When should I change or update my branding & packaging design?
Most brand owners have been there and asked themselves this question. It’s really easy to get complacent and refuse the need for a change to your branding and packaging design because you’re either currently doing ok, or there is no budget. But when is the right time – when you are on the upwards slope or when you are sliding down?
You can find our contact details below:
Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:
Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk
#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #freepitch #freepitching
Why brands should never ask their packaging design agency to pitch for free.
If you ask a design agency to pitch creative ideas for free, are you approaching the project in the right way and are you going to get the best agency work back?
To free pitch or not, is something each design agency needs to decide based on the return for their initial creative investment.
If the win for the agency is a continued relationship and more paid work with a client over a bigger portfolio of products, then obviously the initial free pitch may be well worth it. The same may not be true, however, for a free pitch on a ‘one-off’ project.
You can find our contact details below:
Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:
Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk
#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #freepitch #freepitching
Why Consumer Brands Should Consider Sonic Branding.
What Does Your Brand Sound Like?
In an era of visual overload and shrinking attention spans, brands are constantly searching for new ways to cut through the noise and clutter. While many have a brand logo, tone of voice and robust graphical design system, a powerful tool is often overlooked: sound.
Sonic branding, also known as audio branding is the strategic use of sound to express and reinforce brand identity. From Netflix’s unmistakable “ta-dum” to the Intel chime or the "beep-bop-beep-beep-bop" of the F1 notification (thats the best I could manage), these aren’t just sounds they are instantly recognisable memory anchors, emotional triggers, and trust builders.
When done well, sonic branding becomes as recognisable as a logo or tagline. It’s about creating an identity your audience can hear and feel, even when your design system and brand logo aren’t present.
Today’s media landscape is increasingly audio-driven. From podcasts and audiobooks to TikTok and app notifications, sound has become a dominant force in how people consume content and connect with brands.
Here’s what makes sonic branding so effective:
Sound has always been a shortcut for recognition. Think of the clatter of horse hooves, the ring of a church bell, or the buzzing of a wasp , your brain knows what these mean before you consciously think about it.
It’s the same in marketing. A distinct sound can tell your audience who you are, your values and what you stand for in miliseconds.
Research recently showed that nearly three quarters of Europeans recognise the Nokia ringtone and associate it directly with the brand, amazing eh? That’s the power of a well-designed sonic identity that makes the brand pop straight into the head of the consumer.
Visual branding will always be important. But in a world where people are listening just as much as they’re looking, your brand needs to sound as good as it looks.
Using these audio logos, the best marketers understand that audio is no longer optional, it’s a core part of storytelling and brand recall.
So, it’s time to ask, What does your brand sound like?
You can find our contact details below:
Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:
Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk
#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #sounddesign #sonicbranding
The importance of creating robust brand guidelines in packaging design.
In order to be consistent, a brand needs to have a precise set of rules in place that dictate how it should be realised in any eventuality. That is where brand guidelines come in.
Brands that can successfully manage consistency have been proven to perform better and have higher recall from consumers.
Consistency and repetition is key. Brand engagement needs to happen between five and seven times for consumers to remember you.
A company's brand is one of its most valuable assets. It represents the business's identity, personality and reputation. Effective brand management is crucial for success. One of the key tools for managing a brand is the brand guidelines document. These are the rulebook for your entire brand. They offer a wealth of information to ensure consistency across all consumer touch points.
You can find our contact details below:
Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:
Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk
#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #AI #brandguidelines
How AI can't replace the role of the packaging design agency.
This morning, on LinkedIn, I came across a post that genuinely made me pause.
It was from a reputable marketer, someone with significant industry clout and a track record of pretty solid thinking. They’d recently discovered a new AI-driven image creation platform and were clearly impressed. Fair enough, these tools are impressive. But the post ended with a rather sweeping statement questioning what value design agencies now added?!
Not just because it felt unnecessarily provocative, but because it came from someone who should understand the broader value of creative partnerships. For someone with that much experience to make such a public declaration was, frankly, surprising.
It made me wonder, what must the marketing teams reporting to this individual think? If that’s what they’re willing to say in a public forum, what messages are being reinforced internally? That creativity is now a commodity? That speed and aesthetics are more important than strategy and cohesion?
Nah, surely not!
You can find our contact details below:
Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:
Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk
#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #AI #artificialintelligence
How to not just be the best, but be the only brand for consumers.
Branding, is all about storytelling. It’s how you make an emotional connection with your consumer. Great stories, resonate and provide powerful recall that if crafted uniquely, can span generations.
Consumers will always buy a product because of how it makes them feel rather than based on simply what it does, or what it is.
"Don't aim to be the best, aim to be the only". Its a great quote I heard on a podcast recently by Kevin Kelly. It's a powerful statement that resonates, especially in the world of branding.
