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(2158, 1, '2016-02-02 20:26:46', '2016-02-02 20:26:46', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'it-takes-two-to-innovate', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/it-takes-two-to-innovate', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2159, 1, '2016-03-09 15:47:30', '2016-03-09 15:47:30', '<strong>The retail mall environment needs to learn from the city. Food halls can help.</strong>\r\nThe traditional mall has lost its appeal. There are numerous reasons why, but one of the most poignant is the resurgence of the urban center and specifically the appeal of Main Street.\r\n\r\nMain Street is attractive again, and with it are all the things that the density of the city provides to pull shoppers away from retail-focused venues like malls. Cities offer a density of chaos and accident and a commensurate density of ideas and creativity. This is a phenomenon that even a well-planned mall, limited by its necessary focus on retail and a preset menu of activities, cannot compete with. Or can it? What can malls learn from cities, and specific to driving traffic, what can they learn from the communal spaces of the city to enhance their attractiveness to consumers?\r\n\r\nWithin the traditional retail mall, one arena ripe for reinvention is the food court. Food courts were initially envisioned as a quick recharge while shopping rather than as destinations in and of themselves. For this reason, most mall food courts are populated by bland and undifferentiated quick service restaurants (QSRs), and seating that is more cattle car than fine dining.\r\n\r\nWith the simultaneous arrival of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s theory on “third space,” and more authentic-feeling offers such as Chipotle, Shake Shack and Dig Inn, the traditional QSR has been served notice. Add to this The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English in Manhattan’s landmark Plaza Hotel, which turned the entire food court model on its head by offering a wide variety of well-prepared, interesting and enticing foods in one location. Let’s face facts, consumers have learned that fast food can be good, healthy and interesting—and this is how more and more people want to eat.\r\n\r\nFortunately, some major landlords are already exploring elevated approaches to food: Announced earlier this month, Taubman Centers’ $500-million renovation of Beverly Center in Los Angeles reportedly will include a food hall with as many as 18 different concepts. Taubman even tapped celebrity chef Michael Mina to head the project.\r\n\r\nLearning from farmers’ markets, food trucks, craft breweries and farm-to-table restaurants can be an effective way to create an engaging experience for a retail or mixed-use project. But simply dropping in a cart that looks like a food truck isn’t going to be enough. It is equally important—and often overlooked—to understand how these innovative trends develop, and then to create the kinds of spaces that engage and attract consumers.\r\n\r\nThis is precisely why the new crop of spacious food halls is worth a serious look. Packed with local vendors, bars and cafes, the likes of Berg’n in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood; UrbanSpace in Manhattan’s Midtown District, and Ponce City Market in Atlanta are destination locations driving unprecedented foot traffic. This kind of diverse food hall model may be a perfect fit for developers seeking to adapt and reuse older retail big box spaces, warehouses and even factories. The current food hall has much in common with the city’s traditional open-air market. It’s a modern take on an ancient urban model, one that offers the pride of local cuisine and the excitement of variety.\r\n\r\nSuccessful mixed-use developments build on this model by leveraging the daytime community that works in their commercial space, while also offering something to the local community to also leverage nighttime, weekend and other off-hours pedestrian traffic. On the high-end, the Related Companies has perfected this model at Time Warner Center and soon in the upcoming Hudson Yards. On the adaptive reuse end of the spectrum, Jamestown Properties, after buying a majority stake in the Chelsea Market in Manhattan’s Gansevoort Meatpacking District, is applying these lessons to its new projects at Industry City in Brooklyn and Ponce City in Atlanta.\r\n\r\nWhile retail malls don’t have a built-in commercial tenant population or a local community per se, they can still learn from the engaging, creative spaces in urban environments. The programming of a mall food court is, like that of any successful public space, dependent upon offering a mix and variety of relevant experiences. That could mean locally sourced and artisanal foods, as in Philadelphia’s Reading Market or Cleveland’s Westside Market, or incubating new food offers and being able to rotate food offers in and out on a regular basis, as Brooklyn’s Threes Brewery does each month.\r\n\r\nBeyond moves to reimagine the food court, in scenarios where large anchors move out, the empty space represents a unique opportunity to experiment with new kinds of offers, including food halls, fresh markets and other food-centric activities that will draw consumers.\r\n\r\nCompeting for consumers’ increasingly scarce time and attention is a huge challenge, one that makes the physical shopping experience less and less of compelling. Faced with the pressure to retain these shoppers, it is incumbent upon mall operators and other retail landlords to explore new ways to make their properties more desirable and enticing. Cities represent a resilient model that continues to succeed. Studying urban spaces and using this knowledge to enliven retail environments is an effective way to improve foot traffic and customer retention.\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a href=\"http://www.globest.com/sites/paulbubny/2016/03/09/from-food-courts-to-food-halls/?slreturn=20160209103211\" target=\"_blank\">Globest.com\r\n</a>Photo courtesy of <a href=\"http://lauraperuchi.com/en/tag/urbanspace-vanderbilt-en\" target=\"_blank\">Laura Peruchi</a>', 'From Food Courts To Food Halls', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'from-food-courts-to-food-halls', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/from-food-courts-to-food-halls', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2160, 1, '2016-03-14 14:19:52', '2016-03-14 14:19:52', '<strong>New Wave of Spacious Food Halls Offers Lessons for Forward-Thinking Developers Seeking to Reinvigorate Older Projects, Writes CBX\'s Anthony Deen in Post for GlobeSt.com</strong>\r\nCommercial real estate developers should pay attention to the trend toward urban food halls packed with local restaurants, bars and cafés, urges Anthony Deen, Creative Director, Branded Environments, for CBX, in a March 9 column on GlobeSt.com.\r\n\r\n\"The likes of Berg\'n in Brooklyn\'s Crown Heights neighborhood; UrbanSpace in Manhattan\'s Midtown District, and Ponce City Market in Atlanta are destination locations driving unprecedented foot traffic,\" writes Deen, whose work as an architect and designer for the brand agency and retail design consultancy encompasses retail, hospitality, airport and commercial projects. \"This kind of diverse food hall model may be a perfect fit for developers seeking to adapt and reuse older retail big box spaces, warehouses and even factories.\"\r\n\r\nIn the column (\"<a title=\"From Food Courts To Food Halls\" href=\"http://www.cbx.com/news/from-food-courts-to-food-halls/\" target=\"_blank\">From Food Courts to Food Halls</a>\"), Deen notes that the traditional mall, in particular, has lost its appeal amid resurgent interest in the authenticity, creativity and vibrancy of Main Street and urban centers. \"What can malls learn from cities, and specific to driving traffic, what can they learn from the communal spaces of the city to enhance their attractiveness to consumers?\" Deen writes.\r\n\r\nHe says that The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English, located in Manhattan\'s landmark Plaza Hotel, represents precisely the type of urban experience that offers potential lessons for developers. \"The Plaza Food Hall turned the entire food court model on its head by offering a wide variety of well-prepared, interesting and enticing foods in one location,\" writes Deen, who is also an adjunct associate professor at Parsons School of Design, School of Art, Media + Technology.\r\n\r\nOf course, some major landlords are already exploring elevated approaches to food that go beyond earlier moves to add quality inline or freestanding restaurants. Taubman Centers, for example, recently announced plans to include a food hall curated by celebrity chef Michael Mina, with as many as 18 different concepts, in its $500 million renovation of Beverly Center in Los Angeles, Deen notes in the column.\r\n\"The current food hall has much in common with the city\'s traditional open-air market,\" Deen writes. \"It\'s a modern take on an ancient urban model, one that offers the pride of local cuisine and the excitement of variety.\"\r\n\r\nThe key to programming any successful public space, Deen adds, is to offer a mix and variety of relevant experiences. \"That could mean locally sourced and artisanal foods, as in Philadelphia\'s Reading Market or Cleveland\'s Westside Market, or incubating new food offers and being able to rotate food offers in and out on a regular basis, as Brooklyn\'s Threes Brewery does each month,\" he writes.\r\n\r\nWhether revamping mall food courts or reimagining vacant anchor spaces, mall developers could draw on lessons learned from food halls, fresh markets and other food-centric urban experiences. \"Cities represent a resilient model that continues to succeed,\" Deen writes in the conclusion to the piece. \"Studying urban spaces and using this knowledge to enliven retail environments is an effective way to improve foot traffic and customer retention.\"\r\n\r\nThe column is available in full on <a href=\"http://www.globest.com/sites/paulbubny/2016/03/09/from-food-courts-to-food-halls/\" target=\"_blank\">GlobeSt.com\r\n</a>Photo courtesy of <a href=\"http://atlanta-food-critic.com/2015/09/review-hf-burger-ponce-city-market-atlanta/\" target=\"_blank\">Atlanta Food Critic</a>\r\n\r\nAlso seen in:\r\n<a href=\"https://www.fb101.com/2016/03/cbx-designer-food-hall-trend-holds-promise-for-commercial-real-estate/\" target=\"_blank\">Food &amp; Beverage Magazine\r\n</a><a href=\"https://www.fsrmagazine.com/real-estate/food-hall-trend-holds-promise-commercial-real-estate\" target=\"_blank\">FSR Magazine</a>', 'CBX Designer: Food Hall Trend Holds Promise for Commercial Real Estate', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-designer-food-hall-trend-holds-promise-for-commercial-real-estate', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-designer-food-hall-trend-holds-promise-for-commercial-real-estate', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2161, 1, '2016-03-12 17:07:18', '2016-03-12 17:07:18', '<strong>Organic vegetables break category norms though the use of a stand-up pouch and fun and colorful graphics that stand out from the gritty, natural palettes traditionally used.</strong>\r\nA new line of organic beans is breaking through the “sea of sameness” in the organic shelf-stable vegetables category through the use of a stand-up pouch decorated with fresh and fun illustrations. The five varieties of beans in pouches were launched by startup company Green Valley Foods, LLC out of Salem, OR, in October 2015 along with four canned bean varieties, one canned pumpkin product, and three canned seasonal vegetables—all with the same lively graphics.\r\n\r\n“Green Valley wanted to create packaging that disrupted the aisle, but also captured a younger, health-conscious audience: the adventurous, better-for-you Millennial Mom,” says Pete Chieffo, Associate Creative Director for CBX, the firm responsible for designing the package graphics. “The canned category relied on a gritty, natural palette of earth tones and farm cues. While these cue the natural organic aspect shoppers are looking for, there wasn’t anything that spoke to our target’s desire to make food fun and creative for her family.”\r\n\r\nThrough research involving both East and West Coast Millennial Moms, Green Valley and CBX learned that organics had changed over the past several years, “with Millennials expecting their organic brands to match their optimistic and adventurous lifestyle, rather than traditional organic category cues,” says Chieffo.\r\n\r\nAdds CBX CEO and Managing Partner Gregg S. Lipman, “We saw that there was an opportunity here for something innovative and differentiated. The ‘classic’ organic cues were no longer on the menu. We were on a mission to create a vibrant, playful, honest offering that would spark optimism and creativity, catering to today’s busy but conscious consumers.”\r\n\r\nThe first and greatest differentiator is the use of a 15.5-oz stand-up pouch with a tear notch at the top for some of the beans. Graphics for the pouches and cans include illustrations of a green valley, vibrant veggies, and purple mountains, topped by a yellow sun orb, along with simple typography. “We wanted the fonts to feel hand-drawn with character, right from the farmer’s hand,” Chieffo says. “The depiction of the beans and veggies was a take on ‘farm to table,’ with a modern edge, elevating the product with a top-down shot.” The back of the packages contain recipes.\r\n\r\nAccording to Lipman, social media results indicate a great interest in Green Valley’s organic products, with 40,000 likes on Facebook as of early January 2016.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/rigid-flexible/bean-pouches-present-new-take-organics\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>', 'Bean Pouches Present a New Take On Organics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bean-pouches-present-a-new-take-on-organics', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/bean-pouches-present-a-new-take-on-organics', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2162, 1, '2016-03-21 16:43:53', '2016-03-21 16:43:53', '<a title=\"James Sundstad Joins CBX as V.P., Branded Environments\" href=\"http://www.cbx.com/news/james-sundstad-joins-cbx-as-v-p-branded-environments/\" target=\"_blank\">James Sundstad, VP Branded Environments</a> is speaking at Globalshop 2016.\r\n<strong>Wednesday, March 23 @ 10:30am</strong>\r\n<strong>Room: Islander G</strong>\r\n\r\nHave you read any retail trend forecasts lately? Let’s face it: many so called “trends” are just the cost of doing business (mobile payments, customization, small-format anybody?). Yes, technology will be a part of retailing this year, just as it was in 2013 or for that matter, 2010. 2016 will most certainly see a continued evolution of what retail is and what it does. For this forecast, James Sundstad will concentrate on physical retail, since he believes that 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. Because 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. In this session, Sundstad will uncover those not-so-obvious trends that will make a difference in retail of the future.\r\n\r\nLearning Objectives:\r\n\r\n1. Learn what categories are innovating at retail\r\n2. Learn how to keep consumers at the center\r\n3. Understand how Design and Business converge to cause future trends\r\n4. Leave with real-world examples of trends that are taking shape\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://s15.a2zinc.net/clients/emeraldexpo/gs2016/public/SessionDetails.aspx?FromPage=Speakers.aspx&amp;SessionID=36&amp;nav=true&amp;Role=A%27&amp;utm_source=test+031816&amp;utm_campaign=59094937c2-James_Globalshop_20163_21_2016&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_dc899c8d0a-59094937c2-\" target=\"_blank\">See more Globalshop information here.</a>', 'Why Algorithms Can\'t Dance: 5 Retail Trends You Haven\'t Already Heard', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'why-algorithms-cant-dance-5-retail-trends-you-havent-already-heard', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:52', '2018-09-27 17:58:52', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/why-algorithms-cant-dance-5-retail-trends-you-havent-already-heard', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2163, 1, '2016-03-18 21:59:22', '2016-03-18 21:59:22', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'freshen-up-product-imagery', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/freshen-up-product-imagery', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2164, 1, '2016-03-18 17:46:11', '2016-03-18 17:46:11', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'putting-the-in-kum-go', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/putting-the-in-kum-go', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2165, 1, '2016-04-14 15:50:07', '2016-04-14 15:50:07', '<strong>Brand Agency Reframes Avalon Organics® Brand Positioning and Meaning, and Creates New Packaging for Its Certified-Organic Skincare, Hair Care and Bath and Body Products</strong>\r\nBrand agency and retail design consultancy CBX has rebranded Avalon Organics®, one of the first brands to offer a full line of certified-organic products, giving the brand a fresh perspective for a new era.\r\n\r\nAvalon Organics® brand got its start back when organic personal care products were primarily purchased by well-educated, high-income females in their 30s or 40s with children, noted Gregg Lipman, Managing Partner at CBX. \"Avalon Organics® earned a reputation for offering the highest-possible quality personal care products,\" he said. \"As the consumer has evolved, Millennial and Gen X women crave an emotional connection \'beyond organic.\' It was time to clarify Avalon Organics® brand story for today.\"\r\n\r\nToward that end, CBX experts in branding, design strategy and verbal strategy relied on extensive consumer conversations as they reframed the brand with the Personal Care team at Hain Celestial. In addition to creating new packaging, design and nomenclature systems for Avalon\'s five product lines, the team built a brand book; clarified Avalon Organics® brand personality and behaviors; defined the brand\'s visual and verbal principles with expansive voice guidelines for use in social media and other communications, and conducted internal training to support writing around the new master brand.\r\n\r\nMultiple research sessions conducted by CBX revealed the extent to which Avalon Organics® consumers had shifted to what the CBX team came to classify as \"Modern Holistics\" -- 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. \"It is always critically important to consider where a brand is in relation to culture,\" he said.\r\n\r\n\"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,\" Lipman explained. \"The idea of \'consciousness\' is important to the Avalon Organics® brand, but we wanted to uncover the nuances of this,\" he said. \"What is consciousness in this context? Is it organic and apothecary-esque, or is it something that can look just plain natural? Is it about how people treat themselves, or is it more about the environment? We explored it all.\"\r\n\r\nWhat emerged was consumers\' appreciation for beauty that is beyond skin deep, Lipman related. \"It was really important to them that it was deep, stable and all-encompassing,\" he said.\r\n\r\nThe new packaging CBX designed for Avalon Organics® shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers and other products -- including those belonging to its Intense Defense and Wrinkle Therapy lines -- are now hitting store shelves nationwide. \"We did a wholesale change from the Avalon Organics® brand\'s previous look, although we did preserve important equities such as the green bottle color,\" said Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner. \"When we tested the new look, we absolutely exceeded expectations. Consumers indicated they would purchase the products more frequently as a result of these changes.\"\r\n\r\n\"On the new packs, the botanicals are hero to emphasize brand expertise in formulating the right, organic ingredients,\" he noted. \"We revolutionized the design -- from the bottle, to the logo, to the graphics, to the typography. The focus was on purifying the design to communicate to consumers that the product is better for you because it\'s Avalon Organics®.\"\r\n\r\nFunctionally, the design helps consumers better understand the product\'s botanical origins, what it does and its specific benefits, Barrack added.\r\n\r\n\"We wanted to make a big deal out of transparency and owning the brand colors for more impact at shelf,\" Barrack said. \"It\'s a crowded category, so brand-blocking was important. The transparent label and clear logo makes a big statement that Avalon Organics® brand is not standing in the way of nature, but is providing the expertise to make beauty products that work.\"\r\n\r\nAlso seen in:\r\n<a href=\"http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/85332-cbx-reframes-brand-positioning-for-avalon-organics-line-of-products\" target=\"_blank\">Brand Packaging\r\n</a><a href=\"http://www.happi.com/contents/view_breaking-news/2016-04-08/new-look-logo-for-avalon-organics/\" target=\"_blank\">Happi</a>', 'CBX Works With Hain Celestial on Avalon Organics® Brand Positioning', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-works-with-hain-celestial-on-avalon-organics-brand-positioning', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-works-with-hain-celestial-on-avalon-organics-brand-positioning', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(2166, 1, '2016-04-20 17:20:14', '2016-04-20 17:20:14', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'name-that-brand', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/name-that-brand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2167, 1, '2016-04-22 15:01:11', '2016-04-22 15:01:11', 'For practical purposes, we all consider convenience stores to belong to one retail sector and drug stores to another. In a very real sense, however, the modern chain drug store is a c-store.Convenience is the raison d’être for the extraordinarily well-positioned real estate of the drug store sector as a whole. The strategy, of course, is to create one-stop-shopping destinations for neighborhood customers who already need to visit the store to pick up prescriptions. In this model, the role of the pharmacy is roughly analogous to that of the gas pump at c-stores — it is the primary traffic driver.\r\n\r\nBut in case you haven’t noticed, traditional c-stores are coming into their own with strategies that substantially augment this approach. The idea is not just to ramp up productivity by offering more reasons to walk into the store; it is to elevate the experience in order to cement brand loyalty and drive repeat visits.\r\n\r\nWhen you walk into a chain drug store today, is there anything novel or exciting about the experience? How does the overall atmosphere make you feel? “Experiential” is the biggest buzzword by far in all sectors of retail today. Yet, the experience in our drug stores has remained remarkably cookie-cutter (with a few exceptions). Often, a customer simply walks into a wall of end-cap fixtures.\r\n\r\nC-stores, by contrast, have shown a greater willingness to experiment with their formats. When Wawa moved into Florida, the Pennsylvania-based chain scored a big hit with its use of “fresh” decorating cues such as natural materials, floor-to-ceiling glass windows to provide inside-out retailing, warm colors, outdoor seating areas, and highly visible kitchen and sandwich-making areas. For many in the Sunshine State, this elevated offering, with its fresh-baked bread and signature coffee presentation, was truly novel.\r\n\r\nOther examples of this approach (and there are many) include Argentina’s Axion Spot! Café, which is a c-store designed around an authentic café experience, or Eastern Europe’s MOL Fresh Corner stores, which offer fresh food and branded coffee. Back home, some West Coast c-stores even sell gourmet tacos from outdoor food carts. The point here is not just to give people something new to eat — it is to add theater.\r\n\r\nNational chain drug stores can, and should, raise their game as well. That means finding viable ways to enliven today’s cookie-cutter experiences. Of course, it would be impossible for a chain with 1,200 stores to offer a thoroughly unique experience at each location. However, bringing some degree of localization to individual stores — especially those in distinct locales with high traffic — is doable.\r\n\r\nThis is about more than swapping out seasonal merchandising. Bringing in sand toy and beach chair displays over the summer is not localization, and since everyone does it, this is hardly an effective tactic. Localization requires a willingness to decentralize and collaborate with store managers to stock select merchandise that speaks directly to the needs and priorities of local shoppers.\r\n\r\nKnowing the neighborhood firsthand is a critical part of the localization process, because numbers alone can be misleading. Years ago, when Virgin Entertainment was planning a megastore for Union Square in Manhattan, the merchandise was originally programmed around classical music. Online research and stats for the neighborhood indicated a wealthier, older demographic. And yet half-a-dozen colleges and universities surrounded the Union Square store.\r\n\r\nWhy had the software failed to record these young people? They were not “permanent residents” and, thus, not included in demographic research. After realizing this oversight, Virgin reprogrammed the store around rock and world music.\r\n\r\nNew York City pharmacy chain Duane Reade is one player that has sought to bring local angles to its stores through a rebranding initiative. In Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood — where you’ll find no shortage of craft beer hot spots such as Threes Brewing, The Brooklyn Brewery, Beer Boutique and Mugs Ale House — it was a logical choice for Duane Reade to add a craft beer growler bar to its reinvented store. In Downtown Manhattan, though, Duane Reade’s research showed that customers were particularly in need of high-quality fast food, available on the go. Here a sushi bar made the most sense.\r\n\r\nWalk into certain Seattle-area Bartell Drugs locations, and you’ll find end-of-aisle displays featuring what might seem to be an unusual item: Spam, the kitschy meat product by Hormel, most loved by Hawaiians. Given its relative proximity to Hawaii, Seattle has a relatively large population of native Hawaiian islanders. So Bartell moved to meet this demand in a way that highlighted its grasp of local culture.\r\n\r\nAlong the same lines, Bartell made sure to prominently display products by Seattle-based Theo’s Chocolate as a way to help localize its stores. These higher-end products were given an elevated and centered presentation, with more mainstream candies still accessible on the racks below.\r\n\r\nIn the old days, Bartell was a soda shop that was popular up and down the West Coast. To localize a South Lake Union store popular with Seattle urbanites, Bartell took advantage of the store’s classic long bar and bar stools by partnering with a local ice creamery and gelato store. Now customers can stroll in, order a root beer float or a sarsaparilla, and have the kind of experience that you just can’t find at every chain drug store.\r\n\r\nImprovements in the customer experience need not always be rooted in local history and character. Duane Reade, for example, supplemented greeting cards from its core American Greetings brand with an attractive branded display by that company’s higher-end Papyrus unit, supplier of better-quality cards, gifts and stationery. Small touches such as this add up quickly. Suddenly, your store has more cachet.\r\n\r\nThe fundamentals of retail design also matter — especially given that the rest of retail is so obsessed with ramping up the customer experience.\r\n\r\nAt better American c-stores, the “stack it high” merchandizing model is gone, replaced with shorter gondolas that give the place a lighter, airier feel. In addition to making the coolers more visible, this helps female customers feel safer and more comfortable. And yet in the drug store business we still find 7-foot-tall gondolas that tower over shoppers and block critical sight lines. How can we ramp up beauty sales if female customers consciously or unconsciously feel unsafe to linger on the beauty aisle?\r\n\r\nFinally, U.S. drug stores could find new sources of inspiration by studying how the customer experience is evolving in international markets. In Brazil, for example, one chain is already working with designers to better integrate into the flow of its stores the experience of visiting a medical technician for an immunization.\r\n\r\nToday, as major drug chains continue to add walk-in clinics to their stores, they could do more to integrate this growing focus on consultative health, wellness and medical services into the customer journey. Specifically, there is potential here to create consultation spaces (served by relevant merchandise displays) that communicate on-brand messages to consumers.\r\n\r\nA clinic need not feel overly clinical. Open designs with reassuring colors, wellness-oriented visuals and other flourishes can create a pleasing experience. This is especially important if a wait is likely to be part of the journey.\r\n\r\nOf course, facilitating customer interaction with pharmacists and wellness ambassadors should be central to these efforts — and a number of U.S. chains have already made strides in this area.\r\n\r\nAt older stores, high counters between pharmacists and patients created an unwelcome barrier. Duane Reade, for one, embraced lower counters in order to restore a sense of personal connection.\r\n\r\nWith about 30,000 chain drug stores in the United States alone, the top chains already create retail experiences for millions of people. There is tremendous opportunity at every touch point to convey brand messages, cement customer loyalty and increase foot traffic and sales in location-appropriate merchandise. Duane Reade’s Growler Bar would never have worked if it was not the right strategy from the start. And yet all too often the experience of shopping at a drug store feels functional and flat.\r\n\r\nIf drug stores were islands unto themselves, they could afford to stay the same. Don’t allow your competitors to eat your lunch. It’s time to differentiate.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.chaindrugreview.com/how-chain-drug-stores-can-stand-out-from-the-crowd/\" target=\"_blank\">Chain Drug Review</a>', 'How Chain Drug Stores Can Stand Out From the Crowd', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-chain-drug-stores-can-stand-out-from-the-crowd', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/how-chain-drug-stores-can-stand-out-from-the-crowd', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2168, 1, '2016-04-27 17:39:42', '2016-04-27 17:39:42', 'Saks Fifth Avenue is pleased to reveal details regarding the relocation of its store within The Galleria in Houston, TX. The new, 200,000 square foot, two-level Saks Fifth Avenue store is expected to open on April 28.\r\n“This store demonstrates our commitment to the important Houston market. It’s so exciting to be able to bring the new, luxurious and modern Saks to Houston. We are thrilled to be able to better serve our customers – both current and new – in a store that exemplifies our commitment to offering our customers the latest fashions and the most personalized service,” commented Marc Metrick, President of Saks Fifth Avenue.\r\n\r\nDesigned in partnership with CBX, the new location boasts 20,000 square feet more than the existing store, providing space to showcase the second largest beauty and fragrance department in the Saks Fifth Avenue portfolio, including an all-new 10022-SHOE department. Many additional designers will be showcased throughout the store and an enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, with eight private shopping suites, will also be featured.\r\n\r\nThe store will also offer the Personal Service Experience, bringing the best of Saks Fifth Avenue to customers via a custom Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which will travel directly to a client’s home, office, or hotel room. 51Fifteen Restaurant &amp; Lounge, a local favorite recognized for its distinctive cuisine, will join Saks Fifth Avenue in opening in the new location, serving both lunch and dinner. In addition to private dining, an active bar will wrap the staircase in the center of the first floor.\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a href=\"http://www3.hbc.com/press-release-container/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston/\" target=\"_blank\">HBC.com</a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils Plans for New Store in Houston', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2169, 1, '2016-04-28 15:32:29', '2016-04-28 15:32:29', 'Have you ever wished you could punctuate a group text between agency creatives with a tiny Lucky the Leprechaun or Ronald McDonald emoji, but there’s none to be found? Yeah, me too.\r\nWhile it’s not likely that we’ll be seeing brand icons included on our emoji roster anytime soon (we only just got tacos, after all), there are some mascots ad executives mutually agree deserve their own tiny icons. More than just being clever or cute, translating these 10 past and present favorites into their own emojis offers up a wealth of creative ways to use them in the agency world.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Kool-Aid Man</strong>\r\n\r\n“Oh, yeah!” Rebecca Lysen, Creative Director at Phear Creative, says that the Kool-Aid Man’s tagline and image makes the perfect emoji for all those moments when you want to break into the conversation because you’ve got stuff to talk about.\r\n\r\nHe would also be the welcome mat of emojis, if you will. Ashley Purdum, Phear Creative’s Director of PR, would opt to use him when someone new is added on a group text to show the team’s excitement.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Lefty</strong>\r\n\r\nDustin Longstreth, SVP and Strategy Group Director at CBX points out that Hamburger Helper’s Lefty has proved that he can rap after dropping a solid mix. Now it’s time for him to lend his infamous helping hand for moments where you need to “get it done.”\r\n\r\n<strong>3. The Siren</strong>\r\n\r\nAt Steel Branding, Director of Media Strategy Lara Baskin casts her vote for the infamous Starbucks mermaid to get her own emoji. Even if she’s not *technically* a brand mascot, she still deserves one because, coffee.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Mr. Peanut</strong>\r\n\r\nAbby Allsop, Account Supervisor at Leo Burnett and Planters, says that Mr. Peanut’s 100 years of continued fame has more to do beyond being a beloved salty snack. It easily translates into an emoji with pizazz. “With his quick wit, charm, and style, his emoji would be universal. Having a conversation about attire? Mr. Peanut’s top hat, monocle, and cane will quickly communicate that you have all the class needed. Trying to impress someone with your quick wit? The Mr. Peanut emoji can be the universal sign of ‘Damn, I’m funny!’ And not only does he have these wonderful qualities, but Mr. P can also be the icon for when you’re feeling a little \'nutty.’”\r\n\r\nWell said, Abby. The fact that this particular peanut is voiced by Robert Downey Jr. doesn’t hurt either.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Energizer Bunny</strong>\r\n\r\nOr, as Purdum notes, the brand mascot emoji everyone deserves for meetings that just. Won’t. End.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Charlie the Tuna</strong>\r\n\r\nSam Panico, Associate Creative Director at Gatesman+Dave, actually works with the StarKist account which naturally lends the need to insert a little “Sorry Charlie” emoji in emails or texts. But who couldn’t use a hipster tuna for a little shorthand declining every now and then?\r\n\r\n<strong>7. Rich Money Pennybags</strong>\r\n\r\nAKA the guy in the top hat from Monopoly. Lily Croll, Strategy Director at the digital agency Wire Stone, brings up the excellent point that no other brand mascot emoji-fied could celebrate payday better than him.\r\n\r\n<strong>8. Chiquita Banana</strong>\r\n\r\nNoelle Mulholland, Account Executive at Phear Creative, says this is the brand mascot answer to the red dress dancing girl emoji. You could use her for moments where sass is required in the commentary or to punctuate that you’re heading on a vacation.\r\n\r\n<strong>9. Pillsbury Doughboy</strong>\r\n\r\nFor all the moments in life that require a silly little “hoo hoo!” giggle, as Eric Trow, VP of Strategic Services at Gatesman+Dave explains it.\r\n\r\n<strong>10. Tony the Tiger</strong>\r\n\r\nYou could see this brand mascot coming from a mile away — always handy to have for when something’s “GRRRRREAAAAAT!”\r\n\r\nWhich icon do you think deserves their own emoji?\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.advertisingweek.com/360/article/-10-ad-icons-who-deserve-their-own-emojis\" target=\"_blank\">Advertising Week</a>', '10 Ad Icons Who Deserve Their Own Emojis', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '10-ad-icons-who-deserve-their-own-emojis', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:10', '2018-09-27 17:42:10', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/10-ad-icons-who-deserve-their-own-emojis', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2170, 1, '2015-11-02 21:48:49', '2015-11-02 21:48:49', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'millers-lets-the-swoosh-go', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/millers-lets-the-swoosh-go', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2171, 1, '2016-05-04 14:26:58', '2016-05-04 14:26:58', 'LIA has announced the first stand-alone jury recognizing the importance of verbal branding. The 2016 LIA Verbal Identity Jury will focus on the assets of a brand that relate to naming, phrasing, and communications. It is being introduced as a medium for this year\'s awards, after serving as a category under the Design medium in 2015.\r\nThe inaugural jury president will be Chris West, managing director of the London-based brand consultancy, Verbal Identity Ltd.\r\n\r\nSays West: \"I am honoured to be the president of the Verbal Identity Jury at the 2016 LIA Awards, with a Jury that consists of some of the world\'s most respected creators and users of powerful brand language today. Like Steve Martin said: \'Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way.\'\"\r\n\r\nWest launched the verbal brand strategy consultancy Verbal Identity in 2013, accumulating a number of high-profile clients from the luxury goods, technology, cosmetics, brewing and automotive industries, including the House of Alexander McQueen, Fred Perry, SABMiller, Hunter and Staples. He started his career in the 90s as a highly-awarded copywriter working at Saatchi, BBH, Leagas Delaney, RKCR and Mother, and claims authorship of two \'Billion Dollar lines\' (\"You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation,\" and Pringles\' \"Once you pop, you can\'t stop,\").\r\n\r\n2016 Verbal Identity Jury:\r\nRachel Bernard, VP, Director of Verbal Strategy, CBX, New York\r\nSean Doyle, Owner, Panic, London\r\nAmanda Liu, VP &amp; Creative Director, Labbrand Brand Innovations, Shanghai\r\nSteve Martin, Director, Eat Creative, Tokyo\r\nBen Zimmer, Language Columnist, Wall Street Journal, Jersey City\r\n\r\nCategories in this medium include:\r\nCampaign Tagline/Endline - The creation of a single line/phrase, that is consistently applied across all or most of the brand\'s/product\'s communications, and which is designed to sum up the communications so as to become a shorthand for the brand\'s positioning.\r\nNaming - The creation of a new brand or product name that suggests the soul and positioning of a new product or brand in an evocative and memorable way.\r\nTone of Voice - The development of a character-rich and relevant voice for a product or brand in its written and/or spoken communications.\r\nUse of Copywriting\r\n\r\nAll companies and/or individuals involved in the creative process are eligible to enter.