.U3TVMy8meSD</a>', 'New Name, Logo, and Identity for Big Heart Pet Brands by CBX', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1922-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1922, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1922-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2622, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'Hello, and welcome to this week’s Design Diary, a collection of five projects from across the world that have impressed us this week.\r\nFor more along these lines (and so many others) follow along all day, every day on Instagram @AIGAeyeondesign, Facebook, and Twitter @AIGAeyeondesign.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Milton Glaser on surviving the Trump era</strong>\r\n<em>“That sense of paralysis or indifference makes this time seem different.”</em>\r\n\r\nEarlier this week, Steven Heller sat down with Milton Glaser at Cooper Union in New York to talk about the recently reissued version of Glaser’s The Design of Dissent, co-authored with Mirko Ilic). Originally published more than a decade ago, the new edition compiles recent examples of design that express political and social resistance, and sums up our current state of affairs with the revised subtitle “Greed, Nationalism, Alternative Facts and the Resistance.” Glaser began the conversation with the story of one of his earliest memories of a protest at his apartment building in the Bronx turned violent by the police, which he used to explain his inclination—both in his design work and in life—to the left. “I learned that the only way to deal with men beating you over the head, was to resist.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10915\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"960\" /></a><em>Milton Glaser\'s \"We are all African\" poster for School of Visual Arts</em>\r\n\r\nSo how’s that mindset faring for Glaser today, in the era of Trump? Heller asked Glaser if he felt there was a difference in this period of political strife, in comparison to the other tumultuous periods of U.S. history that he has lived through: the McCarthy era, the Cold War, Vietnam, Civil Rights. “I think the most difficult thing to deal with now is that nothing seems real,” Glaser responded. “One thing that Trump has done, and society has done in general, is use the means of communication to basically make people’s response inert, and make them feel that there’s nothing they can do. That sense of paralysis or indifference is what has makes this time seem so much more unlinked to anything [else].”\r\n\r\nA bit more uplifting was Glaser’s still-firm assertion that art and design play an important role in resisting the indifference he described. “If you think of [art] as a means of survival, and the idea of beauty as something to be obtained, then you can devote your life to it without any other reward… it’s essential to human survival. If you like Mozart and I like Mozart, we have something in common. If we have something in common, we’re less likely to kill one another.” Watch the full talk here.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. A book on sneakers, designed by Rodrigo Corral</strong>\r\n<em>One of our favorite book designers takes a crack at an unlikely subject</em>\r\n\r\nSneakers, a new book by designer Rodrigo Corral and journalists Alex French and Howie Kahn, is a super nerdy, very in-depth exploration of the cultural significance of the titular object—weaving together sneaker stories from the likes of Kobe Bryant and Serena Williams, along with shoe designer Tiffany Beers and Bruce Kilgore, the creator of the Air Force 1s. The book is basically a shrine to a well-worshiped design object, so of course the design is on par: Corral, the designer behind some of our favorite book covers, did the design and art direction for the book.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10916\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" /></a>\r\n\r\nEach of the book’s chapters is dedicated to a person and his or her sneaker story, so each gets its own visual treatment by Corral, with custom art, photography, and illustrations. Corral and his team had to track down all of the sneakers the contributors talked about, often traveling to shoot the shoes in person.\r\n\r\nOn the idea behind the minimalist cover design, Corral told Men’s Journal, “Sneakers mean so many things to so many different people. I don’t want to explain Sneakers away visually, but it also can’t be too conceptual. It needs to grab your attention and then let you make it personal. You know which shoes are inside the white box, I don’t want to fill that space for you.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-3.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10917\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>3. She Should Run branding by CBX\r\n</strong><em>Systematic, compelling design to get women to run for office\r\n</em>\r\nOver at our sister site <em>Design Observer</em>, they marked Tuesday’s elections with a conversation with Lesley Stordahl, creative director at CBX, about working with the non-profit She Should Run. The organization was founded with the impressive goal of getting 250,000 women to run for elected office by 2030, and Stordahl talked about using design and strategy to help them accomplish it. How do you reach and speak directly to women who might be thinking about running for office, but need the support and resources to do so?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/she-should-run.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10918\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/she-should-run-647x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"647\" height=\"1024\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCBX took the existing logo and created an evolving icon system that can be used variously for their different endeavors. The most interesting parts of the interview were in Stordahl’s distilling down of the details:\r\n\r\n“We’re living in this world of amazing new breakthrough political design and also—I hate to say ‘terrible’—staid design. Compare the Hillary [Clinton] identity with ‘Make America Great Again’ and there’s a clear line around political parties, innovation, and young and old.\r\n\r\n“She Should Run is bipartisan and they were very clear about the need to appeal to both sides. How do we bring a modernity to the visual but still make it feel bipartisan? For us, it was softening the red a little bit—not going with a really harsh, traditional red—giving it almost a slight coral. It was using more of a cyan than a navy or an overly masculine dark blue. And to make sure that we’re showing women and there’s representation, because there’s so much reflection [from their audience] that ‘this is for me.’ We have to be inclusive to all ages, races, backgrounds. That’s something that we try to keep in mind as we develop with them.”\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Artists for Gender Equality film series</strong>\r\n<em>Artsy and Gucci launch a three-part film with the women of the art world\r\n</em>\r\nGender inequity isn’t just a problem in politics, as we all know. Despite the increasing exposure of feminist artists and artworks in recent years, the artists represented by the top galleries across New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are still roughly 70 percent male, according to artist Micol Hebron’s ongoing “Gallery Tally” project. In collaboration with Gucci, Artsy has set out to address the ever-prevalent issue with a beautifully shot film series, put out in three parts. Part One, “Past,” features Barbara Zucker, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Faith Ringgold, Joan Semmel, and Todd Levin discussing the barriers women faced in the 1970s, and the events and individuals that broke through them. In the upcoming segments on “Present” and “Future” we’ll hear from Marilyn Minter and Petra Collins, among others. See the full lineup here.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Sirio Luginbühl book, designed Riccardo Pirotto</strong>\r\n<em>A beautiful homage to the experimental Italian cinematographer\r\n</em>\r\nItalian-born, Berlin-based Riccardo Pirotto describes himself as a “concept/art designer,” but by any name we’re sure his work would smell as sweet. We’re impressed with one recent project in particular, a book he designed about Sirio Luginbühl, an experimental cinematographer in the Italian “underground” cinema scene of the 1970s and ’80s. “The book is designed as an auto-biographical diary with a series of small texts, short stories, images (old postcards, documents) and photographs collected by the author during his lifetime,” Pirotto explains. “The cover is a lenticular image made by two frames shot in one of his movie.”\r\n\r\nA beautiful piece of work about a fascinating artist, who hung out with the likes of Pasolini, Emilio Vedova, Gregory Markopoulos.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-4.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10919\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/art-4-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/no-168-milton-glaser-talks-trump-cbx-dissects-the-branding-of-politics-rodrigo-corral-gets-deep-into-sneakers-more/\">AIGA Eye on Design</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of AIGA Eye on Design', 'No. 168: Milton Glaser Talks Trump, CBX Dissects the Branding of Politics, Rodrigo Corral Gets Deep Into Sneakers + More', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2299-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2299, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2299-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2623, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>As consumers demand greater transparency from CPG brands, brand owners are blazing new trails with refreshingly honest and real on-pack messaging—even for ‘delicate’ products.</strong>\r\nHave you noticed that brands have been “getting real” lately? I’m talking about refreshingly honest, no-BS messaging in ad campaigns and on packaging that tells it exactly like it is. This trend is not surprising. In today’s challenging market, honesty is a surefire way to establish reliability and connect with consumers. In fact, according to an October 2014 study on authentic brandsby global public relations firm Cohn &amp; Wolfe, the number-one quality or behavior that people demand of big brands is that they communicate honestly about their products and services. With information about a brand in real time readily available, consumers are now investigative reporters, and companies can’t risk having the public discover that something about their brand is dishonest.\r\n\r\nWe’re seeing this trend transcend categories. Under Armour’s “I Will What I Want” campaign, in which Misty Copeland proves that not all prima ballerinas are stick figures, and Sir Richard’s condoms’ ads, with copy lines like, “Let’s Change Positions, Not Diapers,” are blazing new trails with their honesty and humor. Forget about “beating around the bush,” to quote Hello Flo, a brand that mails out care packages for women’s and girls’ feminine protection needs. This is straight talk, pure and simple.\r\n\r\nThe movement toward transparency means that consumers are attaching themselves to companies that operate with honesty and integrity, rather than aligning with brands that try to pull the wool over their eyes. And while this kind of transparency first gained traction in advertising, it is now carrying over to packaging design. Companies are using this frank style of language and graphics to stand out on shelf.\r\n\r\nThree recent examples of brands that are “getting real” through frankness and intelligence on their packaging are Coca-Cola Life, which touts its use of “real ingredients,” Dollar Shave Club, which uses “real talk,” and The First Years, which showcases “real people.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Real ingredients</strong>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9413 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/coke_carton.jpg\" alt=\"coke_carton\" width=\"668\" height=\"703\" />\r\nWhen the biggest beverage company in the world starts getting honest, you’re damn straight people are going to sit up and take notice. And that’s what happened when Coca-Coca Life launched in South America in 2013 and made its U.S. debut in the fall of 2014. Coca-Cola Life, which is Coke’s “natural” answer to the outcry against processed ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup and Aspartame, was created to combat the era of the soda backlash. Coke had to do something to save falling sales and maintain category relevancy.\r\n\r\nCoca-Cola Life’s packaging is the epitome of transparency, with a green color that is a dramatic departure from its iconic red and immediately conveys that it is something new and different for the brand—something natural (or should we say, more natural). An approachable script font is used for the word “Life,” and an icon that closely resembles a leaf draws your eye to the fact that this soda is “Sweetened with Cane Sugar and Stevia.”\r\n\r\nCoca-Cola Life also claims to be a “reduced calorie soda” that has “35% less calories than Coca-Cola*” (albeit with an asterisk next to that line). Whether or not the product actually is better for you than other sodas has yet to be seen, but in this case, the departure from the brand equities communicates a desire to move away from consumer expectations of the brand and offer them something more real.\r\n\r\n<strong>Real talk</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/dollar_shave.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9422 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/dollar_shave.jpg\" alt=\"dollar_shave\" width=\"900\" height=\"900\" /></a>\r\nWhile Coca-Cola Life is an example of an established brand trying to regain market share through honesty, a newer (circa 2011) brand, Dollar Shave Club, is using a no-BS messaging strategy to build its online subscription business and procure customers. The tag line sums up the brand’s mission best: “Shave Time. Shave Money.”\r\n\r\nUsing clever, tongue-in-cheek language, the brand gets right to the point: Dollar Shave Club is a simple and easy way to avoid the cost and hassles of traditional shaving brands. Who wants to engage with the drugstore attendant every time they need a new razor? The brand’s message is conveyed everywhere you look. In fact, the words “simple” and “easy” are splashed across all of the brand’s touch points. Even back-panel copy on packaging is used to “get real.” One moisturizer says it is “the ultimate fix for the disruptive exercise of shaving,” while the blade packaging features an on-brand, though fictitious quote, “I like shaving with a dull razor” and then credits it to “No one ever.”\r\n\r\nAnd when it comes to real talk, who can deny the honesty of Dollar Shave Club’s One Wipe Charlies—certainly the only product on the market dubbed “buttwipes made for men.” If the statement, “the civilized way to wipe” isn’t transparent enough for you, well then, I don’t know what is.\r\n\r\n<strong>Real people</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/First-Years_SS_1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9261 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/First-Years_SS_1-1024x648.jpg\" alt=\"First Years_SS_1\" width=\"1024\" height=\"648\" /></a>\r\nSince we’re on the topic of wipes, The First Years—a brand of infant and toddler products such as potty training seats, dishware, and health and grooming items that has been trusted by mothers since the 1950s—recently rebranded itself with younger moms in mind. Anyone who has kids can tell you that new motherhood does not consist of a picture-perfect baby being fed rice cereal while politely cooing at an immaculate table. More often it’s a pretty dirty job. And no consumer group wants to hear the plain truth about that more than Millennials.\r\n\r\nMillennials are looking for a real conversation about parenting, warts and all, with on-point information so that they can make informed choices. This isn’t the end of an era for them like previous generations felt; it’s a new beginning. The First Years gets them excited about this new phase by cutting through the baby poop and telling it like it is, as shown through the “real photography” used on the packaging.\r\n\r\nGone is the Boomer fantasy of old—with angelic babies and perfect parents blissing out in la-la land; The First Years uses casual, often funny, selfie-style photography that a parent might post on Instagram or Facebook showing all the imperfections of new parenthood. By being supportive, friendly, and above all, honest, The First Years forges a relationship with consumers that will continue as their children grow.\r\n\r\n<strong>Transparency begets loyalty</strong>\r\nThese brands are telling it like it is for one reason: Because transparency begets loyalty, plain and simple. Of course, if you are claiming to be real, you better make sure that you’re really being real.\r\n\r\nIn recent years, a few brands have learned that the hard way and watched the public turn on them as a result of their dishonesty. In 2011, a public interest group sued Coca-Cola for marketing its VitaminWater brand as a healthy beverage. But the brand’s response to that action was even more surprising: It defended itself by saying that “no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking VitaminWater was a healthy beverage.” Which led consumers to ask, “How could Coca-Cola put the word ‘vitamin’ in a product name and not think that people would assume it had some health benefits?” That the brand belittled its consumers, rather than simply apologizing, was insulting and was reason enough for consumers to question the brand.\r\n\r\nJohnson &amp; Johnson—whose legendary credo states that its “first duty is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services”—lost the trust of those individuals when it pulled 22 products, totaling 300 million bottles, off its shelves beginning in 2009. But the worst part was that Johnson &amp; Johnson didn’t even offer its consumers so much as an explanation as to why they did this. Were the products tampered with? Were there quality control problems at their factories? Zilch. Not a peep. And then one day the product returned to shelves—after J&amp;J had lost $900 million in sales. Did consumers return to shelves as well? Only time will tell.\r\n\r\nTwenty, or even 10, years ago, consumers may not have held a Johnson &amp; Johnson or a VitaminWater accountable for trying to dupe them. But today, there’s no getting around the fact that transparency is the only real way to win the trust of the people giving you their dollars. Whether you’re speaking to health-conscious soda drinkers, fashion-conscious men, or Millennial moms, there’s no question that getting real is a win-win situation for today’s brands.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/packaging-gets-real\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>.', 'Packaging Gets Real', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2142-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2142, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2142-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2624, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong><em>Food and beverage packaging is providing product support, with designs that call out to targeted segments</em>.</strong>\r\nWith natural and organic brands continuing to inundate the marketplace, processors are turning to market segmentation to claim their niches. Packaging is providing essential support, with designs that call out to targeted segments.\r\n\r\nThe trend is occurring in both North America and Europe, within natural and organic categories ranging from peanut butter to sparkling water. In some instances, segmentation hinges on consumer values — like a desire for on-the-go convenience or locally sourced food. In other cases, demographic segmentation is the preferred strategy.\r\n\r\nIn the U.S., Hain Celestial Group Inc., Lake Success, N.Y., recently redesigned the distinctive black packaging for its Terra brand chips to emphasize the root vegetables from which the product is made. The new package graphics, which feature elegant photography of the chips and a fresh visual architecture, also reinforce the brand’s positioning as a premium, gourmet-quality natural snack.\r\n\r\nIn the redesign, “there were three key elements that we wanted to focus on,” says Sam Garfinkel, senior brand manager for the Terra brand. “The biggest thing we wanted to communicate was … our real vegetables. That gets to the heart of what separates us from all the other players in the snack category.”\r\n\r\nSecond, he says, “we wanted to modernize the brand. We had a brand that was so premium, but wasn’t as modern as some of the other players in the category.”\r\n\r\nRunning “a close third” was improved \"portfolio navigation.\" To help consumers navigate the Terra portfolio, which includes more than 20 varieties and some 50 stock-keeping units in various sizes, the package redesign changed how product varieties and seasonings are presented.\r\n\r\n“I think the clearest example of how we standardized and improved navigation was with our flavor banner,” Garfinkel says. On the old package, the location and size of the flavor banner varied by flavor. On the new bag, the product variety appears immediately below the Terra logo, and the seasoning cue is right under the variety: “Terra,” “Exotic Potato” and “Sea Salt,” for example.\r\n\r\n“We set up a clear architecture for communicating brand, flavor and seasoning, all in a very structured manner … across the brand, so that people would get to the shelf, quickly recognize it as Terra and then easily navigate to their flavor of choice,” Garfinkel explains.\r\n\r\nThe package’s glossy black surface and high-quality rotogravure printing position Terra as a premium brand, and artistic photography on the bags supports the modernization and real-vegetable communication.\r\n\r\n“Stylistically, it’s a very modern angle and look, but [the photography] also helps us highlight all those diverse vegetables that you see in the blend,” Garfinkel says. “It really helps tell that full story in just one image.”\r\n\r\nAugmenting the large product photo on the bag, a row of icons across the bottom of the package shows which vegetables are included in that particular flavor.\r\n\r\nBrand agency CBX, New York, worked with the brand team on the strategy for the redesign and also created the new package design.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-8059 alignright\" title=\"2_SkippySingle\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2_SkippySingle.jpg\" width=\"214\" height=\"178\" />Meanwhile, on-the-go consumers are the target market for a different type of natural snack — peanut butter. In May 2014, Hormel Foods Corp., Austin, Minn., launched Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter in single-serving multipacks. The company calls the format Skippy Singles.\r\n\r\nEach resealable canister of Skippy Singles holds six 1.5-oz. cups of peanut butter. The small, sealed, individual cups make it easy to transport the product for an away-from-home treat teamed with other foods, or as a snack unto itself.\r\n\r\nThe canister, with a transparent front panel that displays the cups, simplifies pantry storage and also provides a visual reminder to restock the product as the supply dwindles.\r\n\r\n<strong>Happy European cows and bees</strong>\r\n\r\nRørosmeieriet, Røros, Norway, that country’s largest organic dairy, is redesigning all its packaging to attract consumers interested in locally produced organic products.\r\n\r\nThe first of the dairy’s redesigns, for its one-liter cartons of milk, launched this March throughout Norway. The company worked with Stockholm-based brand development agency Grow to execute the redesign.\r\n\r\nAll of Rørosmeieriet’s products “are organic and based on milk from farms in the Røros region and surrounding counties,” says Kjersti Svang Olsen, account director/director brand development at Grow.\r\n\r\nThe brand’s identity is wrapped up in the “culinary traditions and professional craftsmanship that the area is famous for,” she adds. These include dairy techniques that have been used for many generations in the region.\r\n\r\nTo communicate these local and traditional attributes to its target market, Rørosmeieriet’s new milk cartons are decorated with a full-size image of an old-fashioned glass milk bottle.\r\n\r\n“Compared to the general packaging in the milk [section] in Norwegian grocery stores, it represents a distinctive expression through the use of different graphical means,” says Olsen.\r\n\r\nA combination of photography and hand-painted watercolors communicates the milk’s provenance, with an emphasis on Røros, cows and traditional dairy equipment. Inspiration for the new logo came from dairy tools and milk-pail lids.\r\n\r\nGoing forward, Rørosmeieriet will work with Grow to redesign packaging for the dairy’s sour cream, cottage cheese, skjørost cheese, yogurt and butter.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8061 alignright\" title=\"3_Nectaflor-Honey\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3_Nectaflor-Honey1.jpg\" width=\"213\" height=\"178\" />Also looking to capture local-minded aficionados is Nectaflor, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. This natural-food company chose a simple but upscale package design for the launch of its limited-quantity, regional honey varieties. Each of the three varieties is named for its region of origin: the Swiss Jura Mountains, the Ticino region or eastern Switzerland. The products launched in summer 2013.\r\n\r\nNectaflor’s local honey “is a modest luxury product … for people who appreciate good local products,” says Christoph Schlatter, creative director at creative agency Allink GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland, which designed the packaging.\r\n\r\nThe 225g honey package is a stock container, a glass flip-top jar decorated with an elegant letterpress-printed tag. This design emphasizes the product’s natural quality and the brand’s personality.\r\n\r\nThe tag, which is attached to the jar by hand, “conveys the personal attribute,” Schlatter says. “The product does not assert itself as [a] mass product but as a product from your local beekeeper. The ‘non-design’ puts emphasis on the honey.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Babies and children</strong>\r\n\r\nDemographic segmentation is another way processors are slicing and dicing the natural/organic market.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8062 alignright\" title=\"4_Stonyfield_Pouches\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/4_Stonyfield_Pouches.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"178\" />Babies and kids — and their parents — are demographics of keen interest at Stonyfield Farm Inc., Londonderry, N.H. The company recently took a page from the baby food category’s packaging playbook, launching Stonyfield Organic YoToddler, YoBaby and YoKids refrigerated yogurts in spouted stand-up pouches. The company will continue to sell the products in multipacks of cups.\r\n\r\nStonyfield’s pouch products for babies and kids launched in the U.S. earlier this year. A co-branded version, created in partnership with organic food processor Happy Family, New York, will launch in July 2014. Both Stonyfield and Happy Family are owned by Danone, Paris.\r\n\r\nThe co-branded pouch products will be sold under the brand names YoTot, YoBaby and YoKids Squeeze! in pouches carrying both the Stonyfield and Happy Family logos. Fill size for the YoTot and YoKids pouches will be 3.7 oz., and for YoBaby, 3.4 oz. The reclosable stand-up pouches will be sold in four-packs and individually.\r\n\r\nAlthough the babies/kids market segment is not a new one for either of these brand owners, the products and packaging are pioneering new territory in their own way.\r\n\r\n“This is the first organic, refrigerated pouch yogurt, and what that allows us to do is have the real, live, active cultures” in the yogurt, says Seth Beamer, brand manager for the babies’ and kids’ products at Stonyfield. Other pouched organic yogurts on the market, including Happy Family’s, are shelf-stable.\r\n\r\nThe pouch format also provides parents with functional benefits vs. yogurt cups. “Convenience is certainly at the forefront,” says Beamer. “We know how busy moms are, and this gives them a convenient offering [for] yogurt on the go. It’s much easier for parents to feed their kids with these hand-held pouches.” In addition, the pouch products are “less-mess — almost mess-free.”\r\n\r\nFilm for Stonyfield’s form-fill-seal pouches is supplied by Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill.; the caps are from Georg Menshen GmbH &amp; Co., Finnentrop, Germany. The pouch material is a multilayer film made from linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and polyester, and the closures are polyethylene.\r\n\r\n<strong>Women with a thirst</strong>\r\n\r\nFor Something Natural brand sparkling water, a new focus on the female demographic led to a recent packaging redesign.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-8063 alignright\" title=\"5_SomethingNatural\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/5_SomethingNatural.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"178\" />Something Natural, Boston, launched the product in 2010 in a cobalt-blue glass bottle printed with the abstract image of a flock of birds. The product is now distributed throughout the U.S. in chains such as Safeway, Target and Stop &amp; Shop and also in local natural-foods stores.