There are so many brands out there that claim to be the ‘best tasting’ or that use the 'best ingredients’ and my challenge back to these brands is that is not enough of a point of difference.
You can find our contact details below:Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/Slice Design Company websitehttps://slicedesign.co.uk#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice
How to brief your packaging design agency to get the best results.
We’ve all heard the stories of agencies and designers being briefed on the back of a fag packet or post-it notes. Briefings take many shapes and forms. Some are very thorough, others are very top line and need a lot of digging around work out the objectives.
You can only do a great piece of work if you get a great brief. By a great brief, what I mean is a very detailed explanation of what your key aims are along with any mandatories.
Now, whether you are designing a flavour extension to a product, or repositioning an entire range of FMCG products, the core principles of briefing remain the same. In order to make sure that you are happy with the deliverables, you need to pull together a ‘bobby-dazzler’ of a brief!
So, how do you go about doing this?
You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice
The role of the branding & packaging design agency is changing & agencies need to adapt.
This episode is an offshoot to the normal podcast. Instead of critiquing specific brands we going to look at more general advice for brand owners looking to make their brands stand out.
I plan to do one of these each month as an extension to the usual podcast.
In this episode we look at how the role of the packaging design agency is changing.
The design agency of the past was a creative powerhouse, revered for its artistry, craftsmanship, and ability to shape culture through eye-catching campaigns. But fast forward 10 to 20 years, and the role of the design agency is being challenged from all sides. In-house teams are growing, AI is accelerating processes, and clients’ expectations are shifting. It's no longer about creating the "prettiest" design—it's about impact, agility, and results. This transformation is redefining what it means to be a design agency in the modern era.
Gone are the days when a design agency’s core offering was limited to print ads, TV spots, and packaging. The traditional agency model revolved around proprietary processes, secret "big ideas," and long-winded pitches that dazzled clients with their creativity. Today, this model is being deconstructed.
The role of the agency has become more consultative, with a need for greater agility and hyper-specific expertise. It’s not about offering a “one-size-fits-all” process but rather tailoring every approach to fit the unique needs of the client. Agencies must now act as strategic partners, innovation hubs, and change agents—not just creators of beautiful imagery. Clients demand smarter, faster, and more impactful results, and agencies that cling to outdated models risk being left behind.
The role of the design agency is not dead, but it’s certainly different. Clients now demand more strategic thinking, faster turnaround, and greater accountability for commercial impact. AI is automating the labor-intensive parts of the process, while in-house teams are taking on more creative work themselves.
But here’s the sweet spot: Agencies such as here at Slice, operate as your external, in-house agency. We’re not bound by outdated agency models or rigid processes. We’re flexible, agile, and tailored to each client’s unique needs. We combine in-house efficiency with external perspective, ensuring that every solution is strategic, creative, and built to drive results.
You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice
This episode is an offshoot to the normal podcast. Instead of critiquing specific brands we going to look at more general advice for brand owners looking to make their brands stand out.
I plan to do one of these each month as an extension to the usual podcast.
In this episode we look at how to choose a packaging design agency to best suit your brand.
If you are responsible for a brand, you have probably found yourself in the situation where you either need to select a new packaging design agency or shortlist an agency from those available on the wider company roster.
With the wealth of offerings among agencies, how do you best decide which one is the right fit for your brand?
You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice
Branding & packaging design for Amazon Savers & the need for private label products to have personality.
In today’s podcast, we delve into one of the most competitive spaces in retail – private label grocery essentials. In light of rising living costs, consumers are looking for ways to stretch their cash without compromising on quality.
Amazon, the global e-commerce giant, has entered this space with its new line of essentials under the banner "Amazon Saver." The question is, has Amazon cracked the code for affordable yet appealing groceries, or is there room for improvement?
In this episode, we’ll explore the packaging, strategy, and overall marketing implications of Amazon's Saver products. Plus, we’ll talk about some design watchouts that could potentially hurt Amazon’s ability to connect with consumers on an emotional level.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #amazon #amazonsavers #groceries #drink #food
Branding & packaging design for Radox Shower Gel & the need for packs to look good in the home environment.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #radox #shower #bathroom #health #personalcare
Branding & packaging design for Danone GetPRO & the issues of borrowing assets from other brands.
Today we'll be discussing the importance of creating unique brand assets and the potential pitfalls of borrowing from other brands.
I'm going to use Danone's latest brand launch GetPro protein drink as a case study and explore best practices and important watch-outs in the industry when borrowing assets linked to another brand.
Let's kick things off with one of the most fundamental principles in packaging design: originality.
It's tempting to draw inspiration from successful brands, but there's a fine line between inspiration and imitation.