\r\nFor more information on submissions and eligibility: Eligibility.\r\n\r\nWork submitted must be broadcast, published or released in a commercial environment with client approval between 1st July 2015 and 31st July 2016.\r\n\r\nOriginally posted by <a href=\"http://www.campaignbriefasia.com/2016/05/lia-reveals-new-verbal-identit.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+campaignbriefasia+%28Campaign+Brief+Asia%29\" target=\"_blank\">Campaign Brief Asia</a>', 'LIA Reveals New Verbal Identity Category', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'lia-reveals-new-verbal-identity-category', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/lia-reveals-new-verbal-identity-category', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2172, 1, '2016-05-04 14:01:31', '2016-05-04 14:01:31', 'CBX rebranded Avalon Organics, a line of organic beauty products. The agency reframed the brand with the Personal Care team at Hain Celestial. In addition to creating new packaging, design and nomenclature systems for Avalon\'s five product lines, the team built a brand book; clarified Avalon Organics brand personality; and conducted internal training to support writing around the new master brand. New packaging designed for Avalon Organics\' shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers and other products – including those belonging to its Intense Defense and Wrinkle Therapy lines – are now available nationwide. \"We did a wholesale change from the Avalon Organics brand\'s previous look, although we did preserve important equities such as the green bottle color,\" said Rick Barrack, chief creative officer and founding partner. \"We wanted to make a big deal out of transparency and owning the brand colors for more impact at shelf. It\'s a crowded category, so brand-blocking was important.\"\r\nOriginally posted by <a href=\"http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/275119/biz-dev-cbx-rebrands-avalon-organics.html\" target=\"_blank\">MediaPost</a>', 'BIZ DEV: CBX Rebrands Avalon Organics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'biz-dev-cbx-rebrands-avalon-organics', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/biz-dev-cbx-rebrands-avalon-organics', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2173, 1, '2016-04-29 14:09:45', '2016-04-29 14:09:45', 'On Thursday, Saks Fifth Avenue opened the doors to its new Houston store, located in The Galleria entertainment complex.\r\nThere to cut the ribbon on the new department store were Saks president Marc Metrick, chief merchant Tracy Margolies, EVP of stores Larry Bruce and Houston VP and GM Bobby Dees.\r\n\r\nIn the lead-up to the opening, the retailer held special events with the city’s movers and shakers to mark the occasion. On Tuesday, it teamed up with Town &amp; Country to host a private dinner attended by designer Erdem Moralioglu, opera singer Ana María Martínez and Houston socialites Lynn Wyatt and Isabel David. And on Wednesday, Saks invited more than 1,000 guests to a cocktail party and preview of the new Galleria store.\r\n\r\nSaks’ 200,000-sq.-ft. location in The Galleria was designed by CBX Agency in New York and represents a significant expansion from its previous Houston store, which closed earlier this month.\r\n\r\nNew additions to the brand roster include Proenza Schouler and Dries van Noten. The new store also will feature a Christian Louboutin boutique and a reimagined 10022-SHOE department.\r\n\r\nDees told FN sister publication WWD earlier this year that despite the economic slowdown in Texas, Saks is upbeat about the region.“You can’t foresee the economy, but we know over time the local economy will get better,” he said. “We are optimistic about Houston, and we are focused on being the best retailer we can be.”\r\n\r\nOriginally posted by <a href=\"http://footwearnews.com/2016/business/retail/saks-fifth-avenue-houston-galleria-store-opening-216751/\" target=\"_blank\">Footwear News</a>', 'Saks Celebrates Opening of Houston Store', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-celebrates-opening-of-houston-store', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-celebrates-opening-of-houston-store', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2174, 1, '2016-05-05 14:28:06', '2016-05-05 14:28:06', 'After months of planning and prepping, Saks Fifth Avenue closed up shop at 5115 Westheimer Road for new and improved digs — swapping 5115 for 5175. And despite being a mere three-tenths of a mile from the original location, Saks’ transformed space transports customers to a palatial emporium of luxury that Houston’s never seen. The store was designed by Saks Fifth Avenue Store Design and Planning Team in collaboration with CBX.  Feast your eyes on the new Saks Fifth Avenue.\r\nOriginally posted by <a href=\"http://www.papercitymag.com/style/houston-new-luxury-palace-inside-new-saks-fifth-avenue-galleria-store/#54301\" target=\"_blank\">PaperCity</a>', 'Houston’s New Luxury Palace: Inside The New Galleria-Changing Store', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'houstons-new-luxury-palace-inside-the-new-galleria-changing-store', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/houstons-new-luxury-palace-inside-the-new-galleria-changing-store', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2175, 1, '2016-02-10 14:28:22', '2016-02-10 14:28:22', 'New brands, exclusive boutiques and sleek, sophisticated design are on deck at Saks Fifth Avenue’s new Galleria store, debuting this spring.\r\nOpening in the Galleria in 1997, the current Saks Fifth Avenue Houston is a monument to mall culture—the monolithic limestone façade facing Westheimer is basically a temple dedicated to luxury shopping. But almost as soon as Saks was installed in the mall, consumer tastes changed. Malls have been challenged for shopping supremacy by open-concept shopping centers like River Oaks District. High-end shoppers began to demand a experience that included luxury finishings and details in keeping with the price tags of the goods on display. Younger customers preferred boutiques over megastores.\r\n\r\nTo respond to a changing retail environment, Saks Fifth Avenue has unveiled detailed plans of its new Galleria department store, gathering media for a comprehensive presentation on Tuesday evening. The big news is that the new store will open on April 28, with the current space closing at the end of the day on April 20 to facilitate the move.\r\n\r\n“This is the biggest move of its type that Saks has ever done,” said Bobby Dees, vice president and general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Houston. “It’s going to be a very special store.”\r\n\r\nThe present Saks Fifth Avenue Houston is one of the most successful stores in the company—it typically ranks third in sales volume, after the New York and Beverly Hills stores, though it’s fallen to fourth during the current construction. The new store is set to surpass even those numbers at 20,000 square feet larger, with the biggest footprint and volume of any Saks outside of Manhattan.\r\n\r\nDesigned by Saks’ in-house team along with CBX, the renderings present a store infused with rich, non-retail finishes, including a spiral staircase to the second floor and a clean color palette in shades of white, from whitewashed woods to marble.\r\n\r\nBut the biggest change is not the fixtures, it’s the layout, which radically rethinks what a department store should look like. Instead of big, open spaces, Saks is rolling out individual boutiques inside the store for its most prestigious brand partners, making it almost like a mall inside a mall, but with cohesive service and only-in-department-store perks. Among the 22 dedicated shops in women’s designer apparel, to be located on the second floor, are Dries Van Noten, Alaïa, Alexander McQueen, Proenza Schouler, Chloé, Altazarra, Fendi, Etro and Lanvin.\r\n\r\nOn the first floor—there will only be two levels, Dees notes, because research has shown shoppers don’t tend to venture up past the second floor—the entrance will be flanked by the luxury sector’s two big moneymakers: women’s shoes and handbags. The former will include a Christian Louboutin boutique, the first of its kind outside the New York store, and Prada, Louis Vuitton and Dior will be among the handbag boutiques.\r\n\r\nWithin the cosmetics and fragrance department will be the “crown jewel” of the store, with all counters expanded into, again, boutique-like spaces. The biggest of these will be the Chanel beauty boutique, though the most prestigious might be the forthcoming Gucci beauty boutique, the first time the coveted beauty line will be available in Texas, and one of only five points of distribution for the brand in the United States.\r\n\r\nThe men’s department will also be on the first floor, divided from the cosmetics department by Bar 12, described as a casual gathering space. It was designed by Nina Magon of Contour Interior Design, as was the new 51Fifteen restaurant on the second floor.\r\n\r\n“There’s a lot of white, grey, black and brass, ” said Magon. “We wanted it to be modern but everlasting.” The renderings show a clean and sophisticated space, festooned in marble with an eye-catching field of three-dimensional white tulips hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant will have two private dining spaces and its own entrance from the two-story garage beneath Saks for functions outside of store hours.\r\n\r\nThe new Saks Fifth Avenue Houston will be inaugurated by a series of preview events, including a Houston Grand Opera VIP dinner on April 26 and a kickoff for M.D. Anderson’s 75 anniversary on April 27 in advance of the ribbon-cutting on April 28. All three events will feature British designer Erdem Moralioglu of Erdem—a favorite of Kate Middleton—in his first visit to Houston.\r\n\r\nLet’s just say, as spring awakenings go, this one is pretty big.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2016/2/10/saks-fifth-avenue-rethinking-department-store\" target=\"_blank\">Houstonia Magazine</a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Is Radically Rethinking the Department Store', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-is-radically-rethinking-the-department-store', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-is-radically-rethinking-the-department-store', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2176, 1, '2016-04-26 15:22:16', '2016-04-26 15:22:16', 'The team at Houston\'s Saks Fifth Avenue is in the final stages of preparing for the store\'s anticipated April 28 opening date.\r\nDisplays are laid out, and apparel from high-end designers like Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrera, Louis Vuitton and Tom Ford are on the hangers. The Houston Business Journal got a sneak peek of the new, expanded building. Take a tour in the video.\r\n\r\nSee the full video on <a href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2016/04/sneak-peek-inside-houstons-new-saks-fifth-avenue.html\">Houston Business Journal</a>', 'Sneak Peek: Inside Houston\'s New Saks Fifth Avenue (Video)', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'sneak-peek-inside-houstons-new-saks-fifth-avenue-video', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/sneak-peek-inside-houstons-new-saks-fifth-avenue-video', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2177, 1, '2016-05-05 17:13:40', '2016-05-05 17:13:40', '<strong>Firm cited in from Graphic Design USA’s American Package Design Awards 2016 and Vertex Awards competitions. </strong>\r\nCBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy, was honored for its work on behalf of a variety of clients in Graphic Design USA’s 2016 American Package Design Awards and The Vertex Awards, a global competition devoted exclusively to the art of private brand package design.\r\n\r\nThe American Package Design Awards, a national design competition conducted by the editors of Graphic Design USA, recognized CBX for its work on behalf of Proctor &amp; Gamble’s The Art of Shaving Lexington Razor in the Beauty and Personal Care category, and for the redesign of TOMY’s The First Years line of infant and child products in the Babies &amp; Children category.\r\n\r\nIn the Vertex program, CBX was recognized in the Redesigned Brand Category with Silver and Bronze awards, respectively, for its work on BJ’s Wholesale Club’s Berkley Jensen line of laundry detergents and fabric softeners, and BJ’s Wellsley Farms grocery items. The Vertex Awards were created by Christopher Durham, the founder of My Private Brand and the vice president of retail brands at Theory House, and Phil Russo, the publisher of Global Retail Brands. Entries are judged by a panel of industry experts from around the world, with awards based on creativity, marketability, and innovation.\r\n\r\n<strong>See the work:</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Taos_IL_5397_B.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9770 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Taos_IL_5397_B-1024x721.jpg\" alt=\"Taos_IL_5397_B\" width=\"1024\" height=\"721\" /></a><strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/First_Years_IL_5339_B.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9262 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/First_Years_IL_5339_B-1024x648.jpg\" alt=\"First_Years_IL_5339_B\" width=\"1024\" height=\"648\" /></a></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BJ_Laundry_00070v1_RGB_Edit_HiRes.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9771 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BJ_Laundry_00070v1_RGB_Edit_HiRes-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"BJ_Laundry_00070v1_RGB_Edit_HiRes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/4_WF_dried_fruit_HR.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9772 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/4_WF_dried_fruit_HR-1024x704.jpg\" alt=\"4_WF_dried_fruit_HR\" width=\"1024\" height=\"704\" /></a>', 'CBX Wins Multiple Honors In Top Package Design Competitions', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-wins-multiple-honors-in-top-package-design-competitions', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-wins-multiple-honors-in-top-package-design-competitions', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2178, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '', 'daytime-view', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'daytime-view', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '', 1771, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/daytime-view.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2179, 1, '2016-05-09 18:17:06', '2016-05-09 18:17:06', 'A new line of organic beans is breaking through the \"sea of sameness\" in the organic shelf-stable vegetables category through the use of a stand-up pouch decorated with fresh and fun illustrations. The five varieties of beans in pouches were launched by startup company Green Valley Foods, LLC out of Salem, OR, in October 2015 along with four canned bean varieties, one canned pumpkin product, and three canned seasonal vegetables - all with the same lively graphics.\r\n\"Green Valley wanted to create packaging that disrupted the aisle, but also captured a younger, health-conscious audience: the adventurous, better-for-you Millennial Mom,\" says Pete Chieffo, Associate Creative Director for CBX, the firm responsible for designing the package graphics. \"The canned category relied on a gritty, natural palette of earth tones and farm cues. While these cue the natural organic aspect shoppers are looking for, there wasn\'t anything that spoke to our target\'s desire to make food fun and creative for her family.\"\r\n\r\nThrough research involving both East and West Coast Millennial Moms, Green Valley and CBX learned that organics had changed over the past several years, \"with Millennials expecting their organic brands to match their optimistic and adventurous lifestyle, rather than traditional organic category cues,\" says Chieffo.\r\n\r\nAdds CBX CEO and Managing Partner Gregg S. Lipman, \"We saw that there was an opportunity here for something innovative and differentiated. The \'classic\' organic cures were no longer on the menu. We were on a mission to create a vibrant, playful, honest offering that would spark optimism and creativity, catering to today\'s busy but conscious consumers.\"\r\n\r\nThe first and greatest differentiator is the use of a 15.5-oz stand-up pouch with a tear notch at the top for five varieties of beans. Graphics for the pouches and cans include illustrations of a green valley, vibrant veggies, and purple mountains, topped by a yellow sun orb, along with simple typography. \"We wanted the fonts to feel hand-drawn with character, right from the farmer\'s hand,\" Chieffo says. \"The depiction of the beans and veggies was a take on \'farm to table,\' with a modern edge, elevating the product with a top-down shot.\" The back of the packages contain recipes.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/sites/default/files/digital_edition/AprilPW2016/PW0416_combined_opt/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>', 'Bean Pouches Present a New Take on Organics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bean-pouches-present-a-new-take-on-organics-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/bean-pouches-present-a-new-take-on-organics-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2180, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '', 'Duane-Reade_UpMarket_D_Hires-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'duane-reade_upmarket_d_hires-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '2018-09-27 16:54:12', '', 1772, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Duane-Reade_UpMarket_D_Hires-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0);
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(2181, 1, '2016-05-11 15:09:28', '2016-05-11 15:09:28', 'Convenience store chain Kum &amp; Go has embraced a stylish new design with the launch of the Kum &amp; Go Marketplace in Johnston, Iowa. The 6,000-sq.-ft. store is the prototype of a new brand concept designed by New York-based retail design consultancy CBX.\r\nAn open-kitchen concept is the centerpiece of the new store, putting food prep on display for customers. White subway tiles, marble-like countertops, and stainless trim also make a striking impression. The new store also promotes the brand’s refreshing look with an 8-foot-tall ampersand gracing the façade. The new logo, designed by Des Moines-based studio Sticks, projects Kum &amp; Go well beyond the curb.\r\n\r\n“This new footprint represents everything that Kum &amp; Go strives to be for our associates and for our customers,” says Kyle Krause, president and CEO. “This is the evolution of our brand promise and business approach. Now customers can truly experience the ‘more’ that we provide.”\r\n\r\nHeadquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, Kum &amp; Go operates 430 stores in 11 states. The brand plans to launch its new design throughout 2016 in 28 additional locations.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/news/retail/Kum-Go-Debuts-New-Store-Concept-in-Iowa-26006.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>', 'Kum & Go Debuts New Store Concept in Iowa', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'kum-go-debuts-new-store-concept-in-iowa', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/kum-go-debuts-new-store-concept-in-iowa', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2182, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:13', '2018-09-27 16:54:13', '', 'Aloha_pressrelease_2012-2', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'aloha_pressrelease_2012-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:13', '2018-09-27 16:54:13', '', 1774, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Aloha_pressrelease_2012-2.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2183, 8, '2016-05-16 14:14:15', '2016-05-16 14:14:15', 'When Italian design house <a href=\"https://www.moschino.com/us?gclid=CKe9w76f18wCFVdahgodxLYO6g&amp;tp=111641\" target=\"_blank\">Moschino</a> swiped the look of a <a href=\"https://www.moschino.com/us/fragrance_cod62000819hg.html?gclid=CKe9w76f18wCFVdahgodxLYO6g&amp;tp=111641\" target=\"_blank\">Windex bottle for its Fresh Couture</a> luxury perfume earlier this year, the oxymoronic twist felt familiar to educated elites who can spend $82 for 3.4 ounces of eau de toilette.\r\nAfter all, the unexpected elevation—everything from <a href=\"https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/98.291?gclid=CKe9w76f18wCFVdahgodxLYO6g&amp;tp=111641\" target=\"_blank\">Duchamp’s 1917 “Fountain,”</a> to <a href=\"https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andy-warhol-campbells-soup-cans-1962?gclid=CKe9w76f18wCFVdahgodxLYO6g&amp;tp=111641\" target=\"_blank\">Warhol’s 1962 “Campbell’s Soup Cans,”</a> to <a href=\"http://www.magneticstate.com/blogdept/damien-hirst-physical-impossibility-death-shark/?gclid=CKe9w76f18wCFVdahgodxLYO6g&amp;tp=111641\" target=\"_blank\">Damien Hirst’s dead tiger shark in formaldehyde</a>—is now such a part of the art world that it is ... well, expected.\r\n\r\nReversals such as these are now part of high fashion, too. Moschino’s Jeremy Scott, in particular, is known for appropriating the language of the masses. Past Moschino collections have included fashions that looked like Hershey’s chocolate bars, bottles of Budweiser, McDonald’s “Happy Meals” or even the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants. In addition to the Windex-like spray bottle, Moschino’s 2016 spring-summer collection riffs on rubber gloves, car wash brushes and feather dusters—all of which are everyday items that hinge on manual labor.\r\n\r\nIt’s all just artsy, tongue-in-cheek fun, right?\r\n\r\nIn an America that has given rise to the xenophobic rants of @RealDonaldTrump and open discussion of “class wars,” maybe not.\r\n\r\nWhen I saw Fresh Couture’s Windex-inspired trade dress, my first thought was of Americans who actually use the product to clean their own windows and mirrors. How would they feel about über-expensive perfume designed to look like multipurpose spray? I imagined a situation in which the tables were turned and mainstream consumer brands appropriated the trade dress of those brands most-favored by the elite. Louis Vuitton-inspired dog food, anyone? Iced tea influenced by the elegance of Chanel? And yes, nothing really says sophisticated like Tiffany-esque toilet tissue.\r\n\r\nBloggers and fashion reporters love Moschino’s campaigns and tend to use language like “bold, brash and ingenious” or “pitch perfect” to describe them. These campaigns, too, are on-brand for Moschino, which sees itself as a rebel among rebels. However, high-end brands happen to serve dual functions. Yes, they make existing elites feel secure in who they are, but they also encourage the rest of country to aspire toward something “better.” Given this troubling dynamic, worthy as it is of the Gilded Age, shouldn’t the 1 percent at least refrain from mocking the likes of Budweiser, Windex and Hershey’s? However harmless and innocent you believe your intentions to be, you cannot lampoon these mainline brands without simultaneously looking down upon those who use them.\r\n\r\nIn contemplating Moschino’s latest stunt, I couldn’t help but think of the wig-and-powder aristocrats in “The History of the World Part 1,” Mel Brooks’ 1981 farce. “The people are revolting,” intones the Count De Money (Harvey Korman), who grows increasingly exasperated at the frequent mispronunciation of his last name. It’s supposed to sound like Monet, the count explains. You know, the artist.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_01.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9785 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_01.jpeg\" alt=\"CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_01\" width=\"792\" height=\"612\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_03.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9787 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_03.jpeg\" alt=\"CBX_mockingmainstreambrands_april2016_03\" width=\"792\" height=\"612\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://twitter.com/gregg_lipman\" target=\"_blank\">@gregg_lipman</a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://huff.to/1WAzyMY\" target=\"_blank\">Huffington Post</a>', '‘The People Are Revolting’: The 1 Percent Should Think Twice About Mocking Mainstream Brands', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-people-are-revolting-the-1-percent-should-think-twice-about-mocking-mainstream-brands', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:10', '2018-09-27 17:42:10', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-people-are-revolting-the-1-percent-should-think-twice-about-mocking-mainstream-brands', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2184, 1, '2016-05-05 21:21:29', '2016-05-05 21:21:29', '<strong>The industry continues to change at an increasing pace. Here\'s what the start of the next 20 years brings.</strong>\r\nIn two decades, brands have found many new ways to express their identity and connect with customers through packaging. We look at what is coming next.\r\n\r\nTwenty years ago, when BRANDPACKAGING put out its first issue, the packaging world looked very different. The way companies operated then wasn’t wrong; the CPG industry simply has an entirely changed set of marketing, branding and packaging ideals and undertakings today. Understanding the past is important, as is living in the present, but especially critical for brands now is watching the horizon for what will happen next in four key areas.\r\n\r\n<strong>BRANDING\r\n</strong>For decades, brands have used packaging to differentiate themselves from the competition, and to great success. Now, companies are requesting agencies take branding a step further: to their physical space.\r\n\r\n“When you are buying and selling products to consumers, branding is important everywhere,” says Anthony Deen, creative director, Environments at CBX. “When you walk into someone’s house, you form an impression. Everything from the artwork on the walls to the rug on the floor to the light fixtures on the ceiling all help you understand what the owners are trying to say about themselves. It’s no different with retail environments. That’s why it’s critical for retailers to establish a distinct voice and personality for their brand that connects to consumers on a higher, more experiential level. Retailers must now, more than ever, work very hard to engage consumers by defining the consumer experience and making it meaningful.\r\n\r\n“Branding spaces is about extending the brand into the physical environment — expressing a brand in a palpable way,” Deen continues. “For us at CBX, it includes designing everything from the packaging to the shelf talker on the gondola or a specialty endcap fixture. It includes the tradeshow booth where the discussion takes place between a manufacturer and retailers, the pop-up shop that introduces the product to consumers and the store itself.”\r\n\r\nNJOY\r\nBefore NJOY, the electronic cigarette/vaping category was still primarily entrenched in the visual world of tobacco, marketed as a cessation or tobacco alternative rather than a unique experience unto itself. CBX was challenged to reinvigorate and relaunch the brand as a unique, full-flavor experience in a rapidly growing category.\r\n\r\nThe agency conducted in-depth ethnographies and category audits that uncovered the target audience — the male millennial and the older transitional smoker. While the team didn’t want to alienate the female consumer, the brand needed to speak to the millennial who revels in hedonistic pleasure and lives life in the moment.\r\n\r\nCBX came up with a brand identity that was vibrant, engaging and disruptive in store. The agency relaunched NJOY’s original six SKU line, as well as two new lines, ultimately delivering 150 SKUs in total. The agency supported the launch and developed consumer-facing POS displays in 7-Eleven, Walgreens and other convenience store locations.\r\n\r\nFrom there, CBX created full-scale environments at trade shows, mobile vaping bars and the first free-standing NJOY retail location. The NJOY Vaping Bar it created can be found at The LINQ, a Caesars Entertainment property in Las Vegas.\r\n\r\nThe reaction was quick and intense: Less than three months after the relaunch of its vaping products, NJOY reached No.1 in retail sales, capturing 23.7 percent of this growing category, and accounted for 85 percent of the segment growth. By September 2014, NJOY grew to a 4.4 share and its market share continued to rise, with the aim of a 10 point share to be earned by the end of 2015. The new recharge line knocked LOGIC off the No.1 spot, and NJOY became the leading mass brand in the emerging flavor/vaping segment.\r\n\r\nRead the full article in <a href=\"http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/85344-the-changing-landscape-of-branding-and-packaging\" target=\"_blank\">Brand Packaging</a>', 'The Changing Landscape of Branding and Packaging', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-changing-landscape-of-branding-and-packaging', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-changing-landscape-of-branding-and-packaging', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2185, 1, '2016-05-23 14:16:16', '2016-05-23 14:16:16', 'Saks Fifth Avenue\'s Houston location is bigger than the first store established in the city, and gives greater focus on beauty and fragrance products.\r\nThe store\'s relocation in The Galleria in Houston was designed in partnership with CBX and boasts more than 20,000 square feet more than the previous store. It also features a 10022-SHOE department, according to a company press release. Additional designers are showcased throughout the store and an enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, with eight private shopping suites, is also featured.\r\n\r\n\"This store demonstrates our commitment to the important Houston market. It\'s so exciting to be able to bring the new, luxurious and modern Saks to Houston. We are thrilled to be able to better serve our customers — both current and new — in a store that exemplifies our commitment to offering our customers the latest fashions and the most personalized service,\" said MarcMetrick, president of Saks Fifth Avenue.\r\n\r\nThe store offers its Saks At Your Service to customers via a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that will travel directly to a client\'s home, office or hotel room. Also, 51Fifteen Cuisine &amp; Cocktails serves lunch and dinner. A bar, Bar 12, wraps the staircase in the center of the first floor, the release said.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/saks-fifth-avenue-opens-revamped-houston-store/\" target=\"_blank\">Retail Customer Experience</a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue opens revamped Houston store', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-opens-revamped-houston-store', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-opens-revamped-houston-store', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2186, 1, '2016-05-23 21:52:37', '2016-05-23 21:52:37', '<strong>To compete with niche brands offering better-for-you products, mainstream CPGs are rethinking their products and packaging to convey greater authenticity and quality.</strong>\r\nConsumers today are more health-conscious than ever. They want less processed and more natural and organic versions of foods they love. They want to know where their food comes from and whether the ingredients used to make their products are healthy and natural. As a result, many consumer product companies are concerned about their mainstream brands losing market share to smaller competitors focused on conveying quality and transparency. The possibility of losing traction with authenticity-focused Millennials is surely a big part of the equation.\r\n\r\nThis trend is affecting classic American brands that have remained untouched for decades. Traditional manufacturers are scrambling to meet these needs in meaningful ways and offer options that keep these brands relevant with consumers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Staying current via acquisitions\r\n</strong>One way is to buy successful brands that effectively compete in or have helped to create a category and simply add them to the portfolio. Companies are not always transparent about these ownership changes. In fact, some of them go out of their way to make sure consumers continue to view acquired brands as small and independent.\r\n\r\nEven today, many consumers are unaware that Hormel owns Applegate Farms, say, or that General Mills acquired the popular organic brand Annie’s Homegrown. When Whole Foods shoppers who are skittish about the health effects of fluoride use fluoride-free toothpaste by Tom’s of Maine, they are actually using a Colgate-Palmolive product.\r\n\r\nThis trend, which has been going on for years, doesn’t look to be slowing down. Recent examples include Unilever’s 2014 purchase of Talenti Gelato &amp; Sorbetto and Hershey Co.’s 2015 acquisition of Krave beef jerky.\r\n\r\n<strong>Making changes to core products\r\n</strong>Strategic acquisitions can certainly add to manufacturers’ bottom lines, but they do not guarantee that their primary moneymakers—the classic American brands we all grew up with—will survive, much less grow. This is why many brands are now trying to make their core products more relevant for health-conscious consumers.\r\n\r\nFor most of ConAgra’s non-organic Hunt’s-brand tomato products, the company uses a green-and-white bar indicating either “All-Natural” or “No Preservatives” at the top of the jar. However, some of its organic products get a different treatment entirely, with a wooden cutting board, rather than a solid block of red, acting as the background.\r\n\r\nConAgra is also spending money behind the brand, leveraging ad campaigns to tell consumers about the wholesome aspects of Hunt’s products. In the company’s “Tomato Town” TV spot and other ads, the emphasis here is not so much on ingredients as the differentiator; rather, it is about the wholesomeness of the process involved in making Hunt’s products. “At Hunt’s, we believe it’s good to be different,” one ad declares. “We peel our diced, whole, and stewed tomatoes with FlashSteam® instead of chemicals, which means no chemical by-products go back into the earth. It might not be the easiest way, but we believe that it’s the right way.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Creating line extensions\r\n</strong>Another strategy to gain share from these consumers is to create line extensions for major brands that legitimately play in this space. Packaging needs to work hard to communicate these benefits and offerings.\r\n\r\nFor its new organic mayo, Unilever chose to preserve Hellmann’s blue ribbon equity at the top of jar. The ribbon is, however, greatly reduced in size and prominence in comparison to the pack for the original brand. This understated approach is appropriate: Many longstanding brands have been synonymous with loud, multicolor packaging, going back to the mid-20th century. Organic products, though, tend to be gentler; they never shout.\r\n\r\nAnd so on the package for its organic mayo, Hellmann’s replaced the bright-yellow label with a more transparent one. The transparency here conveys the notion that the mayonnaise itself is the real focus. In addition, Unilever employed a simpler typographical treatment on the jar, with the word “organic” appearing in a cursive font along with the USDA Organic logo and the line, “Made with organic cage-free eggs.” You might even notice the signature of founder Richard C. Hellmann right on the jar—an authenticity-reinforcing visual cue.\r\n\r\nThis past February, Unilever also introduced its own vegan-friendly, eggless spread called Hellmann’s Carefully Crafted Dressing and Sandwich Spread. The product is “Free from Cholesterol, Eggs, Artificial Colors and Flavors,” the label declares, along with the words “Non-GMO Sourced Ingredients.” Here, the treatment is more “crafty,” with a butcher paper-like label and brown, rather than green, typographical treatments.\r\n\r\nFor its Heinz Organic Ketchup, Kraft Heinz made relatively minimal changes to the architecture, but added a large “Organic” callout to the front of the package within a white, cursive font. The green-tinted back of the label includes the USDA Organic logo along with the words, “Vine-ripened, 100% USDA certified organic tomatoes and natural seasonings.” Some bottle designs also have a smaller green label at the top of the spout.\r\n\r\n<strong>Modifying existing formulations</strong>\r\nAnother strategy is to modify existing product formulations to fit within this new paradigm so as to maintain long-term viability. While packaging can be a part of this process, it doesn’t always have to be.\r\n\r\nIn December, Kraft Heinz’ newly reformulated Kraft Mac &amp; Cheese hit the shelves with hardly a change to the box. The only difference: a graphic in the bottom right-hand corner of the front panel that looks like a page torn out of a notebook bearing a checklist of the changes, including “NO Artificial Preservatives,” “NO Artificial Flavors,” and “NO Artificial Dyes.”\r\n\r\nYet the new formula was a big deal. It replaced artificial preservatives and dyes with more natural ingredients such as paprika, annatto, and turmeric. “We’ve sold well over 50 million boxes with essentially no one noticing,” one Kraft executive told The New York Times. The company was reportedly nervous about consumers perceiving a new—and inferior—taste along the lines of the “New Coke” debacle. But after Kraft Heinz had sold those tens of millions of boxes of Mac &amp; Cheese, the company launched an ad campaign to inform consumers about the changes (“#didntnotice” was central to the social media push).\r\n\r\n<strong>Walking a fine line</strong>\r\nAre there any downsides or risks associated with these strategies? On the question of authenticity, mainstream brands do need to walk a fine line. Consumers know that these are mass-produced products owned by some of the largest corporations on the planet. In addition, many consumers have always thought about these products as being full of sugar and/or artificial additives and colors. One possible misstep would be to engage in the equivalent of “greenwashing” these improved products—i.e., overselling their health benefits or even misleading consumers about them.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is to cater to these evolving consumer wants and needs without overreacting and putting all your eggs (even organic and free-range ones) in one basket, as there are still a large proportion of consumers who are quite happy with the products they’ve been enjoying for years and wouldn’t want to give them up, either because they wouldn’t trust that the new version would taste as good or they don’t want to pay more. Did I mention the organic ketchup costs twice as much as the regular version?\r\n\r\nMarketers will want to provide meaningful options and do so in ways that are credible and sustainable and serve the needs of these merging and diverging audiences, because while Millennials and Gen Z are growing in influence and importance, they do not represent everyone (at least not yet).\r\n\r\nAnd so for consumer product companies, the task here is simply to inform consumers about the real changes they are making in response to shifting expectations—things like abandoning GMO ingredients or going organic. By keeping it informational and avoiding making either overblown claims or too-drastic changes to iconic product packaging, these companies only stand to benefit. These changes, after all, promise to make classic, top-selling products more acceptable to new generations of consumers. Handled well, these changes can boost the odds that some of our most well known and loved brands will stay relevant and continue to have a place in consumers’ pantries for years to come.\r\n\r\n<strong>Strategies for branding better-for-you line extensions</strong>\r\n\r\n- Determine the appropriate association between master brand and new offerings so as to not mitigate credibility.