\r\n\r\n“Through being in the marketplace … they had identified a couple areas where we could strengthen the design,” says Pamela Long, director/client services at Little Big Brands, White Plains, N.Y. Little Big Brands created the original package design, and the redesign, for Something Natural.\r\n\r\nMaking the color coding for the five flavors more prominent was one focus of the redesign. “But more importantly, [Something Natural] decided to put a stake in the ground in terms of their target audience. Instead of being for everyone, they really felt like they had a bigger opportunity with the female market,” Long explains.\r\n\r\n“They were getting some sales data and some anecdotal data back from stores that … purchasing was 90 percent female,” she adds. “[They thought,] that’s who’s picking us up, so maybe we could skew a little more in that direction.”\r\n\r\nRather than throw out the original design and start over, Something Natural elected to evolve the brand’s look and feel. The result, graphically, was to keep the birds but make a more female-oriented statement with them.\r\n\r\n“Initially they had this blue bottle, and they had the name ‘Something Natural.’ The thing that came to mind to us was: What’s more natural than a flock of birds?” recalls John Nunziato, Little Big Brands’ founder and creative director.\r\n\r\nIn the redesign, the 11-oz. bottle remained the same, but the graphics changed from a flock of birds to five individual birds color-coded by flavor. And the new logo is more feminine than the old one, using a hand-drawn cursive font drawn out as a mono-weight line. The old logo was rendered in a rectilinear, businesslike sans serif font.\r\n\r\nNow “each logo is a piece of string that’s in the bird’s mouth, and each one ends differently on the ‘L’ in ‘Natural,’ so that piece of string runs a little bit differently to meet up with the bird,” Nunziato says. The concept plays to the female market in that “the bird is collecting string to build [a] nest.”\r\n\r\nThe bottles were decorated using applied ceramic labeling (ACL), a screen-printing technique. The designers leveraged the strengths and limitations of ACL to give the printed graphics a natural look while making the color coding more noticeable.\r\n\r\n“We switched to color coating a larger area of the bird to get a larger area of ink,” says Nunziato. “But we knew it was going to misregister. This type of printing has a tendency as it goes through the run to register an eighth of an inch left of center and an eighth of an inch right. So when we drew the [birds’] color coding, we drew it irregularly knowing that sometimes it would register and sometimes it wouldn’t.”\r\n\r\nHe adds that the variability of the printed design is “the beauty of it,” echoing the brand premise of “something natural.”\r\n\r\nLong characterizes the redesign as “a good example of a brand owner who listened to [its] retail partners and tried to capitalize on what was working for the brand and improve upon what they were hearing from the marketplace — how the brand could grow and become more powerful for consumers.\r\n\r\n“It’s a pretty simple package,” she says, with “just a couple main elements. They had a beautiful structure to begin with. It was really just about decorating it in a beautiful way.”\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2014/packaging-for-organic-and-natural-foods/\" target=\"_blank\">www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2014/packaging-for-organic-and-natural-foods/</a>', 'Packaging Provides A Segment-Specific Billboard For Organic And Natural Foods', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1915-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1915, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1915-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2625, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>The chain debuts a prototype store that brings to life its brand slogan</strong>\r\nImmediately upon entering Kum &amp; Go LC’s new prototype store in Johnston, Iowa, it is clear to customers that this is not the convenience store they remember from their childhood.\r\n\r\nThe 6,000-square-foot razed-and-rebuilt store — located at 5225 NW 86th St. — is the largest location in the West Des Moines, Iowa-based convenience store operator’s portfolio to date and borders on the look and feel of a contemporary hotel, Mark Hastings, chief operating officer of Kum &amp; Go, told Convenience Store News during its recent visit to the prototype.\r\n\r\nCombining modern design with functionality, the new store concept emphasizes Kum &amp; Go’s foodservice offerings and brings to life the brand’s slogan: “Where &amp; Means More.”\r\n\r\n“The Marketplace design is the next evolution of a store design built to meet our customers’ needs,” explained Chris Jones, senior vice president of marketing. “We wanted to create a store experience that, in line with our brand promise, delivers more than our customers expect.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Starting a Revolution\r\n</strong>Developed over the course of two years, the Marketplace design is a “labor of love,” according to Hastings, and was conceptualized to “create a much more exciting [customer] experience.”\r\n\r\nTo bring this distinctive concept to fruition, Kum &amp; Go partnered with New York City-based branding firm CBX, as well as BRR, an architecture firm based in Kansas City, Kan.\r\n\r\nEnsuring a strategic alignment process from beginning to end was paramount to CBX. The firm immersed itself in the Kum &amp; Go brand to truly understand how to connect the c-store operator’s core values, passion for excellent service and heritage to the development of a new store design and experience that would be a true extension of the brand, Todd Maute, a partner at CBX who worked with Kum &amp; Go on the project, explained to CSNews.\r\n\r\n“Our collective goal was to bring consumer touchpoints together within the store under one brand and enhance consumers’ shopping experience,” Maute said. “Our core desire was to have the store become an extension of the brand [Kum &amp; Go team members] have worked so hard to build, while supporting the core values and services that make it such a great retailer.”\r\n\r\nWhen it came time for execution, this meant elevating the “physicality” of the store. The Marketplace prototype’s fuel canopy and store exterior are a far departure from Kum &amp; Go’s previous stores. “The design signals ‘change’ from the street all the way through the store,” Maute commented. “From a distance, you can tell this is something new.”<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>The Foodservice Connection\r\n</strong>The Johnston store officially opened for business on Feb. 18 and got cooking.\r\n\r\nWith an emphasis on Kum &amp; Go’s foodservice offerings and its “Go Fresh Market” fresh food program, customers are immediately greeted in the Marketplace store design by a fresh pizza and made-to-order sandwich station directly ahead of them.\r\n\r\n“We had food [positioned] to the side for years and people weren’t making the connection. Now, it’s as soon as they walk in the door,” Hastings noted.\r\n\r\nTo draw even more attention, an oversized red ampersand is mounted over the station, where pizza and sandwich makers are clad in their new uniforms: chefs’ jackets and caps. The station backdrop is white subway title, which also can be found outside at the fueling stations.\r\n\r\nOther unique foodservice-related features of this store are: upscale bakery offerings, including fresh bread baked on the premises and Kum &amp; Go’s signature product, ampersand doughnuts; 42-inch menu boards displaying real pictures of Kum &amp; Go’s food, not generic images; a cold dispensed beverage station boasting 30-plus options and featuring flavor shot dispensers so customers can amp up their drinks; a crushed ice dispenser that uses filtration technology Starbucks helped Kum &amp; Go create; a toppings bar of condiments; and a special toppings bar for coffee and other hot beverages, designed with millennials in mind.\r\n\r\nThroughout the sales area, lowered gondola fixtures create greater visibility to engage customers and make it easier for them to shop. At the same time, snack quads in diagonally positioned aisles give customers the opportunity to seek out their favorite snacks or discover something new.\r\n\r\nThe Johnston site is also the chain’s first to feature indoor seating in order to create a social environment — including a five-seat community table similar to Starbucks, according to Hastings. The new prototype also debuts Kum &amp; Go’s first-ever growler station, which sells local, domestic and craft beers during peak business hours. A recently passed Iowa law now permits retailers in the state to sell take-home beer in growlers.\r\n\r\nSome additional unique features of the Marketplace design are:<strong>\r\n</strong>- A quick-service checkout station that doesn’t allow tobacco or lottery sales;\r\n- Patio seating complete with overhead heaters for availability during three seasons;\r\n- Complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations;\r\n- An expansive beer cave and separate fridge for singles;\r\n- Music playing throughout the store;\r\n- Touchless restrooms;\r\n- E15, E85 and unleaded fuel options;\r\n- LED lighting in-store and at all fueling stations;\r\n- LEED certification (chain has more than 110 LEED-certified stores); and\r\n- Clutter-free counters, which coincidentally mirrored a recent CSNews story on why it’s important to keep your counters clean, according to Hastings.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Where &amp; Means More\r\n</strong>Beyond just what it sells, the next-generation store is a physical representation of Kum &amp; Go’s core values, which include passion, integrity, teamwork, caring and excellence.\r\n\r\nPlaying off the retailer’s slogan, the ampersand symbol plays an integral role in the prototype store design. Displayed both strategically and whimsically throughout the Marketplace concept, the ampersand emphasizes that at Kum &amp; Go, you always get more.\r\n\r\nIn fact, because the ampersand is integral to the company’s branding, a piece of artwork was specifically commissioned for the Johnston site. An 8-foot-tall by 7-foot-wide, handmade ampersand sits on the north side of the building as a tribute to Kum &amp; Go’s slogan. Designed and produced by Des Moines art studio Sticks, the artwork honors the community of Johnston with keywords and images that reflect the area’s attractions and sayings on one side, while the other side showcases Kum &amp; Go’s core values and culture.\r\n\r\nAs Hastings shared with CSNews, the Johnston location is the “guinea pig” of the Marketplace concept, and company executives are already toying around with ideas they would like to bring to future Marketplace stores. These ideas include: electronic trash compactors to eliminate garbage bag usage and reduce waste; cabinets that will retrofit supplies like boxes for cups and lids to save space and keep storage areas well-maintained and organized; and faucets over the cold dispensed beverage slots to keep drainage areas easily maintained and cleaned, thus saving employees time from having to take the slots to the back room to wash.\r\n\r\nKum &amp; Go’s next location to feature the Marketplace design and enhanced Go Fresh Market foodservice offering will be in Joplin, Miss. This store will likewise have its own unique ampersand artwork, paying homage to the catastrophic tornado that struck the city in 2011.\r\n\r\nBefore the end of this year, the retailer plans to open a total of 28 locations featuring the Marketplace design in Iowa, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Missouri and Arkansas. Kum &amp; Go currently operates 430 convenience stores in 11 states.<strong>\r\n\r\n</strong>Originally published in <a href=\"http://www.csnews.com/%25cat%25putting-%E2%80%98%E2%80%99-kum-go\" target=\"_blank\">CSN</a>', 'Putting the ‘&’ in Kum & Go', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2164-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2164, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2164-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2626, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'The New York chapter of the Retail Design Institute (RDI) recently hosted its annual “Iron Design” Student Challenge at Steelcase in Columbus Circle, New York. Five teams of students from top New York design schools raced against the clock to create a winning holiday pop-up shop design. Ultimately, the Best Design Award went to “Team Orange,” comprised of students from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and LIM College for incorporating DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA)’s mission into a creative pop-up store concept and window display.\r\n“Our Iron Design Student Challenge represents a perfect blend of what the Retail Design Institute is all about—education, mentoring, career development and networking,” said Peter Tolin-Baker, president of Retail Design Institute and principal at PTB Design. “All of the teams were winners, but it was ‘Team Orange’s’ schematic that best incorporated both a pop-up retail concept, as well as an informative and compelling design narrative. Partnering with DIFFA for this year’s event adds the additional value of supporting a fellow non-profit organization and an important cause.”\r\n\r\nThe students had two hours to design a holiday pop-up shop featuring products donated by industry suppliers. Each team consisted of three to four students from FIT, LIM College and Parsons School of Design.\r\n\r\nThe teams were mentored and coached by professionals from design firms and retail brands, including: Leslie Ann Chiu, associate principal at Callison; Eduardo Figueroa-Ruiz, designer at CBX; Aya Matsumoto, senior designer at TPG Architecture; Norm Roberts, vice president/creative director of FRCH; Kate Russell, senior associate at Gensler; Adam Carmichael, director of store design at Saks Fifth Avenue; Stephanie Dobrosky, manager of international store design of Nine West Group; Megan Gundrum, director of store planning at Hudson’s Bay/Lord &amp; Taylor; Stephen Policano, vice president architectural and interior design at Kenneth Cole; and Niki Varadi, senior director of global store design at Kate Spade.\r\n\r\nThe student’s designs were judged on their overall concept for a shop and integration of messaging around HIV/AIDS. In addition to Baker, judges were Michael Sainato, vice president of creative at Design Within Reach; Johanna Osburn, executive director of DIFFA; Brian Guze, 2014 Iron Design winner and director of store design/visual at Tourneau; and Ana Pelucarte, co-founder of Pop Up Mob.\r\n\r\nTeam Orange’s winning design will be displayed in the Siegel &amp; Stockman Showroom located at 126 W. 25 St. in New York. There will be a private Opening Night Reception on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m.; and the holiday pop-up shop will be open to the public from Dec. 2-6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. All shop sales will benefit Gift For Life and DIFFA, an organization that provides grants to HIV/AIDS organizations across the country.\r\n\r\nFor additional information, visit <a href=\"retaildesigninstitute.org\" target=\"_blank\">retaildesigninstitute.org</a>, <a href=\"diffa.org\" target=\"_blank\">diffa.org</a> or <a href=\"giftforlife.org\" target=\"_blank\">giftforlife.org</a>.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/displayanddesignideas/industry-news/RDI-Announces-Winning-Student-Design-at-Annual-Iron-Design-Challenge-14164.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>.\r\nAlso seen in <a href=\"http://www.giftshopmag.com/press_release/2015/10/retail-design-institute-of-n-y-announces-winning-student-design-at-annual-iron-design-challenge/\" target=\"_blank\">Giftshop Magazine</a>.\r\n\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"https://www.retaildesigninstitute.org/chapter/7/events/569\" target=\"_blank\">RDI</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'RDI Announces Winning Student Design at Annual Iron Design Challenge', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2146-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2146, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2146-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2627, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>See how the office layout and decor energized the workforce</strong>\r\nAn office redesign can be the ultimate embodiment of how a new brand can motivate and energize a company’s employees, as demonstrated by the collaboration between brand agency CBX and Del Monte to create a new name and visual identity for its pet products business.\r\n\r\nThe company’s pet portfolio included several iconic brands, including Milk-Bone, Meow Mix, Natural Balance, Kibbles ‘n Bits, 9Lives, and Nature’s Recipe. Using its proprietary naming methodology, CBX first created a new name: Big Heart Pet Brands. It then developed a new visual identity centered on a “heartpaw” logo that combines a paw print with a heart to convey the emotional bond between pets and their “parents.\"\r\n\r\nPart of the assignment involved redesigning the client’s San Francisco headquarters to incorporate the new identity. The challenge was to implement the plan over a three-day weekend, so that when employees arrived for work the following Tuesday, they would learn for the first time they were working for a new brand.\r\n\r\n“Because we had so little time, we kept things very simple and went very big with it,” explained Joseph Bona, president of branded environments for CBX. “We wanted to make a big gesture that would achieve the greatest impact.”\r\n\r\nUpon returning to work, employees were summoned to the company’s second-floor conference space, where they were greeted along the floor’s corridors with larger-than-life photos of pets, along with the new logo and the brand message: “We nurture the bond between pets and the people who love them—making every day special.”\r\n\r\nThe impact on employees was immediate and dramatic, leading to a “casting call” that allowed staffers to have their pets professionally photographed for possible use in the company’s facilities. Employees’ dogs were photographed at a nearby dog park. To accommodate those with cats, a photographer went on location to photograph the pets in their home environments.\r\n\r\nEnthusiasm for the new brand identity and environment pervaded the company—which was subsequently acquired by the J.M. Smucker Company in February 2015 for approximately $5.8 billion. Eventually, field offices and even production plants received the same kind of graphic treatment.\r\n\r\n“Our goal was to create a brand, and to capture the spirit of pet parenting,” said Bona. “And we did it in a way that really brought the brand to life and created a wonderful environment that feels very natural.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.interiorsandsources.com/interior-design-news/interior-design-news-detail/articleid/19477/title/redesign-motivates-employees-at-pets-product-business.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Interiors &amp; Sources Magazine</a>', 'Redesign Motivates Employees at Pets Product Business', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2140-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2140, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2140-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2628, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>Celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, the New York City-based brand agency and retail design firm is among the winners of DDI’s prestigious Portfolio Awards 2013.</strong>\nCBX was named a “Design Firm of the Year” in Display &amp; Design Ideas magazine’s Portfolio Awards 2013. The New York-based brand agency and retail design consultancy, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, was also lauded for its contribution to one of the “Best Store Designs of the Year”—the redesign of Saks Fifth Avenue’s men’s store in Beverly Hills, Calif.\n\nDDI’s annual Portfolio Awards are the result of a reader-driven survey in which high-level retail and contract design professionals offer their picks for the best in design and branding over the past year. “The people, projects and companies highlighted in this annual awards program directly reflect what the readers of this magazine—your retail design peers—think to be the best and the brightest in the industry,” write DDI’s editors in the introduction to the awards feature, which appears in the magazine’s September issue.\n\nIn recognizing CBX as one of the five Design Firms of the Year, DDI’s editors pointed to CBX’s work on such diverse projects as Duane Reade’s New York City stores; Lord &amp; Taylor, metro Philadelphia; Saks Fifth Avenue’s Beverly Hills men’s store; Radio Shack locations across the United States; and the Terpel convenience stores and fuel centers in Columbia.\n\nIn the “Best Store Designs of the Year” category, the firm was recognized for its contribution to the transformation of Saks’ men’s store in Beverly Hills into The Fifth Man, a 54,000-square-foot, four-level lifestyle store. The project was led by Saks’ in-house design team with the assistance of CBX and Los Angeles-based Marmol Radziner.\n\n“The article quoted one of the slogans that guide us when we’re working on such projects: ‘Engage customers with the brand and every touch-point,’” noted CBX’s Joseph Bona, President of Branded Environments. “We’re proud to have been able to achieve this goal for our clients. We’re also very grateful for receiving this recognition from our colleagues in the industry, who live and breathe design and branding and do not give kudos lightly.”\n\nCBX’s leadership team is celebrating the brand agency’s tenth anniversary this month, and reflecting back on a decade of growth in the areas of consumer branding, corporate branding and retail environments. The agency was founded in 2003 by four of the partners who continue in senior leadership roles today – Gregg Lipman, Managing Partner; Nancy Brown, Managing Director/Partner; Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer/Partner, and Richard Villante, Partner. A fifth partner, Todd Maute, Chief Retail Officer, joined the firm in 2007. Today, CBX is based in New York\'s Flatiron District, with another office in Minneapolis, and has more than 130 employees. Nearly a quarter of these professionals have been with the firm for more than seven years, Lipman noted.\n\n“By pushing the bounds of creativity to help our clients innovate and expand, we have grown tremendously over the past decade—personally, professionally and as a company,” he said. “But to a remarkable extent, our evolution has and continues to be client-driven. During an early-stage planning session years ago, we asked, ‘What does CBX want to be when it grows up?’ We continue to believe in our answer: ‘We will go where our clients allow us and trust us to go.’”', 'Retail Experts Name CBX A \"Design Firm of the Year\"', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1861-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1861, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1861-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2629, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'Veteran store designer’s EuroShop presentation highlights the need for stores to emotionally connect with shoppers by creating unforgettable experiences.\r\nReinvention has been part of retail at least since the days of ancient Rome. But as technology transforms multi-channel retail into hyper-channel, “always-on” retailing, chains must emotionally connect with consumers as never before, advised veteran store designer Joseph Bona during a Feb. 19 speech at EuroShop, the global trade fair.\r\n\r\n“Emotion plus theatrics equals experience,” said Bona, President, Branded Environments for CBX, the New York City-based brand agency and retail design consultancy. “Storytelling ability, in particular, helps you create engaging experiences, and the memory of those experiences can inspire consumers by adding excitement and drama to routine transactions. Ultimately, this is what energizes brand culture and drives long-term customer loyalty, even in a world perpetually driven to digital distraction.”\r\n\r\nBona’s presentation—“Format Reinvention: the Changing Face of Retail”—highlighted the need for retailers to further rethink the function of their brick-and-mortar stores. Today’s “always on” environment doesn’t only mean that people can buy whatever they want using their phones and tablets—it also means they can use GPS- and cloud-enabled tools to find the very best retail and dining experiences available to them, wherever they happen to be in the world, Bona said.\r\n\r\n“Physical stores can longer be what they used to be—namely, distributors of other people’s goods at reasonable prices in convenient locations,” Bona explained. “They must offer sights, sounds, tastes, touch, emotion—3D experiences that 2D can’t achieve. When your customers look at Yelp! or Google Reviews, you want them to read about how your in-store experience was entertaining and inspiring. You want them to read about how going to your store is always a special treat.”\r\n\r\nTo illustrate this point, Bona showed the audience examples of redesign work CBX has completed for clients such as Duane Reade, RadioShack and Terpel.\r\n\r\nIn its newly designed flagship stores, RadioShack now has hands-on stations organized around themes such as “Build It,” “Play It,” “Rock It,” Power It” and “Connect It.” These new layouts are open, inviting and experiential, he noted. “It’s all about higher engagement points and making RadioShack stores much more interactive,” Bona said. “Shoppers can touch and play with the products and interact with store associates in new and richer ways. The point is to bring the experience to life and make it fun, as opposed to the old approach of having a bunch of static stuff, locked down and inaccessible.”\r\n\r\nLikewise, CBX helped major Columbian gas station operator Terpel reinvent the experience of fueling up your car and grabbing convenience items on the go. The chain’s new c-store designs include futuristic, wing-like canopies flying over the pumps, with service bars, modern furniture and other unexpected flourishes inside its stores. In helping Terpel contemplate “the fuel station of the future,” CBX even produced designs with green roofs, solar panels, recycled asphalt pavement and sky- and LED-lit canopies.\r\n\r\n“Overall, retailers need to push the envelope and keep asking one basic question: ‘How do you maintain a pillar of affection and human touch while there’s a simultaneous shift to increasing human interaction with technology?’ ” Bona said. “On a strategic level, we think the answer is fairly simple: Make your customer experience second-to-none in authenticity and relevance. Execution is all about thoroughly understanding who your customer is, and what your customer wants and needs from a retail experience.”\r\n\r\nBilled as “the world’s leading retail trade fair,” EuroShop ran Feb. 16-20 in Düsseldorf. The massive event drew some 2,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and more than 100,000 trade visitors from across the globe.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"www.furninfo.com/Furniture%20Industry%20News/2922\" target=\"_blank\">www.furninfo.com/Furniture%20Industry%20News/2922</a>', 'Retail Must Reinvent Itself Amid ‘Always-On’ Trend, Bona Says', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1951-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1951, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1951-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2630, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'As the petroleum retail market becomes ever more competitive, the winners in today’s economy will be the ones who go beyond service to deliver a satisfying retail experience. And one way to do that is through paying attention to the retail trends affecting the industry.\r\n<strong>Trends in Store Design</strong>\r\n\r\nAsk yourself what attracts you to your favorite retail store? Is it the choice of products? The level of customer service? Or the functionality of the space? Today’s c-stores often lack the store design ‘wow’ factors that improve consumers’ shopping experience. From cluttered POP displays to confusing traffic flow, many c-stores leave store design at the proverbial front door. According to Joseph Bona, president branded environments at CBX, however, the retail landscape within the convenience retailing environment is becoming more sophisticated and focused on meeting consumer expectations. “Competition for convenience is everywhere—from drugstores and dollar stores to the smaller formats being opened by traditional Big Box retailers,” Bona says. “As a result, c-stores that don’t take steps to remain relevant in an ever-demanding, consumer-driven marketplace will be left behind.”\r\n\r\nBona says the most important aspect of today’s fuel marketing/c-store retail environment is the ability to connect with consumer emotions. “It’s no longer just about selling like items at like prices in like environments,” Bona says. “Today’s consumers have far too many choices where they can go to meet their everyday convenience needs, so those retailers who can provide value beyond selling goods and move toward selling experiences are the ones who will survive and succeed in the future.” This will require engaging all the senses and bringing an element of entertainment into the retail space.