INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3024, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '&lt;strong&gt;Dan Munford, Insight managing director, &lt;a href=\"http:// http://bit.ly/SAXSzL. \" target=\"_blank\"&gt;introduces Retail Vision viewers to Wawa’s Florida store&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\nThe millennial generation just don’t eat at home much any more, he says.\r\n\r\n“Eating out is the new eating in and that presents a huge opportunity for convenience retail. Let’s take a look at one of the best in the US - Wawa.”\r\n\r\nWawa opened its first, new large store in Florida about one and a half years ago.\r\n\r\nCustomers clearly rate the store, praising its reasonable prices and very friendly staff.\r\n\r\nCustomers frequent Wawa regularly, visiting daily for breakfast and lunches, for example.\r\n\r\nShoppers Munford speaks to say they love the freshness of the offer versus pre-packed products at rivals. The coffee offer is a favourite too; while the store’s lay out is another bonus.\r\n\r\n“You can find everything you need and it’s a place with everything in it, all in one shop,” customers tell Munford.\r\n\r\nMunford notes that customers love the service but suggests that’s no accident and Wawa has done that by design because it puts so much effort into looking after its employees.\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Investment in staff&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\nMunford interviews a colleague, with a career in foodservice, who says he’s never worked in a better place and that Wawa is now paying and supporting him through college.\r\n\r\nTodd Souders, director of operations at Wawa in Florida, provides insight into Wawa’s history. He has worked for the company for 14 years.\r\n\r\nWawa was founded in 1964 in Pennsylvania and is celebrating its 50th birthday this year.\r\n\r\nWhen Souders joined the business in 2000, Wawa was just getting the fuel side of the business up and running.\r\n\r\nNow Wawa has well over 300 fuel stores, up from 20 locations at the turn of the century.\r\n\r\nWawa has also been busy advancing its foodservice offer with fresh foods and more variety to cater for all the day parts.\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;The leap to Florida&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\nSouders reveals why Wawa took the leap from Pennsylvania to Florida.\r\n\r\nThe company had put together a team and researched the market in a hunt for the best food and fuel potential. It decided Florida was the state to enter, Souders says.\r\n\r\nThe move introduced a step change in store design, which showcases the fresh food offer, with a more upscale, relaxing look and a calming exterior.\r\n\r\nSouders tells Munford Wawa worked hard to develop a 5,600sq ft store format, which was able to accommodate the full offer but could be flexed, according to property lots.\r\n\r\nInside the store features a super sized customer service counter plus touch screens for ordering, delivering a highly efficient service.\r\n\r\nCustomers refer to the store as a restaurant with gas pumps rather than forecourt with food, Munford says.\r\n\r\nAccording to Souders, that has been a clear aim - to get customers beyond the fuel pumps and to think about fresh food.\r\n\r\n“The focus has been on fresh foods and convincing customers about the quality of the offer,” he says.\r\n\r\nAccording to Munford, the industry is at a crossroads as gas stations strive (and succeed) in being famous for fresh food and reckons the future will see more stores emerging like Wawa.\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Local store design&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\nJoe Bona, president of branded environments at CBX, worked with Wawa on the Florida store format.\r\n\r\nBona thinks Wawa’s new store represents the state of the industry and that in future stores will have a more developed food offer. As a result, stores such as Wawa will be competing with retailers like Subway as well as traditional convenience chains.\r\n\r\nElevating the food experience within a convenient environment will be key going forward, Bona says.\r\n\r\nBona says Wawa’s entry into Florida was eased by making it look like a local retailer. The store design features a clapboard siding, pastel colours and an open porch, reflective of the local architecture. The aim was to “communicate from the street” that Wawa was a local retailer, he says.\r\n\r\nCBX was able to be a collaborative partner with Wawa on the store project. According to Bona, Wawa doesn’t do anything casually. Attention to detail is paramount and the resulting store is a true test of Wawa’s expertise and knowledge to really make things work.\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;Future expansion plans&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\nMunford questions Souders on Wawa’s expansion plans. Souders reveals the company built 27 stores last year, representing an investment of over $100m.\r\n\r\nHe praises the effort on the the ground in Florida and the teams back at Wawa’s HQ for the success of the opening.\r\n\r\n“We are extremely happy about how it’s working out today,” he says.\r\n\r\nExpansion beyond Florida is not ruled out but is not likely for five to 10 years, Souders says.\r\n\r\n&lt;strong&gt;The immediate focus is firmly on Florida.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\n“Florida is a big state. We feel we could get hundreds of sites in Florida, which could be very profitable and accepting to the customers,” Souders says. “The focus is on making Florida successful and spreading as many Wawas as possible.”