\r\n- Use effective graphic cues for the line extensions to immediately convey the new credentials while providing a modest brand linkage for reassurance.\r\n- Carefully announce the change—perhaps after the fact—to establish an improved process and ingredient profile without creating doubts or concerns about taste.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/classic-brands-are-going-organic-will-consumers-go-change\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/graphic/classic-brands-are-going-organic-will-consumers-go-change\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>', 'Classic Brands Are Going Organic: Will Consumers Go For The Change?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'classic-brands-are-going-organic-will-consumers-go-for-the-change', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:36', '2018-09-27 17:56:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/classic-brands-are-going-organic-will-consumers-go-for-the-change', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2187, 1, '2016-05-20 16:17:57', '2016-05-20 16:17:57', '<strong>Saks Fifth Avenue is pleased to reveal details regarding the relocation of its store within The Galleria in Houston, TX. The new, 200,000 square foot, two-level Saks Fifth Avenue store is expected to open on April 28.</strong>\r\n“This store demonstrates our commitment to the important Houston market. It’s so exciting to be able to bring the new, luxurious and modern Saks to Houston. We are thrilled to be able to better serve our customers – both current and new – in a store that exemplifies our commitment to offering our customers the latest fashions and the most personalized service,” commented Marc Metrick, President of Saks Fifth Avenue.\r\n\r\nDesigned in partnership with CBX, the new location boasts 20,000 square feet more than the existing store, providing space to showcase the second largest beauty and fragrance department in the Saks Fifth Avenue portfolio, including an all-new 10022-SHOE department. Many additional designers will be showcased throughout the store and an enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, with eight private shopping suites, will also be featured.\r\n\r\nThe store will also offer Saks At Your Service bringing the best of Saks Fifth Avenue to customers via a custom Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which will travel directly to a client’s home, office, or hotel room.\r\n\r\n51Fifteen Restaurant &amp; Lounge, a local favorite recognized for its distinctive cuisine, will join Saks Fifth Avenue in opening in the new location, serving both lunch and dinner. In addition to private dining, an active bar, Bar 12, will wrap the staircase in the center of the first floor.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://beautyfashionfragrance.com/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-new-store-houston/\" target=\"_blank\">Beauty Fashion Fragrance</a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils Plans For New Store In Houston', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2188, 1, '2016-05-25 18:33:57', '2016-05-25 18:33:57', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '5-retail-trends-in-c-store-design', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/5-retail-trends-in-c-store-design', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2189, 1, '2016-06-01 15:29:49', '2016-06-01 15:29:49', '<strong>Don’t let tight quarters deter your sales</strong>\r\nCharm meets functionality at Nomad’s Pizza in Hopewell, New Jersey. This 600-square-foot historic carriage house has been transformed into a cozy European-style eatery. And despite its size, it’s packing a punch for owner Tom Grim’s bottom line.\r\n\r\nAverage wait times for a table on a busy night: Two hours. And people do wait.\r\n\r\n“We have three places, and this one is the most profitable,” Grim says. “The others are bigger with kitchens. We’re able to focus, and we don’t have the whole kitchen staff to worry about. We make pizza and salads and are very efficient.”\r\n\r\nJames Sundstad understands why Grim has found success in a small space. Several years ago he was part of the team tasked with developing Starbucks’ new “express” stores, recreating the Starbucks experience in 400 to 500 square feet. His team worked on a “mock” store at Starbucks headquarters to find a formula for operating in a limited space. Sundstad is now vice president of branded environments at CBX, a retail design consultancy.\r\n\r\n“It comes down to honing your operation to make it functional and have a good customer experience,” Sundstad says.\r\n\r\nHere are ways to maximize your space for your customers’ happiness and your profitability:\r\n\r\n<strong>Study and understand how your customers move\r\n</strong>Think about the “journey” into your small space from their standpoint, Sundstad says. Choose a table, sit at it and then watch customers to see how they’re “flowing.” Is there a path for wait staff to deliver food without crashing into customers?\r\n\r\n“If you handle velocity in a way that benefits the customer, and wait lines are not long, you can increase sales,” he says.\r\n\r\n<strong>Vary seating to play with the sense of scale</strong>\r\nUsually with a smaller space, people think they can only fit “so many tables,” Sundstad says. Get creative with a mix of table heights and sizes –– a large community table, lower seating, bar seating, a counter by the window or even an “armchair nook” with two plush chairs facing each other in a corner. It makes the more space engaging, and the more variation, the better. “One level of low seating consumes space,” he says.\r\n\r\nJim Jacobs, owner of Pisanello’s Pizza in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, knocked down a wall in his shopping center to expand the restaurant in 2014. He nearly doubled the space from 50 seats to about 90.\r\n\r\nBut before that, seating was at a premium. The place had become incredibly popular after he added a buffet lunch service. To accommodate the lunch crowd, Jacobs built a bench along the length of one wall and placed tables in front of it. “They can be shoved together for whatever size you want –– two or 20 people,” he says.\r\n\r\nA combination of tables and booths, with Jacobs’ personal woodworking touch, created a warm and eclectic space. “I made 80 percent of the table tops out of a local red oak board that I bought at a saw mill. Plus, I took some old maple top butcher block tables that we used for prep tables in the back, and I sanded those down and varnished them, and we use those for table tops now,” he says.\r\n\r\n<strong>Create ambiance in tight quarters with light and sound\r\n</strong>Jeff Pond is former owner of A4 Pizza, a 1,200-square-foot restaurant in Somerville, Massachusetts. He had to shutter A4 due to an August 2015 fire.\r\n\r\nBut one thing he learned about interior design from the A4 experience is that soft lighting provided depth to the dining experience.\r\n\r\n“Our kitchen was in the same room. We had a wood fired oven that centered the room, and it was the only prep and cooking area. You came in, and it was wide open, and you saw everything that was happening. The ambience was warm by nature,” he says.\r\n\r\nPond has bounced back and is constructing two new restaurants, scheduled to open in September and October. But he misses his cozy space at A4.\r\n\r\n“The upside to the small space is that the energy is fantastic,” he says. “You get just 10 to 12 people in the room, the energy changes. If you put them in a 200-seat restaurant, it’s different.”\r\n\r\nNoise definitely plays into ambience, Sundstad agrees. Keep in mind that hard surfaces add to the acoustics of a small space. If you want diners to linger, incorporate textiles and soft background music.\r\n\r\n“The core question to all of these elements is, how long do you want customers to stay? Or do you want them to get their stuff and get out? What are you encouraging them to do? If you do a high volume business, it’s less about sit-down service,” he says.\r\n\r\n<strong>Stick with simple and savory\r\n</strong>While working on the express stores at Starbucks, Sundstad and his team pared down product offerings so that baristas could efficiently serve the most popular drinks in a tiny space. “We’d get the 20 different syrups and choose the top six that people use and decided what we could offer. For example, we knew we couldn’t do blended drinks but other things,” he says.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, apply the “keep it simple” rule to your pizzeria.\r\n\r\n“The only thing we cook is the pizza,” Grim says. “We have no kitchen or hood or fryer, or any of that stuff. We have a salad station. Anything that needs to be cooked, we cook in the oven. There’s no stove. Just the pizza.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Fun waiting in a small space</strong>\r\nAt tiny Nomad’s on a busy night, owner Tom Grim ensures the time passes as quickly as possible. “We have a beautiful garden area, and people hang out and drink wine. They bring their own wine (in New Jersey, any restaurant can do that), and people love it,” he says.\r\n\r\nGrim also uses an app service called Nowait, a text message waitlist system. “People leave their number, walk around, and Nowait texts them when their table’s ready,” he says.\r\n\r\nIn a pinch, chalkboards also work for waits at small restaurants, says Jeff Pond, former owner of A4.\r\n\r\n“We took a pillar in the front area, made a chalkboard and had a running wait list. We didn’t take reservations and only sat 36 people. You could see how far along you were on the list,” he says.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.pizzatoday.com/departments/front-of-the-house/small-spaces-big-profits/\" target=\"_blank\">Pizza Today</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.pizzatoday.com/departments/front-of-the-house/small-spaces-big-profits/\" target=\"_blank\">Pizza Today</a>', 'Small Spaces, Big Profits', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'small-spaces-big-profits', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/small-spaces-big-profits', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2190, 1, '2016-06-06 19:49:51', '2016-06-06 19:49:51', 'On April 28, 2016, Saks Fifth Avenue formally unveiled its new flagship store in the Houston Galleria. The 200,000-square-foot store was designed and planned in partnership with CBX, the New York-based brand agency and retail design consultancy. Saks relocated to the prominent two-level anchor building from a smaller space at the mall, adding approximately 20,000 square feet to its footprint at The Galleria. This was the largest Saks project to date for CBX, which has designed departments for a number of other Saks locations.\r\n<strong>CBX’s role</strong>\r\nCBX’s assignment encompassed the exterior design of the building; master planning of the entire interior space; and design of all front-facing merchandise departments, back-of-house and stock areas, and customer amenities, such as the Fifth Avenue Club personal shopping area. CBX created new design elements that complemented Saks’ current interior design concept for several key departments, including jewelry, women’s lingerie, and the second-largest beauty and fragrance department in the entire Saks’ portfolio. In addition, the firm created “white box” designs for dedicated vendor shops occupying more than 27,000 square feet.\r\n\r\n“Saks Fifth Avenue is known for delivering an unparalleled personalized shopping experience and its new Houston Galleria store is no exception,” said Todd Maute, Partner at CBX. “The design strategy was to create unique moments that express the modernity, tactility, sensuality and femininity of the Saks brand. We used space planning, architectural design and materials to create a memorable shopping experience.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Key design features</strong>\r\nThe design of the exterior façade emulates a modern lattice aesthetic, and the customer valet entrance is graced with a covered walkway. At night, the exterior architecture is dramatically highlighted by soft, glowing LED lighting. Taking its inspiration from high-end fashion, CBX employed sculptural elements, colors, special lighting fixtures and materials to create a cohesive design. “Seamless transitions between the different departments maintain a consistent brand story while celebrating the merchandise within each space,” said Maute.\r\n\r\nCBX designed the store’s escalator as a major focal point in the customer’s journey, highlighted by a white ceramic gold-leaf sculpture by Pascale Girardin that spans two stories. “The sculpture depicts a just-sprayed mist, such as a fragrance, which rises from the escalator void to the second floor, where it dissipates,” explained James Sundstad, VP Branded Environments at CBX.\r\n\r\nThe stairway to the second level is no less visually striking. Inspired by the female form and its movements while dancing, the design of the stairway expresses the swaying movement of a dress during dance. Elsewhere, The Apothecary, a new department designed by CBX, serves as a backdrop to the expanded fragrance and beauty department. “The Apothecary is meant to be a curated space for creative merchandising of skincare products and gifting,” explained Sundstad. “It features custom-made shelving with a unique, bracketed detail that allows for flexible merchandising and visualizing the product.”\r\n\r\nThe women’s lingerie department, meanwhile, projects a sultry, seductive feel created by soft, low ambient lighting and elliptical ceiling treatments. A sweeping glass curved wall divides the main sales floor from the fitting rooms to create an intimate and private shopping experience within. Finally, the enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, situated adjacent to the Women’s collection department, features eight private suites for customers to try on the latest collections with the assistance of their personal shoppers.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://retaildesignblog.net/2016/06/06/saks-fifth-avenue-flagship-store-by-cbx-houston-texas/\" target=\"_blank\">Retail Design Blog\r\n</a>Photos courtesy of Max Bolzonella\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/01.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9866 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/01-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"01\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9867 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"02\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/03.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9868 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/03-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"03\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9869 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04-1024x638.jpg\" alt=\"04\" width=\"1024\" height=\"638\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9870 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"05\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9871 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"06\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9872 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"07\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9873 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08-1024x734.jpg\" alt=\"08\" width=\"1024\" height=\"734\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/09.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9874 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/09-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"09\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/10.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9875 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/10-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"10\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/11.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9876 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/11-673x1024.jpg\" alt=\"11\" width=\"673\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9877 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"12\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/14.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9878 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/14-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"14\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9879 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15-1024x689.jpg\" alt=\"15\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/16.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9880 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/16-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"16\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9881 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17-1024x647.jpg\" alt=\"17\" width=\"1024\" height=\"647\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_114233.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9882 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_114233-1024x589.jpg\" alt=\"20160426_114233\" width=\"1024\" height=\"589\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_115824.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9883 size-large\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_115824-802x1024.jpg\" alt=\"20160426_115824\" width=\"802\" height=\"1024\" /></a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Flagship Store by CBX, Houston – Texas', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-flagship-store-by-cbx-houston-texas', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-flagship-store-by-cbx-houston-texas', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(2191, 1, '2016-06-09 16:08:25', '2016-06-09 16:08:25', '<strong>At Pacific Northwest Retail Design Institute, Brand Agency\'s James Sundstad Encourages Retailers to Keep Tech Tools in Perspective and \"Dance\" With Their Customers -- Face-to-Face, Here and Now</strong>\r\nRetailers can fail to connect with their customers on a human level if they focus myopically on in-store and other tech tools, cautioned James Sundstad, VP of Branded Environments for brand agency CBX, at the Retail Design Institute\'s Pacific Northwest conference in Seattle.\r\n\r\n\"Smartphone addicts pay more attention to incoming texts than they do to the living, breathing human beings standing in front of them,\" Sundstad said. \"Many retailers focus overmuch on tech tactics such as video walls or geo-fencing, or on big-picture analytics about customers and markets. But the foundation of your brand strategy should be to forge meaningful, lasting relationships with actual people in the here and now -- especially when your competition includes the likes of Amazon.\"\r\n\r\nSundstad, a 35-year veteran of the retail design business, gave the talk (\"Why Algorithms Can\'t Dance: 5 Trends that are Humanizing Retail™\") on May 24 at Cincinnati-based RDI\'s Pacific Northwest regional event. The audience included leading retail design professionals as well as executives from major retailers such as Nordstrom, Ethan Allen and Amazon.\r\n\r\nWhether in life or retail, a singular focus on technology can lead to alienation and disconnection, Sundstad asserted during the presentation. \"Brand-building strategies need to hinge on the principles of building solid, long-lasting human relationships,\" he said. \"After you forge that connection on a human level, then, yes, you can use technology to enhance it. The key is to remember that technology is never a substitute.\"\r\n\r\nSundstad outlined five principles for humanizing retail and building customer connections.\r\n\r\nThe first -- \"Do \'You\'\" -- hinges on the need for authenticity, he explained. \"In a relationship, whether you\'re a romantic or the outdoorsy type or a homebody, just own who you are. Your partner will always see and appreciate the real you.\" Sundstad asked the audience to imagine a Twinkies package touting ingredients such as cane sugar, organic flour and farm-to-table, hand-churned butter made from grass-fed cows. \"People would never believe it,\" he said. \"Better for Twinkies to embrace its \'badness,\' its unhealthiness. If I want a Twinkie, I want it for all its caloric, indulgent, unhealthy glory. As a brand, in other words, it\'s OK to be who you really are.\"\r\n\r\nThe second principle -- \"Get Tribal\" -- focuses on the central role of community in human relationships. \"It\'s all about this idea of finding connection with people who are like-minded,\" Sundstad said. \"We need to create retail environments where people are motivated to come together around products and causes they believe in.\" The retail design veteran pointed to popular fitness studio SoulCycle. \"People joke about belonging to the \'SoulCycle tribe,\'\" he said. \"Creating a tribe is all about finding what motivates your customers and then giving them an environment in which to experience it with others. This encourages true connection.\"\r\n\r\nJust as honesty is one of the keys to friendships or romantic relationships, the third principle -- \"Get Naked\" -- focuses on the need to build trust with customers. \"Customers today want to know everything about your brand,\" Sundstad told the audience. \"The more open and honest you are with them, the better off you\'ll be in the long run.\" He cited the online clothing company Everlane, which provides customers with a detailed accounting of its markups, sourcing, costs and more as part of a drive toward what it calls \"radical transparency.\"\r\n\r\nRelationships can sometimes grow stale with time. The fourth principle -- \"Keep it Interesting\" -- highlights the need for continual reengagement. \"It\'s about keeping the spice of the relationship going and not falling into a predictable pattern,\" said Sundstad, who has worked with retailers such as Whole Foods, Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Walgreens, to name a few. \"What are you doing to create a different experience each time people come into your store? Once they enter your store, how are you making it fun and interesting? Are you encouraging connection?\"\r\n\r\nLastly, retailers can better connect with people if they \"Shut Up and Dance,\" Sundstad said. Dancing with a partner is never a one-sided affair, and yet many retailers simply present themselves to their customers, without asking or expecting anything in return. \"Good dancers closely engage with their partners, read their responses and then react in real time,\" he explained. \"Likewise, you want to create a customer engagement -- a dance -- that is mutual, empowering and encouraging.\" He cited Pret A Manger, where employees playfully give away free food to customers who engage with them by dancing, telling jokes or otherwise pleasing them. \"It\'s a delightful approach. Pret\'s employees are literally dancing with their customers,\" Sundstad related.\r\n\r\n\"The speed of life is always moving faster and faster, but it is time to slow down and connect -- human-to-human, brand-to-customer,\" he concluded. \"Algorithms can\'t dance, but you can.\"', 'CBX Expert: Technology Can Alienate Retailers From Their Customers', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-expert-technology-can-alienate-retailers-from-their-customers', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-expert-technology-can-alienate-retailers-from-their-customers', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2192, 1, '2016-06-10 15:34:50', '2016-06-10 15:34:50', 'Saks Fifth Avenue has relocated its store in Houston’s The Galleria, opening a larger space that offers the ultimate luxury department store experience.\r\nDesigned in partnership with CBX, the new Saks occupies approximately 200,000 sq. ft. on two shopping levels. In addition to an expanded merchandise selection, it houses the second largest beauty and fragrance department in the Saks portfolio, an enhanced Fifth Avenue Club with eight private shopping suites, and an outpost of a favorite local cocktail bar and restaurant. It also offers the company’s Saks at Your Service home-based personal shopping, styling and tailoring services.\r\n\r\nThe design inspiration is derived from mid-century, modern architectural principles, and features unexpected pops of colors and materials. Due to its massive size (more than twice the size of the average Saks), the store embodies unique architectural details and elements of surprise, including a dynamic sculptural staircase that appears as a ribbon dancing its way down from the second floor. An eclectic mix of found and custom furniture, fixtures, decorative lighting and accessories are found throughout the space, along with innovative, and sometimes non-conventional, hand-crafted and hand-applied materials and finishes.\r\n\r\nStore highlights include the lingerie department, which a new design concept that includes hand-folded and painted wall covering as well as a curved glass wall functioning as the mannequin display. The beauty and fragrance department has nine beauty shops and five fragrance shops, roofed with Pascale Girardin hanging porcelain sculptures, and covered with custom mosaic flooring from Sicis and Cesarstone countertops.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9872\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"07\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9873\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08-1024x734.jpg\" alt=\"08\" width=\"1024\" height=\"734\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/09.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9874\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/09-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"09\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9877\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"12\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/13.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9865\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/13-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"13\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9879\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15-1024x689.jpg\" alt=\"15\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9881\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17-1024x647.jpg\" alt=\"17\" width=\"1024\" height=\"647\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9867\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/02-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"02\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9869\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04-1024x638.jpg\" alt=\"04\" width=\"1024\" height=\"638\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a title=\"Chain Store Age\" href=\"http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/saks-fifth-avenue-galleria-houston\" target=\"_blank\">Chain Store Age</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of Max Bolzonella', 'Saks Fifth Avenue, The Galleria, Houston', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-the-galleria-houston', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-the-galleria-houston', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2193, 1, '2016-06-10 20:43:40', '2016-06-10 20:43:40', 'Saks Fifth Avenue recently unveiled its new flagship store in the Houston Galleria. The 200,000-sq.-ft. store was designed and planned in partnership with CBX, the New York-based brand agency and retail design consultancy.\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9869\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/04-1024x638.jpg\" alt=\"04\" width=\"1024\" height=\"638\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCBX created new design elements that complemented Saks’ current interior design concept for several key departments, including jewelry, women’s lingerie, and the second-largest beauty and fragrance department in the entire Saks’ portfolio.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9870\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"05\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nSaks relocated to the prominent two-level anchor building from a smaller space at the mall, adding approximately 20,000 square feet to its footprint at The Galleria. This was the largest Saks project to date for CBX.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9872\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/07-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"07\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCBX designed the store’s escalator as a major focal point in the customer’s journey, highlighted by a white ceramic gold-leaf sculpture by Pascale Girardin that spans two stories.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9873\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/08-1024x734.jpg\" alt=\"08\" width=\"1024\" height=\"734\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe women’s lingerie department projects a sultry, seductive feel created by soft, low ambient lighting and elliptical ceiling treatments. A sweeping glass curved wall divides the main sales floor from the fitting rooms to create an intimate and private shopping experience within.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9879\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/15-1024x689.jpg\" alt=\"15\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCBX employed sculptural elements, like this chandelier in the Women\'s Collection.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9881\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/17-1024x647.jpg\" alt=\"17\" width=\"1024\" height=\"647\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, situated adjacent to the Women’s collection department, features eight private suites for customers to try on the latest collections with the assistance of their personal shoppers.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_114233.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9882\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160426_114233-1024x589.jpg\" alt=\"20160426_114233\" width=\"1024\" height=\"589\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe Apothecary, a new department designed by CBX, serves as a backdrop to the expanded fragrance and beauty department. It features custom-made shelving with a unique, bracketed detail that allows for flexible merchandising and visualizing the product.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a title=\"design:retail\" href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/galleries/large-format-mass-merchant/Saks-Fifth-Avenue-Houston-26291.shtml?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter%20Template_061416%20(1)#5\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of Max Bolzonella', 'Saks Fifth Avenue, Houston', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-houston', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-houston', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2194, 1, '2016-06-01 21:28:33', '2016-06-01 21:28:33', '<em>Sometimes the only way to meet internal and external demands is through fundamentally changing the business.</em>\r\nOn June 10, 2015, natural and organic grocer Whole Foods Market introduced the official name for the newest member of its family. The name, 365 by Whole Foods Market, \"celebrates our belief that fresh healthy foods can be readily available to more people in an affordable way every day…365 days a year,\" Jeff Turnas, president of the new unit, wrote that day on Whole Story, the retailer\'s blog. \"It also tips our hat to our popular 365 Everyday Value brand, which our shoppers seek out for quality, transparency and great value—the same attributes to come with our smaller store format.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>CARE BEFORE TRANSFORMATION\r\n</strong>\r\nChange of some kind, of course, is always necessary in a retail environment. But retailers must take care before instituting truly transformative changes, experts stress.\r\n\r\n\"Change can be good, but radical change in a brand can be problematic,\" cautions consultant Steven Platt. Case in point: J.C. Penney\'s push to move away from sales and into an everyday low price format alienated the company\'s core customers, Platt notes.\r\n\r\nThat\'s why thoughtful planning before any restructuring is so important, Bishop says.\r\n\r\n\"Start the process before you have a problem—that way, there is no panic, no pressure,\" Bishop says. \"The industry is changing so fast that you have to be monitoring changes regularly and examining what they mean to you.\"\r\n\r\nThat monitoring should reveal where vulnerabilities in relation to your customers exist, and where your customers want to go that they\'re not able to go. \"Step in so you will be the answer,\" Bishop advises.\r\n\r\n\"My advice would be to ensure that any major changes be firmly grounded in a clear understanding of consumer needs, and a sober assessment of competitive dynamics and internal competencies,\" echoes Dustin Longstreth, senior vice president and strategy group director at CBX, a New York City-based full-service branding firm. \"This will focus resources towards the areas where you truly have a right to win.\"\r\n\r\nBeing specific about how a restructuring initiative will help you will do better is a second important step, Bishop says: \"You have to nail a clear strategy before you start doing things, or you will end up redoing them.\"\r\n\r\nFinally, accepting the sometimes hard reality that investing in new assets while divesting of old ones has to be part of any restructuring plan.\r\n\r\n\"Get rid of assets that don\'t have profitability,\" Bishop says. \"For example, you might want to keep a marginally performing, 35,000-sq.-ft. store. But given the distraction [it causes], and the challenge of allocating scarce resources, you might have to get rid of it. Part of the restructuring process is letting go.\"\r\n\r\nDaniels sums up the steps retailers who are exploring restructuring should take even more simply:\r\n\r\n\"Understand how consumers are shifting; embrace technology; and focus on taking the cost out of the business,\" he says. \"Price and service are big issues, and will continue to be.\"\r\n\r\nRead the full article on <a title=\"Retail Leader\" href=\"http://www.retailleader.com/article-the_road_to_restructuring-7291-part1.html\" target=\"_blank\">Retail Leader</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Whole Foods', 'The Road To Restructuring', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-road-to-restructuring', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-road-to-restructuring', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2195, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:20', '2018-09-27 16:54:20', '', 'bionic-glove', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'bionic-glove', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:20', '2018-09-27 16:54:20', '', 1775, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/bionic-glove.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2196, 1, '2016-05-12 16:27:54', '2016-05-12 16:27:54', '<strong>Competitive pricing is no longer the only value own brands add to retailers. They can build reputation, loyalty and sales, but their design and management requires a considered approach and careful research into audience and category behaviors.</strong>\r\nHaving an own brand offers well-documented benefits. It can be a boon to business financially and reputationally. However, how companies in different places around the world build, manage and implement these brands varies widely. Considerations must take into account packaging design, category, audience, fit with the corporate brand and perception. Successfully achieving an effective own brand requires a deft hand and a keen understanding of audience.\r\n\r\n...\r\n\r\nDesign and packaging are key considerations when developing an own brand, particularly when consolidating brands. CBX, a New York-based brand agency, developed six labels – from over 60 existing brands – for Walgreens that were suited to their categories. Similarly, its work for chemist Duane Reade focuses on audience and category while using creative packaging techniques, doubling private label sales. Even more starkly, it cut American warehouse retailer BJ’s Wholesale’s own brands down to two, one for food brands and one for non-food brands.\r\n\r\nRead the full article in <a title=\"Transform Magazine\" href=\"http://www.transformmagazine.net/articles/2016/scanning-the-shelves/\" target=\"_blank\">Transform magazine</a>', 'Own Brands, From Value Driven to Valuable', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'own-brands-from-value-driven-to-valuable', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/own-brands-from-value-driven-to-valuable', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2197, 1, '2016-06-06 16:48:58', '2016-06-06 16:48:58', '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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'makeovers-reinvigorate-two-brands', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '2018-09-27 17:42:12', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/makeovers-reinvigorate-two-brands', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2198, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '', '1012_CSA_OnlineOnTheStreet', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1012_csa_onlineonthestreet', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '', 1776, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1012_CSA_OnlineOnTheStreet.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2199, 1, '2016-05-17 17:12:11', '2016-05-17 17:12:11', '<strong>Saks Fifth Avenue is pleased to reveal details regarding the relocation of its store within The Galleria in Houston, TX. The new, 200,000 square foot, two-level Saks Fifth Avenue store is expected to open on April 28.</strong>\r\n“This store demonstrates our commitment to the important Houston market. It’s so exciting to be able to bring the new, luxurious and modern Saks to Houston. We are thrilled to be able to better serve our customers – both current and new – in a store that exemplifies our commitment to offering our customers the latest fashions and the most personalized service,” commented Marc Metrick, President of Saks Fifth Avenue.\r\n\r\nDesigned in partnership with CBX, the new location boasts 20,000 square feet more than the existing store, providing space to showcase the second largest beauty and fragrance department in the Saks Fifth Avenue portfolio, including an all-new 10022-SHOE department. Many additional designers will be showcased throughout the store and an enhanced Fifth Avenue Club, with eight private shopping suites, will also be featured.\r\n\r\nThe store will also offer Saks At Your Service bringing the best of Saks Fifth Avenue to customers via a custom Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which will travel directly to a client’s home, office, or hotel room.\r\n\r\n51Fifteen Restaurant &amp; Lounge, a local favorite recognized for its distinctive cuisine, will join Saks Fifth Avenue in opening in the new location, serving both lunch and dinner. In addition to private dining, an active bar, Bar 12, will wrap the staircase in the center of the first floor.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a title=\"beauty fashion fragrance\" href=\"http://beautyfashionfragrance.com/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-new-store-houston/\" target=\"_blank\">Beauty Fashion Fragrance</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Max Bolzonella', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils Plans For New Store In Houston', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston-3', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/saks-fifth-avenue-unveils-plans-for-new-store-in-houston-3', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2200, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '', 'nacs_show-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'nacs_show-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '2018-09-27 16:54:21', '', 1777, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/nacs_show-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2201, 1, '2016-07-01 20:54:12', '2016-07-01 20:54:12', '<strong>Midwestern chain Kum &amp; Go is elevating the c-store experience from the traditional grab-and-go to destination retail with a new Marketplace concept.