\r\n\r\nOutside the c-store arena, there are several prime examples of retailers that have embraced this trend in making an emotional connection with consumers. In grocery, Trader Joe’s provides a quirky attitude with quirky named products that you can only find at their stores.\r\n\r\n“It’s the overall adventure of seeing what’s new and the thrill of the hunt for proprietary ‘indulgent’ specialty items that you can’t get at your local supermarket,” Bona says. Indeed, as Brad Panarese, vice president, retail design at Tris3ct, a Chicago-based independent ad agency that specializes in retail marketing, explains, shopper expectations continue to evolve related to convenience, better quality foods/products and integration with technology, forcing retailers to respond with designs that speed checkout and navigation.\r\n\r\n“This is true in nearly every category of retail,” Panarese says. “The shift in demographics is a major contributor to shopper expectation as female and Millennial shoppers comprise a significant portion of today’s category consumers.”\r\n\r\nPanarese agrees that the biggest change in c-store environments is being caused by the introduction of smaller formats by retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target. “Building on the trend of international retailers such as Tesco, RetailNet Group research estimates that 95% of net new store growth between now and 2017 will come from small store footprints—5,000 square feet or smaller,” Panarese says.\r\n\r\nMichael Harris, managing partner at Boston-based Match Marketing Group, says one of the hottest trends is the creation of a “local marketplace” ambience within the c-store format.\r\n\r\n“The idea is to create an environment that appeals to the changing demands of shoppers with a format that is operational but conveys the perception of constantly changing products and services—hence the marketplace motif,” Harris says.\r\n\r\nConvenience retailers also see an opportunity to get a greater share of trips. Today’s fuel marketers have moved far beyond their original reason for being—GLT (Gas, Liquor, Tobacco). Partly this is in response to changing consumer trends and desires, but also as a response to greater competition from large format stores and chains opening local small footprint stores, as well as greater competition from the rapidly expanding drug store convenience and dollar store formats.\r\n\r\n“The overriding dynamic is ‘quick trip’—in/out mission based shopping,” Harris says. “The perception of convenience stores has been reversed in recent years—from a gas station with a convenience store attached to a local store with a gas station attached. We’ve seen convenience retailers embrace everything from premium coffee to artisan and craft beers to become more of a destination in their local market.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Trends in Offering Fresh Products</strong>\r\n\r\nThese days, more and more fuel marketers see foodservice, specifically fresh food options, including deli programs, as an excellent way to grow their business. Operators have valid, bottom-line reasons for offering enhanced fresh, healthy items, including saving labor, saving time, and maintaining consistency of menu offerings.\r\n\r\nAs consumers are inundated with the importance of embracing healthy lifestyles —eating more fresh and less “fast” food—fuel marketers and their c-store counterparts are jumping on the fresh product “bandwagon” like never before.\r\n\r\nSo why should marketers pay attention to this trend? Quite simply, it offers a new revenue stream that had previously been ignored by the c-store segment.\r\n\r\n“This trend has to do with what customers are asking for and the general health consciousness of consumers as a whole,” Bona says. “Traditional traffic drivers, such as cigarettes, have been in steady decline along with retail margins, leaving c-store operators little choice but to look elsewhere to recapture business.”\r\n\r\nThe desire for shoppers to have more fresh premium products is still an expectation that impacts c-stores. According to Panarese, research confirms that more than 60% of shoppers think that convenience stores should offer more healthy foods.\r\n\r\n“Retailers such as 7-Eleven and Casey’s General have responded with staff to prepare new products, such as egg white sandwiches for breakfast, custom deli sandwiches during lunchtime, as well as fresh pasta, pizza, and burgers,” Panarese says.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, with people eating and snacking multiple times a day or week, foodservice, when executed to high standards, can provide the impetus for replacing lost volume and driving higher sales.\r\n\r\n“As a result, c-stores now find themselves competing with the likes of Quizno’s, Subway, and McDonalds, offering freshmade salads, cut fruit, yogurt bars, and higher quality sandwiches, wraps and paninis,” Bona says.\r\n\r\nSo how are consumers responding to this trend toward fresh product offerings in the c-store marketplace? “I always believe that people eat with their eyes before they taste their food, so if the store environment, beginning from the curb, doesn’t convey a sense of being a professional food establishment, customers will keep driving by,” Bona says. “The best-in-class retailers like Wawa, Sheetz, and Rutters, have proven that, when done right, customers will return more often.”\r\n\r\nBona says it’s all about making a promise on the outside and then, once over the threshold, delivering on that promise through experience, quality of products, and great customer service.\r\n\r\n“The competitive landscape will continue to shape and drive change in the industry,” Bona says. “With discount stores and drugstores competing for fill-in occasions, QSRs developing stronger coffee and breakfast offers, and big box retailers building small format stores, c-stores have to move beyond selling daily commodities and concentrate more on serving the many different meal occasions that people have everyday.”\r\n\r\nAnd while some retailers are moving the needle on premium offerings, shoppers still look for the big sellers that have made c-stores popular, such as slushies and oversized sodas.\r\n\r\n“Consumers have responded favorably to new menu offerings, but still desire more traditional tactics that are still effective for grocery, such as coupons and special promotions,” Panarese says. “Given that loyalty programs continue to be effectively associated with gas purchase, broadening offers to include special meal deals will expand sales and maintain shopper interest.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Trends in Technology</strong>\r\n\r\nWith each new day, technology brings fuel marketing businesses exciting opportunities for growth and success. As businesses grow, they encounter tough decisions regarding how to best use the technology available. Within the c-store environment, technology needs to provide one key attribute: enable and support the speed of service and customer engagement.\r\n\r\nThat said, mobile wallets, dispenser technology, reward programs to entice gasoline purchasers to set foot in the actual store for additional purchases, and remote couponing, are all technology trends being implemented across the category.\r\n\r\n“National and local retailers understand that shoppers are leveraging multiple screens even when visiting their locations,” Panarese says. “Speedway and Shell have both leveraged social media to feed content that appears at the pump. Shell has continued to evolve their omni-channel experience by tying-in their POS system to mobile and tablets apps, allowing for both gas purchase at the pump as well as in-store including food products.”\r\n\r\nExperts advise fuel marketers to keep in mind that social technology will continue to play a critical role in how shoppers interact with retail brands. “Having the ability to respond more effectively with more relevant digital content will be key,” Panarese says. “Monitoring social channels and understanding when shoppers visit or intend to visit c-stores can provide key learning to optimize future content. This approach can also help improve customer service experiences when shoppers visit the stores—reducing perception of wait times and improving satisfaction.”\r\n\r\nAs shoppers become more familiar and more comfortable with payment apps, marketers will need to find the right balance between rewarding shoppers for their core purchase of gasoline and identifying ways to drive consideration of food/beverage products.\r\n\r\n“There will continue to be a challenge between how far retailers stray from core drivers in the category, such as gasoline and foodservice, versus evolving store footprints that include lounges and other amenities meant to entice new shoppers,” Panarese says.\r\n\r\nSome industry experts see technology as a double-edged sword—especially for fuel marketers. For instance, Pay at Pump technology is extremely valued by the “on-the-go” consumer (and convenience store operator) but can result in less in-store foot traffic.\r\n\r\nBut on the other, hand convenience retailers can take advantage of new location-based digital/mobile technologies as added incentives to bring traffic to the store. Furthermore, through these technologies they can promote exclusive products, the increasing range and variety of fresh options, unique services, such as pick up/drop off deliveries including dry cleaning, loyalty rewards, and many more.\r\n\r\n“Technology can give convenience retailers a unique opportunity—the ability to really transform their store using technology such as digital communications and media to create a store that has a completely different look/feel through different day parts—a morning café, a fresh lunch stop, an evening dinner solver,” Harris says. “They also need to connect this to the external audience via localized social and digital engagement and solutions.” Experts agree that gas is and will increasingly become a less significant part of the convenience/fuel marketing format. Long term trends, such as fewer miles driven per capita per year as well as the potential increase in electric powered cars, mean that fuel marketers need to provide additional reasons to visit.\r\n\r\n“Their locations—easy in/easy out—give them an advantage with the quick trip shopper,” Harris says. “To capitalize, c-store operators will need to continue to move further into local, fresh, unique products and services—in essence a holistic interpretation of the word ‘convenience.’”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSource: Independent Gasoline Magazine Sept/Oct issue', 'Retail Trends', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2009-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2009, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2009-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2631, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>Veteran store designer highlights the need to emotionally connect with shoppers</strong>\r\nAs technology transforms multi-channel retail into hyper-channel, “always-on” retailing, chains must emotionally connect with consumers as never before, advised veteran store designer Joseph Bona during a Feb. 19 speech at EuroShop, the global trade fair.\r\n\r\n“Emotion plus theatrics equals experience,” said Bona, president, branded environments for CBX, the New York City-based brand agency and retail design consultancy that has had a hand in numerous convenience store designs.\r\n\r\n“Storytelling ability, in particular, helps you create engaging experiences, and the memory of those experiences can inspire consumers by adding excitement and drama to routine transactions,” Bona said. “Ultimately, this is what energizes brand culture and drives long-term customer loyalty, even in a world perpetually driven to digital distraction.”\r\n\r\nBona’s presentation—“Format Reinvention: the Changing Face of Retail”—highlighted the need for retailers to further rethink the function of their brick-and-mortar stores. Today’s “always on” environment doesn’t only mean that people can buy whatever they want using their phones and tablets, it also means they can use GPS- and cloud-enabled tools to find the very best retail and dining experiences available to them, wherever they happen to be in the world, Bona said.\r\n\r\n“Physical stores can no longer be what they used to be—namely, distributors of other people’s goods at reasonable prices in convenient locations,” Bona said. “They must offer sights, sounds, tastes, touch, emotion—3D experiences that 2D can’t achieve. When your customers look at Yelp! or Google Reviews, you want them to read about how your in-store experience was entertaining and inspiring. You want them to read about how going to your store is always a special treat.”\r\n\r\nTo illustrate this point, Bona showed the audience examples of redesign work CBX has completed for clients such as Duane Reade, RadioShack and South American c-store retailer Terpel.\r\n\r\nIn its newly designed flagship stores, RadioShack now has hands-on stations organized around themes such as “Build It,” “Play It,” “Rock It,” Power It” and “Connect It.” These new layouts are open, inviting and experiential, he said. “It’s all about higher engagement points and making RadioShack stores much more interactive,” Bona said. “Shoppers can touch and play with the products and interact with store associates in new and richer ways. The point is to bring the experience to life and make it fun, as opposed to the old approach of having a bunch of static stuff, locked down and inaccessible.”\r\n\r\nLikewise, CBX helped major Columbian gas station operator Terpel reinvent the experience of fueling up your car and grabbing convenience items on the go. The chain’s new c-store designs include futuristic, wing-like canopies flying over the pumps, with service bars, modern furniture and other unexpected flourishes inside its stores. In helping Terpel contemplate “the fuel station of the future,” CBX produced designs with green roofs, solar panels, recycled asphalt pavement and sky- and LED-lit canopies.\r\n\r\n“Overall, retailers need to push the envelope and keep asking one basic question: ‘How do you maintain a pillar of affection and human touch while there’s a simultaneous shift to increasing human interaction with technology?’ ” Bona said. “On a strategic level, we think the answer is fairly simple: Make your customer experience second-to-none in authenticity and relevance. Execution is all about thoroughly understanding who your customer is, and what your customer wants and needs from a retail experience.”\r\n\r\nCBX, New York, is a brand agency specializing in corporate identity, consumer branding and retail.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.cspnet.com/industry-news-analysis/marketing-strategies/articles/retailer-challenge-reinvent-yourself\" target=\"_blank\">www.cspnet.com/industry-news-analysis/marketing-strategies/articles/retailer-challenge-reinvent-yourself</a>', 'Retailer Challenge: Reinvent Yourself', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1956-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1956, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1956-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2632, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', 'Snapple is looking to boost its share across the US. Helping it stand out as consumers reach for cold drinks this National Iced Tea Day and beyond: Vibrant new graphics, including a new logo that aims to “amplify the playfulness, wit and simple goodness of its brand.”\r\nOwned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Snapple is a leader in US premium beverages. Founded in 1972 by three childhood friends, Snapple got its start in Greenwich Village, New York and is now available throughout the United States. Its Big Apple roots play into the brand refresh with the tagline, “Born in New York, Made for Everyone.”\r\n\r\nIn addition to joining fellow iced tea brands in pouring out free samples across America this National Iced Tea Day, the introduction of Snapple’s new visual identity comes as the beverage is moving beyond its traditional East and West Coast strongholds to ramp up growth in key markets across the US and globally.\r\n\r\nThe brand refresh touches all Snapple products—more than 20 different flavors of regular and diet teas and juice drinks—and is hitting store shelves today.\r\n\r\nThe new Snapple logo includes a sun graphic in a hand-drawn style to provide the playful, natural character of the brand. The evolved logo also uses letterforms with a bit more movement and personality, yet maintains the curl of the iconic Snapple ‘S’.\r\n\r\n“Snapple has a strong following on both coasts, and now it’s about reaching the center, so to speak, as it moves to boost household penetration throughout the country,” said Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer for CBX, the agency responsible for its new look.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, CBX created an Earth icon to embody “Made from the Best Stuff on Earth,” one of the brand’s long-lasting trademarked statements, dating back to its small Brooklyn storefront origins. “We wanted to make that statement more ownable,” Barrack said. “And we carried this element through to the top of the Snapple cap.”\r\n\r\nWith a campaign that includes a hand-drawn New York skyline, the refresh emphasizes Snapple’s New York roots. “New York consumers are some of our most passionate brand advocates—they absolutely love the great taste of Snapple—which is part of the reason our work with CBX included a strong focus on Snapple’s New York heritage. We want people all across the country to share this excitement about the brand because, although it was born in New York, it’s truly made for everyone,” said Brent Chism, Snapple Director of Marketing.\r\n\r\nSatoru Wakeshima, CBX General Manager, added: “CBX has been responsible for Snapple’s visual identity and packaging for the past 10 years. That’s a great honor that comes with the responsibility of respecting the brand’s heritage, maintaining what makes Snapple different and continually evolving the brand to remain relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.”\r\n\r\nThe refresh included the use of flavor captions such as “Life’s a Peach,” “Lemon Large,” “Takes 2 to Mango” and “Kiwi Meets Berry.”\r\n\r\n“The captions help establish a sense of delight in Snapple’s great flavors,” noted Wakeshima, “and unlike its competitors, Snapple doesn’t take itself too seriously. These visual and verbal elements of the refresh work together for a uniquely engaging experience and add to the brand’s approachability.”\r\n\r\nSnapple prides itself on developing, producing and marketing a wide variety of premium beverages, including ready-to-drink iced teas, juice drinks, 100% juices and water. Dr Pepper Snapple Group is a leading producer of flavored beverages, marketing Snapple and 50-plus other brands across North America and the Caribbean.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.brandchannel.com/2015/06/10/snapple-new-logo-061015/\" target=\"_blank\">brandchannel</a>.', 'Snapple Unveils New Logo and Look For National Iced Tea Day', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2110-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 2110, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2110-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2633, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<strong>THE ‘DEATH OF RETAIL’ HAS BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED, RENWICK WRITES</strong><em>--But CBX strategist cites need for socially relevant stores in new column for Chain Store Age Online.</em>\n\nPessimistic pundits claim that “show-rooming” and the explosive growth of ecommerce will be the death of brick-and-mortar retail. But by drawing inspiration from the kinds of social experiences Americans crave—live-action football games, rousing concerts, moving religious services and the like—retailers stand to reap big profits even as they prove the pundits wrong, writes Crosby Renwick, executive director of strategy at brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX, in a May 30 column published at Chain Store Age Online.\n\n“Is retail really dead?” Renwick asks in the piece. “No, but its role is changing.” The veteran CBX strategist begins the column—titled “ ‘Social Retail’ to the Rescue”—by outlining the basic problem as just about everyone sees it: “When retail is literally everywhere, when we can buy virtually anything off our phones and have it delivered, why go to a store?” he writes.\n\nBut while Renwick concedes that many stores will close in the decades to come—particularly those focused on commoditized goods that shoppers can easily buy online—he describes the rise of ecommerce as an opportunity for retail to refocus. “When Pablo Picasso was asked if painting human figures was still possible after the technologies of photography and cinema were depicting them much more truly, his response was, ‘Now at least we know everything that painting isn\'t,’” Renwick writes. “Technology had killed painting’s previous purpose: depiction. But, on the other hand, technology freed painting to become something else.”\n\nLikewise, the proper role of retail in the 21st century is not to sell humdrum commodities in cavernous, uninspiring big-box stores, Renwick writes. “What to do with the empty storefronts?” he asks in the piece. “The success of social media provides the clue because it highlights the deep desire for human connection. People get lonely. They’ll pay for the chance to enjoy real-world social experiences with others who have similar interests.”\n\nRenwick describes several popular—and in some case, expensive—social experiences that continue to inspire consumers. But the point is not to try replicate, say, a Bruce Springsteen concert, but to tap into the brand-, traffic- and loyalty-building potential that is inherent to such an experience. “These are the kinds of social experiences people pay money for,” he writes. “Am I suggesting a chain of stores that hosts rock concerts? No. But lessons drawn from these social experiences can and should be applied to retail. Lululemon has already done so with its in-store yoga classes. Likewise, I’d love a store where I could buy clothes that speak to the sensibilities of the classic rock fan. Where the staff would ‘get’ me.”\n\nShopping in a physical store has to be as much about social experiences, unique environments and customer validation as it is about the merchandise, Renwick notes in the conclusion to the piece. “Today’s shoppers can have nearly any merchandise brought right to their doors with little more than the swipe of a finger,” he writes. “But if we can bring them the kinds of experiences that forge memories, friendships and lifelong brand loyalties, they will keep getting in their cars and coming to us.”\n', 'The Death of Retail Has Been Greatly Exaggerated', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1826-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1826, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1826-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2634, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '<a href=\"https://www.columbiacrest.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Columbia Crest’</a>s Grand Estate line of wines is a best-seller at <a href=\"http://www.krestonwines.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kreston Wine &amp; Spirits</a>, but owner Bob Kreston did a double take when a shipment arrived not that long ago. “I thought it was a mis-shipment,” recalls Kreston, who owns two full-service stores in Dover, Delaware. “I was ready to send it back, tell them I hadn’t ordered that. And if I was confused… I had customers coming up to me to ask why we had stopped carrying Columbia Crest.”\r\nThe new Grand Estate label, with its shield shape, clean lines and dominant “C,” was night-to-day from the old one. “Sometimes I wonder,” says Kreston, “why they need to fix something that isn’t broken.”\r\n\r\nThat’s a question that more and more retailers are asking—more and more often. It may be that a brand that has fallen out of favor, or they may be aiming at a different demographic target. Some suppliers make small changes to their labels regularly, as part of an overall marketing plan. While the motivations may be diverse, the packaging adjustments can add up—and it’s retailers who wind up having to deal with it.\r\n\r\nIn fact, say a number of branding and marketing experts, this re-jiggering is likely to continue apace. Producers (and not just the multinationals) are bigger, have deeper pockets, and are better able to revise their brands when they see a need. Also, as the number of wine SKUs, which may be high as 15,000, continues to grow, producers large and small will keep striving to stand out from the pack.\r\n\r\n<strong>Three-Tier Effect</strong>\r\n\r\nLabel tweaks are generally more common than wholesale changes, notes Courtney Holmes of <a href=\"http://www.talkissheepmarketing.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Talk is Sheep Marketing</a> in Sacramento: “The goal is to shake the brands up, and sometimes they achieve the objective, but some don’t. But when they confuse the buyers, they’re not helping themselves.”\r\n\r\nA wine’s label is its identity, and in a category where consumers are often faced with a literal wall of wine, many shoppers are more likely to remember the label rather than the name of the product (or recognize). Says Chris Battista, who owns the 7,500-square-foot <a href=\"http://www.ledgebrookwines.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ledgebrook Spirit Shop</a> in Winsted, CT, “A decent amount of consumers, they don’t know a lot about wine, but the label will catch them up to what they’ve bought in the past.”\r\n\r\nScott Stern, of the CBX marketing consultancy in New York City, who has worked with drinks companies Allied Domecq, Miller Brands, LVMH and Gallo, points out that wine makeovers are a special case. With typical consumer goods, the consumer is the primary target audience for the new label. In wine, though, thanks to the three-tier distribution system, a new label first has to appeal to the distributor, says Stern, and the retailer almost as much as the distributor.\r\n\r\n“The distributor has to buy in to what’s going on. They have to be excited about what’s happening,” says Stern. “Otherwise, they don’t have any motivation about the new label.”\r\n\r\nCarmen Castaldi, senior vice president of sales and marketing at <a href=\"https://www.rodneystrong.com/#age-verify\" target=\"_blank\">Rodney Strong Wine Estates</a> in Healdsburg, CA, says “distributor fatigue” is an ongoing concern for suppliers. “And it’s a vicious circle,” he adds. “They have so many SKUs that they’re cutting them, so when someone says, ‘Sell our wine,’ they need a good, compelling reason to do so.”\r\n\r\nHence, the pressure to re-jigger a product to earn the attention of the distributor, who then, at least in theory, transfers enthusiasm for the new look to the retailer. Unfortunately, word of Columbia Crest’s new label never made it to Bob Kreston before the first case of “C” wine arrived.\r\n\r\nRetailers, to their credit, say they understand much of what is going on and why it is happening. But they still have concerns—not only for themselves, but for their customers.\r\n\r\n“Some brands may need a boost,” says Megan Shervin, a partner in the 5,400-square-foot <a href=\"http://www.wineliquorbeer.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Liquor Store</a> in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “Normally, when someone changes a label, they’re changing the face of their brand. So they wouldn’t go to all that trouble unless they really needed to. But it’s scary when they do it. We changed the store’s logo after 29 years, and I know how much trouble that was.”\r\n\r\nCBX’s Stern cautions that brands who leave retailers out of the makeover process risk having their wine suffer as a result. Understandably, Kreston wonders why brands publicize their changes to the media and distributors, so why not at the retail front line, with straightforward POS material? “I’ve always thought a case card with the two labels—what it was and what it is—would help people recognize the new label,” he says.\r\n\r\nChris Battista, in Connecticut, shares Kreston’s frustration: “I’m seeing new products almost weekly,” says Battista. “The distributors are choked up. Is this a new wine, or the same juice with a new label?”\r\n\r\nIt’s surprising that suppliers don’t consistently make a more concerted effort to pre-publicize a label change. Because the whole idea of a re-jiggered label is to sell more wine. And retailers, distributors and suppliers all like the idea of that.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.beveragemedia.com/index.php/2014/07/the-revolving-door-of-wine-labels/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.beveragemedia.com/index.php/2014/07/the-revolving-door-of-wine-labels/</a>', 'The Revolving Door of Wine Labels', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1980-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 1980, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1980-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2635, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', 'A weekly roundup of small-business developments.What’s affecting me, my clients and other small-business owners today.\n\n<strong>Washington</strong>\nHere are <a href=\"http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2013/09/update-four-charts-to-track-timing-for.html?\" target=\"_blank\">four charts</a> that will help you track whether the Federal Reserve will taper its quantitative easing.