5 Trends from Expo West 2017

I am always fascinated to see what is new, trendy, innovative and refreshed at every food show I attend. Last week, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the Expo West Natural Food Show in Anaheim, California.

The most notable thing about this show compared to other shows we’ve attended recently is that it’s HUGE. To say the show has outgrown its location is an understatement. I logged over 30,000 steps in two days. The booths sprawled across the entire convention center, plus three ballrooms in the Hilton and Marriot, not to mention the outdoor tented area of additional new products.

Despite the absolutely overwhelming number of products, it was very inspirational to see how many new products are launching this year with missions and purposes to better the lives and eating habits of us all.

What was a little concerning, however, was the fact that I am now entirely convinced that if you plan on eating healthy, you’d better like to snack. I saw very few true meal options and only two fresh options. Apparently, if you eating healthy, you are very busy working, hiking or running after kids because there is absolutely no reason to cook after walking this show.

Hear is a list of the trends I saw over the course of the show:

Crazy for coconut!

Coconut is EVERYWHERE! I love Pina Coladas but now I am crazy for coconut! Whether you are selling coconut oil as an ingredient or as a skin care item, coconut flour, coconut chips, coconut water or energy drinks or just want to include a coconut flavor in your lineup you are in good company.

I hope you all like coconut, because it is here to stay. Coconut yogurt, drinkable yogurt, sparkling soda, ice cream, chocolate, you name it. You can even spread it all over your face and skin in various creams and lotions.

A couple of brands that stood out included the DANG! Coconut chips. The original is like eating a macaroon without all the sugar. Yum! And the B-Raw Coconut Almond bar is about as clean a bar as you get. Made in Maui, they are refrigerated, convenient and very delicious.

Bars! Bars! Bars and Barks!

I have never seen so many bars. For a section that has grown exponentially over the last several years, I hope there is enough space and attention for them all. There are breakfast bars, snack bars, dessert bars, energy bars, raw bars, crunchy and chewy bars.

And now there is a movement to bark. Bark thins came on strong this year and have opened the door for all kinds of chocolate and savory barks. Granola bark, chocolate bark with crispy quinoa, flax and chia.

No Dairy? No Way!

Dairy has been hot and cool in diet trends over the past several years. This year, apparently dairy is back and good for you. Califia Farms served up single to-go bottles of cold brew coffee products, Matcha lattes and more. Grass-fed milk, small farm milk and see-your-cow-eat-all-day milk were all over.

Yogurts took the stage as well. Greek, Icelandic, Australian and spoonable Lifeway Keifer are now available with all kinds of toppings, jams, flavors.

Snacks and Chips

Well let’s just say that just about anything can be puffed, fried, baked and extruded. Corn, quinoa, lentils, beans, chickpeas, potatoes, corn, wheat rice, green peas and veggies.

A new company out of Canada, SPOKES.CA, had a great new potato product where eating the entire bag will only set you back 300 calories. And they were good! Move over, popcorn!

Banana Chips were also new. Offered in sweet or savory flavors, they are a new Paleo way to enjoy snacks on the go.

Nuts for Nut Butters

Today butter is a thing of the past, unless it’s Ghee. Ghee is simply clarified butter. But not all Ghee is the same. At the show, I tried a truffle salt Ghee from Fourthandheart.com that was so good I could not believe it.

Nut butters are all the rage and they too have various options. Crunchy, smooth, super creamy and combos. One of my personal favorites was Bestie by the Peanut Butter Company. These were so creamy and yummy with absolutely no sugar added. But I must have counted 20+ nut butter companies on the show floor.

Some Outliers

Sparkling drinking vinegar, an alternative to soda but remarkably flavorful and good for you. Pressery.com was my favorite on the floor made with coconut vinegar.

Drinkable soups were also new. DrinkZupa.com has an interesting line of drinkable cold vegetable soups with some really creative combinations. I will probably be a late adopter because I still like my soup warm and in a bowl, but they were tasty.

Overall, it was a great show. It was good to see all the category leaders launching new line extensions like Rice Dream and coconut milk, delicious! And to see new and upcoming, brave companies trying to change the world and health all in one place.