</strong>\r\nWhen you think convenience store, do you think LEED-certified building, fresh food, warm and inviting interior, and growler bars? Nope. Well Kum &amp; Go is trying to change that mindset with a new store concept—a market prototype dubbed <strong>Kum &amp; Go</strong> Marketplace—that is setting a new standard for the c-store sector.\r\n\r\nEstablished in 1959 in Hampton, Iowa, Kum &amp; Go is a family-owned business and the fifth-largest privately held and company-operated convenience store chain in the United States. It currently employs 5,000 associates across 430 stores and has a presence in 11 states (Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklaoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming).\r\n\r\n“Kum &amp; Go is an industry pioneer founded on providing exceptional service and delivering more than what customers expect,” says Chris Jones, senior vice president, marketing at Kum &amp; Go. “The Marketplace concept was developed to align with our evolved brand promise and continued focus on fresh food options.”\r\n\r\nNew York-based brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX worked with Kum &amp; Go on the design concept, while Missouri-based BRR Architects helped adapt the concept to the 6,000-sq.-ft. prototype store in Johnston, Iowa.\r\n\r\nThe innovation of the prototype comes with the prioritization of the food offering. An open kitchen serves as the store’s centerpiece, with a major objective of showcasing quality and freshness. This featured area uses materials that communicate a more sophisticated kitchen, such as white subway tile, marble-like countertops and stainless steel.\r\n\r\n“This is an area that is typically not seen,” explains Todd Maute, a partner at CBX. “Kum &amp; Go wanted to elevate the food offering, showing the great quality to the customer.”\r\n\r\nJones adds that the kitchen was a focus for the brand, because that is where the company sees the most potential for growth. “We’ve opened up the kitchen and put the food preparation area front and center, so customers can watch us prepare fresh, delicious food that they can eat right in our store or on the patio outside” he says.\r\n\r\nDisplay units were lowered in order to create consistent sightlines throughout the store to simplify navigation, improve shopability and maintain the focus on the fresh food offerings from every angle. Express Checkouts adjacent to the entry were incorporated for customers who need to complete a fast transaction.\r\n\r\nJust as the kitchen is the heart of the home, Kum &amp; Go wanted to reiterate that family-owned commitment and invite customers in with that same sense of warmth and comfort. Architecture and design details draw on residential cues.\r\n\r\n“The overhanging canopy on the exterior offers the appeal of a low-hanging prairie-style home, a simple, modern approach to the architecture that creates that residential scale and feel,” says Joseph Muscarella, design director at CBX.\r\n\r\nMaterials and finishes, such as the subway tile and marble-like surfaces, reinforce the residential cues. While these selections infuse a clean modern aesthetic, the use of wood adds warmth and texture. The lighting strategy was meant to accentuate the interior design, creating a moody and dramatic feel in contrast to the typically bright and glaringly overlit convenient store. Black details add a classic, sophisticated appeal, while red accents serve as highlights that speak to the Kum &amp; Go brand.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the signature brand color, the brand story is clearly communicated using the iconic ampersand. From the exterior fascia and door hardware to halo light ceiling details and even donuts, the ampersand amplifies the brand experience. For Kum &amp; Go, the ampersand truly represents what the company stands for, “Where &amp; means more.” This detail reinforces the goal of the prototype communicating that Kum &amp; Go offers more than a typical convenience store.\r\n\r\nAnd the space does offer much more—from the open kitchen, indoor and outdoor seating and nicely articulated restrooms to elevated offerings such as complimentary Wi-Fi and charging stations, a walk-in cooler (or “beer cave”) and a growler station with locally brewed beers.\r\n\r\nCreating a connection to the local community was important, as Kum &amp; Go is dedicated to the communities it serves, including sharing 10 percent of its profits with charitable causes. An 8-ft.-tall, 7-ft.-wide ampersand sculpture brings the brand message curbside. A Des Moines-based artist, Sticks, integrated keywords and imagery that reflect area attractions and slogans as a way to pay tribute to the Johnston community on one side of the sculpture, with Kum &amp; Go brand elements and core values on the other. The brand also demonstrates its commitment to the community and the environment through its sustainability standards. Material selections and initiatives like the water retention capture have earned this prototype store LEED recognition.\r\n\r\n“The whole approach is such a dichotomy to the traditional convenience store,” Maute says. “Here, it is not grab what you need and go. Kum &amp; Go invites you to stay and linger.” For Kum &amp; Go, this store concept is a natural extension of their brand promise. Jones explains: “As our customers’ needs change and evolve, we want to keep up with them to provide everything they need and more from our convenience stores.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/XH2R7610.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9974\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/XH2R7610-740x1024.jpg\" alt=\"XH2R7610\" width=\"740\" height=\"1024\" />\r\n</a><em>The Kum &amp; Go ampersand sculpture pays tribute to the community on one side and the essence of the store on the other.</em>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9976\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160216_Kum-Go-18753-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"160216_Kum &amp; Go 18753\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" />\r\n<em>Lowered display heights and enhanced signage create continuous sightless that help customers easily navigate the store.</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160216_Kum-Go-18740.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9977\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160216_Kum-Go-18740-1024x730.jpg\" alt=\"160216_Kum &amp; Go 18740\" width=\"1024\" height=\"730\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/197H7644.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9980\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/197H7644-682x1024.jpg\" alt=\"197H7644\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" />\r\n</a><em>The material applications and lighting strategy create a more modern and sophisticated approach to c-store design.</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160216_Kum-Go-18796.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-9978\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160216_Kum-Go-18796-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"160216_Kum &amp; Go 18796\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" />\r\n</a><em>Dedicated innovation space, such as the growler bar, provides the opportunity to test out new ideas that elevate the customer experience.</em>\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a title=\"design:retail\" href=\"http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201607/#/50\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>', 'Kum &...Stay?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'kum-stay', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/kum-stay', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2202, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', '1112_WSJ_MarketingDecode', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_wsj_marketingdecode', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', 1778, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_WSJ_MarketingDecode.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2203, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', '1112_WSJ_MarketingDecode-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_wsj_marketingdecode-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', 1778, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_WSJ_MarketingDecode-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2204, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', '1112_How_OfficeSpace2', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_how_officespace2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '2018-09-27 16:54:22', '', 1779, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_How_OfficeSpace2.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2205, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', '1112_How_OfficeSpace2', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_how_officespace2-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', 1779, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_How_OfficeSpace2.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2206, 1, '2016-07-01 14:41:11', '2016-07-01 14:41:11', '1. Saks Fifth Avenue, HoustonOpened: April 2016\r\n\r\n2. Ballard Designs, Philadelphia\r\nOpened: November 2015\r\n\r\n3. M&amp;M Meat Shops, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada\r\nOpened: September 2015\r\n\r\n4. LUSH, New York\r\nOpened: April 2016\r\n\r\nCheck out additional images of these stores and more at <a title=\"designretail\" href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/galleries.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">designretailonline.com/projectgallery</a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a title=\"design:retail\" href=\"http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/designretail/201607/#/34\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Max Bolzonella', 'New Store Watch', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'new-store-watch', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/new-store-watch', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2207, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', 'GoodDelish_web20122', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'gooddelish_web20122', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', 1780, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/GoodDelish_web20122.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2208, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', 'GoodDelish_web20122', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'gooddelish_web20122-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '2018-09-27 16:54:23', '', 1780, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/GoodDelish_web20122.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2209, 1, '2016-07-14 16:04:00', '2016-07-14 16:04:00', 'Brand agency works with She Should Run to add punch and clarity to its messaging; organization inspires women and girls to get in the race for public leadership to make a bigger impact.\r\nShe Should Run, a nonprofit committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership, is armed with a new messaging strategy thanks to pro-bono help from brand agency CBX.\r\n\r\n“The role of women and girls in politics is receiving more attention than ever thanks to the historic 2016 presidential campaign,” noted CBX Creative Director Lesley Stordahl. “While national attention is on the presidency and top 30 elected positions, there are over 500,000 seats in public leadership. Only 20% of those seats are held by women. She Should Run is there to encourage women to take a seat at the table and amplify their voice in the national debate.”\r\n\r\nExperts from CBX helped Washington, D.C.-based She Should Run add punch and clarity to its messaging by leveraging the proven principles of brand communication. She Should Run frequently collaborates with corporate and other partners to find new ways to motivate girls to explore leadership opportunities. The latest example is the nonprofit’s partnership with Mattel, Inc. on the new President and Vice President Barbie®, launched this week.\r\n\r\nWhile She Should Run’s “Ask a Woman to Run” nomination program has reached more than 100,000 women over the years, the nonprofit has simultaneously broadened and diversified its programs. “This strong growth added complexity to She Should Run’s messaging challenges,” Stordahl said. “Our solution was to employ a unifying framework similar to what you might find on the drawing board for a major CPG brand.”\r\n\r\nCrafting a meaningful messaging strategy started with a deeper understanding of the barriers women face getting into the race for public office. Originally, She Should Run described itself as “A national network committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership.” But by understanding the barriers, CBX was able to help SSR reframe the conversation in a more relevant and compelling way. The new statement is: “A national network committed to inspiring more women and girls to get in the race for public leadership to make a bigger impact.”\r\n\r\nUsing these insights, messaging experts from CBX helped She Should Run sharpen the aim of communications to more precisely hit on the needs and motivations of potential female candidates. The three key messages are: “Wish You Were Here,” “Fit in the Picture” and “Proactive Change.”\r\n\r\n“These three messages form the cornerstones of a clear She Should Run story,” Stordahl explained. “She Should Run shines a light on what’s missing in politics, and they help women envision themselves in the political picture (no matter their circumstances). They inspire proactive change by showing public leadership as a direct path to a better future.”\r\n\r\nWhile She Should Run is certainly part of the political world, the new messaging framework moves away from political, inside-the-Beltway language in favor of the higher-order messages of the brand model, Stordahl noted. Now, She Should Run is integrating the new approach into its Ask A Woman To Run program, “Warm Up” newsletter, social media communications, media interviews, speeches and more, she said.\r\n\r\n“We’re proud to have helped She Should Run establish a clear direction and voice for the future,” Stordahl said. “This messaging won’t just inspire language for existing programs—it will serve as a foundation as the rapidly growing organization collaborates with new partners, pitches potential sponsors and, most importantly, inspires new generations of women and girls to make an impact at all levels of the public leadership.”\r\n\r\nAs noted, the most recent example of that collaboration is the organization’s partnership with Mattel on the President and Vice President Barbie® launch. “While female leadership continues to reach new milestones, only 39 percent of girls say they want to be a leader, according to a survey by the Girl Scout Research Institute,” noted Erin Cutraro, co-founder and CEO of She Should Run. “The Barbie line’s first female presidential and vice presidential ticket is a way of harnessing the power of young girls’ imagination to help them discover their own leadership potential. Ideally, it will lead to more girls in leadership roles in the years to come.”', 'CBX Helps Nonprofit In Quest To Inspire More Females To Enter Politics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-helps-nonprofit-in-quest-to-inspire-more-females-to-enter-politics-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-helps-nonprofit-in-quest-to-inspire-more-females-to-enter-politics-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2210, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', '1112_Huff_RefreshAmerica', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_huff_refreshamerica', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', 1781, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_Huff_RefreshAmerica.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2211, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', '1112_Huff_RefreshAmerica', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_huff_refreshamerica-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', 1781, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_Huff_RefreshAmerica.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2212, 1, '2016-07-20 20:41:56', '2016-07-20 20:41:56', 'CBX crafted a new brand strategy for new, pro-bono client, She Should Run, a nonprofit to advance women and girls in public leadership. She Should Run collaborates with corporate partners to develop ways to motivate girls to explore leadership opportunities. The latest example is the company\'s partnership with Mattel, Inc. on the new President and Vice President Barbie, launched this week. \"While female leadership continues to reach new milestones, only 39 percent of girls say they want to be a leader, according to a survey by the Girl Scout Research Institute,\" said Erin Cutraro, co-founder and CEO of She Should Run. \"The Barbie line\'s first female presidential and vice presidential ticket is a way of harnessing the power of young girls\' imagination to help them discover their own leadership potential. Ideally, it will lead to more girls in leadership roles in the years to come.\"\r\nOriginally published by <a title=\"MediaPost\" href=\"http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/280746/biz-dev-cbx-creates-pro-bono-work-for-she-should.html\" target=\"_blank\">MediaPost</a>', 'CBX Creates Pro-Bono Work For She Should Run', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-creates-pro-bono-work-for-she-should-run-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-creates-pro-bono-work-for-she-should-run-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2213, 1, '2016-06-13 15:59:20', '2016-06-13 15:59:20', 'When London International Awards (LIA) became the first global awards to recognize the role of naming last year, they didn’t quite realize what they’d started.\r\nThe impetus back in 2015 was the “What About Naming” campaign launched by New York-based brand agency, CBX, aiming to give the power of language in branding its own recognition.\r\n\r\nBut a phenomenal response to including Verbal Identity as a section in the Design Jury was followed by even more ‘What About….?’ questions from agency chiefs:\r\n\r\nWhat about the power of a great endline? What about the impact of a unique tone of voice? What about effect of brilliant copywriting?\r\n\r\n“Verbal Identity is much more than just a design category,” explains Barbara Levy, Founder and President of LIA. “It has many components, and thus deserves its own jury. LIA thought it was a great idea to create a separate medium with individual categories for the many elements and to invite a panel to judge it.\"\r\n\r\nSo this year, LIA further cements its position as one of the world’s most progressive and forward-thinking competitions by introducing Verbal Identity for the first time in advertising awards history as its own medium with a standalone jury.\r\n\r\nPresiding over this year’s Verbal Identity Jury will be Chris West, Founder of Verbal Identity Ltd. in London. On the decision to appoint Chris, Barbara comments: “Chris, whose company is appropriately named Verbal Identity, actually called us last year after seeing that we’d added Verbal Identity as a category [in Design]. He explained the many facets of Verbal Identity to us, his great passion for words and his enthusiasm for LIA recognizing their importance to the industry laying the groundwork for where we are now with the medium. We invited Chris to be the inaugural Jury President and he gladly accepted.”\r\n\r\n“My ego is now rampant – I think I’ll be a monster!” jokes Chris about the honour of being the first-ever Verbal Identity Jury President. “Luckily, the jury is composed of some of the best writers and namers, all with outstanding experience, from across the world. We understand language like others understand visual identity or numbers.”\r\n\r\nJoining Chris on this year’s maiden Verbal Identity Jury, among other notable names, will be Rachel Bernard, CBX’s Vice President of Verbal Strategy. “She’s the best of the best with her skill set,” says Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer of CBX and 2015 LIA Design Juror. “I’m excited to see the winners from this year’s entries and you can rest assured that damn good work will be honored.”\r\n\r\nThe jury will encompass skill-sets from all around the world. Amanda Liu will represent China’s leading naming agency, Labbrand Brand Innovations. The world of business is recognized by the inclusion on the jury of one of the most well-read writers on writing: the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Zimmer, who has a regular column in the WSJ. Steve Martin of Eat Design will be joining the jury from Japan. And one of the UK’s most highly respected ad agency writers, Sean Doyle, completes the group of linguistic experts.\r\n\r\nSays Chris: “The industry is changing. Clients are asking for a strong verbal identity like they used to insist on a clear and consistent visual identity. When 8 out of 10 channels are dominated by language, it’s never been more important. Language means so much to us; words reveal how we categorize the world and that’s crucially important in branding - it’s language which starts to build concepts and brands.”\r\n\r\nThe LIA 2016 Entry System is now accepting entries. The initial Entry Deadline is 10th June. Judging will take place in Las Vegas from 6th October to 14th October. The shortlists will be announced as each judging session concludes, with Winners being announced 8th November. For more information on submissions and eligibility, please visit <a title=\"LIA\" href=\"http://www.liaawards.com/enter/eligibility/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.liaawards.com/enter/eligibility/</a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a title=\"liaawards.com\" href=\"http://www.liaawards.com/press/press_releases/2016/press_article.cfm?press_id=601&amp;start=1\" target=\"_blank\">LIAawards.com</a>', 'How LIA is Finally Giving Verbal Identity the Recognition it Deserves', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-lia-is-finally-giving-verbal-identity-the-recognition-it-deserves', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/how-lia-is-finally-giving-verbal-identity-the-recognition-it-deserves', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2214, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', '1112_PLB_ExcelenceAwards1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_plb_excelenceawards1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', 1782, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_PLB_ExcelenceAwards1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0);
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(2215, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', '1112_PLB_ExcelenceAwards1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_plb_excelenceawards1-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '2018-09-27 16:54:24', '', 1782, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_PLB_ExcelenceAwards1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2216, 1, '2016-07-13 19:36:15', '2016-07-13 19:36:15', '<div class=\"videoWrapper\"><iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/iPsuQYzWt50\" width=\"860\" height=\"531\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe></div>Allison Koller, Executive Creative Director at CBX, discusses how cliche the portrayal of women is in advertisements today, and how we can take steps to reshape those marketing campaigns to represent real women in the future.\r\n\r\nAllison has been with CBX since its inception. As Executive Creative Director, she is responsible for providing creative inspiration, vision and strategic guidance for the design team. Her work has been recognized by the creative industry through numerous awards.\r\n\r\nThis talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at <a href=\"http://ted.com/tedx\" target=\"_blank\">http://ted.com/tedx</a>\r\n\r\nOriginally published on <a href=\"http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Get-Real-Branding-beyond-the-cl;search:TEDxSPFHS\" target=\"_blank\">tedxtalks.ted.com</a>', 'Get Real: Branding Beyond The Cliche', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'get-real-branding-beyond-the-cliche-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/get-real-branding-beyond-the-cliche-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2217, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '', '1112_MPV_Ology1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_mpv_ology1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '', 1784, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_MPV_Ology1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2218, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '', '1112_MPV_Ology1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_mpv_ology1-2', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '2018-09-27 16:54:25', '', 1784, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_MPV_Ology1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2219, 1, '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', '<strong>Stark, unattractive value-tier packaging design is losing favor with customers.</strong>\r\nOne-third of consumers consciously seek out private label products to save money, states Chicago-based IRI in its January 2015 report \"Private Label &amp; National Brands: Dialing in on Core Shoppers.\" More than five years after the official end of the Great Recession, consumers continue to search for affordable grocery options, and nearly half (46 percent) of consumers say they are planning to purchase affordable brands more frequently in the coming year. For this reason, many retailers have started to give their opening-price-point private brands greater attention.\r\n\r\nTodd Maute, a partner with New York-based CBX, agrees that there has been a \"recent resurgence\" in value-tier products.\r\n\r\n\"They are being treated more strategically than they have been in the past,\" he says, especially when it comes to their packaging design. Typically, standard value-tier packaging was \"basic\" and \"cheap\" looking because retailers wanted to convey to consumers that the product was inexpensive. However, recent private brand packaging redesigns and opening-price-point brand introductions indicate that retailers are changing the way they present their value tier to consumers.', 'Anything But Basic', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', '', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=2219', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2220, 1, '2016-07-26 15:06:47', '2016-07-26 15:06:47', 'Work\'s out and it\'s time for happy hour. Where to go for a stiff drink?\r\nOne surprising destination of choice: Urban Outfitters. The hipster retailer has begun to offer customers much more than clothing at certain locations. Now visitors can shop, or just head for its bar area.\r\n\r\nAiming to stand out in a world overflowing with retail shops and online competitors, some chains want to become destinations for diners and drinkers, not just shoppers.\r\n\r\nThe Urban Outfitters here in Brooklyn, called Space Ninety 8, has two bars — one on the roof and another on the third floor near the men\'s department — as well as an Israeli barbecue restaurant. The store doesn\'t discourage walking around the clothing displays with a drink in hand.\r\n\r\nUrban Outfitters has two other stores with bars — one in Los Angeles and another in Austin.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not alone:\r\n\r\n• Barnes &amp; Noble — which already has in-store cafes — plans to open some stores this fall that will include sit-down restaurants and have alcohol on the menu.\r\n\r\n• A Target store in Chicago has a Starbucks that serves the coffee chain\'s \"evenings\" menu with wine and beer.\r\n\r\n• Accessories retailer Shinola, best known for its high-end wristwatches, is partnering with Washington-based bar owner Derek Brown on a drink concept set to open in its store there next year.\r\n\r\nStandalone retailers are borrowing the time-tested technique of shopping malls and high-end department stores, where quick Chinese food or ritzy cafes have long offered respite to exhausted customers. Now the strategy is being adopted as a survival technique by shops that once might have frowned at letting customers roam displays of blouses and leather handbags while carrying food or a drink.\r\n\r\n\"You have to give people a reason to come to the store other than just duplicating what they can buy online,\" says Shinola Chief Marketing Officer Bridget Russo.\r\n\r\nThose who come in for edible fare may be more apt to linger, and in turn, spend more time with the merchandise, says James Sundstad, vice president of branded environments at strategy, branding and retail design firm CBX. \" \"You\'re giving them a reason to be there that isn’t just about buy something or get out,\" he says.\r\n\r\nThe recent performance of retail shops vs. restaurants offers an idea of why retailers are embracing this strategy. Restaurant sales increased 10% between April 2014 and April 2015, according to data from research firm Nielsen. Retail sales — excluding food and auto sales — have had about 2% to 4% growth in recent years, according to Department of Commerce figures.\r\n\r\nPeople may not be in the market for a new shirt or pair of jeans very often, but \"everyone’s eating out at some point during the week,\" says Anjee Solanki, national director of retail services in the U.S. for real estate firm Colliers International.\r\n\r\nFor the new Barnes &amp; Noble restaurant concept, it\'s expected that food and beverage will make up more of the store\'s sales than those categories do now — at less than 10% — as well as drive traffic through the rest of the store, says Jaime Carey, president of development and restaurant group for the chain.\r\n\r\nAt Urban Outfitters\' amped-up stores, which also host events such as movie nights, the company wanted to create a place that would appeal to its young, adventurous customer base and give them \"experiences you cannot order online,\" says Global Chief Creative Director Sue Otto.\r\n\r\nMany of the young adults on the rooftop bar on a recent evening came solely for the drinks and the atmosphere. Ashley Delamarter, 32, and her friend Brittany Leslie, 27, sipped on glasses of rosé while chatting in a wooden cabana.\r\n\r\n\"I don\'t feel like I have to come here just because I\'m shopping,\" Delamarter said. \"You can just come hang out.\" Delamarter said she only occasionally shops at Urban Outfitters.\r\n\r\nThe business arrangements can vary when it comes to restaurants and bars opening in retail locations. Otto declined to give sales figures for the stores, only saying \"we’re happy with the idea and we’re going forward with it.\"\r\n\r\nTarget spokeswoman Amy Joiner declined to say how the new Starbucks concept is affecting overall sales and traffic in the Chicago store. Employees have noticed groups of friends often meet there after work for a drink, she says, though customers aren\'t allowed to leave the dining area with alcohol.\r\n\r\nStill, a customer with the time to sip on a glass of wine may be more likely to linger, browsing for books or picking up a new candle for the bedroom. Will a tipsy shopper be more likely to buy? Maybe. Either way, the experience forces customers to slow down, Sundstad says.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a title=\"USA Today\" href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/07/25/retailers-get-in-the-restaurant-business/87124848/\" target=\"_blank\">USA Today</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Sara Snyder', 'Retailers install bars, hoping to lure shoppers offline', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'retailers-install-bars-hoping-to-lure-shoppers-offline', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/retailers-install-bars-hoping-to-lure-shoppers-offline', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2223, 1, '2016-07-27 17:23:58', '2016-07-27 17:23:58', '<strong>Brand Agency\'s Allison Koller Cites Need to Forge New Visual Codes Rooted in Realism and Respect</strong>\r\nBrands need to soar past the sea of clichéd visual codes if they want to legitimately connect with real women, said Allison Koller, Executive Creative Director at brand agency CBX, in a recent TEDx talk in Scotch Plains.\r\n\r\nAll too often, even top brands seeking to connect with women fail to overcome the tired visual clichés that have marred such efforts for generations, Koller noted. \"How quickly we become a sea of eyes, bellybuttons, breasts, and beautiful booties,\" she said. \"Messages and images with the power to break through that sea are unexpected. They are something that makes you look twice. They shift the cultural conversation.\"\r\n\r\nThe TEDx event in Scotch Plains included several on-stage and video presenters in an effort to spark conversation. It was held under a free license granted by TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design), the internationally known conference series run by the nonprofit Sapling Foundation under the slogan \"Ideas Worth Spreading.\"\r\n\r\nDuring the talk, Koller described herself as a swimmer, illustrator, daughter, tennis player and wife who pays keen attention to the content and subtext of brand messages aimed at women. Her visually rich presentation included multiple examples of successful campaigns that legitimately connect with female audiences via creative and respectful messaging. \"Last summer, Carli Lloyd and the U.S. women\'s soccer team broke through and redefined the power and reach of female athletes and what it means to throw or kick like a girl,\" Koller noted, as images from Always\' action-oriented \"Like a girl\" campaign appeared on screen behind her.\r\n\r\nOther collages in her presentation, however, highlighted tired imagery drawn from traditional and social media as well as product packaging used to address women. \"Whether women are buying as new moms, looking to get in shape or just considering some new lip-gloss, it\'s amazing how clichéd the communications often are,\" Koller said.\r\n\r\nThese visual codes hinge on imagery full of clean, sleeping, happy babies; magical skin care products; nutrition bars that encourage women to \"think thin\" and the like, Koller explained. \"It\'s the promise of perfection: blissful mommy-hood, women with flawless skin, and a Zen-ed out approach to fitness,\" she said. \"The magic continues with products that perform miracles to make you gorgeous, or make you forget you even have your period.\"\r\n\r\nTropes include the blonde ingénue: fresh faced, innocent and unassuming; the golden goddess: perfect in a slinky ball gown or while working out; and the modern miracle mom whose home is clean as a sanctuary, with Pinterest-worthy parties and cupcakes, Koller noted.\r\n\r\nFortunately, some brands understand the need to keep it real, Koller said. She cited CBX\'s work with Kotex. \"When Kotex first started working with us, the cultural conversation around femininity had shifted,\" she explained. \"Kotex wanted to transcend the clichéd codes of feminine hygiene: Girls back-flipping on the beach while having their period, levitating tampons twirling in front of a sea of flowers. They recognized a need to create a new conversation with young women.\"\r\n\r\nCBX helped Kotex kill the butterflies and flowers and create packaging designs for its U by Kotex brand that broke through what Koller described as the \"pretty-princess, flowery noise\" of the category. \"We launched with something undeniably code- and cliché-breaking: the black box with a touch of fun in the brightly colored wrappers,\" she said. \"No flowers, no high-tech performance claims.\"\r\n\r\nBut U by Kotex and CBX didn\'t stop there. By including \"Myth or Fact?\" questions on the back of packs, they helped dispel urban myths surrounding women\'s periods. \"Fact: if you swim in the ocean while you have your period, you will not attract sharks,\" Koller said, to laughter in the TEDx audience.\r\n\r\nAs forward-thinking brands seek to connect with women, they should continue to innovate with empowering and realistic visual counterpoints to the prevailing clichés, Koller advised. These new codes are already emerging. \"Perfection is being replaced by imperfect expression, the ingénue by graceful aging, the golden goddess by the warrior,\" she said. \"Magic is taking a back seat to hard work. The modern miracle mom has shifted to home-making, with everyday dads and gender role reversals; instead of exoticism, we have true diversity.\"\r\n\r\nCharting course amid this new environment can be challenging for brands, but ultimately such approaches are far more inspiring for real women, Koller asserted. \"I would ask you to think hard about the brands you support and the ways you represent and brand yourself, your friends, your sisters,\" she said in the conclusion to the talk. \"You have the chance to shape conversations for and about women every day.\"\r\n\r\nTo view Koller\'s full presentation, please visit: <a href=\"http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Get-Real-Branding-beyond-the-cl;search%3ATEDxSPFHS\" target=\"_blank\">http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Get-Real-Branding-beyond-the-cl;search%3ATEDxSPFHS</a>', 'CBX Expert in TEDx Talk: Women\'s Brands Must Soar Past Sea of Cliches', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-expert-in-tedx-talk-womens-brands-must-soar-past-sea-of-cliches', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-expert-in-tedx-talk-womens-brands-must-soar-past-sea-of-cliches', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2226, 1, '2016-07-26 18:56:04', '2016-07-26 18:56:04', '<strong>Urban Outfitters is putting bars in stores.</strong>\r\nHow can brick-and-mortar stores respond to stiff competition from online retailers? The answer, it seems, is to mix customers a stiff drink.\r\n\r\nRetailers around the country are trying to draw in customers by installing bars in their stores, USA Today reported. Urban Outfitters, for instance, has three locations (in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Austin, Tex.) that feature several bars. The chain encourages customers to browse its offerings with a drink in hand. The Brooklyn Urban Outfitters, for instance, includes two bars, one on the roof and another on the third floor in the men’s department, as well as an Israeli barbecue restaurant.\r\n\r\nUrban Outfitters isn’t the only retailer trying to lure in customers for happy hour. A Target store in Chicago with a Starbucks serves the coffee chain’s “evenings” menu with wine and beer. And Barnes &amp; Noble will open a handful of stores in the fall that feature sit-down restaurants with table service, which will serve “shareable food and wine and beer,” according to Jaime Carey, president of development and restaurant group for the chain.\r\n\r\nRetailers are employing a trick used by shopping malls and department stores, where the food court offered a chance for tired, hungry customers to take a break from shopping. “Having more reasons to draw (customers) to the store is really the game,” James Sundstad, vice president of branded environments at strategy, branding and retail design firm CBX, told USA Today.\r\n\r\nIndeed, retail stores sorely need to draw in more customers. Amazon is estimated to sell more apparel than all U.S. retailers with the exception of Wal-Mart, and it’s expected to make up about 20% of the retail market by 2020.