\nIt seems the sequestration budget cuts are hurting small consulting firms: “The $85 billion in budget cuts officially began March 1, but owners like LaJuanna Russell started feeling the effect last summer. Government employees cut contracts in advance, anticipating they’d lose funding. Among those badly hurt were businesses that provide training and consulting services not considered essential. Like Russell, they’ve had to lay off workers as their revenue plunged.”\n\n<strong>Start-Ups</strong>\nMark Cuban’s <a href=\"http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222524\" target=\"_blank\">12 rules</a> for starting a company.\n\n<strong>Employees</strong>\nThis <a href=\"http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/2013/09/08/infographic-of-the-day-do-business-owners-and-employees-see-eye-to-eye\" target=\"_blank\">infographic</a> examines whether employees and business owners see eye-to-eye when it comes to how they view their companies.\nAn organization with 30 employees <a href=\"http://recruiterbox.com/blog/top-5-hr-time-savers/\" target=\"_blank\">wastes more than 150 hours</a> — or four weeks — every year tracking vacations.\n\n<strong>Management</strong>\nResearch reveals that more business travelers are <a href=\"http://www.tourism-review.com/business-travelers-mix-work-with-vacations-news3834\" target=\"_blank\">taking time for themselves</a> as well.\nGregg S. Lipman says there is much management wisdom that <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/risky-business-management_b_3868895.html\" target=\"_blank\">you can glean from ’80s movies</a> like “Stripes”: “What can I say about a movie whose tagline was, ‘The story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy … and meet girls’? Well, a lot actually. This quote is so fitting to what we do every day, because having realistic expectations for any given project is key to getting the job done, and done well.”\n\n<strong>Around the Country</strong>\nMore than a thousand people near Los Angeles stood in a line on Saturday to get a taste of the <a href=\"http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/food/la-dd-ramen-burger-la-first-taste-20130907,0,682944.story\" target=\"_blank\">Ramen Burger</a>.\n\n<strong>Social Media</strong>\nHere are <a href=\"http://mashable.com/2013/09/06/vine-brands/\" target=\"_blank\">15 brands</a> doing great on Vine.\nBelle Beth Cooper sums up <a href=\"http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2013/09/07/a-scientific-guide-to-posting-tweets-facebook-posts-emails-and-blog-posts-at-the-best-time/\" target=\"_blank\">the best times to tweet, post, blog and send your e-mails</a>. For example: “Seventy percent of users say they read blogs in the morning, and Mondays are the highest traffic days for an average blog.”\n\nTechnology\nApple’s new iPhone will <a href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/09/07/iphone-finger-print/2777849/\" target=\"_blank\">read your fingerprints</a>, but Amazon may be building a smartphone that will sell for … <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/amazon-smartphone-free_n_3882721.html\" target=\"_blank\">nothing</a>.\n\n<a href=\"http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/today-in-small-business-mark-cubans-rules/?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\">http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/today-in-small-business-mark-cubans-rules/?_r=1</a>', 'Today in Small Business: Mark Cuban’s Rules', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1855-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '', 1855, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1855-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2636, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '<strong>Why Victoria’s Secret is still thriving in America’s malls</strong>\r\nTo wring all that I could out of said store experience, I arranged to walk through the brand\'s Fifth Avenue flagship store with Anthony Deen, the creative director of branded environments for CBX, an agency that\'s worked with everyone from Duane Reade to Saks Off Fifth to M&amp;M\'s. On the walk over to the store, he admits he has always been skeptical of how Victoria\'s Secret panders to the male gaze while selling to a customer base of millions of women.\r\n\r\n\"Obviously, there\'s an aspect of the Angels that is just totally geared toward this male audience,\" he tells me. \"And I always saw that as somewhat cynical. But in going into the stores, you realize that there\'s actually something more to it, which is this proximity to beauty, and wanting women to associate beauty with this product, so that they feel beautiful when they purchase it and wear it.\"\r\n\r\nAs soon as we step into the store, he starts to point out the store\'s signature touches, like the framed pictures of Angels hanging from the walls, which feed into this idea of beauty proximity. \"This is like a rich person\'s private dressing room,\" he says, pointing out the faux dresser drawers doubling as wall decor. Tables and chaise lounges feature bras laid out on their cushions instead of on hangers on a rack; a range of sizes and styles are tucked into actual drawers under the tables so shoppers can help themselves to what they want. \"In the back of your head, you know that\'s what\'s going on, but you don\'t necessarily put it together to say, ‘Oh yeah, this is my closet.\'\"\r\n\r\n\"You realize that there\'s actually something more to it, which is this proximity to beauty, and wanting women to associate beauty with this product.\"\r\n\r\nThe store\'s sexier rooms, outfitted with black wallpaper and low lighting, are usually the first ones you walk into, while the milder ones featuring more everyday bras are set towards the back of the store. \"It says, ‘This is for women,\'\" Deen explains as we venture into a girly pink room. \"And it says, ‘Guys, you\'re not allowed back here.\'\"\r\n\r\nSalespeople greet us at the front of the store and hover in every room but don\'t approach us, which Deen counts as a plus. \"They\'re not overly solicitous,\" he says. \"People like to shop. If you get in their way, you inhibit them from actually exploring.\"\r\n\r\nCustomer service is indeed a big part of how Victoria\'s Secret differentiates itself from competitors, and Wexner laid out plans to invest more heavily in sales staff at the company\'s annual investor update meeting, saying that he wanted to pay \"fewer, better people\" up to $20 an hour in the stores.\r\n\r\n\"I\'m imagining in a couple of years virtually every sales associate is looking forward to a career in retailing,\" he explained. \"And 10 or 20 percent of them will be store managers somewhere in the world in a year. They can literally go from $40,000 to more than $100,000 a year in compensation and we can really teach and train and retain them.\" However, the brand only just got rid of on-call scheduling, where employees were forced to stay available for possible work shifts without pay or guarantee that they\'d be actually needed earlier this year.\r\n\r\nI visited stores in New York City; Pittsburgh; Amherst, Massachusetts; and Buffalo, New York over the past month to test out one of the brand\'s lauded features, the in-store bra fitting, and had no trouble finding sales staff eager to help at each store. The actual fitting wasn\'t always a seamless process, though — sometimes it took 10 minutes, sometimes it took 30 — and I left each store with a pink card proclaiming different results every time. In New York\'s Herald Square, I was confidently measured at a 32B, while in Amherst, I was surely a 34B. In Pittsburgh, I was a 34A, but in Buffalo, the bra specialist declared me a 36A.\r\n\r\nThis wasn\'t entirely surprising, as bra sizing is a Herculean task that apparently no one can get right — everyone from industry specialists to Kate Middleton\'s bra fitter has proclaimed that millions and millions of women are walking around in broad daylight, wearing the wrong bra size. When I went back to present my findings to the bra specialist at my hometown store, after getting four different results at four different stores, she was hardly shocked.\r\n\r\n\"I think each specialist does it differently,\" she explains. \"They have a different opinion. We all have the same method of measuring, but the way the bra looks — every specialist is a little bit different.\"\r\n\r\nIn the Fifth Avenue store, Deen and I start making our way through the beauty products. \"There aren\'t a lot of mirrors, which is kind of counter to any beauty environment,\" he says. \"It\'s a lot of skincare, so again it\'s about this idea of pampering, indulging in you and making you feel really comfortable and feminine.\"\r\n\r\nUp on the walls, more framed photos of overwhelmingly white, blonde Angels stare down at us, with the occasional close-up shot of Angel butt and Angel boob mixed in. \"There\'s an extent to which you can do this stuff, and then there\'s a point where you\'re pushing too far,\" Deen says. \"Ultimately, it can\'t be aspirational. People aren\'t just going to look like that. If I went into any store and saw nothing but male body builders, at a certain point I\'d be like, ‘This is not my store.\' There\'s definitely a point at which this beauty becomes oppressive.\"\r\n\r\nI mention that it doesn\'t seem to be slowing the brand down at all, and Deen points back to the fact that there is no real competition out there in this mass market space. As we head for the door, we again pass by the front displays of sequined holiday lingerie and busts with wings sprouting out of their backs. \"They really doubled down on this Angel metaphor,\" Deen says. \"They\'re reaching out to women and they\'re saying that they\'re angels. How that translates into the physical environment is a little bit tougher. The wings... that\'s a little over the top. Although, we\'ll see, in two years, maybe people will be walking around with their wings on outside.\"\r\n\r\nSee the full article on <a href=\"http://www.racked.com/2015/12/8/9870132/victorias-secret-brand-fashion-show\" target=\"_blank\">Racked.com\r\n</a>Photo courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.racked.com/2015/12/8/9870132/victorias-secret-brand-fashion-show\" target=\"_blank\">Racked.com</a>', 'Touched by an Angel', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2151-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '', 2151, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2151-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2637, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '<p>The History Channel’s “Modern Marvels” makes clear in a new episode on the convenience-store phenomenon that there is much more to America’s go-to pit stops than just coffee, soda, snacks and hot dogs.\r\nIndeed, convenience stores are carefully designed for maximum speed and efficiency, explained Joseph Bona, president of the retail division for global branding firm CBX, in on-camera interviews for the hour-long program.\r\n\r\n“The successful development of any store starts with the layout,” said Bona, who has designed convenience stores for more than 30 years, often relying on a zoning system that maximizes impulse-buying while also making the shopping experience as quick and easy as possible. Such innovations, according to the program, have been responsible for the c-store industry’s impressive track record in recent years. Today, there are more than 144,000 stores across the country, with the sector accounting for about one out of every $23 spent in the U.S. in a given day.\r\n\r\nBusiest from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., c-stores are a symphony of coordination—built for speed, designed to influence customers, constantly on guard for crime and equipped to stop it, the show explains. During the morning rush alone, U.S. c-stores sell about 11 million cups of coffee, along with millions of doughnuts, bagels, breakfast biscuits and other items. The average customer visit, however, lasts only 3.5 minutes. To make this happen in clockwork fashion, c-store companies in North America and abroad have relied on Bona’s design expertise for decades. During the program, Bona told viewers about some of the important principles of good c-store layout, such as specific zones designed to help customers get their bearings, to encourage them to make impulse purchases or to help them find everyday items like the morning newspaper.\r\n\r\nDuring the show, Bona appeared at a metro New York area 7-Eleven store (which was not designed by CBX), where he walked viewers through some of these features. In a typical convenience store, he noted in the program, the design of the coffee service area makes it possible to sell hundreds of cups of coffee in a given day with a minimum of wait time for customers. “It’s like a production line,” Bona said. “Somebody comes in, they grab a cup, get their coffee, add their cream and sugar, and then they’re able to move out of the way.”\r\n\r\nExplaining that a third of a c-store’s sales can come from cold beverages, Bona pointed out that coolers are deliberately placed farthest from the door, which helps drive traffic through the store. Even subtle details like the location of a cooler’s door hinges can make a big difference in directing how customers move through the space, he explained.\r\n\r\nLikewise, the visual experience in any store is critically important. “People buy with their eyes,” Bona said, in describing what he called the “Impulse Zone,” an area of the store stocked with common impulse purchases.\r\n\r\nWhile the featured 7-Eleven store offers about 5,000 different items, its total selling area amounts to only about 1,600 square feet. Certain merchandising principles help maximize the efficiency of this diminutive space, Bona explained. “One of the important things is putting like things together,” he noted.\r\n\r\nThe show, which covers everything from the history of 7-Eleven’s Slurpee to recent innovations in convenience store security, is downloadable from iTunes. To watch the program online, visit: <a href=\"http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/modern-marvels-convenience-stores#modern-marvels-convenience-stores\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/modern-marvels-convenience-stores#modern-marvels-convenience-stores</a> ', 'Veteran Designer Joseph Bona shares trade secrets with viewers of TV’s ‘Modern Marvels’.', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1706-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '2018-09-27 17:42:13', '', 1706, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1706-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2638, 2, '2018-09-27 17:49:08', '2018-09-27 17:49:08', '', 'BBM-1-1920_1080', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'bbm-1-1920_1080-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:49:08', '2018-09-27 17:49:08', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/BBM-1-1920_1080.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2639, 2, '2018-09-27 17:49:37', '2018-09-27 17:49:37', '', 'BBM-thumbnail', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'bbm-thumbnail', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:49:37', '2018-09-27 17:49:37', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/BBM-thumbnail.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2640, 2, '2018-09-27 17:51:47', '2018-09-27 17:51:47', '', 'BBM-2-1920_1080', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'bbm-2-1920_1080-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:51:47', '2018-09-27 17:51:47', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/BBM-2-1920_1080.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2641, 2, '2018-09-27 17:52:24', '2018-09-27 17:52:24', '', 'BBM-3-1920_800', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'bbm-3-1920_800-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:52:24', '2018-09-27 17:52:24', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/BBM-3-1920_800.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2642, 2, '2018-09-27 17:52:52', '2018-09-27 17:52:52', '', 'Designed<br>To Delight', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2570-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:52:52', '2018-09-27 17:52:52', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2570-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2643, 2, '2018-09-27 17:54:53', '2018-09-27 17:54:53', '', 'Designed<br>To Delight', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2570-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:54:53', '2018-09-27 17:54:53', '', 2570, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2570-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2644, 2, '2018-09-27 17:55:29', '2018-09-27 17:55:29', '', 'A Modern<br>Classic', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2560-autosave-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:55:29', '2018-09-27 17:55:29', '', 2560, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2560-autosave-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2645, 2, '2018-09-27 17:55:40', '2018-09-27 17:55:40', '', 'A Modern<br>Classic', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2560-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:55:40', '2018-09-27 17:55:40', '', 2560, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2560-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2646, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'When you visit <a href=\"http://www.starbucks.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Starbucks.com</a>, the “Responsibility” tab is front and center. Click on it, and you’ll find nearly 30 different links under headings such as “Community,” “Environment” and “Ethical Sourcing,” along with a 19-page Global Responsibility Report for those who would take an even deeper dive into the company’s practices. Starbucks, in other words, makes a real effort to walk the talk of responsibility. And yet, when the company launched its <a href=\"https://twitter.com/search?q=%23racetogether&amp;src=typd\" target=\"_blank\">#RaceTogether</a> campaign back in March, the mockery was swift and merciless. The plan, as we all remember, was for baristas to write “Race Together” on customers’ cups in an effort to spark dialog about race in America.\r\nUnfortunately for Starbucks, #RaceTogether is now synonymous with #PRdebacles.\r\n\r\nSo what happened? How could Starbucks have gotten it so wrong? In the age of the self-aware consumer, brands have no choice but to engage with their customers on the issues of our time, right?\r\n\r\nThe risk lies in losing track of the all-important difference between integrity, an objective state of being, and the far-more-subjective sphere of morality/ethics. When brands focus on achieving the integrity of their purpose (making whole on their promise), these campaigns tend to get results. When brands stray into opportunistic preaching or moralizing, the response from consumers is often “Who the hell do you think you are?”\r\n\r\nHarvard University business professor Michael Jensen puts it best when he defines integrity as “a state or condition of being whole, complete, unbroken.” Morality and ethics, by contrast, are normative, subjective concepts: What is moral or ethical to someone in the Bay Area might be immoral or unethical to somebody in the Bible Belt. By contrast, integrity—or the lack of it—is objective and easy to spot. It either exists or it doesn’t. Chipotle Mexican Grill, for instance, routinely talks about the high quality of its grass-fed beef and humanely raised pork. If the chain were to be busted for lying about its food sources, we would all see this as a breach of integrity, regardless of what we happened to think about the morality or ethics of eating conventional beef, pork and poultry. (And in fact, Chipotle’s integrity is now under fire: The chain faces a <a href=\"http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/lawsuit-claims-chipotle-has-been-deceiving-customers/ar-AAdPKEx?ocid=mailsignout\" target=\"_blank\">class action</a>  alleging it has been deceptive about being GMO-free.)\r\n\r\nTherefore, with regard to campaigns prioritize and highlight the great things your brand does to make good on its promises. Resist the impulse to try to boost your brand’s cachet by taking stances you believe will be popular or politically correct—especially if those stances are largely unrelated to your core purpose.\r\n\r\nIn the age of the self-aware consumer, complying with the radically varying moral demands of diverse audiences is impossible. However, any company can look within and focus sincerely on making sure its brands have integrity. These internally consistent, honest stories then become building blocks for campaigns that will boost customer loyalty over the long term—and keep you out of #PRdebacles on Twitter.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.commpro.biz/public-relations/avoiding-prdebacles-integrity-is-the-key-to-brand-campaigns-that-never-backfire/\" target=\"_blank\">CommPRO.biz</a>.\r\n\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.finerminds.com/consciousness-awareness/integrity-honesty/\" target=\"_blank\">finerminds.com</a>.', '\'Avoiding #PRdebacles’: Integrity is the Key to Brand Campaigns That Never Backfire', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2127-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2127, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2127-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2647, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'By Nancy Brown:\r\nThe consumer trend toward locally grown fresh food has infiltrated the mass market. Learn how to utilize your packaging to convey premium, farm-fresh authenticity.\r\n\r\n\"Farm-to-fork\": It’s the foodie buzz term of recent years, the hip culinary expression on everyone’s lips. New restaurants boasting farm-fresh ingredients are popping up in neighborhoods all over the country, greenmarkets are hotter than ever, and farm-to-fork ambassadors like chefs Dan Barber of Blue Hill, British sensation Jamie Oliver, and Alice Waters of Chez Panisse have become bona fide celebrities.\r\n\r\nAnd now, this movement is starting to infiltrate the mass market.\r\n\r\nIt’s no surprise. With E. coli outbreaks happening every few months (it seems) and books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma making people fearful of what they put in their bodies, today’s consumers want to know exactly where their food comes from. Farm-to-fork delivers on that need. It is defined as “food that has come to your table from a specific farm,” and more often than not, these are greenmarket-bought fruits, vegetables, and meats that come from farms within a certain distance from one’s home.\r\n\r\nSure, it seems that consumer packaged goods would be the antithesis of farm-to-fork, but the truth is that certain CPG brands—such as Land O’Lakes and Ocean Spray—have been offering farm-fresh products for years. Now other brands, many with the word “farm” in their names, are pinpointing a need in the market to not only use the highest-quality, farm-fresh ingredients, but also to provide consumers with information about the origins of those ingredients.\r\n\r\nThere are a few different ways that companies are interpreting farm-to-fork for the mass audience. Some brands, like Green Giant, focus on the farm-fresh aspect, while others, like Cabot Creamery dairy products from Vermont, focus on local. Kashi—whose tagline is “seven whole grains on a mission”—is all about sourcing authentic ingredients from around the world. Häagen-Daz’ Five ice cream brands and Yoplait’s Simplait yogurt are stripping down the ingredients to the bare essentials.\r\n\r\n<strong>Conveying farm-fresh through packaging</strong>\r\n\r\nA lot of brands have been conveying the “farm-to-fork/local/sourced/simple ingredients” aspects of their offerings through advertising, but how are they communicating the fresh, farm-to-fork aspect of their offerings through their packaging? For starters, they’re making it more premium. Consumers seem to be willing to pay a bit more for the quality aspect of farm-to-fork offerings, and the upscale design of these products reflects this. Quite simply, the products cost more because people are willing to pay more. But there are many more ways that brands can capitalize on this trend to try and seize some of the $860 million worth of unmet demand for farm-fresh products (according to <a href=\"http://farm2tablecopackers.com\" target=\"_blank\">Farm2Table Co-Packers</a>, a company in upstate New York).\r\n\r\nHere are five lessons the “big boys” can learn from some of today’s smaller, but well-established, farm-to-fork brands.\r\n\r\n1. <strong>It’s all in a name</strong>. For many CPG products, you can just envision the dozens of meetings and focus groups that it took to come up with a snazzy name for some new beverage or cleaning product. But farm-to-fork is all about origins, first and foremost. Farm-to-fork product names just say it like it is: Ronnybrook Farm milk, from Ronnybrook Farm Dairy in the Hudson Valley; Dorset Cereals, named for the county of Dorset in England, where it is made; The Immaculate Baking Company, made with only all-natural ingredients. With names like these, the products speak for themselves, because they are that fresh, that good, that worthy of your dollars.\r\n\r\n2. <strong>Tell your story</strong>. Farm-to-fork products don’t have the most creative stories in the books—they just have honest stories that make us trust their brands. And since the products are so proud of where they’ve come from, these stories tend to be featured front-and-center on their packaging. Why, Green Giant has been telling their “picked at the peak of perfection” story—about how farmers who grow vegetables for the company receive a knock on their doors from company representatives who tell them, “It’s time to pick the peas!”—for several decades now. And why not? It’s a terrific story to tell.\r\nSiggi’s Icelandic-style yogurt features its story—about a guy who missed the thickness of skyr, the yogurt from his native country, and now makes it here in America with milk from family farms in New York State—on the back of its label, which consumers are encouraged to tear off and read via a little paper tab.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>Talk up your strengths</strong>. Farm-to-fork products tend to be superior to other products due to their fresh, often organic natures, and brands have every right to talk up these benefits. Bellwether Farms, an “artisan creamery” out of Sonoma, CA, promotes the fact that those who are intolerant to cow’s milk can enjoy their sheep-milk products, which are made from the milk of “healthy, pastured animals” and are “an excellent source of B vitamins.”\r\nHäagen-Daz’ Five ice cream line lists all five of its ingredients on its container, complemented by a photograph of one key ingredient (e.g., a mound of brown sugar). On its Web site and promotional materials, Frito-Lay boasts that many of its products consist of only three ingredients, but this claim has yet to turn up on its packaging…yet.\r\n\r\n4. <strong>Hype the goods</strong>. Since farm-to-fork products are all about authenticity, it makes perfect sense for brands to showcase their farm-fresh products and sources of origin on their packaging. Siggi’s yogurt features a lovely illustration of a key ingredient, such as blueberries. Red Jacket Juices, made at the Red Jacket Orchard, feature a large apple that reflects the all-natural flavor of the juice. Ronnybrook Farm features cows on its packaging, while Old Chatham Sheepherding Company and Bellwether Farms feature sheep. Packaging for Kate’s Homemade Butter boasts a photo of a little girl, presumably Kate herself, who the consumer is led to believe may have churned the butter inside.\r\n\r\n5. <strong>Don’t skimp on the details</strong>. Details like package structure and printing methods signal the quality, upscale nature of farm-to-fork products to consumers. Rick’s Picks pickles and Ronnybrook Farm’s milk products are both housed in ball jar-type glass bottles that reference the farm-fresh aspect of the offerings, let consumers see their freshness, and harken back to their greenmarket origins. Siggi’s yogurt has a matte-paper wrapper that is both incredibly spare and undeniably upscale. Dorset Cereals come in uncoated paper boxes with peak-a-boo windows that let you see the product and mirror the natural nature of the oats, grains, and dried fruits inside.\r\n\r\nOf course, not all CPG companies will be able to bring their products to consumers straight from the farm. But by following the lead of some of the successful farm-to-fork companies out there right now and by utilizing at least a few of the five steps mentioned, they can definitely capitalize on the movement and take measures to make their products seem as local, simple, and authentic as possible.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/farm-fork-drives-consumer-packaging\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/farm-fork-drives-consumer-packaging</a>', '\'Farm-to-fork\' drives consumer packaging', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1793-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1793, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1793-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2648, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'By Nancy Brown:\r\nThe consumer trend toward locally grown fresh food has infiltrated the mass market. Learn how to utilize your packaging to convey premium, farm-fresh authenticity.