\r\n\r\nSource: Global Convenience Store Focus, May 2014 issue', 'Retail Vision: Inside Wawa’s New Florida Store Format', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1926-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1926, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1926-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3025, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2220-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2220, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2220-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3026, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'By David Weinberger\r\nInnovation ain’t easy. For starters, it requires something precious that all consumer product <a href=\"http://www.smartblogs.com/tag/brands\" target=\"_blank\">brands</a> must work hard to achieve — trust. And once that trust is finally won, brands naturally tend to stick with the relative safety of the known. Instead of leaping forward with profound innovations — which, after all, could inadvertently alienate those hard-won loyalists — they play it safe and move sideways.\r\n\r\nHow, then, can <a href=\"http://www.smartblogs.com/tag/cpg\" target=\"_blank\">CPG</a> brands innovate and meet consumer need even as they leverage their existing levels of consumer trust? Like I said, it ain’t easy. A case in point is the way in which <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/restaurant/\" target=\"_blank\">restaurant</a> brands like <a href=\"https://www.tgifridays.com/\" target=\"_blank\">TGI Fridays</a>, <a href=\"http://www.starbucks.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Starbucks,</a> <a href=\"http://www.nathansfamous.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Nathan’s Famous,</a> <a href=\"http://www.whitecastle.com/\" target=\"_blank\">White Castle</a> and <a href=\"http://www.chichis.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chi Chis</a>, to name a few, offer iterations of their products in grocery stores. While these brands enjoy distinct advantages, many of these offerings can be found only in the frozen-food aisle, which makes delivering on expected product quality a challenge. Moreover, an important part of enjoying food in a restaurant is the experience and the environment: the servers, the music, the decor and the people you’re eating with. Like consumer trust, the experience that goes along with your brand bears a huge value. While I understand that such approaches can be hard to resist, I bet companies can push further.\r\n\r\nLet’s flip the tables — smart CPG brands can offer something new and innovative (while maintaining their consumers’ trust) by simply doing the reverse of the frozen spinoff. Instead of offloading your brand to an inert environment, you animate it in a brick-and-mortar setting replete with servers, decor, music and friends. Bear in mind, I’m not referring to flagships along the lines of <a href=\"http://www.mms.com/\" target=\"_blank\">M&amp;M’s Stores</a> or <a href=\"http://www.chobani.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chobani Yogurt bars</a>, which are essentially write-offs that offer certain advantages but are under no real pressure to make money. I’m talking about investing in something innovative and profitable, with the potential to go big — I’m talking national or even international. The key is to figure out how to bring consumers an experience they can’t get by just buying your products at Dollar Tree, Shoprite or, heaven forbid, Amazon. Let’s transform these CPG brands into a destination.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.heinz.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Heinz</a> is an example of a company that could pull this off. Famous on six continents, the company has tremendous heritage, trust and awareness that it has yet to fully leverage. Heinz can start by taking advantage of three major food <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/consumer-trends/http://\" target=\"_blank\">trends.</a>\r\n\r\nStart with customization. Across the U.S., we see restaurants such as <a href=\"http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/default.aspx?type=default\" target=\"_blank\">Chipotle Mexican Grill</a> and <a href=\"http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Subway</a> riding the <a href=\"http://www.smartblogs.com/tag/fast-casual\" target=\"_blank\">fast-casual</a> wave as they allow their fans to create their own meals. Another example of this is the rise of “fixin’s” bars in convenience stores such as <a href=\"https://www.maverik.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Maverik</a>, <a href=\"http://www.ampm.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ampm</a> and <a href=\"http://www.cornerstore4u.com/Home\" target=\"_blank\">Corner Store</a>.\r\n\r\nNext is the ongoing globalization of cuisine. From the coasts to Middle America and beyond, flavors are blending. Latin and Asian influences in particular are on trend, with chipotle and <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/?cat=5853&amp;s=sriracha\" target=\"_blank\">Sriracha</a> popping up all over. Earlier this year, Heinz announced the release of a product that combines classic American ketchup with Sriracha, a flavor that used to be known only to epicures fond of browsing Asian grocery stores. It may be hard to find, but Heinz is touching on a big opportunity here.\r\n\r\nThe third trend is simple authenticity. Heinz has been around since 1869 and is one of the most trusted brands in the world. What kid doesn’t like ketchup?