If you can attend next year I recommend it. But wear comfortable shoes!

7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Working with Design Firm

At Strategia Design, we work with a lot of clients who are launching their first product. This is an incredibly exciting process, especially for a designer, because we have the privilege of helping to define the brand and bring it to life.

Whether you simply need a logo or a complete package design, however, there are a few key questions that you should consider before any designer puts pencil to paper.

1.    What makes your brand special?

Understanding what makes your product or service special can be very illuminating for both you and a design team. You’d be surprised at how many companies have not focused enough on their point of difference and cannot articulate it. A brand’s unique point of difference, the benefits or traits you might want to emphasize, or what kinds of feelings you want the design to evoke will ultimately determine your brand identity and who you connect with.

This can be a tricky question, but it’s well worth the effort. Consider the answer carefully. Defining your unique value can help guide all of your branding and marketing efforts, and even your business development decisions, for years to come.

2.    Who is your target audience?

Many entrepreneurs feel compelled to say: “My product will be useful to anyone!” But let’s face it, that just isn’t true. Identifying your target audience, as well as their likes and dislikes, is crucial to connecting with them through design and marketing.

For example, the look and feel of a product for kids will be very different than one intended for adults. Some designs or color schemes may make a consumer think of it as a woman’s product or as a man’s product. If it’s a product for high-income families, we may want to aim for a more premium look. Even knowing your customer’s hobbies or interests can help inspire a more custom look for your brand.

3.    What are your style preferences?

Brands must connect with your consumers but they also have to feel right for you, the owners of the brand. If your brand is already established, you may have a style guide, color palette, and fonts that we can use in our designs. If not, it can be very useful for us to have some sense of what you like and what you don’t like from a visual perspective.

Often an audit is helpful in helping you define what you like or don’t like. What do your competitors look like? What other brands or products do you feel drawn toward? What websites do you think are striking? Using Pinterest can be an easy way to collect images that designers can draw inspiration from.

From there, we can understand how you see your brand and marry that with how your target customer sees the brand and create the right look and feel.

4.    What is the scope of what you need accomplished?

Start-up budgets are small, and we understand that. Perhaps all you need right now is a logo, and that’s OK. It is still helpful for us to know specifically what you need done now, what you might need done next, and your long-term goals.

You want to be able to grow into your brand and not have to retro fit as you grow.

We also ask a lot of questions. If we know that your new logo needs to work well on a 1-color print package, or if it needs to fit within a horizontal website header, we can design logo options with that in mind. Our team has experience in all aspects of branding, design, and marketing, and we’re happy to discuss big picture challenges with you.

5.    What are the limits that a design team needs to keep in mind?

To stand out, you have to know who you are standing out from. Perhaps your competitors all use the color blue and you want to stand out, so we’ll eliminate blue from our designs. Perhaps you’ve had past challenges with coming across as too feminine, so we need to stick to a gender-neutral style. Perhaps we need to incorporate certain elements from legacy designs in the updated work.

Limitations or parameters can go beyond the visual and be very much a part of the brand mission, point of difference, and the benefit you offer. Whatever your limitations are, it’s important for us to know about them from Day 1. This helps to reduce revisions, so we can create a design you love faster.

6.    Who are the decision-makers for your brand?

Even if you’re the CEO, there may be other people that you want to include on final design decisions. Identifying who those people are at the start of a project can help keep everyone on the same page throughout the whole process. Don’t forget that customers are also decision makers for your brand. What they say about it, tweet about it or how they react to it will shape its meaning over time. Be sure your team is on board, but make sure your customer is included in that research.

Keep the internal list of VIPs to only 1-3 individuals. Limiting this group will lead to less confusion and quicker decisions, making the design process easier for everyone. And remember that survey sites like Survey Monkey are your friend for customer research.

7.    What is your timeline?

Everything takes longer than you think. Have you ever made a 4-course meal and served it 2 hours late? Well that can happen in design as well, but we don’t want it to.

Share your timeline early in the project and back into it. Make sure your design firm asks questions like, “Do we need to meet a deadline for a tradeshow or a retailer presentation?” Some activities, like printing or shipping, can add time constraints that will be important for a design team to consider.