Consider this scenario: imagine a protein drink that borrows design elements reminiscent of a well-known battery brand. While it might seem clever to associate your product with energy, especially if you want to appeal to gym goers and health concious consumers, this approach can backfire spectacularly.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #danone #drink #drinks #health #protein
Branding & packaging design for Yakult & the benefits of using core assets consistently.
There are lots of brands that consumers associate with a recognisable delivery format.
The Coca-Cola bottle or the Tic Tac box for example. All of these formats have capitalised on this type of iconic packaging to create a strong brand identity and visual shortcut to the brand and help differentiate them from the competition.
If you’re the owner one of these unique little assets it’s always advisable to use it as part of your communication.
So this brings me neatly onto todays pack, Yakult.
Yakult is a brand that has built its identity around a very distinctive packaging format - the small, angular shot bottle. This unique asset has become synonymous with the Yakult brand, giving consumers an instantly recognisable visual cue. So why don't they use it?
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #yakult #probiotic #shots #health #drink
Branding & packaging design for Coca Cola Lemon & managing pack architecture with FMCG brands.
If your brand makes up a large chunk of Warren Buffett portfolio, chances are you’re doing something very right.
Coca-Cola is undoubtably the most recognised brand on planet Earth so if you launch a new flavour or make a change people are going to notice. It wasn’t that long ago That the portfolio had a revamp and a pretty robust new architecture was created in order to unify the range.
When this happens, it usually comes with a pretty tight brand guidelines dictate how new products are integrated and how flavour extensions are displayed. In essence, that is what the brand guidelines are for, to make a Robust set of rules in order to reinforce the brand at every consumer Touchpoint.
That was until Coke decided to bring back the lemon flavour from the grave. This was originally a flavour extension consigned to the dustbin back in 2006. However the company has identified enough interest to relaunch The pack and flavour in a completely new livery, which challenges the existing pack architecture.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #cocacola #coke #drinks #carbonates #fizzy
Branding & packaging design for Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup and managing heritage with FMCG brands.
Every month, there is a rebrand posted on LinkedIn, that creates quite a lot of furore. This week, that brand in question was Tate & Lyles Golden Syrup. This rebrand is stripped back much of the instantly recognisable heritage, and the big question is does it work?
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #tate&lyle #golden #syrup #heritage #pedigree
Branding & packaging design for Tiffany & the importance of colour for FMCG brands.
The right use of colour in packaging can instantly guide consumers to a brand and convey key product qualities.
When used strategically and consistently, colour is an impactful visual shortcut that builds brand recognition.
In this podcast, we look at Tiffany and possibly the most efficient visual shortcut to your brand. Colour.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #colour #colours #tiffany #beauty #premium
Branding and packaging design for plant-based desserts and the issues faced by FMCG brands extending into new sectors.
The world of plant-based foods has taken a bit of a pounding over the last couple of months.
Sales and consumer interest have both waned in the face of increased prices and market saturation of products.
Has the time come to take a slightly different approach with plant-based offerings? So today we're going to talk about that giant of indulgent, desserts, GU. Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #dessert #pudding #plantbased #food
Packaging design and advertising are two very different media.
Clearly both have to be singing from the same brand hymn sheet with regards the tone of voice and visual aspect that are used.
As I’ve discussed before it’s incredibly important for brands to ensure consistency across all consumer touchpoints, but what happens when the pack design starts to mimic the behaviour of advertising or an instagram post?
Can that ever work or is it simply the wrong canvas?
Today I want to discuss a piece of packaging that I feel suffers from this a little and in doing so dilutes the overall impact on the shelf, so this week will be looking at Ecover washing up liquid. Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #srp #ecover #detergent #advertising #washingup
Branding and packaging design for shelf ready trays and the issues faced by FMCG brands with creating design systems.
This week I wanted to have a look at a common mistake many brands make when they bring their brand and pack design onto the shelf, so it’s less a look at a specific piece of packaging and more a comment on a particular format.
Many products when stacked on the supermarket shelves are placed in shelf ready packaging or SRP’s as we lovingly know them in the trade. A common issue we often find is that these SRP’s are not designed in sympathy with the pack design. Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #srp #srps #impact #standout
Branding and packaging design for Coca Cola 3000 and the issues faced by FMCG brands using AI for design.
The rise of artificial intelligence is changing the world of product branding and packaging design in fascinating ways. Coca-Cola recently launched a limited-edition beverage called Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 3000 that was co-created using AI technology. This provides an interesting case study into how consumer brands are beginning to leverage AI as part of their marketing and product development strategies.
Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/ Slice Design Company website https://slicedesign.co.uk #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #cocacola #drinks #coke #softdrinks #ai #artificialintelligence