\r\n\r\n\"Farm-to-fork\": It’s the foodie buzz term of recent years, the hip culinary expression on everyone’s lips. New restaurants boasting farm-fresh ingredients are popping up in neighborhoods all over the country, greenmarkets are hotter than ever, and farm-to-fork ambassadors like chefs Dan Barber of Blue Hill, British sensation Jamie Oliver, and Alice Waters of Chez Panisse have become bona fide celebrities.\r\n\r\nAnd now, this movement is starting to infiltrate the mass market.\r\n\r\nIt’s no surprise. With E. coli outbreaks happening every few months (it seems) and books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma making people fearful of what they put in their bodies, today’s consumers want to know exactly where their food comes from. Farm-to-fork delivers on that need. It is defined as “food that has come to your table from a specific farm,” and more often than not, these are greenmarket-bought fruits, vegetables, and meats that come from farms within a certain distance from one’s home.\r\n\r\nSure, it seems that consumer packaged goods would be the antithesis of farm-to-fork, but the truth is that certain CPG brands—such as Land O’Lakes and Ocean Spray—have been offering farm-fresh products for years. Now other brands, many with the word “farm” in their names, are pinpointing a need in the market to not only use the highest-quality, farm-fresh ingredients, but also to provide consumers with information about the origins of those ingredients.\r\n\r\nThere are a few different ways that companies are interpreting farm-to-fork for the mass audience. Some brands, like Green Giant, focus on the farm-fresh aspect, while others, like Cabot Creamery dairy products from Vermont, focus on local. Kashi—whose tagline is “seven whole grains on a mission”—is all about sourcing authentic ingredients from around the world. Häagen-Daz’ Five ice cream brands and Yoplait’s Simplait yogurt are stripping down the ingredients to the bare essentials.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5878\" title=\"01_14_12_NancyCBX1\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/01_14_12_NancyCBX1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"412\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Conveying farm-fresh through packaging</strong>\r\n\r\nA lot of brands have been conveying the “farm-to-fork/local/sourced/simple ingredients” aspects of their offerings through advertising, but how are they communicating the fresh, farm-to-fork aspect of their offerings through their packaging? For starters, they’re making it more premium. Consumers seem to be willing to pay a bit more for the quality aspect of farm-to-fork offerings, and the upscale design of these products reflects this. Quite simply, the products cost more because people are willing to pay more. But there are many more ways that brands can capitalize on this trend to try and seize some of the $860 million worth of unmet demand for farm-fresh products (according to <a href=\"http://farm2tablecopackers.com\" target=\"_blank\">Farm2Table Co-Packers</a>, a company in upstate New York).\r\n\r\nHere are five lessons the “big boys” can learn from some of today’s smaller, but well-established, farm-to-fork brands.\r\n\r\n1. <strong>It’s all in a name</strong>. For many CPG products, you can just envision the dozens of meetings and focus groups that it took to come up with a snazzy name for some new beverage or cleaning product. But farm-to-fork is all about origins, first and foremost. Farm-to-fork product names just say it like it is: Ronnybrook Farm milk, from Ronnybrook Farm Dairy in the Hudson Valley; Dorset Cereals, named for the county of Dorset in England, where it is made; The Immaculate Baking Company, made with only all-natural ingredients. With names like these, the products speak for themselves, because they are that fresh, that good, that worthy of your dollars.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5874\" title=\"01_14_12_NancyCBX2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/01_14_12_NancyCBX2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"530\" />\r\n\r\n2. <strong>Tell your story</strong>. Farm-to-fork products don’t have the most creative stories in the books—they just have honest stories that make us trust their brands. And since the products are so proud of where they’ve come from, these stories tend to be featured front-and-center on their packaging. Why, Green Giant has been telling their “picked at the peak of perfection” story—about how farmers who grow vegetables for the company receive a knock on their doors from company representatives who tell them, “It’s time to pick the peas!”—for several decades now. And why not? It’s a terrific story to tell.\r\nSiggi’s Icelandic-style yogurt features its story—about a guy who missed the thickness of skyr, the yogurt from his native country, and now makes it here in America with milk from family farms in New York State—on the back of its label, which consumers are encouraged to tear off and read via a little paper tab.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5875\" title=\"01_14_12_NancyCBX5\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/01_14_12_NancyCBX5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"540\" />\r\n\r\n3. <strong>Talk up your strengths</strong>. Farm-to-fork products tend to be superior to other products due to their fresh, often organic natures, and brands have every right to talk up these benefits. Bellwether Farms, an “artisan creamery” out of Sonoma, CA, promotes the fact that those who are intolerant to cow’s milk can enjoy their sheep-milk products, which are made from the milk of “healthy, pastured animals” and are “an excellent source of B vitamins.”\r\nHäagen-Daz’ Five ice cream line lists all five of its ingredients on its container, complemented by a photograph of one key ingredient (e.g., a mound of brown sugar). On its Web site and promotional materials, Frito-Lay boasts that many of its products consist of only three ingredients, but this claim has yet to turn up on its packaging…yet.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5876\" title=\"01_14_12_NancyCBX6\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/01_14_12_NancyCBX6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"620\" />\r\n\r\n4. <strong>Hype the goods</strong>. Since farm-to-fork products are all about authenticity, it makes perfect sense for brands to showcase their farm-fresh products and sources of origin on their packaging. Siggi’s yogurt features a lovely illustration of a key ingredient, such as blueberries. Red Jacket Juices, made at the Red Jacket Orchard, feature a large apple that reflects the all-natural flavor of the juice. Ronnybrook Farm features cows on its packaging, while Old Chatham Sheepherding Company and Bellwether Farms feature sheep. Packaging for Kate’s Homemade Butter boasts a photo of a little girl, presumably Kate herself, who the consumer is led to believe may have churned the butter inside.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5877\" title=\"01_14_12_NancyCBX4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/01_14_12_NancyCBX4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"903\" />\r\n\r\n5. <strong>Don’t skimp on the details</strong>. Details like package structure and printing methods signal the quality, upscale nature of farm-to-fork products to consumers. Rick’s Picks pickles and Ronnybrook Farm’s milk products are both housed in ball jar-type glass bottles that reference the farm-fresh aspect of the offerings, let consumers see their freshness, and harken back to their greenmarket origins. Siggi’s yogurt has a matte-paper wrapper that is both incredibly spare and undeniably upscale. Dorset Cereals come in uncoated paper boxes with peak-a-boo windows that let you see the product and mirror the natural nature of the oats, grains, and dried fruits inside.\r\n\r\nOf course, not all CPG companies will be able to bring their products to consumers straight from the farm. But by following the lead of some of the successful farm-to-fork companies out there right now and by utilizing at least a few of the five steps mentioned, they can definitely capitalize on the movement and take measures to make their products seem as local, simple, and authentic as possible.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/1/14/farm-to-fork-drives-consumer-packaging.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/1/14/farm-to-fork-drives-consumer-packaging.html</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', '\'Farm-to-fork\' drives consumer packaging', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1796-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1796, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1796-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2649, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<p>CHICAGO -- In a video montage of retail creativity and business best practices, the 2011 Ideas 2 Go session at the 2011 NACS Show in Chicago this week featured nine retailers, including two operators in Hawaii, a truckstop, a single-store operator, a grocery legend and a few well-known regional chains.\r\nDespite the diversity, all take a different stab at selling fresh food that other retailers can emulate.\r\n\r\nPak-A-Sak\r\n\r\nPak-A-Sak Inc. has made drive-throughs work where other retailers have failed. The retailer acquired two sites in Amarillo, Texas, originally designed as Starbucks drive-throughs and repurposed them to fit a smaller version of its c-stores. As customers queue up in the drive-through lane, they can see the store\'s selection of packaged beverages through large glass windows.\r\n\r\n\"We had to train customers that they get anything in the store, so seeing through the wall helps,\" said vice president Brian McKee.\r\n\r\nAlthough the 1,700-square-feet sites are smaller, they still sell 90% of the SKUs in Pak-A-Sak\'s large stores; 67% of sales are made through the drive-through.\r\n\r\nStew Leonard\'s\r\n\r\nAnother retailer with a slimmed-down offering is Stew Leonard\'s, a four-store grocery chain based in Norwalk, Conn.\r\n\r\nAs president and CEO Stew Leonard Jr. explained, his sites feature around 2,000 SKUs, compared to an average of 80,000 in a traditional supermarket. A bakery section located right at the entrance greets customers with the smells of fresh bread, pies and other baked goods. While cherries are traditionally packaged in bags, Stew Leonard\'s sells them loose and lets customers pick themselves. Another unorthodox move: The grocer encourages mothers to apply for positions at its sites, despite their often constrained schedules.\r\n\r\n\"Your schedule is our schedule,\" said Leonard, noting that these moms excel at customer service and are seasoned food shoppers themselves.\r\n\r\n(See Related Content below for previous CSP Daily Newscoverage.)\r\n\r\nTedeschi Food Shops\r\n\r\nTedeschi Food Shops Inc., a 190-store chain based in Rockland, Mass., transformed a former mattress store into a showcase of fresh food. \"When you first walk in, you see fresh all around,\" said vice president Joe Hamza, noting that the effort is aimed at attracting the female shopper.\r\n\r\nCues include fresh flowers, the smells of bread and brewed coffee, as well as meats being sliced and sandwiches made at the store\'s in-house deli. To help customers in their efforts to stay healthy, signs ask them to inform employees of any food allergies, and prepared foods are labeled clearly with their nutritional content.\r\n\r\n\"The concept of a healthy c-store is an oxymoron today,\" said Peter Tedeschi, president and CEO. \"We need to change that.\"\r\n\r\nNourish Market\r\n\r\nNourish Market has taken that theme to heart, said Karen Sherwood, founder and CEO of the McLean, Va., single-store operator. The shop specializes in home-made prepared foods, and has gotten a boost by catering open houses for local real-estate agents.\r\n\r\nOther offerings include organic wine and gluten-free beer and crackers. \"People are giving up health for the sake of convenience,\" said Sherwood. \"We\'re proving it doesn\'t have to be the case.\r\n\r\nCocoCove\r\n\r\nThe Coco Cove store brand from The Sullivan Family of Cos., Honolulu, also wants to be a destination for fresh food, with its grab-and-go section stocked with bento boxes, made fresh every four hours. A full-blown deli and Asian sushi case serve up premade or custom edibles.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, at the store\'s salad bar, customers pick their own greens and fixings and have the salad tossed fresh. The entire store has an open, accessible feel thanks to open-air coolers. Even cut fruit has a utensil included in the package to make eating fresh as effortless as possible.\r\n\r\nKwik Trip\r\n\r\nNo stranger to foodservice, Kwik Trip Inc., LaCrosse, Wis., has seen category sales grow 10% each year, according to Steve Loehr, vice president of operations support. The chain is famous for bananas, selling 48 million of them a year, in addition to 6 million apples and 5 million oranges.\r\n\r\nIts latest healthful salvo is a launch of the 500 Club, a program created in partnership with a local hospital chain that highlights all Kwik Trip foodservice offerings that clock in at 500 calories or less.\r\n\r\nRussell\'s Truck & Travel Center\r\n\r\nHealthful living and truckers may not be synonymous, but Russell\'s Truck & Travel Center, Glenrio, N.M., is hoping to make the connection clearer. The site offers a clean destination point for truckers, or \"an oasis in the desert,\" as described by Mark Russell, director of operations. This includes a fresh-fruit program and exercise equipment, along with a lounge and Laundromat. An in-house chapel and a car museum are a couple other unusual attractions.\r\n\r\nOpen Pantry\r\n\r\nOpen Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin Inc., Pleasant Prairie, Wis., also aims to remake the convenience mold--and attract more female customers--with one of its newest sites.\r\n\r\n\"To find incremental customers, you have to invest,\" said Robert Buehler, president and CEO of the 27-site chain.\r\n\r\nThe high-end store includes 72-inch gondolas, flat-screen TVs above the coolers in lieu of signage, and a beer cave glowing with ice-blue lighting and stocked with a huge microbrewery beer offering. Restrooms also get the high-end, stylized treatment with gleaming granite countertops and hotel quality furnishings.\r\n\r\nAloha Petroleum\r\n\r\nHonolulu-based Aloha Petroleum\'s Aloha Island Mart chain has also used design to make a new convenience statement with a tear-down and rebuild. The 3,000-square-foot site, designed by Joseph Bona of retail branding and design firm CBX, has a Polynesian feel to tie into its tropical surroundings. Tall, loft style ceilings and large windows lend an open feel, and angled gondolas enable customers to more easily navigate the store.As a complimentary service to customers, the site has two water fountains installed outside for local fitness enthusiasts to enjoy.\r\n\r\nRichard Parry, CEO, acknowledged that the store might lose some bottled-water sales, but is more than making up for it with customer loyalty. (See Related Content below for previous CSP Daily Newscoverage.)\r\n\r\nEach of these concepts should serve as inspiration for retailers looking to refresh their own offering. As Leonard with Stew Leonard\'s noted, despite his chain\'s reputation for originality, it is even better at taking a good idea and running with it. That\'s why the \"R&D\" in its R&D department stands for \"retrieve and duplicate.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cspnet.com/news/corporate/articles/retrieve-duplicate\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.cspnet.com/news/corporate/articles/retrieve-duplicate</a>', '\'Retrieve & Duplicate,\' 2011 edition of NACS Ideas 2 Go features nine fresh takes on convenience', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1733-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1733, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1733-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2650, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<p>CHICAGO -- Today\'s consumers may be difficult to pinpoint, but two things are evident: They interact with food in a way they never have before, and they genuinely want to be connected to a brand.\r\nWith this foundation, Joseph Bona, president of retail for New York-based CBX, dove into his workshop on foodservice design and function at the 2011 NACS Show in Chicago.\r\n\r\nConsumers today want an \"authentic food experience,\" said Bona. They\'re accustomed to more variety, greater selection, fresher ingredients and healthier, tastier choices. The task of the retailer is to craft a connection between their stores and their offerings. That is done through design and branding.\r\n\r\nTo do so, retailers must treat their stores as literal stages from a design perspective, while settling on a brand positioning that is at once highly relevant and differentiated from the rest of the pack.\r\n\r\nBona breaks it into three steps:\r\n\r\nStep One: Capability, Opportunity & Positioning. In this step, a company must determine its own bandwidth, the opportunities in the marketplace and where the two meet.\r\n\r\nBona gave the example of a recent client, Arby\'s. The quick-serve brand sought to reposition itself for long-term growth. Through customer research, current trends and the company\'s capabilities, they created five \"stories,\" or hypothetical branding positions. One focused on the craftsmanship and quality of Arby\'s roast beef sandwich. Another focused on customization and the guest\'s ability to create his or her own experience. A third story spoke of \"a better choice\" and trust in ingredients.\r\n\r\nIn the end, the positioning was boiled down to a single sentiment: \"The food I crave,\" emphasizing the consumer\'s love of Arby\'s roast beef backed by those traits of quality ingredients, craftsmanship and customization.\r\n\r\nStep Two: Curb Appeal & 360-Degree Design. Once a brand has been positioned or repositioned, it\'s time to turn to the store design. It starts with curb appeal, said Bona: How do you get the customer in your store in the first place? Next comes full attention to the interior: placing product with which you want to tell a narrative of your brand up front, using ingredients as display and creating a natural flow through a store.\r\n\r\nThis step also includes touch points beyond physical design. How do your packaging, websites, social media and mobile apps tell a story that is consistent with your initial positioning?\r\n\r\nStep Three: Stay Focused, Stay Flexible. \"It\'s very easy to get discouraged [with foodservice],\" said Bona. \"Food takes time, you\'re changing people\'s habits.\" Particularly for c-store operators who are accustomed to easily projecting sales, foodservice requires a lot of patience. Sit tight, be consistent and stay focused on your initial brand road map.\r\n\r\nAt the same time, be flexible. The foodservice business changes at the drop of a hat, and foodservice companies must constantly be fresh, exciting and relevant. Bona points to McDonald\'s and its recent nimbleness: This massive, global brand changed consumer perception of its coffee by rolling out specialty drinks, appealed to health-conscious consumers with salads and smoothies and stayed relevant with a modernized store design.\r\n\r\nAnd throughout the entire foodservice design and branding process, retailers must always deliver one thing: freshness.\r\n\r\n\"Fresh is table stakes,\" for c-store foodservice today, said Bona. \"If you\'re not fresh, you\'re not in the game.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cspnet.com/news/foodservice/articles/staging-authentic-food-experience\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.cspnet.com/news/foodservice/articles/staging-authentic-food-experience</a>', '\'Staging\' an Authentic Food Experience', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1735-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1735, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1735-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2651, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<strong>Summer Project Unites NYC Grade-Schoolers With Leading Brand Agency to Create and Operate \'Dream\' Lemonade Stand in Heart of the City</strong>\r\nWhen one thinks of a lemonade stand, images come to mind of children looking to pass a summer afternoon by selling homemade drinks along sleepy suburban or rural roads. For children from <a href=\"http://www.826nyc.org/\" target=\"_blank\">826NYC</a>, an organization founded by celebrated author Dave Eggers to foster creative writing skills in under-resourced students, this summer rite of passage provided the opportunity to work with leading brand agency CBX on a project to create and operate a colorful tropical oasis-style stand at a busy Manhattan plaza -- exposing their group\'s mission to thousands of people.\r\n\r\nThrough \'The Great Lemonation Imagination Collaboration\' workshop, the students and agency joined together for a two-month project to develop a dream lemonade stand and raise awareness for 826NYC. The students, who range in age from nine to 12, worked side-by-side with the CBX creative team on everything from the naming of the business to the design of the logo, stand, signage, product packaging, and uniforms.\r\n\r\nOn August 20th, 11 students from the organization came to Manhattan\'s Flatiron Plaza (Broadway and 23rd Street) to see the culmination of their efforts, operating the \'Sweet \'n Sour Chillville\' stand and collecting donations to support the organization\'s work. They and 826NYC officials also had a chance to talk with the public about the group\'s after-school programs. All told, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., the students handed out their full supply of 3,000 bottles of \'Lemon826 Sweet \'n Sour Lemon Twist\' branded lemonade, raising nearly $3,000 for their Brooklyn-based organization.\r\n\r\nUnder the students\' vision, the 10-ft. by 20-ft. installation was designed to resemble \"a tropical oasis hidden in the heart of New York City\'s steamy concrete jungle,\" complete with a treasure chest cooler for the product, palm trees, towering Easter Island statues, flamingos, penguins, a misting system, and \"Welcome to Paradise\" signage. Information on the project and 826NYC was provided on a TV monitor and additional signage.\r\n\r\n\"The lemonade stand was a great opportunity for our students to not only learn about how to tell a story through branding with the folks at CBX, but to also lend their voice to why 826NYC is so important,\" noted Joshua Mandelbaum, executive director of 826NYC. \"All of the participating students were regulars in our after-school program and it was inspiring to see them out in Flatiron Plaza boldly telling New Yorkers about their experience in our after-school program and workshops. It is no wonder that, with such enthusiastic promoters, we were able to raise close to $3,000 and had countless conversations about volunteering with folks from all over the city.\"\r\n\r\n826 founder Dave Eggers added: \"As a project-based learning center, 826 has always tried to focus on making things whereby the students feel like their work has real-world application. So, over the years, the students at 826NYC have made incredible short films, written novels, produced radio shows and made hundreds of chapbooks. The lemonade stand project with CBX was right in keeping with this idea -- how do you make writing feel electric and essential and how do you give students an authentic outside audience? This project works on so many levels. Having the students plan with the professionals at CBX, execute and then interact with the general public in Flatiron Plaza is an experience that will have a profound effect on these young people.\"\r\n\r\n\"Our purpose in taking part in this project was to energize the young creative minds of 826NYC and to enable them to see that their imaginations can be realized in a meaningful and tangible way,\" said Gregg S. Lipman, Managing Partner of the Manhattan-based CBX, which provides a variety of branding services to the organization on a pro-bono basis. \"We wanted them to experience how gratifying it is to come up with an amazing idea and see it come to life. I\'m proud that CBX was able to make a difference in these kids\' lives, and we will continue to work with the organization in the future. It was a unique and fulfilling experience for the entire CBX staff, and a cool reminder as to why we are in the creative business in the first place.\"\r\n\r\nAlong with CBX, two New York City firms, <a href=\"http://www.bigapplegroup.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Big Apple Visual Group</a> and <a href=\"http://suitespot.tv/\" target=\"_blank\">Suite Spot </a>lent their services on a pro-bono basis. Big Apple Visual, which specializes in all types of architectural, way finding and retail signage, manufactured all of the components and built the lemonade stand. Suite Spot, a full-service video production company, created a video about the project that was shown at the lemonade stand and provided onsite filming for a video that will be used in the future by 826NYC.', '\'The Great Lemonation Imagination Collaboration\'', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1990-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1990, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1990-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2652, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Rick_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1070\" /></a>By Rick Barrack:\r\nA thorough understanding of the environment in which products are stored and used is the first important step to medical package design. While conducting research for the 10,000-product design overhaul for Boston Scientific, researchers were embedded with medical practitioners around the world. Vital insight was gained from watching the experts in action, listening to how they spoke about and requested supplies, and following them everywhere from the operating room to the supply closet. Similarly for Kimberly-Clark, CBX traveled to hospitals to observe practitioner interaction with the devices.\r\n\r\nBy closely observing the products’ end-users in their own environment, CBX was able to identify the one or two pieces of vital information to communicate on a label. Ultimately, each medical package’s design has to successfully achieve one goal: convey clear, quick, and succinct information to the end-user.\r\n\r\nIn the case of Boston Scientific, brand identity was inconsistent, and packaging was overly complicated because the company was composed of many businesses and many of the products within the portfolio were the results of acquisitions. Therefore, the goal of the redesign program was two-fold: to create a strong masterbrand in order to establish the brand’s credibility and authority and to simplify the packaging. It was determined that the medical device’s name and size were the most important elements on the label. Other pieces of information may have been required by regulations, but were not critical to the immediate selection and usage process. A review of existing packaging found vital name and size information being communicated in thousands of different ways. Clearly, the need to standardize and systemize the packaging for the clarity and benefit of the end-user was paramount.\r\n\r\nOnce critical information is identified, the next question is how best to communicate it. CBX developed an easy rubric to keep in mind highlighting the three Cs in medical package design: clarity, corridor, and consistency:\r\n\r\nClarity. Understand what information the end-user is looking for, and clearly and boldly communicate it.\r\n\r\nCorridor. Create a hierarchy of information, and design an information corridor, a systemized and basic approach to aligning information on the package in the form of a chart or grid.\r\n\r\nConsistency. Once the hierarchy and information corridor is established, use it consistently. Always convey the same information in the same spot across the labels. This helps the end-user find the information needed.\r\n\r\nAt this point, the actual process of design can begin. For Boston Scientific, very large, legible, black type communicated the most important information on the top of every label. Secondary and tertiary information was placed in a less prominent position. Symbols and words were added to convey those pieces of information. When working on a multilingual label packaging assignment, such as Boston Scientific’s, globally recognized symbols play an important role in communicating the next levels in the communication hierarchy.\r\n\r\nThe Kimberly-Clark program employs information corridors to convey critical information. For example, in addition to instantly answering the question, “What is this product?” each package had to address differentiation within the category as well as size.\r\n\r\nThe Kimberly-Clark branding system presents a duotone photograph of a health professional at the top of the package closely linked with the Kimberly-Clark brandmark. This imagery, along with the brand, conveys innovation, quality, and trust. Like the Boston Scientific program, this system utilizes information corridors as areas to convey critical information. The primary or most important information was placed in a dominant orange band toward the top of the packaging. All secondary information was conveyed in words and symbols in a dark blue field at the bottom of the package. The colors chosen, a combination of blue, orange, and white, were selected because they were unique to the category and would help the products stand out.