Even if you don’t have a hard deadline, we recommend that you decide on an estimated timeline. This will result in a more focused project that will help you achieve your goals.

Don’t know the answers yet? Don’t worry. We can help!

Some of these questions can benefit from an expert’s eye. If you don’t yet know the answers to any of these questions, our team would be happy to schedule an introductory call, a brand consulting session, or conduct a brand audit that will guide you to a clear and actionable plan.

Ready to chat? Click here to get in touch.

The Essential Components of a Brand Style Guide

Does your company have a formalized style guide?

If the answer is no, this is something that you should strongly consider. Although creating a brand style guide may seem tedious, it is absolutely critical – especially as your company continues to grow and acquire more clients and employees. A brand identity and standards guide tells users exactly how to use visual elements (logos, fonts, colors, etc.) in order to retain equity and maintain consistent branding on all company documents and in all marketing channels. By not providing a formal style guide, you can create confusion and inconsistencies in how your brand identity elements are communicated.

First and foremost, a style guide is defined as a set of standards for the writing and design of documents that enforces a specific style to improve communication. It’s particularly helpful for employees and gives a company one strong, cohesive voice and image. Whether you are a service provider or produce and sell products, a style guide will help ensure that the message being put out there is the one that you approve. Consistency breeds trust, trust breeds loyalty and loyalty breeds repeat purchase.

Here are the essential elements of a style guide:

• Written overview of the company
• Purpose, mission statement, and values
• Target audience and customer demographics (if appropriate)
• Logo guide – sizing, colors and placement. That includes what to do and what not to do
• Color palette – specific colors for the brand (primary and secondary) and color combinations that are permitted
• Font guide – explanation of typographical choices and the names of the approved fonts
• Collateral – letterhead, business card layout, press releases, email signature format, etc.
• Photography guide – style and aesthetic
• Digital and web guidelines – may include social media policies
• Voice and tone of the company – for both internal and external communication

Tips for creating a style guide:

• Include images and examples – don’t leave the guidelines up to interpretation. Show employees exactly what the colors look like and how your logo should be placed with clear examples. If you use Pantone colors, specify the number, the coating and the 4-color process build.
• Work with a copywriter – consider bringing on a copywriter to craft the copy. You need someone who can communicate your brand values effectively so that there is no confusion about what is or is not allowed.
• Anticipate questions – think about questions that your employees may have when looking over the style guide and answer them clearly in the text of the guide.
• Make it accessible – provide both individual and communal printed copies of the style guide, or set up a simple website that people can search. This prevents people from losing their copies and gives everyone constant access. Finally, create a pdf that can be sent to your vendors, suppliers and press, if needed.

What other elements do you include in your style guide? Do you have any additional tips for creating an effective style guide? What are some of your favorite examples of guides from other brands or companies? Let me know what you think by responding in the comment box below.

The Finishing Touch: Texture on Packaging

Many companies are challenged with the goal of designing a package that stands apart on shelf, attracts consumers, and gives off a premium or high-quality feel. The world of packaging is constantly evolving and there are so many innovative structures and substrates to chose from.

However, as I was thinking about this, I realized that there is a very underutilized packaging trend that rises to the challenge: textured elements.

Tactile finishes encourage consumers to literally reach out and touch the product and spend more time engaging with it, which will (hopefully) lead to final purchase. Adding textural elements can be fairly affordable and effective when done right. There have even been several studies done that test the effectiveness of packaging and whether or not it influences a shopper’s evaluation and decision. (Hint – it does.)

A few years ago, we worked with one of our clients, Kum and Go convenience stores, to utilize tactile printing on an energy beverage. At first glance, you could not tell there was anything extra added, but upon touching the product, you could feel the raised pattern and it added another level of nuance and interest. Prior to that, we noticed a trend in the organic category that companies were leaning toward matte finishes to speak to or allude to a more natural, less glossy package.