\r\n\r\nLeveraging this consumer trust and riding the tails of these three food trends, I believe that Heinz can move beyond line extensions and into the world of <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/food-retail/\" target=\"_blank\">retail</a> destinations, and break new ground — literally. Retail locations could help the Heinz brand truly own “customization of flavor.” Imagine walking into a fast-casual sandwich place called “Flavors 57.” Like the menus at Chipotle and Five Guys, the Flavors 57 menu would offer creative spins on burgers, dogs, hoagies, falafels, croque madames, banh mis, tortas, you name it. (Oh, and fries of course.) It would all be made in front of you with any fresh toppings you want. After you get your meal, you walk over to the “Heinz Saucing Station.” Fifty-seven sauces? Exactly. Take that Arby’s.\r\n\r\nThere would be 10 types of ketchup, branded mustard, mayo, relish, chutney, tahini, salsa, hot sauce, tartar sauce, cheese sauce, peanut sauce, steak sauce, secret sauce, Limited Time Only sauce and, of course, Awesome Sauce.\r\n\r\nThe idea here is not to spotlight Heinz, but to point to the potential of maximizing under-leveraged — but highly trusted — brands. One could say much the same for the likes of <a href=\"http://sabra.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sabra</a>, <a href=\"http://www.applegate.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Applegate Farms</a>, <a href=\"https://www.kashi.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kashi</a> and many more. If IKEA can serve meatballs, why can’t <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Trader Joe’s</a> open its own QSRs?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/tag/innovation/\" target=\"_blank\">Innovation</a> ain’t easy. But it can come from anywhere. Even a tomato.\r\n\r\nThe full article is available <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2015/03/18/moving-from-on-the-shelf-to-on-the-street-rethinking-what-it-means-to-be-new-and-improved/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'Rethinking branding, what it means to be “new and improved”', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2082-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2082, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2082-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3027, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '<p><em>New product and package design innovations help solidify market leadership position and create value.</em>\r\nNew York, N.Y. – October 8, 2008 – In a slowing economy consumers think twice before putting a name brand into their shopping cart, when a less costly store brand is an option.\r\n\r\nWhile consumers recognize and favor Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil as a performance leader, many purchase store brands for everyday tasks and save Reynolds Wrap, which they perceived as stronger, versatile and more durable, for tougher cooking assignments.\r\n\r\nThe need for innovation within the category prompted Reynolds to bring in CBX, a strategic branding company based in New York. \"To reinforce Reynolds\' leadership position, justify its price and communicate the differences among its products, we introduced a value system,\" explained Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer at CBX. \"A \'good, better, best\' system created added value, allowed room for product extensions and reinforced customer loyalty, all while maintaining brand equity.\" CBX retained the core equities of the brand including the reflex blue background, silver laminate and familiar typography, but a color coding system on the end corridor provides differentiation and reduces the focus on square footage. Nomenclature was revised to further clarify the functional benefits of each of the new product sku\'s; Reynolds Wrap, with the traditional salmon end corridor, Reynolds Wrap Heavy Strength (silver), Reynolds Wrap Super Strength (gold) and Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick (yellow). Heritage and trust was leveraged across the range of products by locking up the brand name with a ribbon containing a \"Trusted Since 1947\" message. The new designs are rolling out nationally. CBX\'s exploratory into various innovations led to the launch of a new sku – Reynolds Pro-Grille a superior quality product with non-stick, heavy strength and extra width features. Illustrations of barbecue tools and a red end corridor establish new Reynolds Pro-Grille as a necessary tool for out door grilling. With this new position and packaging, Reynolds gained distribution through a new channel and is selling Pro-Grille exclusively at Lowe\'s in the grilling products section.</p>', 'Reynolds Wrap Foils the Competition', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1643-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1643, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1643-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3028, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2270-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2270, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2270-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3029, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2264-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2264, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2264-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3030, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'Rick Barrack is the chief creative officer at branding firm CBX, which recently helped Duane Reade do the impossible: execute a redesign to become cool (at least, as much as any drugstore can be cool). Established in 2003, CBX has worked with popular consumer brands ranging from Arby\'s to M&amp;M\'s to Snapple.