\r\n\r\nAs a result, brick-and-mortar retailers, particularly mall anchors, have been feeling the pinch. For instance, Macy’s reported its worst quarterly sales since the recession this year, J.C. Penney cut payroll and froze overtime for its employees in April, and teen-apparel chain Aéropostale filed for bankruptcy in May. Some analysts predict that about a third of American malls will close their doors in the coming years.\r\n\r\nWhile serving cocktails and food is undeniably a smart way to bring customers in the door, it’s unclear if the move is affecting sales. Target declined to comment to USA Today on how the new Starbucks concept is impacting sales and traffic in the Chicago store. Barnes &amp; Noble hopes that the addition of wine and beer in its stores will increase the proportion of food and beverage sales, now at 10%, of the overall sales of the store.\r\n\r\nBarnes &amp; Noble’s development president says he expects food and beverage to make up more of the store’s sales than they do now — at less than 10% — but ultimately drive traffic through the rest of the store, too.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://time.com/money/4423639/urban-outfitters-bars-in-stores/\" target=\"_blank\">Time</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of USA Today', 'More Retailers Are Serving Booze to Boost Business', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'more-retailers-are-serving-booze-to-boost-business', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/more-retailers-are-serving-booze-to-boost-business', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2228, 4, '2016-08-08 15:15:27', '2016-08-08 15:15:27', 'Brands need to soar past the sea of clichéd visual codes if they want to legitimately connect with real women, said Allison Koller, Executive Creative Director at brand agency CBX, in a recent TEDx talk in Scotch Plains NJ. All too often, even top brands seeking to connect with women fail to overcome the tired visual clichés that have marred such efforts for generations, Koller noted. “How quickly we become a sea of eyes, bellybuttons, breasts, and beautiful booties,” she said. “Messages and images with the power to break through that sea are unexpected. They are something that makes you look twice. They shift the cultural conversation.”\r\nDuring the talk, Koller described herself as a swimmer, illustrator, daughter, tennis player and wife who pays keen attention to the content and subtext of brand messages aimed at women. Her visually rich presentation included multiple examples of successful campaigns that legitimately connect with female audiences via creative and respectful messaging. “Last summer, Carli Lloyd and the U.S. women’s soccer team broke through and redefined the power and reach of female athletes and what it means to throw or kick like a girl,” Koller noted, as images from Always’ action-oriented “Like a girl”campaign appeared on screen behind her.\r\n\r\nOther collages in her presentation, however, highlighted tired imagery drawn from traditional and social media as well as product packaging used to address women. “Whether women are buying as new moms, looking to get in shape or just considering some new lip-gloss, it’s amazing how cliched the communications often are,” Koller said. These visual codes hinge on imagery full of clean, sleeping, happy babies; magical skin care products; nutrition bars that encourage women to “think thin” and the like, Koller explained. “It’s the promise of perfection: blissful mommy-hood, women with flawless skin, and a Zen-ed out approach to fitness,” she said. “The magic continues with products that perform miracles to make you gorgeous, or make you forget you even have your period.” Tropes include the blonde ingénue: fresh faced, innocent and unassuming; the golden goddess: perfect in a slinky ball gown or while working out; and the modern miracle mom whose home is clean as a sanctuary, with Pinterest-worthy parties and cupcakes, Koller noted.\r\n\r\nFortunately, some brands understand the need to keep it real, Koller said. She cited CBX’s work with Kotex. “When Kotex first started working with us, the cultural conversation around femininity had shifted,” she explained. “Kotex wanted to transcend the cliched codes of feminine hygiene: Girls back-flipping on the beach while having their period, levitating tampons twirling in front of a sea of flowers. They recognized a need to create a new conversation with young women.” CBX helped Kotex kill the butterflies and flowers and create packaging designs for its U by Kotex brand that broke through what Koller described as the “pretty-princess, flowery noise” of the category. “We launched with something undeniably code- and cliché-breaking: the black box with a touch of fun in the brightly colored wrappers,” she said. “No flowers, no high-tech performance claims.”\r\n\r\nAs forward-thinking brands seek to connect with women, they should continue to innovate with empowering and realistic visual counterpoints to the prevailing clichés, Koller advised. These new codes are already emerging. “Perfection is being replaced by imperfect expression, the ingénue by graceful aging, the golden goddess by the warrior,” she said. “Magic is taking a back seat to hard work. The modern miracle mom has shifted to home-making, with everyday dads and gender role reversals; instead of exoticism, we have true diversity.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://gdusa.com/blog/cbx-expert-at-tedx-womens-brands-must-soar-past-sea-of-cliches\" target=\"_blank\">Graphic Design USA</a>', 'CBX Expert at TEDx: Women’s Brands Must Soar Past Sea of Cliches', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-expert-at-tedx-womens-brands-must-soar-past-sea-of-cliches', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-expert-at-tedx-womens-brands-must-soar-past-sea-of-cliches', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2232, 4, '2016-08-06 17:41:42', '2016-08-06 17:41:42', 'By gobbling prime real estate and mastering the science of site selection, the top national drug store chains have absolutely succeeded in getting as close to the customer as possible.\r\nBut in an era when almost anything you want is available at the touch of a button — not just on your computer at home but on the smartphone in your pocket — is it enough to get close to the customer physically? What about getting close to the customer emotionally?\r\n\r\nGo to any of the top chain drug stores and just watch as people try to shop the O-T-C aisles. Invariably, you’ll see folks standing around bewildered as they try to figure out which cold medicine or foot cream is the right one for them. They look confused, even lonely.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I’ve been to the drug store a thousand times over the years. Only once do I remember a pharmacist coming out from behind the counter to help, an experience that was as highly satisfying as it was rare. And yet this type of friendly, personalized exchange was commonplace in the era when most drug stores were mom-and-pop operations.\r\n\r\nToday, three dominant operators have achieved impressive scope and scale, but homogeneity is a real challenge for the sector. Stand in the parking lot of these chains’ stores and you will find that they look remarkably similar, right down to the red-and-white color schemes common to all three (well, one of them has some blue, too). Walk into the stores themselves and, again, the experience is homogeneous right down to the product offering.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, throughout the rest of retail, brick-and-mortar operators are looking to ramp up the authenticity and richness of the customer experience in creative and innovative ways.\r\n\r\nCertainly, national chain drug stores understand the need to follow suit here, which is why we’re seeing laudable pushes on wellness, some advances in private label and even the integration of a European drug store brand’s successful elements.\r\n\r\nCompared to the rest of retail, though, the drug store experience is still remarkably cookie-cutter. The absence of compelling stories, in particular, is noteworthy when compared to what you find in, say, the arena of better-quality food. At Whole Foods Market Inc., for example, signage at the meat counter tells you all about the South Georgia farmer who takes such good care of his grass-fed cattle and now supplies to Whole Foods stores across the state.\r\n\r\nAt chain pharmacies, though, story tends to be lacking. You might see a mug shot-style picture of the pharmacist on duty along with a line or two of biographical information. We can do better. Did that person decide to become a pharmacist after seeing medicine improve the quality of life of her ailing mom? Is she a Desert Storm veteran of the U.S. Army? A mother of triplets and a triathlete? We’ll never know.\r\n\r\nFrom both the channel and individual store perspectives, drug stores need to be more creative and daring in their pursuit of unique points of differentiation and storytelling. The growth of digital makes this especially important, as does the coming of age of the Millennial generation, which tends to demand more authenticity and connection from its retail experience.\r\n\r\nSo what is the specific opportunity here for drug stores? Health care and wellness are becoming increasingly important to just about everyone — baby boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials alike.\r\n\r\nWhile the big chains have made good strides in offering testing, flu shots and other health-related services, they need to do more to build upon this through both the in-store environment (including personalized customer service) and the product offer. Take the sterility out of these environments. Use your private label lines to tell stories. Leverage design to present your private label products in more compelling ways. Elevate the experience to capture the way new consumers are shopping.\r\n\r\nSound impossible? Think drug stores are, by definition, functional and therefore resistant to this kind of elevation? Today, an elevated approach to prepared food and food in general is the fastest-growing trend throughout the once-humdrum convenience store sector — and not just in North America but all across the planet.\r\n\r\nFor someone born in the 1960s or ’70s, c-stores were dingy places where people went for chips, beer, candy or maybe the proverbial shriveled hot dog. Now, millions of people are starting to see c-stores as places where they can grab quality food and beverages on the go or even sit back and relax on a sofa in a café setting. Confronted with shrinking margins on sodas, cigarettes and gasoline, the industry’s most forward-thinking chains have made a lot of progress in reinventing themselves. They have succeeded in driving traffic and store growth via these elevated offers, improbable though this might once have seemed.\r\n\r\nLikewise, chains such as Trader Joe’s Co., Fresh Market and Wegmans Food Markets Inc. offer richer experiences than might have seemed plausible back in the era when all supermarkets were essentially the same. The product offer is wildly diverse compared to this bygone era, and the experience far more lively. People go to Trader Joe’s or Wegmans at least in part because they enjoy the experience. Yet, today most people go to drug stores because they have to, not because they want to. When you have thousands of stores, you have to systematize everything, and mass efficiency is always easier than customer accommodation.\r\n\r\nNonetheless, customer accommodation is too important to ignore, which is why the rest of retail is so laser-focused on it. Systems can still leave room for localization and variability — in visual presentation, marketing, social media and even private label. You just have to build more creativity into the process.\r\n\r\nFor forward-thinking drug chains, the approach should be, “Let’s find compelling stories — about our communities, products, company and people — and then tell those stories in-store. Let’s stop being so functional and start putting more feeling and uniqueness into the in-store experience.”\r\n\r\nMake no mistake, the three national chains have taken some important steps to make their stores stand out.\r\n\r\nRite Aid Corp. has done a good job transforming its stores by focusing on elevating the wellness experience and developing some interesting private label brands. Walgreens has created cool brands and unveiled great flagship stores in key metro markets. And CVS Pharmacy has begun to launch a health platform and healthier brands to create a more holistic experience.\r\n\r\nBut are these measures enough to overcome the proximity factor? In other words, convince consumers to go out of their way to shop at one chain versus the other?\r\n\r\nThe goal should be to build loyalty based on satisfaction and identification with the brand and experience. There is no reason why national chain drug stores shouldn’t build more compelling brand stories, conveyed throughout the store and supported by products, brands, people and design.\r\n\r\nCould the whole pharmacy area be more of an interaction and consultative environment versus a queue where patients wait for the next available register? Could it be more inviting? Why does it have to be so transactional? Could people exit the store feeling wowed by your in-store beauty expertise or impressed with the food-shopping experience?\r\n\r\nThe national chains have got back-end efficiency covered. Now it’s time to build loyalty via best-in-class customer experience across the board.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.chaindrugreview.com/getting-close-to-the-consumer-emotionally/\" target=\"_blank\">Chain Drug Review</a>', 'Getting close to the consumer — emotionally', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'getting-close-to-the-consumer-emotionally', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/getting-close-to-the-consumer-emotionally', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2234, 1, '2016-08-22 19:29:32', '2016-08-22 19:29:32', 'A recent study by market intelligence agency Mintel reveals that 69% of U.S. adults shop online monthly, trading in the brick-and-mortar retailers for the more convenient e-tailers. And a great percentage of these sales are being done on mobile.\r\nThat’s why it’s important for designers and marketers to leverage the ever-growing mobile market to optimize their brand messaging, strengthen relationships with consumers, and grow sales.\r\n\r\n<strong>Brands in Action</strong>\r\n\r\nAccording to Google Analytics, people are using mobile for three critical moments in the shopping journey: to get ideas and inspiration, to learn more about a product and comparison shop, and finally, to purchase. It’s not enough to just cut and paste a picture of your package and post it online, and not every piece of information about the product needs to be put on the pack.\r\n\r\n“Marketers need to think about designing an experience for the needs of each distinct moment of consumer engagement,” says Dustin Longstreth, branding strategist with CBX. “A mobile presence provides brands the opportunity to go deeper into ideas and inspiration on how the product can be used. It’s also a great platform to provide additional product info, for example ingredient sourcing, craftsmanship stories, consumer reviews, and rankings relative to competitive brands.”\r\n\r\nCraig Besnoy, senior director, digital business at global technology consulting firm Mindtree notes new age consumers use mobile devices to make buying decisions, ask questions and pay bills and to win the attention of these consumers, CPG companies need to deliver consistent brand experiences across mobile channels.\r\n\r\n“Mindtree has partnered with five of the top 10 global CPG enterprises to reshape their IT strategies, which has resulted in mobile site development, mobile app development, analytics, testing, maintenance, regional localization, content updates and master data management,” he says. “By focusing on the technology tools available, designers and marketers can leverage the mobile market to optimize their brand message.”\r\n\r\nHopsy is a San Francisco-based craft beer curation and delivery service that uses NFC OpenSense tags on their signature “growlettes” so when customers tap their phones to the label, they instantly access videos and other content with information about that specific beer, where it’s from, how it was made and more.\r\n\r\nThe Tim Horton brand has a QR code on the sleeves of its coffee so when a consumer scans it with his or her mobile device, it links consumers to news feeds and information. Dr. Shankar says this is ideal for reaching a consumer in the morning.\r\n\r\n“It’s all about thinking differently,” he says. “In the past, CPG brands used to shout to consumers through mass media advertising. Now, they need to engage consumers one-on-one through relevant messaging, packaging, and keep the brand as relevant to their daily life.”\r\n\r\nDiageo recently partnered with Thin Film Electronics to create the Johnnie Walker Blue Label smart bottle, which leverages NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, a solution different from QR codes.\r\n\r\n“Unlike a QR code that needs to be scanned using an app, NFC is already embedded into most smartphones,” Besnoy says. “Simply tapping a mobile device can activate NFC content. Consumer engagement is enhanced since this will allow the brand to send consumers personalized communication that can contain any type of marketing content.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Specs for Mobile\r\n</strong>\r\nMobile has increased consumer engagement in the buying experience by providing on-the-spot information in a way that is enticing, informative and easily accessible. Consumers can make choices without the assistance of sales staff, so packaging must be increasingly informative and educational in ways that are easily read at small sizes.\r\n\r\nDesign considerations include simplicity of imagery, effective typographic hierarchy, bright colors and text that is visible, visual and written for visual scanning instead of reading. Catchy pictures, fonts and colors are all key packaging traits for attracting those using mobile. Also, designers should test the effectiveness of the packaging for viewing in both portrait and landscape modes, in small sizes, and in different lighting environments.\r\n\r\n“When designing for any mobile device in a responsive design strategy, it is essential to consider the constantly changing compositional issues,” Frear says. “Typeface selection and application is critical to readability on digital devices. Logos must be simplified to be communicative and recognizable at small sizes. Color balance and contrast is also of great importance to viewing packaging information on a small screen.”\r\n\r\nDesigners and marketers must always consider these size and format limitations when creating new packaging that will inevitably be viewed on a digital device.\r\n\r\nLongstreth says CPG brands need to think of it more like a creating a series of interactions and experiences designed to serve as the consumers’ personal help desk or shopping assistant.\r\n\r\n“The pack may grab their attention, but the mobile experience is there to prime the pump and, in many cases, close the deal,” he says. “In designing for mobile, think of opportunities to expand the conversations you are having and the experiences you are able to deliver, rather than simply repeating the same message and posting the same design. This starts with establishing a deep understanding of the customer journey.”\r\n\r\nRemember, the intention of mobile marketing is to help and include the consumer in telling a brand’s story, so any communication where the consumer feels like he or she is participating will be welcome and successful.\r\n\r\nRead the full article in <a href=\"http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/mobile-matters\" target=\"_blank\">Package Design Magazine</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of Keith Loria', 'Mobile Matters', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'mobile-matters', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/mobile-matters', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2236, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:29', '2018-09-27 16:54:29', '', '1112_MP_Brands_That_Surge-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '1112_mp_brands_that_surge-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:29', '2018-09-27 16:54:29', '', 1789, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/1112_MP_Brands_That_Surge-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2237, 1, '2016-07-17 15:43:27', '2016-07-17 15:43:27', '<strong>Stark, unattractive value-tier packaging design is losing favor with consumers.</strong>\r\nOne-third of consumers consciously seek out private label products to save money, states Chicago-based IRI in its January 2015 report “Private Label &amp; National Brands: Dialing in on Core Shoppers.” More than five years after the official end of the Great Recession, consumers continue to search for affordable grocery options, and nearly half (46 percent) of consumers say they are planning to purchase affordable brands more frequently in the coming year. For this reason, many retailers have started to give their opening-price-point private brands greater attention.\r\n\r\nTodd Maute, a partner with New York-based CBX, agrees that there has been a “recent resurgence” in value-tier products.\r\n\r\n“They are being treated more strategically than they have been in the past,” he says, especially when it comes to their packaging design. Typically, standard value-tier packaging was “basic” and “cheap” looking because retailers wanted to convey to consumers that the product was inexpensive. However, recent private brand packaging redesigns and opening-price-point brand introductions indicate that retailers are changing the way they present their value tier to consumers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Make ‘em proud\r\n</strong>\r\nValue-tier private label shoppers are no longer solely income-constrained individuals, says Stephanie Donelson, account manager, Kaleidoscope, Chicago. More consumers, including millennials, are shopping for quality products at value pricing, which is driving retailers to “think more creatively” about their approach to value-tier packaging design.\r\n\r\n“Gone are the days of dated ugly value packaging,” states Casey DeCarlo, creative director, EightyTwenty, Pittsburgh. “Consumers want value, but they don’t want to sacrifice good design. While a value brand can and should communicate value, it doesn’t have to look embarrassingly cheap in order to achieve that.”\r\n\r\nCurrent value-tier purchasers want to feel proud to have these items in their shopping cart, Donelson says. When others see value-tier products in their homes, these consumers want those people to view them as savvy shoppers.\r\n\r\nDon Childs, chief creative officer for Brandimage North America, Cincinnati, agrees.\r\n\r\n“Shoppers who buy value-tier products want to feel good about what they’re buying,” he says. “They don’t want to be reminded they can’t afford the ‘real stuff.’ And they want to be rewarded for making a smart choice.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Whimsical, not basic\r\n</strong>\r\nPart of the current value-tier design strategy is to offer customers packaging that is simple but not basic, says Eric Olson, creative director, Digital Color Inc., Waukesha, Wis.\r\n\r\n“To me, basic means a standard font on a single-color background. If photography is used, it’s flatly lit and simple looking. It’s more functional,” he says. “Simplicity, however, is using the space in a well-thought-out manner in terms of composition and design and layout. A simple design could incorporate a hand-drawn typeface. But it’s not layers of graphics, images and text.”\r\n\r\nIn April, Walmart ended up discontinuing its Price First brand, less than two years after its introduction. The brand was originally designed to help it compete for shoppers at hard discounters such as ALDI. But its basic packaging design very much harkened back to the “old days” of 1970s private label with its white text on a blue background and virtually no graphics on almost all of its products. It’s possible that consumers didn’t connect with the packaging design and thus didn’t connect with the brand, leading Walmart to discontinue it.\r\n\r\n“Consumers still want a value-tier brand they can feel good about, something they can own, and a charismatic brand personality is a big part of that,” DeCarlo notes.\r\n\r\nIn contrast to Walmart, Food Lion and Kroger both recently introduced new value-tier brands that offer personality: Cha-Ching and p$$t, respectively The Cha-Ching brand uses a bright orange background, a cartoon piggy bank and the phrase: “Take your savings to the bank.” The p$$t brand, meanwhile, features a cartoon owl “whispering” to consumers: “p$$t…big savings…pass it on” — and uses a mixture of photography and hand-drawn imagery on a white background.\r\n\r\n“The value tier has become an opportunity for a retailer’s whimsical side to show,” states Jeff Camp, art director with SailPointe Creative, part of Federated Group, Arlington Heights, Ill. “Some notable examples use humor (Cha-Ching), while some use the play on word[s]… (p$$t). These attention-getting devices don’t distract from the essential communication of quality (usually through an impactful image) and value — but enhance the banner’s engagement with their shoppers.”\r\n\r\nBut retailers must be careful when designing value-tier packaging. If the packaging design becomes too clever or “brand-like,” the retailer risks persuading the consumer to trade down from the national-brand-equivalent (NBE) tier to the value tier, Maute cautions. And the NBE tier typically accounts for the “lion’s share of sales.”\r\n\r\n“The value space can be a difficult space to design in, with the challenge between ‘value’ and ‘solid branding’ trickier to balance,” DeCarlo agrees. “Value-tier packaging design must convey affordability compared to any NBE or premium private brand offerings on shelf alongside it. If you want your consumer to spend more on your NBE or premium tier, they need to see a difference.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Know your customer\r\n</strong>\r\nA retailer that knows what its customer wants from the brand will be better able to connect with that customer once the packaging is rolled out throughout the store.\r\n\r\nOlson recommends that retailers define their customer.\r\n\r\n“Try to understand their buying habits and what is best going to help them in terms of purchasing this brand,” he says.\r\n\r\nChilds agrees and believes retailers should ask themselves: “Why do my customers want to purchase a value-tier product at my store?” There are three possible options: price, value or worth. If it’s because of price, the customer is looking for the lowest possible price, and the packaging design should not be premium. If it’s because of value — a solid-quality product at a solid price — retailers should ensure the packaging prevents consumers from feeling like they’re making any kind of sacrifice. If it’s because of worth — an amazing quality or innovative product at a surprising price — retailers should use product packaging to tell customers that they’re clever for selecting this brand and product.\r\n\r\nCamp takes it one step further, recommending that retailers include actual shopper feedback very early on in the redesign process.\r\n“Don’t make decisions about anything at shelf without knowing your consumer and their preferences, because the value-tier consumer may make very different choices or be driven by different need states than your branded or premium shopper,” he says. “Questions about the personality or equity of the own-brand should absolutely be answered with qualitative or even quantitative feedback from those making choices for the target households.”\r\n\r\nOnce a retailer has gathered enough information about its value-tier customers, Donelson advises that the design strategy should be fresh, reflective of the overall brand and straightforward.\r\n\r\n“The value tier should be simple, from product functionality to on-pack communication,” she continues, “to reinforce its role within your portfolio. That doesn’t mean you to lose all the personality along the way.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.storebrands.info/research-and-data/category-intelligence/packaging/anything-basic?utm_source=MV_Store+Brands&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=HTMLLinkID:+6&amp;utm_campaign=Category+Intelligence:+Anything+but+basic\" target=\"_blank\">Store Brands</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Store Brands', 'Anything But Basic', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'anything-but-basic', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/anything-but-basic', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2240, 1, '2016-09-21 16:08:16', '2016-09-21 16:08:16', '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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'food-gifting-market-remains-robust', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/food-gifting-market-remains-robust', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2242, 1, '2016-09-26 19:54:05', '2016-09-26 19:54:05', 'CBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy, received the top Platinum Award in the food category in the 2016 Pentawards packaging design competition for its work on behalf of Man Cave Craft Meats, which is headquartered in Golden Valley.\r\nCreated in January 2007, the Pentawards honor the best packaging designs from around the world. This year’s competition received a total of 1,843 entries from five continents and 54 countries, with awards presented on September 23rd in Shanghai.\r\n\r\nEntries are grouped into five major markets (beverages, food, body products, luxury goods, and “all other”) and no less than 55 sub-categories, so that each competing design is judged alongside similar creations. The entries are reviewed by an international jury of 12 highly respected designers and packaging design directors from major companies. The jury selects the winners based on the creative quality and the marketing relevance of the works presented.\r\n\r\nWinners receive bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond awards. Platinum awards are presented to the top entry in the five categories, while the Diamond honor goes to a single “best of show” entry.\r\n\r\nCBX assisted the craft meat brand as it expanded its sales from the local farmers’ market to grocery aisles across the country. “As Man Cave Meats geared up to reach thousands of new customers, our job was to help the company build its brand identity and create attention-grabbing product packaging,” explained CBX Managing Partner Nancy Brown, who is based in the firm’s Minneapolis office.\r\n\r\nThe new packaging created by CBX features black backgrounds, attention-grabbing typography treatments and imagery in an aesthetic approach reminiscent of the world of craft beer. “This brand is all about distinctive flavor,” Brown said. “We wanted to reinforce this by creating a distinctive package design system that disrupts the shelf and ultimately drives sales.”', 'CBX\'s Work For Man Cave Craft Meats Receives Top Award in Food Category in 2016 Pentawards Packaging Competition', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbxs-work-for-man-cave-craft-meats-receives-top-award-in-food-category-in-2016-pentawards-packaging-competition', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbxs-work-for-man-cave-craft-meats-receives-top-award-in-food-category-in-2016-pentawards-packaging-competition', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2249, 1, '2016-09-12 20:15:45', '2016-09-12 20:15:45', 'Chain drug retailers are being challenged to free up additional retail space and to reconfigure their stores to keep pace with competitors’ new brandings and offerings, according to Duane Chudy, president and chief executive officer of TCGRx, a supplier of work-flow solutions and pharmacy automation.\r\nThe market, he notes, is constantly driving pharmacy operators to invent new ways of doing business to stay competitive and profitable, and retailers are turning to innovate store designs and fixtures as key components in those efforts.\r\n\r\n“We have been designing pharmacies and integrating automation for years,” he says, adding that the Wisconsin-based firm helps pharmacies shrink their square footage without sacrificing service.\r\n\r\nJames Sundstad, vice president of branded environments at CBX, an agency that helps build brands through innovative store designs and other initiatives, agrees that the blurring of retail channels and the increased competition within the drug store industry and from other trade channels has inspired new concepts in store designs, layouts, and fixtures.\r\n\r\nDrug stores, without abandoning their pharmacy and health and wellness images, have evolved into convenience stores in the minds of many customers, whereas other customers are turning to convenience stores for many of their over-the-counter medicines.\r\n\r\nMark Gillham, collaborative store leader at Jackman Reinvents, adds that retailers are spotlighting and showcasing products in a more profound way by adopting and utilizing store designs and fixtures. Jackman Reinvents has worked with such retailers as Duane Reade, Walgreens, Rexall Health and Sobeys Inc. on store design initiatives.\r\n\r\n“We help organizations reinvent the customer experience to drive growth and win against competitors,” he explains. “We do this by bringing business and creative strategy together in a collaborative end-to-end process.”\r\n\r\nOne fixture line that TCGRx recently brought to the pharmacy market is HDStock, it’s high-density cabinets that can reduce a pharmacy’s medication storage footprint by up to 50%, in the process opening up space to implement such functions as patient consultative services and vaccination rooms or expanded retail merchandising areas, all without expanding an existing floor plan. With HDStock—available in six features—the unique layouts and work flows of pharmacies are addressed.\r\n\r\nChudy says that the HDStock system has been designed to be expandable and that the fixtures can be customized with colors and finishes to match the look of an existing pharmacy.\r\n\r\nAt CBX, the agency works with retailers to provide customers with unique brand experiences through novel layouts, whether that customer is in the store for a “grab-and-go” item or for more of a complete purchase transaction, says Sundstad.\r\n\r\nHe says that one trend in the design/fixtures arena is that products that were once confined to higher shelves are now placed at lower levels on gondolas to attract the customer and in the process build brand loyalty. He cites the approach that Bartell Drugs has taken to usher in local merchandise—including specialty chocolates, local products and gifts—to some neighborhood stores, where they are displaying the high-end products on attractive end-caps, gondolas, and in-aisle fixtures.\r\n\r\nAt CBX client Duance Reade, success was achieved several years ago when cosmetic counters and fixtures once nearly exclusive to department/specialty stores were introduced to drug stores. By highlighting the cosmetics section as a uniquely branded area of the store, sales increased dramatically. Duane Reade is also among pharmacy retailers that now depend on lower pharmacy counters as vehicles to help forge stronger bonds between pharmacists and patients.\r\n\r\nChanges in store designs and fixtures are also reflected in the increased integration of perishable and nonperishable food in the drug channel. Gillhman says a “big game changer” in this trend is seen at Shoppers Drug Mart as a result of its recent acquisition by Loblaw Cos. New formats at SDM stores have expanded square footage to accommodate fresh/perishable items.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in Chain Drug Review Magazine', 'Latest Fixtures Help Retailers Get More Out of Their Space', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'latest-fixtures-help-retailers-get-more-out-of-their-space', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '2018-09-27 17:58:44', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/latest-fixtures-help-retailers-get-more-out-of-their-space', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2253, 4, '2016-09-27 17:59:13', '2016-09-27 17:59:13', 'CBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy headquartered here, received the top Platinum Award in the food category in the 2016 Pentawards packaging design competition for its work on behalf of Man Cave Craft Meats.\r\nCreated in January 2007, the Pentawards honor the best packaging designs from around the world. This year’s competition received a total of 1,843 entries from five continents and 54 countries, with awards presented on September 23rd in Shanghai.\r\n\r\nEntries are grouped into five major markets (beverages, food, body products, luxury goods, and “all other”) and no less than 55 sub-categories, so that each competing design is judged alongside similar creations. The entries are reviewed by an international jury of 12 highly respected designers and packaging design directors from major companies. The jury selects the winners based on the creative quality and the marketing relevance of the works presented.\r\n\r\nWinners receive bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond awards. Platinum awards are presented to the top entry in the five categories, while the Diamond honor goes to a single “best of show” entry.\r\n\r\nCBX assisted the Golden Valley, Minn.-based craft meat brand as it expanded its sales from the local farmers’ market to grocery aisles across the country. “As Man Cave Meats geared up to reach thousands of new customers, our job was to help the company build its brand identity and create attention-grabbing product packaging,” explained CBX Managing Partner Nancy Brown.\r\n\r\nThe new packaging created by CBX features black backgrounds, attention-grabbing typography treatments and imagery in an aesthetic approach reminiscent of the world of craft beer. “This brand is all about distinctive flavor,” Brown said. “We wanted to reinforce this by creating a distinctive package design system that disrupts the shelf and ultimately drives sales.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://whattheythink.com/news/82472-cbxs-work-man-cave-craft-meats-receives-top-award/?utm_source=whattheythink&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=rss\" target=\"_blank\">WhatTheyThink</a>', 'CBX’s Work For Man Cave Craft Meats Receives Top Award', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbxs-work-for-man-cave-craft-meats-receives-top-award', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '2018-09-27 17:56:35', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbxs-work-for-man-cave-craft-meats-receives-top-award', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2257, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '', '0204_Philabundance_NYT', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0204_philabundance_nyt', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '', 1801, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0204_Philabundance_NYT.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2258, 1, '2016-09-29 16:30:33', '2016-09-29 16:30:33', 'CBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy headquartered in New York City, received the top Platinum Award in the food category in the 2016 Pentawards packaging design competition for its work on behalf of Man Cave Craft Meats.\r\nCreated in January 2007, the Pentawards honor the best packaging designs from around the world. This year’s competition received a total of 1,843 entries from five continents and 54 countries, with awards presented on September 23rd in Shanghai. Entries are grouped into five major markets (beverages, food, body products, luxury goods, and “all other”) and no less than 55 sub-categories, so that each competing design is judged alongside similar creations. The entries are reviewed by an international jury of 12 highly respected designers and packaging design directors from major companies.\r\n\r\nThe jury selects the winners based on the creative quality and the marketing relevance of the works presented. Winners receive bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond awards. Platinum awards are presented to the top entry in the five categories, while the Diamond honor goes to a single “best of show” entry.\r\n\r\nCBX assisted the Golden Valley, Minn.-based craft meat brand as it expanded its sales from the local farmers’ market to grocery aisles across the country.\r\n\r\n“As Man Cave Meats geared up to reach thousands of new customers, our job was to help the company build its brand identity and create attention-grabbing product packaging,” explains CBX Managing Partner Nancy Brown.\r\n\r\nThe new packaging created by CBX features black backgrounds, attention-grabbing typography treatments and imagery in an aesthetic approach reminiscent of the world of craft beer.\r\n\r\n“This brand is all about distinctive flavor,” Brown says. “We wanted to reinforce this by creating a distinctive package design system that disrupts the shelf and ultimately drives sales.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://packagedesignmag.com/community-voice/cbx-receives-top-award-at-pentawards-2016\" target=\"_blank\">Package Design Magazine</a>', 'CBX Receives Top Award at Pentawards 2016', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-receives-top-award-at-pentawards-2016', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:03', '2018-09-27 17:58:03', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-receives-top-award-at-pentawards-2016', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2260, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '', '0201_Terpel_MarketWire3-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0201_terpel_marketwire3-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '2018-09-27 16:54:33', '', 1799, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0201_Terpel_MarketWire3-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2261, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '', '0213RetailingToday', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0213retailingtoday', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '', 1803, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0213RetailingToday.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
