Branders Magazine Issue 29 Preview

Luis Vergara

Founder and Editor in Chief of Branders Magazine

Understanding Design

is thinking made visual”

Saul Bass

Design, one of the most attractive professions, one of the activities that not just make happy the people who works on design but also the people who receives the design.

I am not a graphic designer of profession but the curiosity to learn about how to create my own designs took me to learn by myself how to use design software to be able to create my own designs. Something that I am very grateful because made me join to this amazing world of branding and design.

Design is one of the most important elements for any branding strategy. Design allows brands to make visual their soul helping to engange and connect with the different audiences.

Some people thing that design is just making beautiful drawings without any strategy or any meaning and they do not realize that as everything design need a thinking process to create a unique visual brand identity.

Design is not an easy task, this is not only about having the knowledge and skills to use a design

software, a designer needs information, and I am not referring just to the client’s brief, I refer information about the market, the competition, trends and much more to be able to create a quality design. Also, this is a profession that needs time to create powerful results.

Design is not just about creating a visual impact. Design can also generate an impact with amazing experiences. Thanks to technology advances and innnovation, design can offer unique experiences.

In general, I can say design is fundamental for almost everything and for anyone who wants to generate any emotion, feeling or any response from others.

As usual, we decided to create this new issue as a reminder for everyone about the importance of design and who better than the amazing Debbie MIllman to help us to understand why design matters.Of course, she will net be alone in this issue, we have an amazing group ob branders sharing their knowledge on design that are going to help us to understand better the power of design!

Enjoy this amazing isue!

@brandersmagazine

“Design

“Design is the result of a smart and well-developed strategy that delivers a clear path on how branding should be developed and shaped. The best designs are always the result of strong strategic choices made by both client and brand developers”

Davar Azarbeygui

Design Director at InHouse Design

Multidisciplinary Graphic Designer & Creative Director Focused on many levels of visual communication specializing in Brand Identity and Brand Development.

Terri Goldstein | Packaging Expert

Branding. By Design

The Holidays, By Design

It’s that time of year: Store windows and front lawns are adorned with decorations. Family tables are graced with the special china that only makes an appearance once a year. Main streets are stippled with twinkling lights. Everywhere we go, there are signals that it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Even the cup of coffee that you pick up on your way to work is flaunting a holiday sweater pattern, and when you log onto Google, one of the O’s is a turkey or a Christmas wreath. The holidays are here, and marketers everywhere know that design is an integral part of the season. According to Reuters, the holiday shopping season is “a crucial period for retailers that can account for up to 40 percent of annual sales.” It’s no wonder that consumers buy during the holidays, as luxe seasonal colors and cheerful imagery ornament every retail shelf and online store.

Businesses know well that the resources spent on holiday design consistently yield large returns. During seasonal promotions like Black Friday,

Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, consumers scramble to sift through seas of giftable items in hopes of finding the perfect presents. Enter design—in an ocean of household items, cosmetics, and confectionary treats, a glistening bow or a jubilant cartoon snowman might be the eye-catching point of difference in the mind of the consumer.

too far away from the original design and only making minor changes during the festive seasons.” This way, if companies are left with overstock after the holidays have passed, the items are still sellable and don’t seem completely seasonally irrelevant. Brands must also make an effort to maintain their core identifiers, despite temptations to swap colors and use flashy seasonal shapes and symbols.

While seasonal colors and imagery can seem enticing, it is treacherously easy to stumble into the territory of tackiness. Mick Clark, managing director at the UK packaging enterprise WePack, observes that while such changes as color shifts and the addition of glitter and ribbons can add the “touch of luxury people are looking for during this period… we are seeing more and more companies trying not to steer

This year, even OTCs are joining the packaging festivities. Brands like Vital Proteins (a line of collagen supplements recently popularized by a partnership with Jennifer Aniston) are offering “holiday exclusives” in seasonal scents and flavors such as Vital Proteins’ Peppermint Mocha. The brand’s holiday line features vibrant festive hues as well as a tasteful snow-like pattern in the background. Even small touches like these allow us to see our favorite products dressed up for this special time of year, bringing smiles to our faces and joy into our hearts.

This is the ever-giving gift of great design: its ability to bring joy to the otherwise mundane, forging lasting, personalized brand-toconsumer relationships. Great agencies strive to achieve this level of visual appeal yearround, because when all of the wrapping paper has been tossed and the china has been stored, consumers still want to feel like their holiday purchases belong in their homes.

From our family at GGB to yours, happy holidays!

If you think your brand should be featured in the next column, contact me at terri@goldsteingroupbranding .com

Resources spent on holiday design consistently yield large returns.

Vital Proteins’ holiday designs feature a sparkling burst of snow—a subtle and cheery addition to last the entire holiday season.