\r\n\r\nThe last, most important step in medical package design is going back to the medical community to ask questions. What do they think of this design, and does it work for them?\r\n\r\nFor Boston Scientific, focus groups were conducted with medical practitioners worldwide with the new design alternatives. Packaging changes were well received as long as significant improvements were evident and would allow them to perform their jobs quicker and easier.\r\n\r\nCommitment to clear design goes along with the goal to create preference in a medical setting for products where there may be dozens of manufacturers represented. A truly great package design will incorporate breakthrough design in the category while also organizing key information and conveying the trust and professionalism required for the medical community.\r\n\r\nThe National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine estimates 44,000 to 98,000 Americans die each year in hospitals from preventable medical errors. Mistakes in drug dispensing and dosing are the reason for a reported half of all adverse, often dangerous, drug reactions, warns the same report. Medical missteps are, in fact, the eighth leading cause of death in the United States today, wrote Tamar Nordenberg in “Make No Mistake: Medical Errors Can Be Deadly Serious,” in the September/October 2000 issue of FDA Consumer.\r\n\r\nWith statistics like these and medical mistake coverage front and center in the news, such as actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins given 1000 times the intended dosage of Heparin not once but twice, the critical role clear communication plays in medical device/medical product packaging design can not be underestimated.</p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.pmpnews.com/article/research-nerve-central\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.pmpnews.com/article/research-nerve-central</a>', '\"Research at Nerve Central: We can save lives through package communication.\"', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1575-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1575, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1575-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2653, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'Actually, scratch that. RadioShack\'s new top management pulled the plug on \"The Shack\" moniker when they green lighted a brand overhaul just shy of a year ago.\r\nAnd change was needed. The storied Fort Worth, Texas-based retailer that ushered in the personal computing era with its TRS-80 microcomputer in 1977-once dominating Apple, IBM, Commodore and Wang-had been struggling for years against vertically integrated brands, as well as big-box and mass merchants.\r\n\r\nBut industry veteran and current Radio Shack CEO Joe Magnacca is working to change that. With more than 20 years in retailing, Magnacca joined RadioShack from Walgreens, where he is credited for the turnaround of its Duane Reade stores. Magnacca in turn recruited Mike DeFazio, also a key player in the Duane Reade reinvention effort, as senior vice president, store concepts.\r\n\r\nLast year, Magnacca created a buzz with a fast track plan to reinvent the company. Founded in 1921, RadioShack is one of the country\'s oldest retail brands and one of the largest, not to mention ubiquitous. It operates some 4,300 stores stretching across the United States, as well as more than 1,200 international units. The retailer\'s merchandise includes 7,000 SKUs-from adapters and antennas to flashlights, batteries, radio-controlled toys and two-way radios-nearly 70 percent of which are private label.\r\n\r\nRationalizing Radio Shack\'s assortment was a big part of Magnacca\'s vision, although RadioShack will continue to sell mainline brands, such as Apple. \"We wanted to become a destination for our own brands, because that will keep customers coming back to just us,\" DeFazio says. For that reason, RadioShack merchants are working to source new and proprietary goods.\r\n\r\nMagnacca also wanted to pay homage to the brand\'s heritage as a place for fun and Innovative products, and a \"Let\'s Play\" platform became the foundation on which to build an advertising campaign, as well as in-store communication. However, both stores and merchandise needed to be embraced by existing mobility customers while wooing women and younger customers who were not Radio Shack loyalists. So, the CEO tamed to New York-based CBX for Its store design and packaging expertise.\r\n\r\nThe first remodeled RadioShack store opened at Sundance Square In Fort Worth last May, followed by a New York location at Broadway and 81st Street In June. Both concept stores, averaging 2,000 sq. ft., showcase a number of new features to be rolled out throughout the Un1ted States and internationally over time. At the end of 2013, the retailer had made Improvements to nearly every one of its stores, ranging from new paint and graphics in it’s \"Brand Statement\" stores, which represent its smallest footprints or revenue generators, to major resets that include custom fixturing in the higher-volume\r\nconcept stores.\r\n\r\nThe 2,357-sq.-ft. Fort Worth flagship sports a mid-century modem feel, and has been dubbed a \"retro\" store. It features an authentically styled \"radio shack\" inside-a nod to the structure that houses a ship\'s radio equipment, complete with retro knobs and dials, and the term that supplied the chain\'s name 92 years ago.\r\n\r\nInside, a variety of vintage photos, old radios and technology as door suggest the store is part museum. \"It\'s all about playing on our name and heritage, while telling a whole new consumer base who we are and what we stand for, \" DeFazio says.\r\n\r\nWhile the Fort Worth store clearly is a customized homage to its headquarters, all stores will eventually feature a refreshed color palette and logo. The former red, black and white palette Radio Shack signature colors-has given way to burnt orange, deep metallic brown and stainless steel. Inside, customers will find a well-lit, visually open store with plenty of room to move, as well as a reordered experience.\r\n\r\nThe new design is easier to navigate thanks to large, simplified departmental signage calling out \"Power It, \" \"Rock It, \" \"Create It\" and \"Discover It.\" From a product point of view, the store Is no longer overwhelming,\" says Joseph Bona, president of branded environment, CBX. \"We wanted customers to easily find what they\'re looking for, but we also wanted to encourage Interaction with the products, so the displays needed to be\r\nmore accessible. \"\r\n\r\nNewly configured custom fixtures highlight a wide range of products from mobile phones to flat screen TVs. A conveniently located touchscreen computer allows customers an opportunity to enter their choice of phone or other device, and have their technical questions answered, or learn product benefits. A new speaker wall with a control console allows customers to test any or all speakers 1nd1vidually by playing music from their own Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices. A 65-ln. television allows customers to control the size of what\'s displayed (all the way down to 19 in.) In order to give them a sense of how televisions of various sizes will look In their home. There\'s also a headphone display with working headphones ranging In style and price, as well as a presentation of several GoPro camera models.\r\n\r\nBut, it\'s not only high touch. Helpful \"Texperts\" can answer shoppers\' question about RadioShack services and products. There\'s also an in-store kiosk that makes it convenient and easy fur customers to order items not in stock. Given its prime real estate, Radio Shack customers can stop by stores to place orders by kiosk for home delivery. And because part of Magnacca\'s vision included omnichannel selling, product packaging, already part of the RadioShack reinvention plan took on additional importance. In the months following the launch of the first amped-up stores, DeFazio explains, \"We\'ve made some tweaks. We feel we\'ve done all the things necessary to make it a good interactive experience, a comfortable environment that\'s easy to navigate and get around.\r\n\r\nWill it be enough to regain a share of consumers\' wallets in the highly competitive electronics sector? Only time will tell, but DeFazio says customers already are showing the love by spending money and driving revenue up in these first remodeled stores. So, when the time comes, don\'t call it a comeback-RadioShack\'s been here for years.', '\"The Shack\" is back and on a roll', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1912-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1912, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1912-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2654, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '\"In naming this year’s Vertex Awards judging panel, we have expanded the international voice,” said Christopher Durham, founder of My Private Brand and Vice President of Private Brand, Theory House. “We have added judges from China, Canada and Japan to expand the global perspective of the judging panel.”\r\nDurham, and competition co-sponsor, Phillip Russo, Publisher, Global Retail Brands, searched out design luminaries from eight countries and tasked them with holding entrants to a higher standard for private brand design. “Every year we strive to bring together the creative dream team of packaging design. Several of last year’s winners agreed to come back this year as judges.\"\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://mypbrand.com/2014/12/08/2014-vertex-awards-judging-panel-announced/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to see the judges for this year\'s competition.', '2014 Vertex  Awards Judging Panel Announced', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2043-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2043, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2043-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2655, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'By David Weinberger\r\nAs consumer expectations continue to evolve, brick and mortar retailers are elevating experience. Clearly. They are not only fighting for your attention and your dollars. They’re also fighting for your stomach.\r\n\r\nRetailers understand that they have to offer more than just goods and services in order to thrive. Consumers are perfectly comfortable skipping trips to the store, and ordering online has become common behavior. To combat this, some <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/food-retail/\" target=\"_blank\">retailers</a> are adding entertainment value as a means to draw <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/consumer-trends/\" target=\"_blank\">consumers </a>in. Increasingly, however, retailers are adding some form of strategic foodservice in order to attract and retain customers and keep them satisfied. What’s that old saying about a way to a man’s heart?\r\n\r\nThere are three reasons to add <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/foodservice/\" target=\"_blank\">foodservice</a> to a store:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. To increase foot traffic</strong>\r\n\r\nSeems obvious, but foodservice can give customers a reason to walk in, and a reason to stay longer. <a href=\"http://www.barnesandnoble.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barnes &amp; Noble Cafes</a> featuring <a href=\"http://www.starbucks.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Starbucks</a> beverages are a great example. Teaming with a branded partner can make a lot of sense and give people a reason to come to you. With coffee in hand, customers are more likely to browse the store and make a purchase.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. To create incremental revenue</strong>\r\n\r\nCreating this new source of revenue is possible if you are really in tune with your customers and understand their shopping habits. <a href=\"http://www.equinox.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Equinox</a> fitness clubs recognized that after a workout, many gym-goers immediately grab lunch or a smoothie. Instead of sending them on their way to find nourishment off the premises, Equinox leases space to operators who deliver healthy, high-protein options right in the club. They’ve made a conscious decision to not take on the job in-house. They are sticking with what they know — fitness — and making money from the third party. Whether being led by an in-house team or a third-party vendor, it’s the consumer who benefits.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. To extend visit time</strong>\r\n\r\nThis means keeping customers in the store longer and spending more money, which can be done in several ways. You could argue that the Barnes &amp; Noble Cafe does this during quick shopping sprees, but let’s also look at longer trips. Large department stores such as <a href=\"http://shop.nordstrom.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Nordstrom</a> and <a href=\"http://www.selfridges.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Selfridges</a> are adding integrated dining experiences to offer opportunities to break up the shopping day and keep people on-site rather than go out for lunch (and potentially not come back). Extending in-store time can also come from offering a diversion to family members of your customers. Retailers like <a href=\"http://www.pepboys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Pep Boys</a> have recently added lounges to their new stores. And <a href=\"http://www.mybobs.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bob’s Discount Furniture</a> has a complementary cafe with coffee, ice cream, cookies and candy. In this case, parents have more time to browse for living room sets while Bob’s is keeping the kids from jumping on the couches.\r\n\r\nBefore taking on any foodservice offer, you must also realize that ancillary issues will arise, and there are elements of the new offer that you must be aware of. You now have new electrical and refrigeration needs, health and safety issues. Spoilage and sanitation. Layout. Operations. Ventilation. Look at your bathrooms — consumers won’t trust you for anything food related if you don’t have clean bathrooms. Operationally, do you think you can handle it? Just keep in mind — there is risk here.\r\n\r\nSo should every <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/retailer/\" target=\"_blank\">retailer </a>clear out a few hundred square feet of merchandise and set up a restaurant? You better understand your customer first. Knowing exactly who they are through a customer segmentation study is key. Understanding what they are looking for and what they are open to is also vital. It may take some research and help to really understand what customers are doing immediately before and after they walk into your store. However this type of research can help determine whether foodservice will be a success or failure.\r\n\r\nIf all of your ducks are in order, try a pilot location and see how it goes. Are your employees able to handle it? Are consumers responding? Be honest with yourself and don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you can’t get drip coffee right, don’t bother with shrimp scampi.\r\n\r\nRead the full article <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2014/11/25/how-to-make-foodservice-a-success/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', '3 Reasons to add Foodservice to a Store, and How to Make it a Success', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2036-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2036, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2036-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2656, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '7Up, U by Kotex and Barbasol use promotional packaging this summer to help make consumers feel like they are getting something special and unique—because they are.\r\nPeople are willing to go to great lengths to attract our attention—just look at presidential candidate Donald Trump and his latest shock-worthy remarks. Brands, like people, often do the same to regain market share, increase sales and/or grow their consumer base. They come out with new product innovations. They redesign their packaging. They create new formulas—gluten-free/sugar-free/fat-free—you name it. And they employ one of the best ways for a brand to get consumers’ attention: They launch a promotional packaging campaign.\r\n\r\nPromotional packaging often features unique graphics, compelling messaging and a call-to-action that creates intrigue, promotes trial and provokes purchase. In this age where it seems like everything is readily available (and via two-day shipping nonetheless), consumers need to feel like they are getting something unique to make a purchase.\r\n\r\nBrands like Coca-Cola and M&amp;M’s understand this, and have responded accordingly with inspiring campaigns. Coke has been personalizing its cans with people’s names to delight and encourage selfie-centric consumers to buy its products. M&amp;M’s not only finds innovative ways to surprise its consumers with new products, it also presents its fun-loving candy characters in a variety of seasonal outfits and situations worthy of collecting.\r\n\r\nBecause I’m always on the lookout for provocative new promotional packaging, I recently hit the supermarket to see what novel campaigns had cropped up for summer 2015. I noticed that this year’s summer promotions use three distinctive tactics to speak to consumers:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Embrace a trend</strong>\r\n<strong>2. Develop strategic partnerships</strong>\r\n<strong>3. Get seasonal</strong>\r\n\r\nLet’s look at each tactic.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. On trend, on the dance floor</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MSP-15-06-24-15.25.05.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9420 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MSP-15-06-24-15.25.05-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"MSP 15-06-24 15.25.05\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n</strong>It’s nothing new for a brand to want to stay on trend, but it is always impressive when they are able to target an unmet demographic at the same time. That’s what 7Up is doing with its new EDM-inspired cans.\r\n\r\nRecognizing that there was a void for products that targeted Hispanic Millennials, which comprised 38% of the market, 7Up went after this segment of positive, experience-seeking young people. At the same time, 7Up also recognized that no beverage brand was capitalizing on the huge Electronic Dance Music (EDM) trend that is so popular with Millennials, and decided to take action.\r\n\r\nThe 7Up team created new promotional packaging (shown above) that is vibrant, colorful and cool—the kind of packaging that Millennials want to be seen holding in their hands. A partnership with EDM stars Martin Garrix and Tiesto led to the creation of cans that convey the energy of an all-night EDM party. These designs reflect different consumers’ distinctive style and capture the essence of this music trend.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Partnering for success</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MSP-15-07-01-13.06.31.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9417 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MSP-15-07-01-13.06.31-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"MSP 15-07-01 13.06.31\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\nIn recent years, retailers have gotten savvy about how to use promotional packaging exclusive to their stores as a way to keep consumers loyal and to keep brands happy. That’s what happened when Target teamed up with U by Kotex on its Style n’ Store boxes.\r\n\r\nThis summer, after recognizing that young women value great design, U by Kotex —which revolutionized the category with its black boxes, bright colors and no BS-tone of voice—launched Style n’ Store boxes to target young women craving style and balance. The boxes are so great looking that people simply don’t want to throw them out when they are done with them.\r\n\r\nSold exclusively at Target, Style n’ Store features bright, poppy designs in a box that serves a dual-purpose. Once emptied, it is used as storage for makeup, cotton balls, bobby pins and other knick-knacks that women need to store. It’s a great product for girls headed off to overnight camp, teen tours and college, who may be needing trendy storage units. And it is consistent with the great design that Target consumers expect to find at the store.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Always in season</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Barbasol-JW-Original-and-Aloe-300-dpi.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9419 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Barbasol-JW-Original-and-Aloe-300-dpi.jpg\" alt=\"Barbasol JW Original and Aloe 300 dpi\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" /></a>\r\nPromotional packaging and seasonal tie-ins pretty much go hand-in-hand, but the real challenge is to find a fresh, eye-catching way to inspire consumers to purchase a product.\r\n\r\nMovie partnerships are the classic summer promotion and, every June, a slew of new promotional packaging comes out to coincide with the launch of the summer blockbusters. Yes, we expect Chiquita bananas to promote “Minions,” but what does a Barbasol can have to do with dinosaurs? Well, a lot, it turns out, as the hundreds of millions of people who have seen the “Jurassic Park” movies over the years know.\r\n\r\nIn the first film in that series, a Barbasol can was used to nefariously smuggle dinosaur embryos off the island. That attempt failed, however, and the can was lost in the jungle, only to be brought back 22 years later. Barbasol’s Limited Edition “Jurassic World” cans feature various illustrated dinosaurs sitting against Barbasol’s iconic striped can.\r\n\r\nBy thinking out of the box and offering an unexpected twist on the movie tie-in, Barbasol offered a fresh take on promotional packaging and created a must-have collectors’ item for both fans of the movie and fans of good design.\r\n\r\nBy using unique approaches to promotional packaging, each of these brands has inspired consumers to keep them top of mind. It’s no surprise that the 7Up, U by Kotex and Barbasol promotions have created interest and buzz amongst consumers.\r\n\r\nPromotional packaging continues to be an important part of the marketing mix, and my prediction is that it will continue to be so in years to come. Even though I’m not so good with the changing of the seasons, I can’t wait to see what fall brings in terms of promotional packaging—and to see how “The Donald” will shoot his mouth off next.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/3-tactics-provocative-packaging-promotions/page/0/2\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging Digest</a>.', '3 Tactics for Provocative Packaging Promotions', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2143-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2143, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2143-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2657, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'In creating product packaging for upstart brands, one approach is to look at the ultimate goal—rising to become a top brand in the category nationally or even internationally—and to then copy the look of brands that have already reached this summit. The problem with this approach, though, is its inherent lack of authenticity. Copying others is what you do when you have low self-esteem, right?\r\nThis “knockoff play” sometimes works, of course, but it can certainly be problematic in today’s marketplace, where the need for authenticity is playing an ever-larger role and will continue to do so as Millennials and Generation Z’s take the reins. Simply put, today’s consumers are looking for authentic stories. This is precisely why so many of them are strolling through farmer’s markets every week, befriending neighborhood chefs and food truck operators, and just generally doing all they can to live by the mantra “think globally, buy locally.”\r\n\r\nIn fact, the rapid success of so many local operators is translating into growing demand for an alternate strategy to the knockoff play—namely, helping brands maintain their authenticity and potential for category disruption even as they scale up to become players on the national stage.\r\n\r\nOne example of this phenomenon is Man Cave Craft Meats. Over the past couple of years, this plucky startup moved from its tent at the Minneapolis Farmers Market to a rapid and aggressive rollout, now underway, to more than 500 grocery stores across the country.\r\n\r\nThe founders of Man Cave Meats, Nick and Josh Beste, were university students when they launched the business. These young entrepreneurs started out by selling grilling products and other male-oriented stuff at product parties held in Minneapolis homes. However, when customers began raving about the standout flavors of the meats they were serving at these events, the Beste brothers smartly decided to switch gears. Man Cave Meats was born.\r\n\r\nAs the popularity of Man Cave Meats’ food truck and farmers market tent skyrocketed, the brothers also made the smart strategic move of bringing in a national agency for expert help with their brand identity and product packaging. Unlike the typical products on grocery store shelves, after all, Man Cave Meats’ flavors were true standouts. They included 50/50 bacon burgers, sriracha chicken sausages, buffalo-style bratwursts with bleu cheese and more.\r\n\r\nUntil recently, the de-facto approach might have been for the agency to try to persuade the Beste brothers to make Man Cave Meats another Hillshire Farms or Johnsonville Brats. But given the strength of local narratives in today’s marketplace, that would have been a mistake. Would the likes of craft beer icons Founders Brewery Co. or Summit Brewing Co. have tried to imitate the packaging of Coors or Budweiser? No way. Thus it made perfect sense for this local company to take a bold, independent approach to packaging as well.\r\n\r\nMan Cave Meats’ packs feature black backgrounds, attention-grabbing typography treatments and gritty photographs of manly characters with beards, tattoos—and no apologies. This is in keeping with the original inspiration of the brand and conveys the Beste brothers’ love of their craft. However, it also happens to contribute to a packaging design system that is distinctive enough to be disruptive at shelf.\r\n\r\nAnd disruptive is the operative word: These packs were definitely not designed to appeal to everybody. A grandma who has always bought Hillshire Farms or Johnsonville meats might indeed do a double-take at Man Cave Meats’ “Long live the butcher!” slogan, or the brand’s photographs, commissioned by the agency, of a muscular, bearded, tattooed butcher staring confidently into the camera.\r\n\r\nFoodies and down-to-earth meat eaters, however, immediately understand and respond to this packaging. So, too, do curious customers who are more adventurous and eager to branch out. Maybe they are already familiar with, say, small-batch bourbon, but haven’t yet tried craft meats. Man Cave Meats gives them the opportunity to discover something new.\r\n\r\nAs agencies increasingly work with local brands that have big dreams, then, here are four principles to keep in mind:\r\n\r\n1. Be not afraid.\r\n\r\nIt can be a joy to work with local brands that are not consumed with handwringing over how to be all things to all people. If the agency responds to this with conservative naysaying—“No, you can’t do that because you’ll put people off”—authenticity will be lost in the process. So, too, could the business opportunity represented by the offbeat brand’s disruptive potential. If the brand’s founders have achieved success locally by expressing a sardonic sense of humor, using edgy models, or being high-brow and uncompromising, your job is to make this scalable, not to play “Church Lady” and shut it down.\r\n\r\n2. Emphasize quality—but tell the truth.\r\n\r\nIn today’s marketplace, consumers who seek out authentic and local brands are typically obsessed with quality as well. Today’s consumers are highly educated. They regard generalized terms like “eco-friendly” or “top quality” as dubious, to say the least. Consumers know that meaningless terms such as these are the first resort of inauthentic brands (imprecise language can get you in trouble with regulators as well, but that’s another story…).\r\n\r\nBe specific. Tell people exactly how the brand differentiates itself from a quality standpoint, and make sure the story is true. The trick, though, is to avoid clutter in the process. Provide only as much information as the consumer needs to feel informed.\r\n\r\n3. Emphasize the local angle—but be subtle.\r\n\r\nHave you ever been to an airport or tourist trap gift shop where the “local angle” was laid on so thick you wanted to head for the exit? Emphasizing a brand’s local roots requires some subtlety. A visual or textural reference here or there to the city and state of origin is fine, but avoid laying it on thick via hackneyed and obvious references to geography. “Welcome to Florida!” is not what you’re trying to say with the brand.\r\n\r\n4. Be happy with smaller market share.\r\n\r\nSounds like sacrilege doesn’t it? And it is—for some of the mass-market players. In the case of local-inspired brands, however, being disruptive and nipping at the heels of the big dogs can be a perfectly sound strategy. Apologies to people with those big foam fingers, but you don’t always have to be No.1.