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(2263, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '', '0214NCAA', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0214ncaa', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '2018-09-27 16:54:34', '', 1804, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0214NCAA.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2264, 1, '2016-10-04 17:13:22', '2016-10-04 17:13:22', 'Nan Richardson has joined CBX as engagement director, branded environments.\r\nRichardson will work to connect with prospects, build relationships, and develop new business opportunities for CBX in the retail, restaurant, hospitality, and commercial real estate industries, reporting to VP, branded environments, James Sundstad. She will be based in Newport Beach, Calif.\r\n\r\nRichardson brings a diverse background to CBX, with more than 20 years of business development and marketing experience, primarily in the architecture, interior design, and commercial real estate industries.\r\n\r\nPrior to joining CBX, she was west coast director, business development, at Core States Group, a fully integrated architecture, interior design, engineering, and general contracting firm specializing in the hospitality, retail, restaurant, and corporate sectors. From her base in Newport Beach, she had direct responsibility for client relations, public relations, marketing, and business development functions.\r\n\r\nRichardson has held senior marketing and business development positions with such other firms as Perkins+Will, IA Interior Architects, and H. Hendy Associates.\r\n\r\nShe is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, and the Boutique &amp; Lifestyle Lodging Association. Her extensive philanthropic efforts include the United Way, Community Service Programs Inc., and the National Kidney Foundation.\r\n\r\nA resident of Newport Beach, Richardson graduated from the American Institute of Interior Design in Lucerne, Switzerland, with a bachelor of arts in interior design.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://insights.retailenvironments.org/2016/10/04/richardson-named-engagement-director-cbx/\" target=\"_blank\">Shop! Insights Center</a>', 'Richardson named engagement director at CBX', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'richardson-named-engagement-director-at-cbx', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/richardson-named-engagement-director-at-cbx', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2266, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:35', '2018-09-27 16:54:35', '', '0220HelicopterBranding', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0220helicopterbranding', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:35', '2018-09-27 16:54:35', '', 1805, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0220HelicopterBranding.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2267, 1, '2016-10-04 17:22:39', '2016-10-04 17:22:39', 'CBX received the top Platinum Award in the food category in the 2016 Pentawards packaging design competition for its work on behalf of Man Cave Craft Meats. CBX assisted the Golden Valley, Minn.-based craft meat brand as it expanded its sales from the local farmers market to grocery aisles across the country.\r\nCreated in January 2007, the Pentawards honor the best packaging designs from around the world. This year’s competition received 1,843 entries from five continents and 54 countries, with awards presented in Shanghai. Entries are grouped into five major markets: beverages, food, body products, luxury goods, and “all other.”\r\n\r\n“As Man Cave Meats geared up to reach thousands of new customers, our job was to help the company build its brand identity and create attention-grabbing product packaging,” says CBX Managing Partner Nancy Brown.\r\n\r\nThe new packaging created by CBX features black backgrounds, attention-grabbing typography treatments, and imagery in an aesthetic approach reminiscent of the world of craft beer.\r\n\r\n“This brand is all about distinctive flavor,” Brown says. “We wanted to reinforce this by creating a distinctive package-design system that disrupts the shelf and ultimately drives sales.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://insights.retailenvironments.org/2016/10/04/cbx-receives-top-award-pentawards-competition/\" target=\"_blank\">Shop! Insights Center.</a>', 'CBX receives top award in Pentawards competition', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-receives-top-award-in-pentawards-competition', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:03', '2018-09-27 17:58:03', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-receives-top-award-in-pentawards-competition', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
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(2270, 1, '2016-10-04 17:55:26', '2016-10-04 17:55:26', 'Veteran architecture/design/commercial real estate business development, marketing and public relations professional Nan Richardson has joined brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX as Engagement Director, Branded Environments.\r\nFrom her base in Newport Beach, Richardson will work to connect with prospects, build relationships and develop new business opportunities for CBX in the retail, restaurant, hospitality and commercial real estate industries, reporting to Vice President, Branded Environments James Sundstad.\r\n\r\nRichardson brings a diverse background to the New York-headquartered CBX, with over 20 years of business development and marketing experience, primarily in the architecture, interior design and commercial real estate industries. Prior to joining CBX, she was West Coast Director, Business Development at Core States Group, a fully integrated architecture, interior design, engineering and general contracting firm specializing in the hospitality, retail, restaurant and corporate sector. From her base in Newport Beach, she had direct responsibility for client relations, public relations, marketing, and business development functions.\r\n\r\nPreviously, Richardson held senior marketing and business development positions with such other prominent firms as Perkins+ Will, IA Interior Architects, and H. Hendy Associates.\r\n\r\nShe is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, and the Boutique &amp; Lifestyle Lodging Association. Her extensive philanthropic efforts include the United Way, Community Service Programs, Inc., and the National Kidney Foundation.\r\n\r\nA resident of Newport Beach, Richardson graduated from the American Institute of Interior Design, Lucerne, Switzerland, with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design.', 'Richardson Joins CBX as Engagement Director, Branded Environments', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'richardson-joins-cbx-as-engagement-director-branded-environments', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/richardson-joins-cbx-as-engagement-director-branded-environments', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2271, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:36', '2018-09-27 16:54:36', '', '0213RetailingToday-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0213retailingtoday-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:36', '2018-09-27 16:54:36', '', 1803, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0213RetailingToday-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
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(2273, 1, '2016-09-26 19:01:54', '2016-09-26 19:01:54', 'The international jury of Pentawards®, the first worldwide competition devoted exclusively to Packaging Design, chaired by Gérard Caron, is announcing its 2016 winners.\r\nThis year, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Pentawards, the winners received the following global awards in Shanghai’s design hotel Hyatt on the Bund in front of more than 250 designers and brand owners from all around the world (24 countries represented).\r\n\r\n<strong>PENTAWARDS 2016:</strong>\r\n<strong>5 Platinum Pentawards, the Best in each Category</strong>\r\n\r\nBesides the Diamond Pentaward, the best of the show (Domino’s Pizza) the international jury chaired by Gérard Caron also awarded the 5 \"Best of the Category\" prizes.\r\n\r\n<strong>The BEVERAGES Platinum</strong>\r\n<strong>...went to the superb bottle of Imayotsukasa Sake created by Bullet agency (Japan)</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/imsake.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10264\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/imsake.jpg\" alt=\"imsake\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThis special sake is named after the carp, a famous ornamental fish and a symbol of Japan, which has been bred for decades in the same Niigata prefecture where this Nishikigoi sake is manufactured. Considered a living jewel, the carp has beautiful red patterns on a white body and this scheme has been adopted in the bottle design where the red is printed directly on to the white bottle. Japanese brush-work was used to create the red elements, while the outer box features a window in the shape of a fish. The combining of white, red and gold gives a luxurious impression and makes it an excellent gift, while the packaging helps Nishikigoi stand out from other sake brands in the Japanese and overseas markets.\r\n\r\n<strong>The FOOD Platinum</strong>\r\n<strong>...was won by CBX (USA) for the packaging of meat from Man Cave Meats.</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pent.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10263\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pent.jpg\" alt=\"pent\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" />\r\n</a>The founders of Man Cave Craft Meats, Nick and Josh Beste, were university students when they launched their business, by crafting innovative flavor combos with an obsessive focus on quality. Moving from the stall at the Minneapolis Farmers Market out into grocery stores required the creation of a punchy packaging design for Man Cave Craft Meats to proclaim the makers’ innovative flavor combinations and obsessive pursuit of quality. This was a product with a bold and authentic identity, and a strong measure of individuality, reminiscent of the artisanal world of craft beer with its small-batch production and straightforward, masculine irreverence. So for the unpretentious foodie core customer, the new design uses hand-crafted typography on a strong black background, and images of burly, bearded men with tattoos, alongside taglines such as: “Long live the butcher!”\r\n\r\n<strong>The BODY Platinum</strong>\r\n<strong>...is awarded to Mousegraphics (Greece) for a series of packaging for the BIC brand socks.</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bic-sock.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10265\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bic-sock.jpg\" alt=\"bic-sock\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>\r\n\r\nBIC is a company with a strong brand known worldwide. A fresh packaging idea here brings a number of Bic products together by the use of a smart but simple concept and its variations: if socks dress the feet, shoes complete the process, then socks for sale on the shelf can also be ‘dressed’ in shoes in a playful manner that catches the eye immediately. The packaging for each style features the image of a type of shoe (women’s, men’s, sports, casual) to match the sock. Within the brand’s range this creates a discrete category that is easy to identify (shoes) while also providing a unifying principle.\r\n\r\n<strong>The OTHER MARKETS Platinum</strong>\r\n<strong>...is awarded to The Partners (UK) for a range of packaging designs for Argos \'Simple Value\' household appliances.</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/house.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10266\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/house.jpg\" alt=\"house\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>\r\nArgos is the UK\'s leading digital retailer - 33,000 products 53,000 lines, 130 million customers, 840 UK stores. Consisting of 140 basic household items, the Argos \'Simple Value\' range offers solid quality at low prices. It was this combination of simplicity with value that led to the name, and the packaging also reflects the fact that these products speak for themselves. But simple need not mean dull, and while the product descriptions communicate the basic values there are unexpected twists that lift the copy into something that engages more personally with customers. Different designs have also been created for all these items, and with several hundred thousand units produced per year the simplicity of the print production makes it easier for international suppliers to contribute to the range..\r\n\r\n<strong>The LUXURY Platinum</strong>\r\n<strong>...goes to Coley Porter Bell (United Kingdom) for the luxurious Chivas Regal bottle, The Icon, and its superb packaging.</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/regal.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10267\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/regal.jpg\" alt=\"regal\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>\r\n\r\nChivas Regal is considered the world\'s first luxury whisky. It was the first Scotch to be exported to the rest of the world in 1909 and became the iconic whisky of its time, drunk by the global elite. Fast forward just over one hundred years and Coley Porter Bell were tasked with developing the positioning, visual identity and packaging for a new ultra-prestige product that would serve to enhance Chivas Regal\'s luxury credentials. As a permanent expression representing the pinnacle of the range (retailing at US$3,500), their challenge was to get to the very essence of the brand\'s visual DNA. To deconstruct its qualities and re-imagine them in the purest, most sublime form. They needed to look backwards in order to look forwards and in doing so, they struck upon their inspiration - the original 1909 bottle - an icon of its day. The design pays tribute to the brand\'s illustrious past - the green crystal decanter in particular, but also the touches of red throughout the packaging, the reference to the ship on the badge and the presentation case pay homage to the iconic green bottle of 1909 and the brand\'s export story. The agency worked closely with a leading luxury cabinet-maker and the master craftsmen at Dartington Crystal. Each decanter is mouth-blown and hand finished.\r\n\r\nRead the full article in <a href=\"http://www.brandpackaging.com/articles/85570-pentawards-announces-2016-packaging-design-winners\" target=\"_blank\">Brand Packaging</a>\r\nPhotos Courtesy of the Pentawards', 'Pentawards Announces 2016 Packaging Design Winners', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'pentawards-announces-2016-packaging-design-winners', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:46', '2018-09-27 17:58:46', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/pentawards-announces-2016-packaging-design-winners', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2274, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '', '0220HelicopterBranding-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0220helicopterbranding-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '', 1805, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0220HelicopterBranding-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2275, 1, '2016-09-26 19:42:50', '2016-09-26 19:42:50', 'Now celebrating its 10th year, the Pentawards has as its mission the global promotion of packaging design. Brigitte Evrard, Pentawards co-founder, has stated that: \"Packaging design is a very demanding and difficult discipline, as it is subject to the laws of a market more and more focused on cost reduction and short-term profitability. Packaging designers must often do a lot with a little. The goal of the Pentawards is to reward designs originating from all markets, from mass-market to luxury.\"\r\nTo facilitate this, the awards are structured in five broad sectors—Food, Beverages, Body, Other Markets and Luxury—that group together 50 categories. The ninth edition of the Pentawards received 1,843 entries from five continents and 54 countries. An international jury composed of 12 professionals from packaging design and marketing, as well as the Pentawards chairman, bestowed the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Pentawards. The Diamond Pentaward winner will receive, in addition to a trophy, a year of the Esko Suite 14 packaging design software, worth €5,000. Taschen will publish the fourth edition of The Package Design Book, this time containing all the winners from 2015 and 2016.\r\n\r\nLondon-based agency Jones Knowles Ritchie took home the Diamond Pentaward, 2016 Best of the Show, for its design of new boxes for Domino\'s Pizza. Below you\'ll find it and our selection of winners. Submissions for the 11th Pentawards will be open from February 20 to April 7, 2017. More information and galleries of winners from this and previous years are available on the Pentawards site.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dominos.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10270\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dominos.jpg\" alt=\"dominos\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>DIAMOND PENTAWARD 2016 and ESKO PRIZE - BEST OF THE SHOW | Entrant: Jones Knowles Ritchie | Brand: Domino\'s Pizza</strong>\r\n<strong>Over the years, Domino’s pizza packaging had become overloaded with generic information which had lost impact with consumers, while the brand mark had become relegated to a small endorsement. Redesigning its delivery boxes in the UK would enable it to become the definitive article again, and this meant taking a bold and simple approach to replace the clutter on the boxes and focus instead only on the brand’s distinctive two-color logo. Since 96% of all Domino’s pizzas are sold in pairs, the brand’s pizza combo deal was used as the basis for the new design, with one red box and one blue. The result? An open invitation for sharing and fun, as if to say \"don’t order a pizza, order Domino’s.\"</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/sake.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10271\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/sake.jpg\" alt=\"sake\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>PLATINUM PENTAWARD 2016 – BEST OF THE BEVERAGES CATEGORY | Entrant: Bullet | Brand: Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery - Imayotsukasa</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/man-cave.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10272\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/man-cave.jpg\" alt=\"man-cave\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>PLATINUM PENTAWARD 2016 – BEST OF THE FOOD CATEGORY | Entrant: CBX | Brand: Man Cave Meats</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bic.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10273\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bic.jpg\" alt=\"bic\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>PLATINUM PENTAWARD 2016 – BEST OF THE BODY CATEGORY | Entrant: Mousegraphics | Brand: Bic - Socks</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/houseee.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10274\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/houseee.jpg\" alt=\"houseee\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>PLATINUM PENTAWARD 2016 – BEST OF THE OTHER MARKETS CATEGORY | Entrant: The Partners | Brand: Argos - Simple Value</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/regal-1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10275\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/regal-1.jpg\" alt=\"regal-1\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>PLATINUM PENTAWARD 2016 – BEST OF THE LUXURY CATEGORY | Entrant: Coley Porter Bell | Brand: Chivas Regal - The Icon</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/rooser.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10276\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/rooser.jpg\" alt=\"rooser\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>GOLD PENTAWARD 2016 – FOOD | Entrant: Squad Ink | Brand: The Grounds - Granola</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/tuna.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10277\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/tuna.jpg\" alt=\"tuna\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>GOLD PENTAWARD 2016 - CONCEPT | Entrant: Anthem | Brand: Eternal Oceans</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/aloe.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10278\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/aloe.jpg\" alt=\"aloe\" width=\"992\" height=\"992\" /></a></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>GOLD PENTAWARD 2016 - BODY | Entrant: Enprani | Brand: Holika Holika - Aloe</strong>\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.graphics.com/article/pentawards-2016-packaging-design-award-winners\" target=\"_blank\">Graphics</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of Graphics', 'The Pentawards 2016 Packaging Design Award Winners', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-pentawards-2016-packaging-design-award-winners', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-pentawards-2016-packaging-design-award-winners', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2276, 0, '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '', '0228PackagingNoir1-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '0228packagingnoir1-1', '', '', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '2018-09-27 16:54:38', '', 1806, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/0228PackagingNoir1-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(2277, 1, '2016-10-07 16:17:14', '2016-10-07 16:17:14', 'New York-based brand and retail design consultancy CBX has added Nan Richardson to its team as the engagement director of branded environments. Based in Newport Beach, Calif., she will seek out new relationships and development opportunities across numerous industries.\r\nRichardson holds more than 20 years of experience in the field, previously serving as the West Coast director of business development for Core States Group. She has also held senior marketing and business development positions at prominent firms such as Perkins+Will, IA Interior Architects, and H. Hendy Associates. A graduate of the American Institute of Interior Design, Lucerne, Switzerland, Richardson is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Urban Land Institute, and the Boutique &amp; Lifestyle Lodging Association.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.designretailonline.com/news/people/Nan-Richardson-Joins-CBX-27155.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">design:retail</a>', 'Nan Richardson Joins CBX', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'nan-richardson-joins-cbx', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/nan-richardson-joins-cbx', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(2278, 1, '2016-10-19 20:01:13', '2016-10-19 20:01:13', '<strong>The London International Awards is claiming an award-show first by announcing the shortlist for its new Verbal Identity category.</strong>\r\n2016 marks the first time the awards has appointed a standalone jury for Verbal Identity (pictured), led by Chris West, founder of Verbal Identity Ltd.\r\n\r\nThe Awards says the introduction of Verbal Identity was a reaction to the ‘What About Naming?’ campaign launched by New York-based brand agency CBX in 2015. As major awards programs continually ignored the role of naming in the brand-building process, CBX believed that more should be done to honour the most creative and successful naming and verbal identity projects.\r\n\r\nWith West, jury members included Rachel Bernard of CBX New York, Sean Doyle of Panic London, Steve Martin of Eat Creative Tokyo, Laurel Sutton, senior strategist and linguist at Catchword Oakland and Ben Zimmer, language columnist at the <em>Wall Street Journal</em>.\r\n\r\nRead the full article in <a href=\"https://www.marketingmag.com.au/news-c/verbal-identity-london-international-awards/\" target=\"_blank\">Marketing Mag</a>\r\nPhoto Courtesy of Marketing Mag', 'Verbal identity on show for first time at London International Awards', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'verbal-identity-on-show-for-first-time-at-london-international-awards', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/verbal-identity-on-show-for-first-time-at-london-international-awards', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2279, 1, '2016-10-30 15:22:57', '2016-10-30 15:22:57', '<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/brow-zigs.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10346\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/brow-zigs.jpg\" alt=\"brow-zigs\" width=\"891\" height=\"900\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Benefit Cosmetics strikes a tongue-in-cheek tone that doesn’t take beauty too seriously.</em></p>\r\n<strong>Women are looking for products and packaging that go beyond the tired clichés of femininity. CBX’ Allison Koller explains how brand owners can create more authentic packaging for female consumers.</strong>\r\n\r\nAllison Koller, Executive Creative Director of CBX, recently gave a TEDx talk on the clichés used in packaging for products geared toward women. Here she answers some questions on the topic and provides examples of how brand owners can convey a more authentic story.\r\n\r\n<strong>Packaging World:</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>How do female stereotypes and clichés currently manifest themselves in retail product packaging and branding?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Allison Koller:</strong>\r\n\r\nRepresentations of women in packaging and in store displays cue off many of the same clichéd codes present in advertising, where women are depicted as perfect, without flaws. This sets up an unrealistic standard, where women can’t get real. No sweat, no blemishes, no aging, perfectly run households—no individuals with real thoughts or feelings.\r\n\r\nCommon codes include: “Magic”—products that promise to make you flawless, or forget any challenges you may face; “The Ingenue”—an innocent (usually blonde) who never ages; “The Goddess”—either perfectly sculpted from a sweat-free workout or wearing a sparkling golden gown; “The Modern Miracle Mom”—house in order, dinner on the table, perfect birthday parties, blogging about it all; and “The Exotic”— an all too common representation of women of color as mysterious, sultry, or fiery.\r\n\r\nDesign language in packaging can quickly fall into shorthand to convey, “This is for a woman.” This includes graphic cues such as soft, pastel colors and curvy shapes, floral and butterfly motifs, and lace. It’s a singular idea of what femininity and being female should be, one that is outdated and infantilizing.\r\n\r\n<strong>You might say that some of these representations are aspirational. Why are they no longer relevant?</strong>\r\n\r\nThese codes for femininity do set an aspirational expectation. It’s just another place for women to measure up to a definition of “perfection.” Many women have moved on to set their own standard for beauty, for motherhood, and for being a professional. Brands that create a platform for their audience to be themselves are much more relevant than those that dictate a specific way of being.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you think it’s something female consumers are conscious of? Are they looking for alternatives?</strong>\r\n\r\nClichéd codes often fade into the background. They are expected, so their impact is dulled. They’ve become just another beautiful face, or a perfect body selling something.\r\n\r\nFrom my experience listening to consumers in focus groups for a myriad of products made for women, yes, women are very open to something different, something outside the girlie cliché. In some cases they demand it.\r\n\r\nBased on the cultural impact of campaigns like Dove’s Real Beauty, Like a Girl from Always, and Under Armour’s I Will What I Want, and even the packaging for U by Kotex, the opportunity to present an alternative to the cliché is rich. These brands found a new way to address women in categories that previously upheld standards of perfection for women. What may have initially felt like a risk, turned out to reap great rewards.\r\n\r\n<strong>What are some examples of package designs that rely on these stereotypes?</strong>\r\n\r\nMany brands in the feminine and personal care categories continue to use clichéd codes for femininity in packaging design. They fall into the trap of “for woman = soft or pink,” as if we need to be reminded that “women like flowers” when we have our periods.\r\n\r\n<strong>How can brand owners convey more authentic messages to female consumers through their package design? What are some examples of brands that have successfully changed the story?</strong>\r\n\r\nPackaging is a perfect place to bring a brand’s tone of voice to life. From claims to romance copy, it is a platform to authentically connect with women. Paired with unexpected visual cues—ditch the pastels and flowers—a new story can emerge. A story where brands get real and cut her a break, or challenge her with new ideas. There are as many ways to say, “I’m for you,” as there are women out there. Be a coach in her success, a rebel in a tired category, someone that is infinitely relatable, not just a goddess or ingénue. Would a rebel show up to a protest wearing a gold ball gown? Ensuring authenticity is essential to your brand’s success.\r\n\r\nThere are excellent examples of brands that have found this authentic voice through packaging, sometimes in unexpected places, like beauty. Benefit Cosmetics strikes a tongue-in-cheek tone that doesn’t take beauty too seriously. Products like “fake up,” “benetint,” “high beam,” and “hello flawless” invite women in with humor, expressive patterns, and typography.\r\n\r\nBumble and Bumble hair care takes a similar approach to design through the use of distinctive patterns, textures, and copy for each product, which mirrors its inclusive portfolio for every hair type and styling goal.\r\n\r\nKY has expanded sexual wellness to include women’s pleasure, and has breakthrough packaging to match. Yours &amp; Mine is not shy about its purpose or impact at shelf.\r\n\r\nKind bars flipped the (female) nutritional bar category on its head, using a name and clean, linear graphics that convey the elemental nature of the product, not a feminine cliché. The brand has recently built on its success with the launch of STRONG, launched for women seeking some extra protein for their (warrior-like) workouts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Is there a still a place for traditional feminine visual cues, depending on the product?</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is difficult to argue against a gorgeous, perfectly styled mane of hair in the hair-care category, or some sparkle in oral care packaging. However, there are always opportunities to be more inclusive in depictions of what is an aspirational image.\r\n\r\n<em><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/videos/allison-koller-at-ted/?utm_medium=Print&amp;utm_source=pwgoto\" target=\"_blank\">Watch a video of Koller’s TEDx talk.</a> </em>\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/strategy/scrap-stale-female-cliches\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Packaging World', 'Scrap the stale female clichés', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'scrap-the-stale-female-cliches', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/scrap-the-stale-female-cliches', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2280, 1, '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', '<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', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', '', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=2280', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2281, 1, '2016-11-11 17:17:18', '2016-11-11 17:17:18', 'CBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy headquartered here, took home two awards in the newly-created Verbal Identity Category at the 2016 LIA Awards.\r\nFormerly known as the London International Advertising Awards, the LIA is a worldwide awards program honoring legends, pioneers and embodiments of excellence in advertising, digital, production, design, music and sound, and technology. In addition to Verbal Identity, awards are presented in 15 other categories, including billboard, branded entertainment, digital, print, radio &amp; audio, and TV/cinema/online film.\r\n\r\nWithin the Verbal Identity category, CBX competed against multiple entrants from agencies throughout the world and garnered Silver awards in both the Naming and Tone of Voice sub-categories. Additionally, a third CBX project was a finalist in Tone of Voice.\r\n\r\nIn Naming, the firm was honored for the development of the brand name Yesway, for a new Des Moines, Iowa-based convenience store chain. “Across America, you either find run-down, old-school gas stations or newfangled artisanal c-stores with made-to-order menus, but nothing in the middle,” said Rachel Bernard, CBX Vice President, Verbal Strategy. “That began to change when Brookwood Financial started acquiring a number of stations in the Midwest, looking to capture a more middle-of-the-road market. The result? Yesway – a simpler, easier, friendlier experience created from the ground up, from the name to the environment to the offer.”\r\n\r\nIn Tone of Voice, CBX was honored for its work for She Should Run, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership. “The simultaneous broadening and diversification of She Should Run’s programs, combined with the meteoric success of programs like ‘Ask a Woman to Run’ and ‘See Joan Run,’ added even more complexity to the nonprofit’s existing communication challenges,” explained Lesley Stordahl, CBX Creative Director. “It needed a unifying messaging and voice framework to deliver clear, consistent and compelling communications. Understanding the barriers female candidates face was key to sharpening the brand’s voice to hit the communications that best motivate women to get in the race. The voice builds on the urgency and passion that women can bring to politics by breaking down these barriers, and rallies them to come forward and be heard. The new She Should Run voice establishes a clear direction for the future – inspiring new generations of women and girls to pursue a more perfect union,”\r\n\r\nThe firm was also named as a finalist in Tone of Voice for its “Deep-Rooted Beauty Care” re-branding of Hain Celestial’s Avalon Organics line of certified organic products. In addition to creating new packaging, design, tagline and nomenclature systems for Avalon’s five product lines, CBX’s team built a brand book; clarified Avalon Organics® brand personality and behaviors; defined the brand’s visual and verbal principles with expansive voice guidelines for use in social media and other communications, and conducted internal training to support writing around the new master brand.\r\n\r\nThis year, The LIA added Verbal Identity as a category, with sub-categories for Naming, Tone of Voice, Tagline/Endline, and Copywriting. This followed a campaign launched last year by CBX Managing Partner &amp; CEO Gregg S. Lipman, which included a full-page ad in Advertising Age urging major industry awards programs to begin honoring creative agencies for their hard work and creativity in the naming arena.', 'CBX Takes Home Two Awards at 2016 LIA Competition in Newly-created Verbal Identity Category', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'cbx-takes-home-two-awards-at-2016-lia-competition-in-newly-created-verbal-identity-category', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '2018-09-27 17:58:04', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/cbx-takes-home-two-awards-at-2016-lia-competition-in-newly-created-verbal-identity-category', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2282, 1, '2016-11-14 20:55:31', '2016-11-14 20:55:31', '<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Allison-K-final-retouch-_intranet.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10366\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Allison-K-final-retouch-_intranet.jpg\" alt=\"allison-k-final-retouch-_intranet\" width=\"220\" height=\"220\" /></a>\r\n<strong>New York City-based CBX is consumer branding firm providing a range of strategic and creative services. As executive creative director, Allison Koller is responsible for providing inspiration, vision, and strategic guidance for the CBX design team. She has led creative and innovation initiatives for such clients as Kimberly-Clark, General Mills, Burt’s Bees, and The Art of Shaving.</strong>\r\n\r\nMost recently, Koller led her team to a Platinum Pentaward for packaging work on behalf of U by Kotex (Kimberly-Clarke). And it’s marketing to women that inspires Koller. In a June TEDx talk in Scotch Plains, N.J., Koller described herself as a swimmer, illustrator, daughter, tennis player, and wife who pays keen attention to the content and subtext of brand messages aimed at women.\r\n\r\n<strong>You said brands need to move beyond the “sea of clichéd visual codes” if they want to connect with real women. Can you give examples of the “tired tropes,” as you call them?</strong>\r\n\r\nI think the most clichéd codes present women as perfect—no flaws allowed. By presenting women without imperfections, we’ve set up an unrealistic standard where women can’t get real. There’s no sweat or blemishes, no aging, and perfectly run households. There are no individuals with real thoughts or feelings represented.