Brand Management - Design

Establishing a connection with consumers via creative packaging is a great way for brands to develop a long-term relationship with their target audience. Culina, a brand that specializes in dairy-free yogurt products, is a great example of this with its packaging designed to be reused and full of personal touches.

In this week's episode of POW! we're highlighting La Colombe's line of draft lattes in cans. La Colombe touts these beverages as "the world's first genuine caffé latte in a can," and has tapped into a variety of appealing packaging trends, including a clean design and a creative use of shrink sleeves.

In this episode of POW!, Sara reveals how Allbirds combines its sustainable ethos with its engaging brand personality, making for an excellent unboxing experience worthy of posting to social media.

Today's Package of the Week showcases how the right combination of offset printing, along with multiple tactile and visual packaging embellishments, can make for a stunning folding carton. Diamond Packaging's carton for Anna Sui Fantasia Mermaid was so impressive, it earned third place in Best of Show and first place in the Folding Cartons: Offset category in the Packaging Impressions Excellence Awards.

New Esko Software called Share & Approve has been launched, enabling users of Automation Engine to upload, share, annotate and approve packaging and label jobs in 2D and hyper realistic 3D.

Stacy's, the popular snack food brand best known for its pita chips, has unveiled a limited edition packaging line in support of its third-annual Rise Project initiative. The Rise Project supports female-founded food businesses, much like Stacy's. Coinciding with the Rise Project and Women's History Month, six packaging designs have been revealed that represent various stages of a woman entrepreneur's path.

As e-commerce continues to shake up the retail world, brands that have embraced online platforms have had to rethink the ways in which they package their products and extend the brand experience. For Harry's, an e-commerce brand specializing in shaving and other men's grooming products, this has led to an unboxing experience that leverages the best of multiple packaging formats.

The judging for the 33rd annual Packaging Impressions Excellence Awards is complete, with the winners set to be announced in our upcoming August issue. Check out some scenes from this year's judging, and take a listen in to what the judges had to say about this year's crop of entries.

The rise of augmented reality has provided brands with an opportunity to interact with consumers by combining the digital and physical worlds into a truly memorable experience. Phantom Wine is one example of a brand embracing augmented reality, integrating it into its packaging, and gamifying the product usage experience for the consumer.

The AICC 2019 Annual Meeting will feature two opportunities specifically for packaging designers. A one-day training program called "Practical Innovation in Package Design" will include expert insight into the latest packaging design trends and challenges. Meanwhile, the Independent Package Design Competition will feature categories for corrugated, folding carton, and rigid box packaging.