\r\n\r\nAcquired by Unilever in December 2014, Minneapolis-based Talenti Gelato is a case in point. This local brand made its mark by going after the likes of Ben &amp; Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs in a savvy and disruptive fashion. Taking on Breyer’s wasn’t the goal. With its plastic jars and screw-on tops, Talenti was too different to have any hopes of occupying the No.1 spot. But this and other differentiators contributed to the brand’s growth within the category. If a local brand has disruptive potential, in other words, make sure the packaging leverages this rather than neuters it.\r\n\r\nWe live in a world of paradox. One of the funny things about local brands is that their authentic stories make them popular, not only with consumers, but with the brand-acquisition departments at multinational corporations as well. General Mills snapped up Annie’s. Hershey’s bought Krave jerky. And of course, most of the seemingly independent brands at Whole Foods—Tom’s of Maine, Odwalla, you name it—are owned by huge corporations. For me, this speaks to the power of local brands and the authentic stories behind them. If these brands weren’t appealing to consumers, after all, the biggie corporations would leave them be.\r\n\r\nStrong local brands have lots to be proud of. Knocking off others is the last thing they want to do. Our job as storytellers is to help them communicate as clearly and effectively as possible. If they ultimately make millions of dollars in the process and become household names well beyond the borders of their hometowns, who are we to complain?\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/4-tips-applying-local-inspiration-scalable-brands-big-dreams\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging Digest</a>.', '4 Tips for Applying Local Inspiration to Scalable Brands with Big Dreams', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2145-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2145, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2145-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2658, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'Inspiration works best when it’s right where you need it — at work. So, we went out in search of the workspaces with the most creative interiors for their employees, in hopes that some ideas from these unique design studios might help spark you and your team to get creative within the walls of your workspaces.\r\nEach of these featured unique design studios (all gathered from firms located in the eastern United States) takes a different approach to instilling inspiration into their workspaces: Some are sleek and modern, while others are raw and rustic. There are those swathed in bright colors, while others take on more subdued color palettes. There are dramatic structures and impressive lobbies, vast chalkboards for doodling and all sorts of other outlets erected to spark employees’ creativity in these workspaces.\r\n\r\nThat variety goes to show that cool workspaces can take on many different faces, but, most importantly, they help designers get back to what matters most: creating.\r\n\r\nHere are some of our favorite workspaces of design firms located throughout the Eastern United States. HOWdesign.com’s Creative Workspaces section is your place to see more roundups and posts about clever interiors in the future, giving you a sneak peek inside some of the most inspirational setups. Check out our roundup of 5 Creative Workspaces in the Western U.S., too.\r\n\r\n<strong>Firm: CBX, New York City</strong>\r\n\r\nLook and feel of the office: Chief creative officer Rick Barrack paid tribute to his Kentucky roots through such details as a 1900s wood tractor wheel integrated into his desk, seating fashioned from school-auditorium chairs, old carnival lights, and a working garage door (along with shingles, partial roof and antique paint) in one of the conference rooms.\r\n\r\nGoal of the workspace’s design: “First and foremost, we were going for transparency,” Barrack says. “We want to put on a show, yet give visitors to our office a behind-the-scenes look at how we operate on a daily basis. We also love the idea of an open floor plan that is conducive to open, collaborative experiences and a collective environment. Low walls, plexiglass and wall cut-outs all provide a lens into our everyday magic (and madness).”\r\n\r\nFavorite element of the office: A red velvet curtain that references The Wizard of Oz, as a nod to the magic that happens when “wonder is at work,” Barrack explains. Plus, the curtain’s crimson hue is also CBX’s trademark color.\r\n\r\nWorkspace’s influence on creativity: Each room was thoughtfully crafted as a way to reinforce the firm’s culture and help keep designers inspired. For instance, every conference room has been “CBX-ified,” whether that means featuring the color red or simply having a ready supply of the office’s official candy, M&amp;Ms, on hand. There are also designated brand rooms where folks can immerse themselves in the brands they’re working on.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.howdesign.com/design-creativity/creative-workspaces/eastern-creative-workspaces/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.howdesign.com/design-creativity/creative-workspaces/eastern-creative-workspaces/</a>', '5 Creative Workspaces in the Eastern U.S.', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1779-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1779, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1779-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2659, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'To start off the New Year and lead up to the judging of the first annual Vertex Awards International Private Brand Design Competition I sat down with each of the judges and asked them five questions about Private Brands, package design and differentiation – their answers present a unique global perspective and depth of knowledge of the retail brand space.\r\nToday’s conversation is with Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer &amp; Managing Partner, CBX of the U.S.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What do you look for in great Brand design?</strong>\r\nBreaking through the obvious.\r\nDesign that communicates a clear and concise message with a point of difference. Something that differentiates in the marketplace and from the competition. Don’t just push product with basic product shots, benefit statements and a cheaper price. Look to make a paradigm shift in a category, celebrate your brand’s unique difference in the marketplace.\r\n\r\n<strong>2.How can Design help retailers and their brands differentiate?</strong>\r\nRetailers all have some attributes that are unique to them — whether that be the way the arrange their goods, the way they make their goods, their service, etc. Design shows how to put those unique attributes on a pedestal — make those unique elements the hero and thus create a lasting image in consumers’ minds as to why they can get something from that retailer that they can’t get from anyone else — and that’s the most important piece of retail today because if they can get it someplace else, it’s a price game.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. How do you help retailers select great design instead of obvious or easy design?</strong>\r\nReminding our clients the value of good brand design is not just about being a national brand equivalent, but standing for something more than that and building brand equity and loyalty.\r\n\r\nDesign is about solving a particular puzzle (all the variables: physical, merchandising needs, space constraints, consumer desires, etc.) in an elegant way where the end solution makes a total impact greater than the sum of all the parts. Design is about creating more for less. Design puts together a puzzle of needs in a way that creates more impact with less resources. Great design has to solve for certain challenges within certain constraints. If it does that well, in a way where the investment is less than the net experience, then you have great design. However, great design doesn’t have to mean design that’s never been done before. Great design takes the core idea of “obvious” and makes it special, unique, nuanced and desired.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What advice do you have for retailers working with design consultancies/branding agencies?</strong>\r\n\r\nTrust them. Partner with them. Trust in the process and recognize that the creative process is iterative.\r\n\r\nTake the time upfront to work with the team to understand what all the possible opportunities are. Only then will you be able to make decisions confidently along the way because you’ve explored the alternative paths and know why you did or didn’t pursue them. If you dive right into design, thinking you know what you want, in the short term you may have less confidence in all the decisions that must be made along the way, and in the long run you might regret not stretching your ideas further because retail design is a long term investment.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. How can retailers avoid the mistakes of the past and the missteps of national brands?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest mistake national brands make is not “sticking with it”. Whether that be good values, advertising, their customer base, their long-term equities or any other unique-ness. Particularly in public companies where the pressure to grow is constant, too many brands and retailers will try anything new to light sales. But, creating consumer awareness of what you’re doing is quite expensive and is likely to wipe out the margin that might have been gained in increased sales. When brands “Stick with it,” they build on the momentum that has been banked over the long-term.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://mypbrand.com/2014/01/07/5-questions-the-vertex-judges-rick-barrack/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mypbrand+%28Myprivatebrand%27s+Blog%29\" target=\"_blank\">http://mypbrand.com/2014/01/07/5-questions-the-vertex-judges-rick-barrack/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mypbrand+%28Myprivatebrand%27s+Blog%29</a>', '5 Questions The vertex Judges: Rick Barrack', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1913-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1913, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1913-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(2660, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<strong>The gasoline canopy: For most of its existence, it has been a function-first structure, there to provide shelter from the weather and lend light at night.</strong>\r\nAnd in the 50 years since states began legalizing self-serve gas pumps, the canopy has largely retained the shape that reflects this practical purpose: the rectangle. Pure economics has bested creativity, keeping this architectural element frozen in time.\r\n“In the United States, you have so many legacy sites that have been around for so long that to tear [the canopy] down … it’s easier to repaint, restripe and reclad what already exists,” says Joe Bona, founding partner and president of retail design firm MoseleyBona Retail, Franklin, Mass.\r\n\r\nBut as fuel’s share of overall c-store profits continues to fall and in-store profitability rises, it’s time to redefine the canopy’s function and reconsider its investment potential. Yes, it still needs to protect customers from rain and sun. But the entire forecourt can do so much more.\r\n\r\n“It’s one of first things you see, a piece of communication that really reaches out, grabs people’s attention and signals the business that you’re in,” says Bona, who has designed canopies for retailers such as Wawa in the United States, COPEC in Chile and Axion in Argentina. “From that standpoint, the canopy is a pretty important piece of communication.\"\r\n\r\nFueling is an act of faith, Bona says. And through the forecourt, retailers must show that they sell quality fuel via visual, perceptive and experiential elements. A look at leading retailers and their signature canopies shows the potential when one breaks the rectangular mold.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/1.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10424\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/1.png\" alt=\"1\" width=\"885\" height=\"524\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Shape it up</strong>\r\n\r\nConsider the Wawa wing. Scott Boorse, facilities senior external vendor manager for Wawa Inc., Wawa, Pa., was part of the team that orchestrated the chain’s entry into the fuel business 20 years ago. The big question back then: How could Wawa grab a greater share of the declining liquid-fuels market?\r\n\r\nWawa understood that one factor guiding customers’ fuel buying process was the external appearance of the site. It needed to be inviting, “a place you want to go, that drives enthusiasm,” Boorse said during an educational session at the 2016 NACS Show. With that in mind, Wawa attempted to convey a “fresh and friendly” feel for its fuel island, beginning with a distinctive, cantilevered wing-shaped canopy designed by New York-based design firm CBX, where Bona previously was retail division president.\r\n\r\n“This is really a branding element that can dictate what your store is all about,” said Boorse, who describes the canopy as one of the most underused branding opportunities. The shape is so unique that Wawa trademarked it, and even chose to omit its logo.\r\n\r\n“Wawa’s canopy is so recognizable, you don’t need it,” Bona says. “It becomes part of the brand.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10425\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2.png\" alt=\"2\" width=\"885\" height=\"524\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Light it up</strong>\r\n\r\nLighting is another element of Wawa’s exterior branding, with the goal of providing a feeling of safety without blinding the neighbors, Boorse said. It designated six zones of lighting for store exteriors, using LED bulbs with varying levels of lumens and footprints for different aesthetic effects and purposes.\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to the canopy, consider lighting possibilities beyond the underside, Bona says. “At nighttime you’re competing with other retail establishments on the street: fast-food places, shopping malls, etc.,” he says. “How can you stand out a little bit? You can get the underside of the canopy and the face to be engaging and stand out.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/3.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10426\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/3.png\" alt=\"3\" width=\"885\" height=\"524\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Material matters</strong>\r\n\r\nMost canopy faces today are made from aluminum composite material, which is durable and easy to maintain, with a fairly long usage life. The face can be positioned flat or at an angle, and it accepts film for graphics.\r\n\r\nFiberglass offers another medium for producing alternative, proprietary shapes. For example, when Bona worked for CBX, he helped design an oval fuel canopy prototype for Terpel, the fuel retail arm of Colombian oil and gas company Organizacion Terpel S.A., in 2013. “To create that complex, compound curve, we made fiberglass molds and created the canopy from fiberglass. It’s durable, unique [and] allowed us to do something different,” says Bona.\r\n\r\nBut the more you break the mold, the more costs could rise. “If you’re not a sizable chain that could justify the cost, look at the asset you have and how to improve it without ripping it apart,” he says.\r\n\r\nLarger chains with sizable advertising budgets, however, should consider whether a custom canopy is a good justification of marketing dollars, Bona says: “It’s a one-time cost, but one you can leverage and amortize over the life of the site.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/4.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10427\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/4.png\" alt=\"4\" width=\"885\" height=\"524\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Follow the leader</strong>\r\n\r\nThe curved, red, fabric-covered canopy at Sheetz’s newest stores carries over the look and feel of the main profıt center: the c-store.\r\n\r\nBut at the same time, the canopy pulls its own weight.\r\n\r\n“That whole look, it’s curvilinear, it’s internally illuminated, it glows red: The whole canopy acts as a beacon from a distance,” says Limbach of Chute Gerdeman, which spearheaded the store and canopy redesign.\r\n\r\nA unique canopy such as this helps chip away at the “gas penalty” that fuel retailers continue to pay as they move increasingly into foodservice, Bona says. And it helps further delineate the identity of the retailer, which can be especially important for major-oil-branded operators.\r\n\r\nDuring one project for a branded multinational retailer, CBX conducted consumer research that found most customers referred to the operator’s sites by the name of the fuel brand, not the store brand. Although branded retailers may face constraints on the canopy design, they should still attempt to forge some degree of distinction.\r\n\r\n“As the store plays greater importance on the profitability of the site, it’s time to rethink this,” says Bona. “You still want to be ... that piece of communication that they’re in the [fuel] business, but also find balance that doesn’t negatively impact the store.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/5.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10428\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/5.jpg\" alt=\"5\" width=\"885\" height=\"534\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Room to move</strong>\r\n\r\nAs in-store sales play a bigger role in site profitability, more retailers are moving toward canopies disconnected from the store. And with that, Bona says, “up-front parking becomes key to success.”\r\n\r\nIn positioning the canopy, retailers should consider sufficient up-front parking, with room for customers to drive into and back out of spaces, plus maneuver around pumps. They also should consider ingress and egress.\r\n\r\nThis isn’t just about physics. “It’s about comfort,” says Lynn Rosenbaum, vice president of brand environments for Chute Gerdeman. Beyond space, landscaping can also play a role, creating a comfortable ambience around the concrete-heavy fuel island.\r\n\r\nA detached canopy also helps highlight the store brand, especially as more retailers expand into foodservice. Rosenbaum points to Chute Gerdeman client Stripes, Corpus Christi, Texas, owned by Sunoco LP, Philadelphia. The stores have a detached, Sunoco-branded canopy spaced in front of a Stripes c-store featuring its Laredo Taco Company foodservice program.\r\n\r\n“They want to be known as a great convenience store, and Laredo Taco wants to be recognized as a real restaurant alternative, so they separate the building from the canopy,” says Rosenbaum.', '5 Reasons to Make Over Your Fuel Canopy', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2286-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2286, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2286-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2661, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<strong>1. Channel Blurring</strong>From AXION’s coffee-centric Spot! Café in Argentina to the fast casual-inspired Kum &amp; Go Marketplace in Iowa, c-stores no longer are bound by old formats and product offers. Is something working in another channel? Adapt it and weave it in. Consumers no longer expect hard-and-fast divisions between c-stores, QSRs, coffee shops and drugstores.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Outside-In</strong>\r\nIn the fuel-based c-store context, what if consumers could use something like Apple Pay to order food on a touchscreen while filling up and have it delivered to their car? Zarco USA, for one, is already giving this a try. Expect more technology-assisted design changes, outside and in.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Sit and Stay a While</strong>\r\nAt many Sheetz stores in the Carolinas, people lounge on couches and sip coffee. Retailers may need larger stores and parking lots to accommodate this kind of offer, because excessive crowding is a visual cue suggesting slow checkout lines. However, even c-stores with less-ambitious seating areas can up the ante with better furniture and more considered environments.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Inside-Out</strong>\r\nWhen you cover the windows from floor to ceiling with promotional posters, the store actually repels customers. Contemporary c-store designs offer unobstructed views through oversized windows. The idea is to look appealing both from the roadway and the threshold. Taking this “inside-out” approach to the next level is a developing trend.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Food Is King</strong>\r\nTo engage the modern consumer, c-stores are ramping up the authenticity of their food and beverage offers. At Fresh Corner’s MOL stores in Eastern Europe, customers find spacious food counters with made-to-order sandwiches and other fresh fare. Many c-stores are bringing in food carts stocked with the kind of specialty cuisine typically found in urban food trucks.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/galleries/retail-trends/5-Retail-Trends-in-C-Store-Design-26145.shtml#\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>', '5 Retail Trends in C-Store Design', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2188-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2188, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2188-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2662, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', 'In today’s digital age of networking and communication, you might think the paper business card is a lingering relic of an ancient era. While it’s true that we don’t use them functionally the same way we used to, they still serve as ambassadors for you and your business, and they’re an extension of your professional identity.\r\nWe spoke to Dave Weinberger, vice president and engagement director at brand agency CBX in New York City, to learn why business cards are still important and how people can design effective, memorable ones.\r\n\r\n1. Simplicity is key — avoid the tricks and gimmicks.\r\n\r\n“You want a business card to be pretty easy to use. Like most design, simple is better — don’t over-design things,” says Weinberger. Keep your card clean and uncluttered by being thoughtful about what information you include, as well as how you include it. “You don’t need to do tricky things with your phone number and address, because that’s obnoxious and people need to access that information,” he says. The same applies to font color; he recommends sticking with simple colors like black or dark/medium gray.\r\n\r\n2. Treat your business card like a marketing tool, and use it in a deliberate, purposeful way.\r\n\r\nSure, we all know that the direct purpose of business cards is contact information, like your name, job title, and email address. But nowadays, when it’s super simple and fast to connect with someone on LinkedIn, “the information almost becomes the least important part of a business card,” says Weinberger. “It’s kind of an antiquated aspect.”\r\n\r\nSo instead, you should treat your business card like a marketing tool and first figure out: What’s the purpose of using this, and how can I achieve these goals?\r\n\r\nFor example, you might want to use your business card to make a good first impression or act as a conversation starter. To do so, you could use heavier or thicker paper stock, sandwich multiple layers of stock together, or play around with the orientation, colors, and ink on the card. Weinberger says that he’s designed vertical business cards in the past in order to stand out from the crowd: “It allows you to stack information, and if you have a lot of phone numbers and a long address, it’s actually helpful.” Changing up the size of the card is another creative way to make it unique. Rather than stick with the standard 3.5” x 2” size, try designing a larger or smaller one. These all add visual surprise and complexity.\r\n\r\nYou could also experiment with die-cuts, letterpress, or unconventional materials (like wood or plastic, to name a few) in order to get people to notice you in an unusual, inventive, and memorable way. Avoid printing cards on glossy paper, which can look low-quality. “You generally want to do it on uncoated stock. Gloss and too much varnish can look cheap and gaudy,” says Weinberger.\r\n\r\nAlternatively, you might want to use your business card as a meeting tool. Weinberger says what makes his CBX business cards unique is that their first names are the largest things on them, which make them valuable during meetings. “When people put the cards in front of them in a meeting, they quickly glance down and the names are huge so they can see who they’re talking to, which is helpful,” says Weinberger.\r\n\r\n3. Use the back of the card as extra real estate.\r\n\r\nIn order to maximize your business card to its fullest potential, try using the back for supplemental branding or messaging. Weinberger says he’s seen companies put photos, brand statements, and logos on the back, which can help make your card more memorable. “If you have a card that you want to use as part of your first impression, it certainly costs more to print 2-sided, but it could be worth the effort,” he says.\r\n\r\n4. Enlist professional help.\r\n\r\nThis seems like an obvious tip, but don’t overlook the importance of using professional designers, printers, and photography. Because a business card is part of your first impression, you don’t want to present something that’s confusing, poorly designed, or unprofessional. The card should reflect well on your business and also quickly convey who you are and what you value. Graphic designers can easily create creative cards that are innovative yet professional, and printers can provide the proper paper stock and ink that are well worth the money. If you’re looking for beautifully designed, ready-to-customize business cards, you can also check our Business Card Templates lightbox.\r\n\r\n5. Avoid putting temporary messaging on the card.\r\n\r\nPutting ad slogans, campaign taglines, and coupons on your business card might seem like a good idea because it’s additional brand messaging, but Weinberger cautions against it. “We generally say: You don’t want things that aren’t evergreen on your business card. You want it to be a permanent statement because someone’s going to keep it for a long time,” he says. Stick to evergreen items like basic contact information and logos.\r\n\r\nYes, business cards are a formality. However, a well-designed business card will communicate information clearly, lend credibility to you and your business, and make you memorable with the people you meet. They are more than just a means of conveying contact information; they are marketing tools that can be used in a purposeful way. It’s up to you to explore your purpose, goals, and then design accordingly.\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a href=\"http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/5-tips-for-designing-an-effective-business-card\" target=\"_blank\">Shutterstock</a>.', '5 Tips for Designing an Effective Business Card', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2118-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2118, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2118-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2663, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<strong>Dr Pepper Snapple Group aims to engage a fresh young generation with the redesigned graphics for the number one orange soda brand</strong>.\r\nCBX, a brand agency based in New York City, recently collaborated with Dr Pepper Snapple Group to refresh the packaging graphics for Sunkist® Soda, the number-one orange soda brand. Introduced in 1978, Sunkist Soda was once known for its California style.\r\n\r\nPrior to engaging CBX, Dr Pepper Snapple Group recognized an opportunity to reposition the Sunkist Soda brand, going back to its “fun in the sun” roots and targeting teens with a bull’s-eye age of 16 years, in order to better differentiate from competitors within the orange segment. There was then the opportunity to better align the packaging graphics with the revised brand positioning – “Sunkist Soda lets you shine.” CBX was engaged for this challenge.\r\n“Since 2008, our packaging has been missing the original sun graphic, an equity that has been present for much of the brand’s history. Without it, we lost a connection to our California beach story and lacked differentiation within the orange segment,” said Eric Blackwood, Director of Brand Marketing, Core Flavored Soft Drinks at Dr Pepper Snapple Group.\r\nWith this in mind, the CBX team worked with Dr Pepper Snapple Group to determine the visual opportunity areas for Sunkist Soda. “The sun graphic provided us with a great platform for expressing the brand. Our opportunity was to visually express the idea of ’liquid sunshine’ – it was all about harnessing the positivity and vitality we associate with the sun and using that energy to gain relevancy with our target,” said Satoru Wakeshima, CBX General Manager.