\r\n\r\nAmong the most common cliched codes I’ve found is “magic.” The word is used with products that promise to make you flawless, or forget any challenges women may face. Another one is the “Ingénue.” She’s an innocent—usually blonde—woman that never ages. The “Goddess” is either perfectly sculpted from a sweat-free work out or wearing a sparkling gown. We’ve all seen “Modern Miracle Mom” with her house in order, dinner on the table, perfect birthday parties, and blogging all about it. Unfortunately, we still find references to the “Exotic,” a still-all-too-common representation of women of color mysterious, sultry, or fiery.\r\n\r\nTired tropes include the sea of eyes, belly buttons, breasts, and beautiful booties. Messages and images with the power to break through that sea are unexpected. They make you look twice. They shift the cultural conversation.\r\n\r\n<strong>What brands have been successful in shifting the cultural conversation?</strong>\r\n\r\nFortunately, some brands understand the need to keep it real. I think U by Kotex started a new type of dialogue. Kotex wanted to transcend the clichéd codes of feminine hygiene: Girls back-flipping on the beach while having their period, levitating tampons twirling in front of a sea of flowers. They recognized the need for a new conversation with young women that broke through the “pretty-princess, flowery noise” of the category. We launched with something undeniably code-and cliché-breaking—the black box with a touch of fun in the brightly colored wrappers. No flowers, no high-tech performance claims.\r\n\r\nElsewhere in the category, we’re seeing it in the “Like a Girl” campaign from Always (Procter &amp; Gamble) that addresses the plummeting self-esteem girls experience around the same time that they get their period. Think has upped the ante with its “period proof’ underwear. Both Kotex and Thinx have taken a rebellious stance. They’re pointing out shortcomings and double standards of the category and culture. That’s allowing them to open up a more honest and real conversation about women’s health, and, in particular, having a period. You just have to ask yourself, if our culture can accept open dialogue about erectile dysfunction, why not periods?\r\n\r\n<strong>Are there others worthy of note?</strong>\r\n\r\nOutside of the feminine category, the health and fitness space has made a shift to embrace real women. Under Armour has stepped up community building through social media. Its “What’s Beautiful” campaign cast amateur female athletes as strong warriors that supported one another. They also expanded the definition of athlete to include ballet dancer Misty Copeland and with supermodel Gisele Bundchen fighting off harsh online criticism in the “I Will What I Want” campaign. It was an inspirational way for them to reach women.\r\n\r\nIn cosmetics, a true pioneer is Dove with its “Real Beauty” campaign. Dove’s tireless commitment to the platform, expanding upon it year after year to make a more inclusive definition of beauty, has inspired so many other brands. You can also see it in American Eagle’s Aerie brand. They made a commitment to not retouch their models’ [photographs] and to use young women who fall outside the super-slim standard. Campaigns like this start to shift the culturally accepted definition of “beautiful woman” from perfect to real.\r\n\r\n<strong>So how do you measure success when connecting with “real” women and not some idealized version? Does social media play a role? What about the physical retail environment or online commerce?</strong>\r\n\r\nI think response in social media is definitely a barometer of success. The “#LikeAGirl” video [has] received more than 62 million views worldwide since 2014 and it’s actually having a positive effect on boys as well. The campaign also netted Procter &amp; Gamble a double-digit increase in product sales. Under Armour paired its “What’s Beautiful” with pop-up workout events around the country, so they were able t directly connect with their customer. When women are active engaging and sharing pieces of their experience, a real connection is made.\r\n\r\nBut a great retail experience isn’t specific to women. Creating an open environment with places to connect to community or have an experience that can’t happen online will ultimately make the difference. Lululemon’s retail model is a prime example. The store doubles as a yoga studio.\r\n\r\nWhile not traditional retail, SoulCycle is another fitness brand that has created a tribe of women that are T-shirt wearing, yellow nail-painting brand evangelists. Toms Shoes is not specific to women, but it’s unquestionably real in its commitments to social responsibility. Toms’ “One for One” program permeates all communications. It’s an underpinning to the retail environment where people can hang out with free Wi-Fi, drink some Toms coffee, attend a yoga class and, of course, browse for shoes and sunglasses. The brand’s core consistency allows it to expand in many directions and make real connections with both men and women.\r\n\r\n<strong>What advice do you have for brand marketers hoping to create campaigns that resonate with real women? You mentioned, for example, notions of “perfection” giving way to imperfection. Can you share a few thoughts?</strong>\r\n\r\nI would urge any brand to take a risk and change the conversation. Show women a more inclusive and inspirational—not just aspirational—picture of the world.\r\n\r\nRather than representing the “Ingénue,” embrace aging in all its beautiful forms. Women can work hard to get results as warriors, not only goddesses. “Magic” is taking a back seat to hard work. The “Modern Miracle Mom” has shifted to homemaking with everyday dads and gender role reversals. Instead of exoticism, we have true diversity.\r\n\r\nExpand the definition of family—look at the recent Tylenol and Honey Maid campaigns—by flipping gender roles and depicting same-sex partnerships. If that sounds too scary, it really shouldn’t, because we’re talking about real life. It comes down to finding the message that’s true to a brand. Next is defining how it can authentically connect with women in a space beyond the cliché, and then living up to that message every singe day.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in Stores Magazine\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Navigating the Sea of Marketing Clichés', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'navigating-the-sea-of-marketing-cliches', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '2018-09-27 17:58:45', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/navigating-the-sea-of-marketing-cliches', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2283, 1, '2016-11-18 20:18:48', '2016-11-18 20:18:48', '<strong>CSNews Store Design Contest honors 10 retailers delivering a unique experience.</strong>\r\nIt\'s one thing to have an attractive store that grabs the attention of motorists driving by. It\'s another thing to have an attractive store that delivers an in-store experience unlike anything else consumers have ever encountered at a convenience store. The winners of the 2016 Convenience Store News Store Design Contest achieve both — with flair.\r\n\r\nNow in its 11th year, the awards program honors new and rebuilt c-stores whose designs excel in areas such as branding, interior layout, use and effectiveness of signage and logos, and exterior property and landscaping. Construction or remodeling of eligible stores must have taken place between January 2015 and April 2016.  Winners were selected based on innovation, creativity, and the positive impact of the design and/or remodel on the retailer\'s overall business.\r\n\r\nThis year\'s honorees, spanning six categories, are:\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST ORIGINAL DESIGN</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> Kum &amp; Go LC, Johnston, Iowa\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> CBX &amp; BRR Architecture\r\n\r\n<strong>Honorable Mention:</strong> Parker\'s, Ridgeland, S.C.\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> api(+)\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST INTERIOR DESIGN</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> Grab.n.Go Food Mart, Marshall, Texas\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Paragon Solutions\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST SKY\'S THE LIMIT REMODEL</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> All-N-1, Campti, La.\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Paragon Solutions\r\n\r\n<strong>Honorable Mention:</strong> Dirt Cheap, O\'Fallon, Mo.\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Paragon Solutions\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST MID-BUDGET REMODEL</strong>\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> Tang Mart, Attalla, Ala.\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Paragon Solutions\r\n\r\n<strong>Honorable Mention:</strong> Lone Star Food Stores, Van Alstyne, Texas\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Paragon Solutions\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST TRAVEL CENTER DESIGN</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> Kwik Stop, Peosta, Iowa\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Hussmann\r\n\r\n<strong>Honorable Mention:</strong> Kings Mahwah, Mahwah, N.J.\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Bolla Oil Corp.\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n<strong>BEST INTERNATIONAL DESIGN</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Winner:</strong> ZOOM, Dubai, United Arab Emeritus\r\n<strong>Designer:</strong> Emirates National Oil Co.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.csnews.com/industry-news-and-trends/corporate-store-operations/years-best-designed-c-store-chains-are?cc=3\" target=\"_blank\">Convenience Store News</a>', 'This Year\'s Best-Designed C-store Chains Are...', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'this-years-best-designed-c-store-chains-are', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/this-years-best-designed-c-store-chains-are', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2284, 1, '2016-11-01 16:29:30', '2016-11-01 16:29:30', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'faster-to-market', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/faster-to-market', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2285, 1, '2016-12-12 17:07:49', '2016-12-12 17:07:49', '<strong>Readers weigh in on Van Gogh Vodka\'s redesign.</strong>\r\nIn an effort to animate and reinvigorate the brand’s connection to art, Van Gogh Vodka has redesigned its packaging. “With this new package, we strove to create a collection of labels that are equal parts artistic and appealing—each one had to be a work of art to match the craftsmanship of the liquid inside, translating the spirit of Van Gogh’s Expressionism and bold vision in an engaging manner,” Norman Bonchick, chairman and CEO, 375 Park Avenue Spirits, the importer of Van Gogh Vodka, tells <em>Package Design</em>.\r\n\r\n“It was important that the new package live up to and respect our namesake, Vincent Van Gogh. “By working with an artist who painted through the lens of Van Gogh we were able to have paintings created using our 16 signature flavors as inspiration. Each of these paintings then became one of the labels you see with the release of the new package.”\r\n\r\nIn this the final installment of Field Notes, we ask Package Design readers if the new packages are stars or if the designs leave 375 Park Avenue Spirits’ branding goals in the fields.\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Allison Koller\r\n</span>Executive creative director, CBX</strong></p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">There’s no question this is flavored vodka and that it will create a strong block at shelf. Perhaps the missed opportunity is in fully capturing the expressionistic spirit and style of Van Gogh’s paintings. The flavored variants could have been pushed further, so they were less literal and more abstract. This would have created a much more artistic spirit for a brand intent on celebrating its handcrafted tradition.</p>\r\nRead the full article in <a href=\"http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/field-notes-a-work-of-art\" target=\"_blank\">Package Design Magazine</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of Package Design Magazine\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'A Work of Art?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-work-of-art', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '2018-09-27 17:56:33', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-work-of-art', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(2286, 1, '2017-01-01 17:16:22', '2017-01-01 17:16:22', '<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', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '5-reasons-to-make-over-your-fuel-canopy', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/5-reasons-to-make-over-your-fuel-canopy', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2287, 1, '2017-03-17 17:22:33', '2017-03-17 17:22:33', '<strong>The story behind the iconic shape that came to symbolize the c-store chain\'s brand promise</strong>\r\nThe angled, wing-shaped canopy that covers Wawa’s fuel islands is as powerful a branding tool as the price sign—if not more so. How it came to be an iconic element of the chain’s sites is a story about how design can elevate a brand.\r\n\r\nIn the mid-1990s, the Wawa, Pa.-based chain was looking to enter the gasoline business and wanted to make a statement with its fuel island. Mariellyn Zeock served as Wawa’s manager of architectural design at the time. She had never designed a fuel canopy before but was tasked with coming up with design ideas for that first fuel site in Millsboro, Del. So she drove around the area to look at local examples.\r\n\r\n“I noticed that they were all the same—all really heavy on top,” Zeock, now retired, told CSP Fuels. “What if we just made it lighter, thinner and exposed the structure?”\r\n\r\nThe architectural team—which included Zeock and the late Jim Dodrill—got the go-ahead to pursue the idea from Peter Gilligan, then director of construction and engineering (and the recently retired vice president of real estate for Wawa). Dodrill worked with lighting designer Kristin Keilt to mock up a preliminary model of the canopy.\r\n\r\n“Jim and I had a very synergistic relationship,” Keilt told CSP Fuels. “He would not just design the form and hand it off to me to light it—we would have the key conversations, and ask the right questions.”\r\n\r\nDodrill and Keilt wanted to design the canopy around people, so they visited competitors’ sites at night to get a feel for the market norm.\r\n\r\n“Everyone seemed to be creating canopies that were a glare source—a high level of glare and a high light output,” said Keilt, who today oversees lighting design for Lowe’s Cos. Inc., Mooresville, N.C. “It started to become a gas-station war on brightness. What that tended to do to the entire site was disable somebody from comfortably pulling in at night to a gas station.”\r\n\r\nThe team’s aim was to design a canopy that welcomed customers. They used layers of vertical light and lowered the light and wattage levels typical for the time. (The lighting scheme was so unobtrusive it won a “Good Neighbor” award from a dark-sky association.)\r\n\r\n“That’s something that was really disruptive at that time in the industry, where everyone was racing to the brightest light,” said Keilt. “And we were really doing the opposite.”\r\n\r\nThe team also played with the placement of the canopy of itself. Dodrill designed the fixture to tip at an angle, so that lighting was reflected on the c-store rather than the customers below.\r\n\r\n“We were doing a lot of cardboard, wood mockups, shining light on it; we were really playing in that space in thinking about the human condition there,” said Keilt.\r\n\r\nThey also gave the canopy a split wing shape. Norman Turiano, principle of Turiano Strategic Consulting, Cape Coral, Fla., and fuel pricing manager for Wawa at that time, said the canopy was meant to not only evoke the wings of Wawa’s goose icon, but also to highlight the chain’s foodservice-focused c-store. “There was a fear going into fuel that a forecourt with 16 pumps would block it,” Turiano told CSP Fuels.\r\n\r\n<strong>Making the Sell</strong>\r\n\r\nBecause of the design’s uniqueness, the team knew it needed to help Wawa executives better visualize the experience. So they created a video rendering that placed the viewer at car level and moved them through the site.\r\n\r\n“We knew we needed to really expand that visualization for them to get the concept won,” said Keilt. “It was not [out of] ego that we designed it; it was really for those customers that we wanted to create a wonderful environment.”\r\n\r\nThis effort was especially critical because that first prototype was at least three times more expensive than a standard canopy, which created some pushback from the chain’s budget watchers, said Zeock. But the design had a powerful fan: Dick Wood, then CEO and today chairman of the board.\r\n\r\n“Dick Wood wanted it, and Dick gets what he wants,” said Turiano. Wood was willing to invest money if it enhanced the Wawa brand image. The winged canopy did just that.\r\n\r\nThat’s not to say the iconic design remained a permanent fixture of Wawa sites. There was a brief period during the recession when Wawa retired the winged canopy for a standard, rectangular model as money got tight and the desire to build more stores pressured construction budgets, said Turiano.\r\n\r\nBut after about a dozen locations with an “out-of-the-box” canopy, Wawa returned to the angled design. This was partly at the urging of its design firm, New York-based CBX. It was also partly because of the timing: The retailer, which today has more than 700 stores, was about to make a big push into Florida.\r\n\r\nWawa and CBX have updated and tweaked the canopy’s design over the years, but 20 years later, it still retains its original, unique shape. This is a testament to its timeliness and fit.\r\n\r\n“We had a very distinct visual language that supported the brand, and [Wawa was] a different competitor in the market, and they stood apart,” said Keilt. “All of those architectural elements together combined in a holistic way to really amplify their brand messaging.”\r\n\r\n“I wish Jim were still around to see they went back to the canopy,” said Zeock of Jim Dodrill, who died in 2010. “It was a group effort.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.cspdailynews.com/fuels-news-prices-analysis/fuels-analysis/articles/how-wawa-s-canopy-took-wing\" target=\"_blank\">CSP</a>', 'How Wawa’s Canopy Took Wing', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-wawas-canopy-took-wing', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/how-wawas-canopy-took-wing', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2288, 8, '2017-05-01 20:28:06', '2017-05-01 20:28:06', '<strong>Today’s drug store looks nothing like the drug store of your parents’ youth.</strong>\r\nOnce upon a time, I was able to have neighborly banter with Stan, the local pharmacist, who greeted me warmly and actually knew all about me. Stan freely handed out community news, bad jokes and even a bit of innocuous gossip along with my prescription. Now I get it, things change, and I’m OK without Stan, but as both a consumer and a consultant, I wonder if the changes are for the better.\r\n\r\nToday’s drug store, if the word even applies anymore, is an eclectic assortment of allergy medications, cleaning products, packaged food and beverages, candy, “As Seen on TV” gadgets, toys, beauty, you name it. The operative idea is to create a one-stop shop for all things you need (and perhaps some that you don’t). The only item you can’t get these days in most drug stores? A personal relationship with your pharmacist.\r\n\r\nThe progression from mom-and-pop shops to mass chain stores has been the catalyst for the sector’s evolution. However, it’s important to examine the ways this has affected consumers. After all, the entire industry is working hard to leverage size, capture more market share and slash costs.\r\n\r\nThe growing impact of Big Pharma, Big Insurance and Big Government complicates things further. In such a complex and hypercompetitive sector, it’s easy to understand why companies are relentless about efficiency, with innovation supporting the needs of businesses but, unfortunately, not entirely helping the consumer. Thus, the myriad products overflowing from your neighborhood drug store’s shelves. No wonder Stan can’t provide a personal touch — he’s got quotas to fill and lines of folks at the drive-through.\r\n\r\nWhile this is the status quo, it doesn’t wholly feel right.\r\n\r\nWith the current drug store landscape, consumers inadvertently don’t get to reap as many personal benefits as they should, even while these changes have rewarded them in other ways, such as driving prices down.\r\n\r\nIn these times of increasing globalization, digital dependency, limitless choice and changing generation ratios, it is imperative that drug stores see through a more human lens as they seek to innovate in consumer care. In order to resonate with the consumer nowadays, the sector must break out of industry or category norms on product, service and experience.\r\n\r\nToday’s consumers, with their endless options, have the opportunity to be discerning about who they give their attention and money to. In our current era of e-health insurance (Oscar), medicine delivered straight to your door (Capsule) and even Amazon-created vitamins (Amazon Elements), what should the role of the “drug store” be? And can Big Drug Retail drive that?\r\n\r\nAt CBX, our work is at the intersection of consumer, channel and manufacturer. Our mantra “Connecting to the lives of people is what matters most” is intended to ensure that we, and our clients, seek the highest order of human-centric connectivity. The metric of money is always present, but the philosophy focuses on strategies that will derive long-term benefits while delivering against short-term realities.\r\n\r\nIn creating the “drug store of the future” or, more exciting, the “drug store of the now,” these brands need to ask themselves, “How can I exist in the consumer’s life in the most natural way?”\r\n\r\nFor example, in the U.S. every year, countless prescriptions written by doctors are not filled by patients. Clearly, these patients are neither utilizing the current system nor benefiting from it. This also puts added strain on other health care providers, who now have to potentially care for these noncompliant patients. It puts pressure on the government, which is part of the financial infrastructure of the health care industry. And the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers don’t receive the revenue.\r\n\r\nDrug stores should be seeking to innovate to close this gap. Can they partner with the government, insurance companies and pharma to provide better education? Can they use technology to create better consumer relationships? Can they personalize their approaches? For instance, Merck recently partnered with Amazon to explore opportunities to better care for diabetes patients through the Echo platform. I won’t listen to my doctor or my wife, but maybe I’ll listen to Alexa!\r\n\r\nWhat else could we do if we took a “human first” approach in which drug stores didn’t just provide choice but also provided real guidance — the kind of empathic help that actually means something to consumers/patients? To date, drug stores have made halting steps, such as administering vaccines, to shift more toward a provider model. This model can and should expand, and it is helping move the industry in the right direction.\r\n\r\nConsider the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (H.R. 592 and S. 109). This pending legislation would enable pharmacists to receive reimbursements for providing Medicare patients in underserved areas access to services such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease management; immunizations; wellness/prevention testing, and education about prescription drugs. If the bill becomes law, it will be a big step toward stronger patient-pharmacist relationships.\r\n\r\nAlong the same lines, another vision for the future is the drug store as a “life science center” — a resource for educating people about disease states and trends, and potential solutions; preventive choices and activities; therapy and therapeutic centers; navigating insurance and government processes; and cutting-edge, self-diagnostic resources/solutions. As a traffic driver, this could be a far stronger footing than, say, a two-for-one deal on Lay’s potato chips.\r\n\r\nWhat’s more, you cannot discount the value of the patient experience, particularly in the ways in which patients choose to interact with everything these days digitally.\r\n\r\nWe can universally acknowledge that the number of consumers utilizing digital tools — whether it be accessing their medical records or managing their health via wearables and apps — continues to rise. As technology increasingly and seamlessly integrates into people’s lives, the opportunity for the drug store industry is to lean on this newfound tech familiarity/dependency.\r\n\r\nRecently, Sam’s Club partnered with the health technology company higi to offer self-service health screening stations at Sam’s Club locations with a pharmacy. The digitally enabled self-care approach is on a par with the growing trend toward values centered on health and wellness.\r\n\r\nAs consumers take increasing interest and ownership of their health, drug chains should look to how they could utilize technology (particularly in mobile) to enhance the in-store experience as well as be a continued presence and asset post visit.\r\n\r\nThe drug store of the future/ drug store of the now will not appear overnight; rather, it will gradually evolve. Regulatory requirements and the current infrastructure may need to change, but Big Drug Retail certainly has the leverage to continue to innovate in ways that prioritize on the health, well-being and satisfaction of customers.\r\n\r\nEven in the short term, there are opportunities to create better experiences and, ultimately, higher revenue streams. As in most industries, the question remains whether chain drug retailers have the wherewithal to disrupt themselves or wait for others to. I believe that Big Drug Retail has the wherewithal to do just that. Hear that, Amazon?\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.chaindrugreview.com/breaking-category-conventions-to-remain-relevant/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chain Drug Review</a>', 'Breaking Category Conventions to Remain Relevant', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'breaking-category-conventions-to-remain-relevant', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/breaking-category-conventions-to-remain-relevant', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2289, 1, '2017-05-08 19:57:38', '2017-05-08 19:57:38', '<strong>Brands are more susceptible to catastrophe today than at any point in modern history.</strong>\r\n“With the rise of social media and the 24/7 cycle of media today, news spreads faster than ever,” said Nick Bell, vice president of marketing communications for Cision. “In times of crisis, this quick dissemination of information can add fuel to the fire and amplify negative news in a matter of minutes.”\r\n\r\nCompany leaders used to worry about Mike Wallace, of “60 Minutes” fame, walking through their front doors with an allegation and a camera. “Now everyone walking into your building has a camera,” said Kelly O’Keefe, professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Brandcenter. “This makes businesses incredibly vulnerable.”\r\n\r\nCouple that with all-time low levels of public trust in corporate and governmental institutions, and you have a veritable recipe for brand disaster, added Dustin Longstreth, chief marketing and strategy officer at branding agency CBX.\r\n\r\n<strong>Assessing The Damage </strong>\r\n\r\nThe failure to control organizational crises in the earliest stages can cost companies dearly—impacting value, revenue, and long-term reputation. Yet many businesses fail to respond quickly enough to brand-damaging issues. More than a quarter (28%) of crises reported spread internationally within an hour, according to a worldwide survey of crisis communications professionals by law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and more than two-thirds (69%) go global within a day. Yet the same survey found that companies require an average of 21 hours to issue any meaningful external communications in response to a crisis.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/image.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10493\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/image.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"984\" height=\"522\" /></a>\r\n\r\nBrand damage originates in many shapes and sizes, such as controversial corporate decisions or statements, logistical problems, or product safety issues. Then there are those that result from deliberate attacks, such as erroneous social media posts or other deceptive content.\r\n“There is also a larger meta-category that pervades all the above—the betrayal of a brand promise,” said Thom Wyatt, managing director at global brand strategy and design firm Siegel+Gale. “This is when the crisis is in direct conflict with what the brand stands for and is, therefore, particularly harmful.”\r\n\r\nBut, by far, the more injurious incident of all is the one for which a marketing organization has not prepared. “It’s a guaranteed way to add chaos to an already chaotic situation,” Bell said. “When forced to think on-the-fly during a brand catastrophe, the chances of having the entire company on the same page in terms of action items and response is slim, making the odds of clear and meaningful communication with the public virtually impossible.”\r\n\r\nAn effective brand catastrophe plan is developed long before a problem arises. Following are seven steps CMOs can take to build reputational resistance into their organizations.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Involve senior leaders early—and often:</strong> “Precrisis planning should include cross-functional leaders and strategists, representatives from marketing, public relations, sales, customer service, finance, operations, and HR,” said Nina Brakel-Schutt, business development executive at digital asset management software maker Widen Enterprises.\r\n\r\nSenior leaders also should decide who will serve as spokesperson in the event of a brand emergency “so they can own the narrative,” Siegel+Gale’s Wyatt said. (Hint: The CEO works best.) “The response must be clearly articulated and come directly from someone in authority to ensure credibility and accountability.”\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Know your weaknesses:</strong> “Being able to identify your brand’s vulnerabilities makes it easier to assess your potential areas of risk and identify what’s preventable,” Cision’s Bell said. Due diligence will require that marketing leaders survey others, including customers, partners, and industry observers, to accurately pinpoint corporate frailties.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Determine what constitutes a crisis:</strong> CMOs should gauge the business impact of hypothetical events to define what will be considered a true crisis versus an issue in order to coordinate responses and resources effectively. “An issue causes waves, but has no long-term impact on a brand,” said Bell, “whereas a crisis can permanently damage your brand and potentially lead to profit loss.”\r\n\r\nConsider creating a top 10 list of potential crises your brand might face given the existing climate, and update that list frequently as market conditions change.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Expect the unexpected:</strong> While a list of likely brand catastrophes is helpful, many crises come out of the clear blue. “We don’t necessarily know what a worst-case scenario even looks like,” CBX’s Longstreth said. The global economic climate moves so quickly that marketing leaders are best-served designing corporate cultures and systems that can weather reputational tempests.\r\nBrands that establish trust over the long haul fare far better in times of crisis, VCU Brandcenter’s O’Keefe said. Toyota, for example, had built a reputation for reliability and was able to bounce back from massive recalls in 2009 and 2010.\r\n\r\n“Brands and companies who operate every day under clearly defined and understood values, behaviors, and purpose will be much better prepared in the face of extreme circumstances,” said Longstreth, who worked with Gold Medal Flour to define a brand purpose and corporate culture.\r\n“When there was the slightest concern of E. coli from their mill in Kansas City, Gold Medal ordered a recall straight away and communicated openly and consistently with the public,” Longstreth recalled. “They knew that the financial cost of the recall was insignificant to the loss of trust from consumers. There was no hesitation because the strong sense of purpose and integrity was embedded in the DNA of their culture.”\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Avoid “brand-made” disasters:</strong> Marketing leaders and experts preach the importance of creating a compelling brand narrative. But companies that can’t live up to the stories they tell customers can create their own brand catastrophes. It’s a new but damaging trend.\r\n\r\n“Story is something that is very important and valuable for brands to cultivate in this day and age,” Longstreth said. “[But] all too often we see companies leverage a very compelling story for their brand only to falter when it is discovered that the reality of their business doesn’t match up.”\r\n\r\nAdded Brakel-Schutt of Widen Enterprises: “A brand crisis can be eliminated when an organization knows who they are and what they stand for, and works relentlessly to deliver what their audience wants and needs. Very little can sway consumer loyalty if an organization consistently does the things they do best for the right group of people.”\r\n\r\n<strong>6. Create a rapid response plan:</strong> When the you-know-what hits the fan, there is no grace period. “In today’s digital age, there isn’t time to assess a crisis and investigate the problem at hand before communicating with the public,” Bell said. “The minute a crisis goes public is the minute people want answers.”\r\n\r\nA rapid response plan with clear processes and responsibilities will help. Make sure company leaders are aware of potential threats you’ve prepared for and the steps they will be asked to take.\r\n\r\nWhile communication with the media is an important part of the response, marketers should consider other important audiences, such as employees, corporate executives and board members, customers, vendors and partners, regulators, industry analysts, financial institutions, and trade organizations. Know their communication preferences “so you know where to share your message when the time comes,” Bell said. “Additionally, actively monitor the conversations taking place among your audience members and in public conversation. Keeping a pulse on topics and sentiment can impact the language, tone, and message you share in the midst of a crisis.”\r\n\r\n<strong>7. Consider not just what you say, but how:</strong> “Companies must understand the power of their response; it’s not just the intent of what they’re saying, but how they say it,” Siegel+Gale’s Wyatt said. “Re-establishing trust is not simply a rational or logical issue—it requires an emotional response as well.”\r\n\r\nCompanies must deliver what’s expected in the wake of a crisis, but to truly be resilient they must go above and beyond the expected response. It’s almost better to overstate the problem than to understate it, VCU Brandcenter’s O’Keefe added. “That’s a demonstration of taking responsibility and taking the challenge seriously,” he said.\r\n\r\n<strong>Silver Lining?</strong>\r\nEffective crisis response is more about long-term strategy than short-term tactics. “The long-term work of building trusting relationships with customers, peers, employees, and others means much more than the wording in a post-crisis press release,” said Will Bunnett, president of political marketing firm Clarify Agency. “No quick fix will help if there isn’t something there people think is worth fixing in the first place.”\r\n\r\nBrand disaster preparedness is critical to resilience, but such plans should serve as guides, not checklists. “Once a catastrophe hits, be sure to assess your original plan and tweak as necessary before jumping into actions,” Cision’s Bell said. “While there’s no way to prepare for every scenario, when a plan is in place for various types of crises, chances are you’ll be able to pull bits and pieces from different response plans. If nothing else, preparing for a crisis in advance will identify the proper chain of command and communication.”\r\n\r\nIn the end, a well-handled brand crisis can even have an upside. “If you respond immediately and forcefully, you can actually end of with a stronger brand than you started with,” O’Keefe said. “Consumer love a brand that owns up to its challenges and commits itself to making things better.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2017/2/25/how-to-build-a-crisisresilient-brand.html#gs.null\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CMO.com</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of CMO.com', 'Don’t Worry, You Really Can Build A Crisis-Resilient Brand', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'dont-worry-you-really-can-build-a-crisis-resilient-brand', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:41', '2018-09-27 17:58:41', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/dont-worry-you-really-can-build-a-crisis-resilient-brand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2290, 1, '2017-03-14 18:26:52', '2017-03-14 18:26:52', '<strong>At least six major brands ran ads during Super Bowl LI that addressed political or social issues such as immigration and gender equality.</strong>\r\nAt an average cost of $5 million per 30-second spot, those were some pretty expensive statements to make. Budweiser, Airbnb, 84 Lumber, Google Home, Audi, and Coca-Cola might have been lauded or jeered, depending on one\'s personal point of view, for delivering those messages, but did the brands get their money\'s worth?\r\n\r\nIt\'s a difficult question to answer, and it raises even more questions about if and when brands should speak out about policies or proposed laws, the challenges involved in doing so, and the risks of not speaking up on issues that are important to their customer base.\r\n\r\nOn a pragmatic marketing level, there is also the question of whether issue-oriented spots provide a worthwhile return on investment. The weekend after Super Bowl LI, <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imUigBNF-TE&amp;feature=youtu.be\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Saturday Night Live</em></a> ran a skit depicting a fictitious ad pitch session for Cheetos that lampooned the agencies that create activist ads and the marketing managers who buy them. It was exaggerated and satirical, of course, but it likely had a lot of marketing folks talking about the underlying issues that Monday.\r\n\r\n\"When it comes to making public statements or actions about policies or laws, it\'s always important to connect it back to your brand purpose, mission, and values,\" suggests Dustin Longstreth, chief marketing and strategy officer at brand agency CBX. \"Public statements rooted in a clearly understood and demonstrated brand culture will be received as authentic, whether people agree with the statement itself or not.