Today there are many options. Textural finishes can be added to the package, or act as secondary packaging that covers or encloses the product packaging. A few examples of tactile elements in packaging are:

• Textured fabrics
• Embossed wraps
• Suede-like coating
• UV coating
• Engraving
• Etching
• Matte color
• Ribbon
• Dots/raised patterns

By integrating any of these elements into your existing design, you are creating a more proprietary and unique or “ownable” design. The packaging appears to be more custom, which in turn gives off a very high-quality feel. Using textural elements is a great option for products in the luxury or gifting categories, such as beauty/skin care and spirits.

What packages or textural elements stand out to you? Do you think that including “finishing touches” elevates your brand experience or affects your decision-making as a consumer? Share your thoughts with me in the comment box below.

Introducing: Generation Z

Right now, it seems like everyone is talking about Millennials. After all, they are currently the largest generation in the U.S. and are entering the workplace faster than we can keep up with. They are an influential group and have huge buying power in the market, which is why so many companies are right to focus time and energy on understanding this demographic.

However, it’s time to start preparing for the next generation, Generation Z. Gen Z is the group of people born after Millennials, roughly between 1996 – 2010, but there is no agreed upon range at this time. This generation is very different from Millennials when it comes to their beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions. There is still a lot to learn about Gen Z, which we will see firsthand as they continue to grow older, but cultural observers are starting to gain an understanding of what shaped and impacted their upbringing.

As marketers, it is important to understand and follow generational trends as they emerge. There is no such thing as an “18 to 65 year old consumer.” As Generation Z continues to mature, it will be imperative to understand their buying trends and habits. Here are some of the defining traits of Generation Z that we already know:

Tech-savvy & reliant

Yes, this is also considered a trait of Millennials, however, this is the first generation that grew up entirely with modern technology. Most Gen Z’s do not remember a time before smartphones and social media! Because of this, they are incredibly tech-savvy and in tune with what is going on in the digital sphere. Because they are our first true “digital natives,” as you probably guessed, they are heavily reliant on technology in their daily lives. They use smartphones and technology as integration in their lives to be more efficient and stay connected to others in their lives. In fact, my daughter is a Gen Z and we had a conversation the other day about dictionaries. I was emphatic about her learning to look something up in a dictionary. Her argument to me was that she will never need a book dictionary, she will just “Google” it or go to dictionary.com. This is difficult to comprehend and combat, however, she may be right.

Global

Because of their tech-savvy nature, this generation is constantly connected to people – even others around the globe. In fact, many members of Gen Z say they have close friendships around the world that they have cultivated online through social media, blogs and websites. They have access to global audiences and enjoy sharing ideas and gaining insight from people of other cultures and backgrounds. They are true global citizens who understand at a young age that people are inherently the same, regardless of location. This allows them to foster close relationships and connect with others on a personal level through social media platforms that are organic and authentic.

Multicultural

This is the first generation in the U.S. that will see a majority population that is nonwhite. Generation Z is also more culturally diverse than any previous generation. Most Gen Z’s see diversity as their “new normal.” Between 2000 and 2010, the country’s Hispanic population grew at four times the rate of the total population. According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans self-identifying as bi-racial also rose 134%. This has been a major influence in the lives of Generation Z. Because of all of this profound cultural blending, Gen Z is generally more mindful and accepting of other cultures and beliefs.

Private

This demographic is much more private than their Millennial counterparts when it comes to online activity. They have largely rejected the idea of Facebook, where every move and thought is documented for the world to see. They tend to prefer social networking sites such as Tumblr and Snapchat, where they can show their daily routines through pictures and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Video is a big deal to this generation – they prefer an authentic, unedited view of how other people live their lives. Sure, they still enjoy taking selfies from time to time, but that doesn’t define Gen Z.

Entrepreneurial

Generation Z has the entrepreneurial spirit. Whereas Gen Y is considered the generation of “side gigs” and freelance jobs, Gen Z is more focused on working for themselves. In a recent study, 72% of high school students reported a desire to start their own business someday. This is much higher than findings from other generations. This may be due to the fact that most Gen Z’s were raised by members of Gen X, a generation known for being entrepreneurial. This generation came after the economic recession, and they are already focused on creating their own companies and living life on their own terms.

What other traits would you use to describe Generation Z? What have your experiences been with this generation? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.