\r\nThe design solution – the playful script brandmark was refined to capture a California surf vibe, and fresh flavor colors were introduced to give the package a sun-like glow. The reintroduction of a vibrant sun and refreshing condensation convey summer beach energy. By reversing the blue and white brand colors, and staging the logo right on the sun, CBX helped Sunkist Soda embody \"liquid sunshine\" and stand out on the shelf.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/liquid-sunshine-refresh-sunkist-soda\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/liquid-sunshine-refresh-sunkist-soda</a>', 'A \'Liquid Sunshine\' refresh for Sunkist Soda', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1887-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 1887, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1887-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2664, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '<strong>As major manufacturers add smaller brands to their portfolios, they can either use them to boost their potential or contribute to their demise</strong>\r\nIt’s long been considered smart business practice to surround one’s self with people who make them look good.\r\n\r\nMany food and beverage manufacturers are applying this philosophy to their portfolios by aligning themselves with brands that appeal to today’s health-conscious consumer. These better-for-you companies benefit from strong “health halos,” or consumer perception that they are more authentic and nutritious than other companies.\r\n\r\nMany legacy brands are angling to capture some of that halo for themselves, sparking a wave of natural and organic brand acquisitions by industry power players. Dr Pepper Snapple recently acquired enhanced water manufacturer Bai Brands. In 2015, Hormel Foods bought Applegate Farms, a leader in natural and organic meats, and General Mills picked up Annie’s Homegrown the year before that.\r\n\r\nChris Konyk, business consultant at Salient Management Company, believes that it’s pivotal for major food and beverage brands to change their image because many consumers associate these companies with unhealthy, sugary products.\r\n\r\n“These companies finally got the message that people are looking to improve their health and are monitoring what they purchase for their families and eat or drink daily. They need an image makeover,” he told Food Dive. “The key will be how quick these manufactures can react and reposition themselves. The quickest way to realign to consumers and change their image is build their portfolio with items the consumers are seeking.”\r\n\r\nChristina Papale, vice president of strategy and director of innovation for branding agency CBX, said the “better-for-you” trend has grown, both in interpretation and cultural demand.\r\n\r\n“What was once considered a small pillar of a conventional portfolio is now a mass-culture table stake with consumers willing to pay more for options with cleaner ingredients and higher health benefits,” she told Food Dive. “The key is preemptively identifying cultural trends, scooping them up early on, then leveraging their core consumer base to further build and expand on the brands.”\r\n\r\nAs consumer demand for healthier products increases, better-for-you brands are becoming more attractive to major food and beverage manufacturers as acquisition targets.\r\n\r\n“Consumers are changing the way that they eat, trading unhealthy items like sugary beverages and fast food for water and whole foods. Additionally, they are looking for healthier versions of the packaged foods they love (e.g., pretzels and cookies), like those containing whole grains or added nutrients,” Beth Vallen, associate professor of marketing and business law at Villanova School of Business, told Food Dive. “And it’s not only demand that is driving the trend, it’s the fact that people are willing to pay more for these foods that is driving the acquisition of these brands.”\r\n\r\nVallen said that adding a better-for-you brand to a portfolio can create a halo effect for other, less healthy brands by association.\r\n\r\nMarie Chan, a partner at brand consulting firm Vivaldi, said that when companies acquire better-for-you brands, it’s important that they carefully consider what the acquisition will do.\r\n\r\n“With portfolio strategy, the BFY brand should have a clear role — meeting a different need-state, catering to a different consumer, offering different functional features/benefits, playing in a new daypart and/or new channel — to minimize cannibalization and brand overlap,” she told Food Dive by email. “Brand architecture is equally important. You must give consideration as to how much or how little emphasis will be placed on the corporate brand.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cer.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10504\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cer-1024x732.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"732\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Consumer attitude is everything</strong>\r\n\r\nDeveloping a brand, as a rule, may take a large company one to two years to get a product off the ground. With this timeframe, the manufacturer could already be beaten by a smaller, more nimble competitor.\r\n\r\n“Acquisitions are the quickest and easiest way to cut that time down,” Konyk said. “A company’s success is their speed to market. Some companies that seem to have the speed and dexterity to beat out competition are Preferred Popcorn with K &amp; W Popcorn acquisition, Danone acquiring WhiteWave, and Kashi with Pure of Holland.”\r\n\r\nMondelez also acquired a brand with a health halo when it purchased allergen-free manufacturer Enjoy Life Foods in 2015. The hope was that it could help the company attract new consumers to its products.\r\n\r\nGeneral Mills drove an early entry strategy by acquiring small natural brands. It started in 1999, acquiring Small Planet Foods and bringing brands like organic produce pioneer Cascadian Farms into its fold.\r\n\r\nChan said that PepsiCo has also done a great job at diversifying its portfolio with better-for-you brands. She said the soda and snacking giant used its acquisitions to recognize that many consumers have different needs, tastes and wants.\r\n\r\n“You may want to start your day with a healthy breakfast from Quaker, but re-energize in the afternoon with Mountain Dew. Either way, PepsiCo has the products to fit your life,” she said. “What makes PepsiCo successful is that it’s segmented its portfolio into Fun for You, Good for You and Better for You, so that brands have a clear role to play in the portfolio and are afforded the right focus and resources.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/quak.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10505\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/quak.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"568\" height=\"267\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>How acquisition can help — and hurt — better-for-you brands</strong>\r\n\r\nFiliberto Amati, a partner at branding firm Amati &amp; Associates, said that when a conventional food or beverage producer buys a better-for-you brand, it usually is hoping to tap into a profitable niche where it would typically have no credibility to operate.\r\n\r\n“Normally, they keep the brands separated, albeit they leverage their distribution muscle and product supply efficiency as catalysts for growth of the acquired brand,” he told Food Dive. “This may not do anything for the image, but it certainly does a lot for the pockets.”\r\n\r\nIn many better-for-you acquisitions, Chan said, there is little to be gained from telling consumers about the acquisition upfront — like a label on products indicating animal welfare standard bearer Niman Ranch is a part of Perdue, or that organic and mission-based Annie’s is now a part of General Mills. In both cases, however, consumers benefit from greater distribution access and new products as a result of joining a much larger company.\r\n\r\nBy partnering with deep-pocketed corporations, smaller brands can expand the regions they serve, the lines they offer and the number of retailers that carry their products. They also get some big money behind them, which can help with marketing and any unforeseen challenges that arise.\r\n\r\nStill, this strategy doesn’t come without consequences. While the appeal of having deeper pockets and a larger reach could be mouthwatering to a startup or small brand, once a deal goes through, the better-for-you brand could suffer if the parent company treats it like the other brands in its portfolio.\r\n\r\n“It could lose its street credibility and put off customers by following traditional promotional routes,” Amati said. “However, if a brand stays true to itself, then the acquired brand image is immune to the effects of being associated with a larger manufacturer.\r\n\r\nKellogg\'s acquisition of organic cereal company, Kashi, did not give the company the exposure it wanted and led to a 35% market share loss to newer upstarts.\r\n\r\nAnalysts say many consumers supported these better-for-you brands in the first place because they weren’t large food companies. These smaller companies offered products that placed values above profit. If these brands jump aboard with multinational megacompanies and private equity, devotees could view their favorite brands as compromising those values.\r\n\r\n“Many of these brands started out as small, independent brands, and consumers may be skeptical that quality, ingredients and overall product healthfulness will remain after an acquisition of this type,” Vallen said. “This is especially true if the acquiring company is not known for healthy food brands.”\r\n\r\nPapale noted the impact depends on the type of acquisition and how the cultures of both companies mesh together. While some companies keep the brands and business intact, running as-is with existing leadership and changes that are “invisible” to its employees or day-to-day operations, others are executed more publicly with massive implications from the top down.\r\n\r\n“However way these acquisitions are played out, it becomes clear pretty quickly who the new sheriff is and how that’ll affect staff rationalization, brand spend, product changes etc.,” she said. “As such, it is imperative that companies are as transparent as possible when it comes to their actions, motives and goals moving forward with all brands.”\r\n\r\nKonyk has seen large companies acquire smaller ones and destroy any value the new company would have provided. Additionally, over the years, he’s witnessed acquisitions of a smaller company and never heard, saw or read anything of the larger brand they represented.\r\n\r\nOrangina, a popular European brand made with a juice blend and lightly carbonated water was purchased by Dr Pepper Snapple in 2006. Once part of the larger company\'s portfolio, it became obscure and less popular in the U.S. Odwalla, a smoothie brand, also lost most of its traction with consumers once rolled into Coca-Cola’s product line.\r\n\r\nSabra, makers of hummus spreads, is jointly owned by PepsiCo., and Israeli company Strauss. Eugenio Perrier, Sabra’s chief marketing officer, said he didn’t feel that PepsiCo interferes in Sabra’s operations at all. He also didn’t think the association with Pepsi reflected badly on Sabra — although understands that his brand helps Pepsi add more better-for-you products to its portfolio.\r\n\r\n“It has definitely given them [PepsiCo] openness to another part of the store—the perimeter of the store with our fresh offerings,” he told Food Dive. “We got with Pepsi the support of a company that was willing to advance growth. It’s a company that is in a good position to help us with distribution and management support.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/27741f982f6485590d3but-i-love-sabr9af72ceab5d3e.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10506\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/27741f982f6485590d3but-i-love-sabr9af72ceab5d3e-867x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"867\" height=\"1024\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Should companies advertise BFY acquisitions or keep quiet?</strong>\r\n\r\nAn acquiring company needs to assess its objectives when deciding how to get the word out about a new BFY brand, Vallen said. If the objective is to grow sales of the acquired brand, care should be taken to ensure that association with the parent company does not erode consumer trust or perceptions of product healthfulness.\r\n\r\nSome manufacturers will issue a press announcement while others will keep it quiet. Papale said this can be a sensitive decision. Regardless of the action the larger manufacturer decides to take, consumers can still see it negatively.\r\n\r\n“No matter what is done, it’s important to try to communicate as authentically and truthfully as possible about the acquisition,” she said. “Packaging is a unique way for brands to signify the new merger, helping to tell a new story both to retailers and consumers. With new ownership often comes distribution, so creating some excitement in a tangible way the consumer will interact with is a good option.”\r\n\r\nIn a perfect world, an acquisition helps both parties, Amati said. Ben &amp; Jerry became truly global after the ice cream brand’s acquisition by Unilever, allowing the company to share its message on a larger scale.\r\n\r\n“Ideally, the acquisition is a win-win situation for all, allowing for wider distribution, the ability to leverage brand equity on both sides and an overall increase in consumer awareness,” he said.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.fooddive.com/news/a-balancing-act-does-getting-acquired-tarnish-the-health-halo-of-better-fo/441050/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Food Dive</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of Food Dive', 'A Balancing Act: Does getting acquired tarnish the health halo of better-for-you brands?', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2292-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 2292, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2292-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2665, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', 'By Rick Barrack\nAt the end of the day, we’re in the interpretation business. In many cases, good design is a sign of how well a client and agency work together. I can almost envision the behind-the-scenes interactions that went on to land at the end results. And I’m willing to bet my girls’ college tuitions that the most successful designs are the result of the agency and the client knowing exactly where each other stands.\nRick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer and Founder of CBX, plays out a scenario for you on his personal life experience with clients and gives you five tips in how to avoid the \"WTF\" moments.\nOkay, here’s the scenario:\nWife wants to redecorate the bedroom, complete with hardwood floors, wallpaper and furniture. Thinking of summer camp tuition for my two girls (not to mention their eventual college tuitions), I quote the immortal Tom Waits: “Let’s put a new coat of paint on this lonesome old town.” Bickering ensues, we call a truce, and I ring the contractor. Explain the general vibe we’re going for. Ask him to bring us some paint samples.\nSo I’m all “WTF?” when he shows up a few days later with three samples in varying shades of blue: navy, cobalt and robin’s egg. And they are in an eggshell finish, not the flat we’d wanted.\n“Dude,” I say, motioning to the paints.\n“What?”\n“I hate blue.”\n“Oh. Sorry. You didn’t say that.”\nAnd that’s when it hit me: For a guy who spends his days trying to meet his client’s objectives, I completely forgot to provide my contractor with a clear creative brief, as we say in our business. Here I thought I was communicating my wants, when I’d obviously underestimated the details I’d provided during our conversation. The guy’s not a mind reader, so he did what he thought was right – anticipated my preferences – and told me what he thought would look best. Which was NOT what we were expecting – and actually pretty ballsy.\nHow many times have clients thought the very same way about design work presented to them by an agency? And how many brand managers, marketing VPs and CEOs have sat across from creative directors like myself and wondered, “Why couldn’t they make the package XX like we wanted, instead of YY?”\nSo there I was, having my second “WTF?” moment of the day. Because I’m definitely guilty of providing new ideas in a phase two presentation, even though the client never asked to see any. Or showing the client black along with the red they asked for. Probably because my personal philosophy is: Give them what they ask for, give them what they need. I’ll get an understanding of their creative brief so that I can then provide solutions they want as well as a few that maybe they haven’t thought of before. The riskiest proposition you can encounter is “change for change’s sake,” regardless of the clients’ personal preferences and business challenges. We need to listen to what’s been asked for and then deliver what we think is best.\nAt the end of the day, we’re in the interpretation business. In many cases, good design is a sign of how well a client and agency work together. I can almost envision the behind-the-scenes interactions that went on to land at the end results. And I’m willing to bet my girls’ college tuitions that the most successful designs are the result of the agency and the client knowing exactly where each other stands.\n \nHere are five fundamentals for clients and agencies to consider so they can avoid a “WTF” moment:\n<strong> \n1. Meet face-to-face.</strong>\nHad my contractor and I met in person to discuss what I wanted, there would have been little-to-no room for misinterpretation\n<strong> \n2. Play-it-back.</strong>\nAfter telling my contractor what I wanted, I should have made sure that he heard me, loud and clear, so that we were on the same page. After all, not everyone hears things the same way. It’s important to ask as many questions as you need to in order to reach a solution. (head nodding is the critical sign. . . Is everyone saying the same thing)\n<strong> \n3. Trust them.</strong>\nI hired my contractor for a reason – I should have trusted that any recommendation he made was considered and professional. Same goes for clients and agencies. Agencies may give you something different from what you asked for, but you can rest assured it is the result of thoughtful consideration.\n<strong> \n4. Think macro, not micro.</strong>\nI may not like the color blue provided to me by my but separating one’s own personal taste is critical to success.\n<strong> \n5. Don’t be too prescriptive.</strong>\nWhile we want a brief to be tight, you also want to have the freedom to be able to interpret that brief in creative ways. In retrospect, I should have left the door open a little so my contractor didn’t feel too confined, and had enough leeway to flex his muscle.\n \nFor your information, we ended up painting the bedroom grey, though I’m happy to say that a shade of blue was one of our Top Three choices. In the process, I learned two important lessons. #1: Always make your wife happy (while spending the least amount of money possible). And #2: Whenever you’re about to say “WTF?” to anyone – a contractor, a client, your kid – make sure you’ve been crystal clear in your expectations of them.\n<a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/8/7/a-client-is-a-client-is-a-client.html\" target=\"_blank\">\nhttp://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/8/7/a-client-is-a-client-is-a-client.html</a>\n', 'A Client is a Client is a Client', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1845-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '', 1845, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1845-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(2666, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '<strong>Retailer Innovator of the Year Wawa recreates and enhances its brand in a new market</strong>\nTo say that Floridian consumers were desperately in need of a Wawa fix might be an overstatement. But then again, maybe not, according to posts on the Pennsylvania-based chain\'s heavily trafficked Facebook page.\n\n\"Desperately waiting for Sarasota FL Wawa\'s! Since moving from NJ having serious withdrawal!!!\" wrote one Florida convenience store customer.\n	\n\n\"Can\'t wait until the one opens on 301 and MLK and the one on Hillsborough across from the Hard Rock – that will be TWO Wawas within a mile of me – doin\' the happy Wawa dance,\" another giddy Floridian recently posted on Wawa\'s Facebook page, which has accumulated more than 1 million \"likes.\" The only convenience store retailer with more Facebook likes is 7-Eleven. The international retailer has more than 3 million likes, but 10 times as many stores as Wawa.\n\n\nWawa opened its first Florida store – and first store outside its traditional Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland-Virginia market area – on July 18, 2012, in Orlando. The chain opened its 25th Sunshine State store just last month, also in the central Florida area, and now operates more than 630 convenience stores.\n\n\nThe fact that Wawa\'s leap of almost 1,000 miles south of its traditional markets has met or exceeded all expectations is \"frankly humbling,\" Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens said in an exclusive interview with Convenience Store News.\n\n\n\"From the beginning, one of our mantras was that we had only one chance to make a great first impression,\" said Gheysens, who noted that the expansion has not been without its \"learning experiences\" for the company.\n\n\nTo make this great first impression, Wawa needed to do more than just transplant its Mid-Atlantic store model to the South. \"We felt we needed a fresh design, driven by the psychology of the Florida customer. The new store design has really informed the majority of people who didn\'t previously know Wawa and what the brand stands for: fresh, great-quality food and beverages, and convenience.\"\n\n\nAlways one of the leading innovators in the c-store industry, Wawa in the past year seems to be taking convenience retailing to a new level. With its successful entry into Florida, innovative use of social media, a mobile app initiative and continued focus on the consumer, Wawa has been selected by the editors of CSNews as the 2013 Retailer Innovator of the Year.\n\n\nTo introduce itself to customers in central Florida, Wawa worked with store design firm CBX to unveil the retailer\'s first major new store concept since the late 1990s. The new design uses \"fresh\" decorating cues such as natural materials, floor to ceiling glass windows, warm colors, an outdoor seating area and a redesigned, highly visible kitchen/sandwich-making area.\n\n\n\"When you walk into the store, you see people making food, as well as digital signs romancing the offer,\" said Gheysens. \"There\'s no mistaking that we are in the fresh food and fresh beverage business.\" (Editor\'s note: Wawa\'s new store concept won an Honorable Mention award in September in the 2013 CSNews Store Design Contest.)\n\n\nAnother new innovation at its Florida stores is the institution of \"ambassadors\" at the front door to introduce people to the Wawa experience as they walk in. These associates are armed with an iPad-type, touchscreen ordering device. \"They have been very successful at walking customers through our offer, our culture and helping show them how to shop at a Wawa. They help to demystify the Wawa experience,\" the chief executive explained.\n\n\nAs mentioned earlier, Wawa\'s expansion into Florida didn\'t happen without resulting in \"learning experiences\" for the c-store retailer. But it\'s a testament to the company\'s innovative thinking that it has turned potential pitfalls into opportunities.\n\n\n\"We\'ve learned quite a bit,\" Gheysens noted. \"We hold ourselves to high standards for customer service and we found we did not build the associate side of the store sufficiently to handle the high volume of business we did right out of the gate in Florida.\"\n	\n\nThe retailer found itself scrambling from the grand opening on July 18, 2012. To get customers in and out of the store within five minutes, Wawa quickly put in a speaker system for announcing to customers by order number when their food was ready for pickup at the counter.\n\n\nThe chain also needed to redesign the kitchen layout to make room for more sandwich-making equipment in order to handle orders more quickly. Subsequent Florida stores were built with more kitchen space to handle the high-velocity sandwich operation. Unexpectedly high initial sales also spurred the company to expand in other areas, such as its specialty espresso drinks and new milkshakes. Backroom storage space was also expanded at some stores.\n\n\nThe brand ambassador idea spurred more creative thinking as the retailer introduced expediters to work alongside the customer lines and take orders before they get to the counter.\n\nEven the outdoor seating concept has proven to be a happy \"learning experience\" for the retailer. Originally installed in the Florida stores to reinforce the food and beverage message, the seating areas are becoming very popular and heavily used by customers. So now, \"we are asking ourselves, how can we make it more functional?\" Gheysens told CSNews.\n\nAfter opening 25 stores in its first 13 months in Florida, Wawa expects to have 30 to 45 stores in the central Florida region by the end of this year. The company is currently pursuing more sites for ground-up units and its goal is to open between 20 and 25 stores per year in the area.\n</br>\n<strong>GETTING SOCIAL & GOING MOBILE</strong>\n\n\"People love to engage with our brand,\" Gheysens said.\n\nThe company sees the benefits of using social media from both a community and brand perspective. Wawa\'s 1 million-plus likes puts it among the top 1 percent of pages on Facebook. It also has more than 23,000 Twitter \"followers.\"\n\n\nThe secret to its success? \"We try to let our authentic voice come through and you can see that customers really love to have a personal engagement with us,\" the CEO said.\n\nWawa\'s call center monitors all its social media sites on a 24/7 basis and attempts to respond to all customer feedback in a voice consistent with the company\'s brand message.\n\nUnlike many other c-store retailers who struggle with measuring their return on investment from social and digital media, Wawa feels it has a good handle on its social media investments. \"We measure all our advertising media and we feel the return we get on social media is one of the highest of any media we utilize,\" said Gheysens.\n\nIn the future, he said Wawa will be more focused on doing product promotions online and through social media, but the ultimate aim of its social and digital media initiatives is to help the retailer \"simplify our customers\' daily life.\"\n\nToward that end, Wawa is currently in the process of developing its first mobile app, which is expected to debut next year. \"We\'re taking our time with this,\" cautioned Gheysens. \"We want to integrate our app completely with the experience at the store level.\"\n\nWithout getting into specifics, he ticked off some of the possible app components that would fulfill its mission:\n\n    Provide the ability to order and pay via the customer\'s mobile device. This could even be triggered automatically within a geographic perimeter of the store to which the customer is headed, or by a touch of the thumb.\n    Provide nutritional information for food offerings.\n    Find the lowest gas prices within a geographic range of the customer\'s mobile device.\n\n\"We know that 70 percent of our customers have a smartphone,\" noted Gheysens. \"And we know that a significant number of people at 4 p.m. don\'t know what they are having for dinner that evening. What Amazon.com has done to online retailing [in terms of speed of delivery and customizing offerings to customers] is going to happen to brick-and-mortar retailing. Mobile offers us the opportunity to do tailored marketing to customer-specific needs and to target offers to them that resonate better than anyone else\'s.\"\n\nGheysens described Wawa as more of a \"fast follower\" than a leader in innovation. Nevertheless, the c-store retailer\'s decentralized innovation process has made it \"very successful.\"\n\nMost of the focus of the past few years has been on product innovation, according to Gheysens. \"But now, we are thinking more about the process of innovation with the aim of getting ideas through the pipeline faster,\" he said. So, in addition to the product innovation being explored in the food area, the company is also looking at innovation in customer technology.\n\nGheysens expects product innovation will always be important, but customer technology and innovations in customer experience will be new areas that will extend and enhance the Wawa brand going forward.\n\nThe leap into Florida was certainly the high point of the past year for Wawa. Gheysens believes Wawa has not only made a great first impression, but it is continuing to build brand awareness and satisfaction with customers for the long term.\n<a href=\"http://www.csnews.com/article-a_great_first_impression-6321.html\" target=\"_blank\">\nhttp://www.csnews.com/article-a_great_first_impression-6321.html</a>', 'A Great First Impression', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1857-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '', 1857, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1857-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