\"\r\n\r\nThat\'s exactly the approach embraced by outdoor apparel marketer Patagonia, which has a long history of activism, but always on behalf of causes closely aligned with its brand DNA. \"For us, when we speak out about issues, it\'s not about politics, it\'s about the values we hold dear,\" says Corley Kenna, director of global communications and public relations at Patagonia. \"We\'ve been speaking out about issues we care about — which are those having to do with our planet — really, since the company was founded. We feel compelled to respond when we believe that environmental issues are under threat or are being taken for granted, and that\'s how we make the decision on when to speak out.\"\r\n\r\nAuthenticity is a key tenet of Patagonia\'s strategy, and it\'s demonstrated by the brand\'s willingness to take action on important issues, not just talk about them. \"Right now, we find ourselves in the middle of a very interesting and important conversation about public land,\" Kenna relates. \"We are very much in the spotlight because we have said directly to the governor of Utah that if he doesn\'t stand up for public lands — and specifically for the Bear Ears National Monument — then we will not participate in the biggest trade show in the state,\" Kenna says, referring to July\'s Outdoor Retailer show.\r\n\r\nSo, is it always a good idea for a brand to take a public stand on issues it considers important? It depends. A majority of Americans (67 percent) do not think that brands and companies should publicly comment on politics, according to research conducted by CivicScience, a provider of marketing intelligence solutions. But there are significant exceptions related to target audience and brand identity. For example, those under the age of 18 are 84 percent more likely to say that brands should publicly comment on politics, and Millennials are 25 percent more likely to say the same. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, are 20 percent more likely to take the opposite position. An individual\'s view of a particular brand also plays a role. For instance, among consumers with a favorable view of Beats by Dr. Dre, 56 percent think brands and companies should publicly comment on politics, double the percentage of those with an unfavorable view of the brand.\r\n\r\nFiguring out if and when a brand should take a public stance on a political issue or a proposed law requires careful analysis, says Mark Mayer, a former Kraft Foods brand manager who is now a clinical assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University\'s Kelley School of Business. \"Brand equity largely exists in consumers\' minds. It\'s not something that is simply created and pushed at consumers, but rather it is largely made up of consumers\' knowledge, experiences, associations, and other dynamics, which aren\'t static but rather change over time. So if this protest or statement or other stance fits with consumers\' attitudes — and fits with the brand\'s personality and image — then there probably won\'t be a negative issue, and such actions might even be very positive in effect,\" he says.\r\n\r\nThese are hard decisions to make, so it\'s no surprise that many brands prefer to avoid taking a public stand on controversial issues. \"Commerce is downstream from culture; for every action, there is an initial impact and a backlash,\" says Bill Gullan, president at the branding agency Finch Brands. \"Brands need to consider the compelling business benefits of making a political statement — first, how the issue impacts employees and customers.\"\r\n\r\nCommenting on some of the Super Bowl ads, Gullan, who has a degree in political science, concludes that it was strategic for Airbnb to take a side on the issue of President Donald Trump\'s executive order banning travel from seven predominately Muslim countries because the company\'s stance is consistent with the sensibilities of its global traveler base and progressive leadership team. Conversely, Gullan points to one of the games\' automobile ads that took on the issue of the gender wage gap. \"While beautifully executed, [it] seems less appropriate,\" he says. \"It\'s tempting to jump on an issue that\'s important and on-trend, but it\'s essential to have credibility before making a statement.\"\r\n\r\nPatagonia\'s Kenna, who spent more than a decade in government and politics before joining the private sector, echoes Gullan\'s observation on that key point. \"There are plenty of issues around the world that we don\'t speak up on, but not because we don\'t care about them,\" she says. \"We are, I think, a credible source of information around environmental issues, so that\'s the place for us to speak out. There is a natural tie-in on those issues with our brand. I\'ve been exposed to a lot of companies that struggle with this very question, and it\'s been my experience that companies do best when they find an area that makes sense for them to speak out on, as opposed to trying to speak out on everything.\"\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.ana.net/magazines/show/id/ana-2017-03-brand-activism?utm_medium=ana-social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=mkc-ana_magazine-brand-activism-one170315\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ANA Magazine</a>\r\nPhoto courtesy of ANA Magazine', 'Should Brands Get Political?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'should-brands-get-political', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/should-brands-get-political', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(2291, 1, '2017-02-12 18:45:47', '2017-02-12 18:45:47', '<strong>The Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories brand has been highly visible in headlines and on television this past week. But in North Jersey stores, you have to look pretty hard to find it.</strong>\r\nWhile stores, including Macy’s, Lord &amp; Taylor, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, still carry the brand, at most retailers it isn’t being given star treatment in the aisles or even its own display racks.\r\n\r\n“Ivanka Trump? You mean the dresses?” said a salesclerk at Macy’s in Paramus, when asked about the line. “I think there are some over there, way in the back.”\r\nStore employees said the line – which made the news when President Trump assailed Nordstrom on Twitter for dropping the Ivanka brand, and then when his adviser Kellyanne Conway urged supporters to buy it – isn’t triggering boycotts or political battles in Macy\'s dressing rooms. Rather, it is being met with something retailers fear far more – a lack of interest.\r\n\r\nMarketing experts said the brand\'s troubles aren’t just political. The biggest problem facing it, they said, is an identity crisis. The Ivanka Trump brand must address the critical existential questions all celebrity brands must be able to answer – who are you, and what do you stand for?\r\n\r\n“Her brand has always been her lifestyle and her lifestyle is inextricably linked to her father, who is a highly controversial figure right now,” said Dustin Longstreth, chief marketing and strategy officer at the New York-based brand agency CBX.\r\n\r\n<strong>More Ivanka, less Trump</strong>\r\n\r\n“She has two choices,” said Longstreth, who has worked with brands such as General Mills, PepsiCo and Arby’s. “She can continue to double down and connect it more directly with her father,” he said, or “identify something that is truly independent so it becomes more Ivanka and less Trump.”\r\n\r\nThe Ivanka Trump brand, which started with a jewelry line launched in 2007, and added a licensing deal for clothing in 2012, had a strong brand niche, before her father\'s presidential bid, as a fashion line that spoke to young women who wanted to be like Ivanka.\r\n\r\n“She appealed to a very specific woman – young, working women who thought she was so pretty and had it all,” Julie DeLoca said. Her branding company, Loca Marketing, has offices in Short Hills and Manhattan, and she has worked with Rebecca Minkoff and Elie Tahari, among other fashion brands.\r\n\r\nThe Ivanka brand had “on-trend clothing and accessories that were a reasonable price,” DeLoca said, and that conveyed the message that “you could be a stylish working mom.”\r\n\r\nThe line was “just the right combination of aspirational, yet accessible,” she said.\r\n\r\nThe clothes and shoes sold well, and “she got very wide distribution very early on because of her name,” DeLoca said.\r\n\r\nWhen Ivanka launched her shoe line in 2012, she promoted it with an appearance at the Nordstrom store at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus.\r\n\r\nNordstrom recently announced it was dropping the line because of poor sales, prompting Trump supporters to claim the department store chain had caved to pressure from anti-Trump forces who had organized a boycott.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line, not boycott</strong>\r\n\r\nCo-president Pete Nordstrom, in an email to employees that was obtained by Fortune magazine, said the bottom line, not any boycott, was responsible for the decision. “Every single brand we offer is evaluated on their results,” Nordstrom said. “If people don’t buy it, we won’t sell it.”\r\n\r\nMarketing and branding experts agreed that if the clothes were selling well, they would probably be in the stores.\r\n\r\nA check of retailers in North Jersey that carry Ivanka Trump merchandise showed that only Lord &amp; Taylor features the brand with dedicated displays and special signage. At the Lord &amp; Taylor at Westfield Garden State Plaza, her shoes had their own display table. The women’s dresses section of the store has a large \"Ivanka Trump\" sign in its designer section. On Thursday, however, none of the dresses displayed near the sign bore the Ivanka Trump label.\r\n\r\nIn Totowa, at the T.J Maxx store – another retailer that has said it will remove Ivanka Trump displays but will continue to sell the merchandise – not a single piece of Ivanka Trump clothing or footwear could be found.\r\n\r\nEileen Potrock, owner of the E Designer Resale consignment store in Cliffside Park, said she’s seen the value of Ivanka Trump fashions drop on the resale market. While she has never sold the brand in her store, because she specializes in higher-end designer fashions, she monitors the resale market and has seen other stores decline to sell it.\r\n\r\n“There’s no demand for it. People aren’t looking to buy it, at least not in the Northeast,” she said.\r\n\r\nPotrock said she feels sympathy for Ivanka Trump\'s situation. “I feel bad that the sins of the father are affecting the daughter,” she said.\r\n\r\nLack of demand in the Northeast, Potrock said, may not reflect the rest of the country. “I would be interested to see how her brand is affected in the states Trump won,” she said.\r\n\r\n<strong>Revenue growth cited</strong>\r\n\r\nA representative for the Ivanka Trump brand, when asked about annual sales and how sales did in 2016, responded with a statement from Rosemary K. Young, senior director of marketing, who asked that it be quoted in its entirety.\r\n\r\n“The Ivanka Trump brand continues to expand access across categories and distribution with increased customer support, leading us to experience significant year-over-year revenue growth in 2016. We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but the integrity it maintains. The women behind the brand represent a diverse group of professionals and we are proud to say that the Ivanka Trump brand continues to embody the principles upon which it was founded. It is a company built to inspire women with solution-oriented offerings, created to celebrate and service the many aspects of their lives.”\r\n\r\nBloomberg News reported in December that the Ivanka Trump brand generates $100 million in annual sales.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vanky.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10500\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vanky.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\" /></a><em>Ivanka Trump display sign at Lord &amp; Taylor. None of the clothes surrounding the sign bore the Ivanka Trump label</em>\r\n\r\nMarketing expert DeLoca said Ivanka Trump lost her connection with her target customer when she became less involved in her business and more involved in campaigning for her father and, now, after the election, when she is taking more of a back seat to her father and her husband.\r\n\r\n“She lost the people, and when the people don’t want your brand, that’s why Nordstrom pulled out,” DeLoca said.\r\n\r\nBranding specialist Longstreth agreed. Nordstrom dropped the line, he said, because “it really wasn’t selling and they didn’t see a future in it.”\r\n\r\nDeLoca said Ivanka Trump might be able to polish her brand’s image if she uses her power in the White House to spearhead a working women’s initiative, such as family leave. “Maybe if she gets behind something like that in a huge way and (goes) back to being that working-mother role model,” the brand will bounce back, she said.\r\n\r\nSome marketing experts even think the controversy will boost the brand, as the president\'s supporters rush to buy his daughter\'s products in a show of solidarity.\r\n\r\nMark Stevens, chief executive of the marketing and branding firm MSCO, said the same intensely loyal Trump supporters who drove hundred of miles to attend his rallies and voted for him, likely will rally behind his daughter.\r\n\r\n\"If there is one thing everyone has learned over the past year and a half, it\'s that their brand is Trump and their fans have a loyalty to it that even Nordstrom can only dream of,\" Stevens said.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2017/02/12/struggling-clothing-brand-needs-more-ivanka-less-trump-mall-shoppers-say/97829986/?hootPostID=4fca0b390a6c0ca7daa5a58dc9fea341\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">USA Today</a>\r\nPhotos courtesy of USA Today', 'Struggling clothing brand needs more Ivanka, less Trump, mall shoppers say', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'struggling-clothing-brand-needs-more-ivanka-less-trump-mall-shoppers-say', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/struggling-clothing-brand-needs-more-ivanka-less-trump-mall-shoppers-say', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2292, 1, '2017-04-24 19:05:31', '2017-04-24 19:05:31', '<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?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-balancing-act-does-getting-acquired-tarnish-the-health-halo-of-better-for-you-brands', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '2018-09-27 17:56:32', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-balancing-act-does-getting-acquired-tarnish-the-health-halo-of-better-for-you-brands', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2293, 1, '2017-06-16 14:39:21', '2017-06-16 14:39:21', '<em><strong>For Immediate Release</strong></em>\r\n<strong>Massive transaction could have far-reaching effects—some with a dark side—on retailers, brands, suppliers and more, according to executives at New York-based branding consultancy.</strong>\r\n\r\nNEW YORK, N.Y. (6/16/17)—Amazon’s $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods Market is a bombshell with potentially massive reverberations for both food brands and the world of brick-and-mortar retailing, said branding and retail experts at CBX.\r\n\r\n“For starters, this acquisition promises to shake up pricing, the ecommerce space, the trajectory of retail automation in the United States, and the already considerable competitive pressures faced by existing food retailers,” said Todd Maute, a Partner at the New York-based brand agency and retail environments consultancy. “When it comes to making bold moves aimed at disruption, Amazon never disappoints.”\r\n\r\nAmazon, Maute noted, has already dipped its toe into brick-and-mortar retailing with the likes of its Amazon Books bookstores and ongoing experiments with small-format grocery stores. Snapping up Whole Foods, however, marks its most serious commitment to date.\r\n\r\n“The possible effects on Whole Foods alone are interesting to contemplate,” said Maute, a nationally known expert on private label products. “For example, the consumer perception of Whole Foods is that it is overpriced. But given its massive buying power, Amazon could actually leverage its economies of scale to bring down prices in the aggregate and change this perception in ways that would make Whole Foods a lot more competitive.”\r\n\r\nIn terms of inventory and infrastructure, Maute said, acquiring Whole Foods could give Amazon a solid foundation for ramping up online grocery sales and delivery via Amazon Fresh. “My guess is that Whole Foods will become a launching pad for Fresh. But at a minimum, this move could get Whole Foods into the online space much faster, in theory, than any other retail competitor. That would clearly have big ramifications for the likes of Walmart, Kroger and Publix, all of which are racing to develop their own capabilities for online ordering and click-and-collect.”\r\n\r\nIn addition, the holy grail of voice-assisted ordering through the likes of Amazon Echo or Google Home is to be in the customer’s kitchen, Maute noted. “Now Amazon can give its Prime Customers a lot of new options,” he said. “They could get discounts on popular Whole Foods products just by saying ‘Alexa, order me some more Whole Foods 365 peanut butter, organic, creamy.’ It’s a potentially big step forward in this fast-growing space.”\r\n\r\nWhole Foods’ brick-and-mortar real estate, moreover, could potentially be of use to Amazon as it seeks to grow its distribution capabilities, Maute added. “This is real estate that could be used for pickups, returns, warehousing, you name it. And think about this: the Amazon Go test store uses sensors, cameras and machine intelligence to eliminate cashiers and checkout lines. Now Amazon has a national brick-and-mortar footprint with which to rollout this game-changing technology. It’s still speculation, of course, but this acquisition could be a big first step toward the automation of U.S. retailing.”\r\n\r\nFor his part, CBX Managing Partner Gregg S. Lipman pointed to the darker side of such moves, citing the ever-growing juggernaut of Alibaba Holding Group Limited, the Chinese-based conglomerate. “Over in China, the great Alibaba is doing the same thing as Amazon is here,” Lipman said. “They fly under the banner of benefiting the consumer—and, to be sure, some of these changes could be good for consumers—but in the end, it is all about the bottom line.”\r\n\r\nAs Amazon flirts with disparate businesses ranging from prescription drugs to real estate brokerage, the fallout is hardly a win-win for everyone, Lipman explained. “The pressure they exert on suppliers is stifling,” he said. “Their buying power, which is growing by the day, can be seen as forcing unfair or unreasonable practices on suppliers. The net effect is that the rich get richer.”\r\n\r\nIncreasingly, Lipman added, Amazon’s private-label initiatives are giving it the ability to either participate in or actually dominate various retailing categories. “At what point do they own the entire food chain, whether in equity or buying power?” he said. “Remember, Amazon is willing to lose money to win market share and kill off competitors. This should be a concern, not only for food retailers, but also for food brands.”\r\n\r\nFortunately for its competitors, Amazon’s private brands have struggled in some categories, like clothing, Lipman said. “We’ll see what happens now that Amazon will have Whole Foods shelf space to experiment with, IRL.”', 'Amazon\'s Whole Foods Acquisition is a Big Deal Indeed', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'amazons-whole-foods-acquisition-is-a-big-deal-indeed', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '2018-09-27 17:42:11', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/amazons-whole-foods-acquisition-is-a-big-deal-indeed', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2294, 1, '2017-06-29 15:35:33', '2017-06-29 15:35:33', 'You’ve probably heard this piece of not-so-little news: Amazon has acquired Whole Foods. And while the prospect of having fresh foods, specialty cheeses, and flax seeds delivered straight to our door sounds pretty amazing, we also wanted to dig a little deeper to learn what this acquisition might mean for the future of grocery shopping. We spoke with retail and branding experts Gregg Lipman and Todd Maute, Partners at CBX to gain more insight on what consumers can expect.\r\n<strong>CONSIDERING THE NEWS, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE OVERALL VISION AMAZON HAS IN MIND AND IS WORKING TOWARDS FOR CONSUMERS?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> Amazon is continuing to expand its reach and ubiquity as a supplier in all aspects of a consumer’s life. They’ll continue to lead with their disruptive model—using and creating progressive technologies to make services and products that will further entrench themselves into a person’s life and transform not only the way people shop but how they live.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> Amazon’s goal is to be the world’s foremost customer centric company. Its muscle has always been its well-oiled logistical operations powered by the most sophisticated of data mining capabilities. With the acquisition of a 430 retail-location strong behemoth that has mastered the food supply, processing and distribution chain end to end, Amazon will be able to utilize its tech capabilities to introduce a completely unique and customized grocery experience to the consumer—possibly one that includes never having to leave their house.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, the acquisition should be able to further Amazon Fresh service with Whole Food’s physical locations playing a big role. Shrink is a consistent challenge and is harder to control in an online-only warehouse driven format; it is much better suited for a retailer to manage that profit-diminishing factor. Additionally, if Amazon Fresh could incorporate Prime, Pantry and Dash into the mix, it could become a singular brand platform for Amazon’s food business. From a demographic perspective, the typical Whole Foods shoppers sits on the higher-income earning scale similarly to the Amazon Prime shopper thus continuing to add to their growing customer database.\r\n\r\nIt’s often hard for people to embrace change, and many people still relish going into a grocery store and picking out produce themselves rather than having it picked and delivered for them. What steps can Amazon and Whole Foods take to make this a more natural transition for consumers?\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> Amazon’s logistical juggernaut and access to consumer data will add more dimensions to the purchasing experience. People still seek a human-driven experience and Amazon should do everything to ensure its consumers its brick and mortar presence is about accessibility and enhancement; there is no sacrifice or subtracting with its newfound physical presence and if anything, should be a deeper-data infused complement to its virtual counterpart.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> Consumers today are accustomed, if not expectant of, external changes that affect their daily behaviors. From mobile banking to pharmaceuticals delivered within two days at your doorstep to the evolution of the gas station deli offering, culture and technology have accelerated the pace of change and primed the consumer’s desire for convenience, value and their willingness to accept the new.\r\n\r\nBoth brands would be smart to take steps to ensure consumers the acquisition won’t affect them in ways each brand has built their loyalty off. They need to re-affirm and emphasize that Whole Foods will continue its high standards of product quality and Amazon’s efficient and customer-centric services won’t be affected.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-29-at-10.53.02-AM.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10574\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-29-at-10.53.02-AM-1024x416.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"416\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST BENEFITS CONSUMERS WILL SEE AS A RESULT OF AMAZON ACQUIRING WHOLE FOODS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS CONSUMERS MIGHT FACE RESULTING FROM AMAZON’S ACQUISITION OF WHOLE FOODS?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> The benefit is a more integrated consumer experience for Amazon and Whole Foods visitors where transitioning from URL to IRL (or the opposite) is more simple, seamless and backed with robust data on purchasing options, history, recommendations, etc. Additionally, the potential effects on manufacturers could also lead to a decrease of prices for the consumer. The potential problems may rest in fewer channel choices for the consumer should they decide they don’t want to go with an Amazon-affiliated option.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> Both Amazon and Whole Foods have very sophisticated methods in capturing consumer data. Coupled with Whole Foods’s stringent quality standards and efficiency in product development, you have a recipe for success. Consumers could potentially have access to both better pricing (as there would be no more middle man) and wider selection of choices. Convenience, quality, variety and savings—what more can consumers ask for?\r\n\r\nOn the flip side, great vision executed poorly can be problematic. If Amazon and Whole Foods can’t integrate their unique brand assets seamlessly, it could result in turning the consumer off completely. History has proven that home delivery for food is challenging such as in the case of Webvan. While its concept was ahead of its time, it was riddled with issues on its approach to the market specifically:\r\n\r\nNone of the executives understood the food business.\r\nIt expanded too quickly\r\nIt targeted the wrong consumer and wrong markets\r\nIt built warehouses instead of leveraging existing infrastructures.\r\nWhile the Amazon and Whole Foods merger may currently be blessed without these issues, both brands need to marry their assets quickly and flawlessly to convince consumers they can meet, if not exceed their expectations.\r\n\r\n<strong>IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FORESEE ANY WAYS THAT THIS ACQUISITION COULD BACKFIRE, ACTUALLY HURTING AMAZON IN THE LONG RUN?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> If history is an indicator of the future, Amazon will see its failure as a learning experience and move on to the next (i.e. see Amazon Fire Phone). Amazon’s nature is to innovate quickly and while this acquisition is not technically an “innovation,” its brand could take a hit on the public relations front as a brand that can seemingly do anything.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> Amazon has seen astronomical growth due to their bets on digitization and mobile and their continued portfolio diversification around the Internet of Things. It is a company not afraid to take risks outside its wheelhouse and invest in trends; leveraging what they do well and investing in the multi-trillion business of grocery is a wise bet. Even if they’re unable to convert the consumer, I’m doubtful it would drastically impact the overall Amazon brand in a negative way. Consumers will continue to flock to Amazon to purchase other things- perhaps one day cars or prescriptions? Amazon’s opportunities are endless.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1498589775054.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10576\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1498589775054-1024x731.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"731\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>WHAT ABOUT RETAILERS—WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY’RE LIKELY TO FACE DUE TO THE ACQUISITION OF WHOLE FOODS?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> The market reaction to the Amazon announcement was not positive for other grocery brands. Retail across the board has been failing to keep pace with Amazon’s ability to sell goods online at the value consumers are demanding. Department store brands are rapidly disappearing because of their inability to respond to the requirement of digitization and embrace omni-channel and the only ones surviving, if not thriving, are value operators like Aldi, TJ Maxx, Home Goods etc.\r\n\r\nIf Amazon opts to focus on its own delivery service, Whole Food’s relationship with Instacart would be affected and it would ripple to brands like Publix and HEB, ultimately weeding out Amazon’s competition.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, the organics industry has seen enormous growth over the past few years. Supply has increased and traditional grocers like Kroger have entered the business in a major way specifically by creating their own billion-dollar private label brands. If Amazon and Whole Foods could bring better pricing and more access and convenience to the organics industry, it will most definitely impact traditional grocer’s attempt to capture more share of the consumer that desires more high quality and healthier food options.\r\n\r\n<strong>HOW CAN OTHER BUSINESSES PLAN TO KEEP AN EDGE AND COMPETE WITH AMAZON AND WHOLE FOODS?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> As much as consumers want value and convenience, they also desire a unique shopping experience. More grocers are increasingly investing in enhancing the shopping experience and growing the perimeter. If they can offer the consumer a shopping experience that can’t be had online, that is where they’ll be able to defend their market share. While this takes capital, time, and commitment, they cannot afford to not do so. Wegmans and Costco are interesting examples of brands providing unique shopping experience incorporating the love of food, the thrill of the hunt and an exploratory opportunity for the consumer shopping their goods.\r\n\r\nWith the business potential the acquisition can create, there will be a significant opportunity for markets to expand for niche brands. Smaller companies will have a less costly way to enter the market than traditional retail. Start-ups can benefit greatly by gaining access to massive distribution without the need for slotting fees and other costs burdening the growth of their business.\r\n\r\n<strong>LAST YEAR, OVER 40% OF ONLINE RETAIL SALES WERE ON AMAZON, AND WITH THE ACQUISITION OF WHOLE FOODS WE LIKELY CAN EXPECT THIS NUMBER TO INCREASE. BUT AT WHAT POINT DOES HAVING ONE ENORMOUS RETAILER MAKING SUCH A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF SALES ACTUALLY PUT SOCIETY AS A WHOLE AT RISK?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> The effects of scale have implications. Technology has enabled both innovation and consolidation and as these tech-fueled companies continue to amass power and leverage, they sometimes tread dangerously with antitrust laws. It is the prerogative of the government to ensure these companies’ pursuit of growth and influence does not result in competitor manipulation and category monopoly.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> With scale comes risk. When you put too many eggs in one basket, competition is inevitably eliminated and thus impacting quality for the consumer. However, on the flip side, size has the potential to drive down cost and also increases profits, which provides more capital for investment in continuous improvement. There is a case for both good and bad but regulation should be able to protect the consumer.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1498589804825.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-10575\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/1498589804825-1024x670.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"670\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, DO YOU FORESEE AMAZON’S ACQUISITION OF WHOLE FOODS HELPING WITH FOOD INSECURITY?</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Gregg:</strong> If executed properly, Amazon will be able to leverage Whole Foods’s credibility in food quality. It will be interesting to witness both brands’ approach to fresh foods, food service and natural and organics at scale and observe whether expectations and tolerance of quality differ when it comes to different consumer segments.\r\n\r\n<strong>Todd:</strong> If you look at the values both companies operate by, I would assume the impact on food insecurity would be positive and minimize growing consumer concern.\r\n\r\nThe Amazon brand is customer obsessed; they invent and simplify, hold the highest standards, think big, take action, are frugal and want to instill trust. Whole Foods is grounded in high product standards, caring for the community, satisfying and nourishing consumers and environmental stewardship. Together, they should be able to bring the best products to consumers at the lowest prices and in the fastest and most convenient ways possible.\r\n\r\nAs consumers, we need to realize that neither Amazon nor Whole Foods make everything they sell and thus do not have total control over the supply chain. But the strength and power the combined organizations could have will provide significant influence on their manufacturing partners. Therefore they should have a greater ability to enforce their values and high product standards, ultimately benefiting consumers and alleviating any concern over food safety and insecurity.\r\n\r\n<em>Photos courtesy of Whole Foods and Amazon.</em>', 'What does Amazon’s Acquisition of Whole Foods Mean for the Future of Grocery Shopping?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-does-amazons-acquisition-of-whole-foods-mean-for-the-future-of-grocery-shopping', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:51', '2018-09-27 17:58:51', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/what-does-amazons-acquisition-of-whole-foods-mean-for-the-future-of-grocery-shopping', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2295, 1, '2017-07-06 19:20:00', '2017-07-06 19:20:00', '<strong>Branding Roundtable 32</strong>\r\nOur original intent was to make this Roundtable about a particular type of experiential branding, environmental branding, the kind that brings brands to life in physical spaces. But the topic of brands and experience refuses to be neatly contained in any kind of space, physical or conceptual, and so you will shortly discover the wide (and still only partial) range of what is involved in strategizing, activating and communicating brands as they learn to thrive across an ever- expanding landscape of touchpoints.\r\n\r\nRead the full Roundtable discussion <a href=\"https://www.brandingmag.com/download/?product-id=173&amp;product-name=Brands+IRL%3A+How+Brands+Are+Experienced+in+Real+Life+-+Branding+Roundtable+32\">here</a>.', 'Brands IRL: How Brands Are Experienced in Real Life', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'brands-irl-how-brands-are-experienced-in-real-life', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '2018-09-27 17:56:34', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/brands-irl-how-brands-are-experienced-in-real-life', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2296, 1, '2017-08-01 14:51:12', '2017-08-01 14:51:12', '<strong>Brand expert Todd Maute says lawsuit shows how far store brands have come</strong>\r\nBrand expert Todd Maute says the lawsuit that The Kroger Co. filed against Lidl, which goes to trial in January, is a good sign for the private brands industry.\r\n\r\nIn July, Cincinnati-based Kroger filed a federal lawsuit against Arlington, Va.-based Lidl claiming that the German retailer, which at the time had just opened its first U.S. stores, was infringing on Kroger’s well-known “Private Selection” store brand with its “Preferred Selection” store brand. Last week, a U.S. district judge denied Kroger\'s request for an injunction that would have forced Lidl to stop selling Preferred Selection. The judge noted that \"private\" and \"preferred\" have different definitions and set a Jan. 11 date for a bench trial.\r\n\r\nThe lawsuit has created much attention and drama in the private brands industry. It is the new kid on the block (Lidl) taking on the veteran and venerated grocer (Kroger).\r\n\r\nMaute, a partner at New York-based CBX, a brand agency and retail consultant, says the lawsuit reminds him of years ago when the owners of top consumer product brands always went after what they saw as trademark infringement on the part of private brand emulators. But this lawsuit is also different — “A twist on the prevailing dynamic,” Maute says —because one of the top owners and creators of private brands is taking a fellow private brands competitor to court.\r\n\r\nMaute says the lawsuit shows just how far private brands have come.\r\n“Here we have one major grocer suing another over private label trademarks,” he says. “I see it as an indication of how far private label has come, at least with respect to those retailers that truly understand its power and potential.”\r\n\r\nMaute is spot on. Although the timing of the lawsuit was interesting — Lidl says Kroger wanted to throw water on its coming-out party — nobody can fault Kroger for trying to protect a very successful 20-year-old store brand. Credit Lidl as well for not backing down and wanting to protect its own store brand as it continues to open stores in the U.S.\r\n\r\nKroger, the second-largest food retailer in the country, has been a private brands pacesetter. Lidl, which operates more than 10,000 stores across Europe, will also be a private brands leader in the U.S., considering that 90 percent of its assortment comes from private brands and that it will eventually open hundreds of stores.\r\n\r\nMaute says he remembers reading a story several years ago about how Disney lawyers forced a small Florida daycare center to whitewash an image of Mickey Mouse that the center had had painted on the side of its building.\r\n\r\n“Is that aggressive? Sure,” Maute says. “However, nobody could accuse Disney of trademark apathy. Without commenting on the merits of the Kroger-Lidl case, I say kudos to those retailers that fully embrace their store brands — up to and including protecting them in court.”\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"http://www.storebrands.com/store-brand-insights/store-brand-news/kroger-lidl-dispute-good-sign-private-brands\">Store Brands Magazine\r\n</a>Photo courtesy of Store Brands Magazine\r\n\r\n<header></header>&nbsp;', 'Editor\'s blog: Kroger-Lidl Dispute a Good Sign for Private Brands', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'editors-blog-kroger-lidl-dispute-a-good-sign-for-private-brands', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '2018-09-27 17:58:42', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/editors-blog-kroger-lidl-dispute-a-good-sign-for-private-brands', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(2297, 1, '2017-08-10 15:52:20', '2017-08-10 15:52:20', 'Marketing and branding can be silly. But we give them a ton of power to shape how we see the world.\r\nSo we made a podcast to talk about how this stuff really works (how do businesses become “brands”?), make fun of the super stupid stuff (like when brands get “woke”), and trash the really ugly stuff that businesses use their brands to hide.\r\n\r\nAnd we’ll try to understand the biggest question of all...\r\n\r\n<strong>WHAT ARE THE WORLD\'S BIGGEST BRANDS HORNY FOR?</strong>\r\n\r\nJoin us in The Brand Hole to find out.\r\n\r\n<strong>LATEST EPISODE</strong>\r\n\r\n<iframe style=\"border: none;\" src=\"//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5597128/height/90/width/640/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/87A93A/\" width=\"640\" height=\"90\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nRachel Bernard, VP of verbal strategy at CBX, joins Caitlin to talk about one of the most important parts of brand naming: making sure it\'s not incredibly offensive. We get into why we check for linguistic issues, what we look for, and, most importantly, we tell tales of all the ridiculous disasters we uncover (or create).', 'Horny for Linguistic Disasters', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'horny-for-miracle-whip', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '2018-09-27 17:58:43', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/horny-for-miracle-whip', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