\r\n<strong>Quote</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>\"The dynamics of e-commerce, as it has evolved, created a new shopping behavior. People demand more information. And now, outside of e-commerce, we have to provide that as well.\" »</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"www.fastcompany.com/person/rick-barrack\" target=\"_blank\">www.fastcompany.com/person/rick-barrack</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/3018263/most-creative-people-2012/79-rick-barrack\" target=\"_blank\">Rick Barrack on FastCo</a>', 'Rick Barrack', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1967-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1967, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1967-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3031, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer of CBX, was among those recently honored at Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business 1000 (MCP 1000) event in New York.\r\nHosted by Diane von Furstenberg, the Jan. 31 event in New York and a Feb. 4 event in San Francisco helped launch Fast Company’s MCP 1000, a new resource that defines the influential, diverse group of modern Renaissance men and women driving change across the economy and around the globe. This new editorial initiative, anchored on FastCompany.com, was created in the spirit of Fast Company’s annual 100 Most Creative People in Business franchise, which recognized Barrack in 2012 for “helping to make retail exciting again,” citing his work on the redesign of drug store chain Duane Reade in New York City.\r\n\r\nThe MCP 1000 coverage includes profile pages for all honorees, daily news posts, live chats, videos, polls, events, and more. Fast Company will also bring the members of the world’s most creative community together to facilitate the spread of innovation and the sharing of expertise. MCP 1000 honorees will have access to exclusive Fast Company content, as well as private MCP 1000 events.', 'Rick Barrack Honored at Fast Company’s Event', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1964-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1964, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1964-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3032, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'December 6, 2012, CBX COO Rick Barrack talks branding, how he got his start in the business and the history of CBX, on LA Talk Live! radio show \"What Catches Fire\". Syndicated through itunes, UStream, Facebook and Live 360.\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/0Y883Hu3xgY\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"630\" height=\"380\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nLA Talk Live! Radio: <a href=\"http://latalklive.com/new/what-catches-fire\" target=\"_blank\">http://latalklive.com/new/what-catches-fire</a>\r\n\r\nYou Tube:<a href=\"http://youtu.be/0Y883Hu3xgY\" target=\"_blank\"> http://youtu.be/0Y883Hu3xgY</a>', 'Rick Barrack on LA Talk Live Radio', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1790-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1790, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1790-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3033, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'By Gregg S. Lipman\nIn the ten years since I co-founded a brand agency, I\'ve often been asked, \"Who or what is your greatest professional influence?\" And while I\'d love to say something intellectual or provocative like \"Steve Jobs,\" \"David Ogilvy\" or \"my father,\" the truth is, much of the wisdom I refer to on a daily basis comes from the comedic films of the 1980s.\n\nYup. Believe it.\n\nCall me what you want -- guy with a Peter Pan syndrome, John Hughes junkie, whatever -- but for me, these films spewed a kind of rare wisdom that no amount of \"T&amp;A\" could diminish. And I try to manage my company and my staff with that same respect for the fundamentals that these films all had -- because in order to create a forum where good ideas can flourish, you need to have a good foundation. Okay, so maybe Belushi didn\'t always represent that in <em>Animal House</em>, but a lot of the characters in my favorite 80s films -- movies like <em>Spring Break</em>, Revenge of <em>the Nerds</em> and the film Tim Robbins never acknowledges on his resume, <em>Fraternity Vacation</em> -- had a disarming sweetness about them that I think is incredibly effective in the branding world.\n\nSo, skinny ties and big hair aside, here are five quotes from 80s movies that I refer to on a weekly basis when making management decisions.\n\n<em>Caddyshack:</em> \"Let\'s pretend like we\'re real human beings.\"\nChevy Chase\'s Ty Webb in <em>Caddyshack</em> is one of my favorite characters ever; he utters this line while trying to bed Lacey Underall (don\'t get me started). And this quote has total relevance in my day-to-day, as I often try to remind my staff that at the end of the day, we\'re all just real people. If we can simply cut out the bullshit that stops us from connecting, we have an amazing opportunity to do great things. Whether or not that work is as important as bedding Lacey Underall...well, that\'s for you to decide.\n\n<em>Risky Business: </em>\"Sometimes you gotta say, \'What the f&amp;8ck.\'\"\nBefore cute, relatively unknown tom cruise was the scary Scientology mega-star Tom Cruise, he made what many consider the greatest coming-of-age movie since <em>The Graduate</em>. The naiveté of his Joel Goodsen character in <em>Risky Business</em> is precisely why he was a keen businessman, and ultimately a prime candidate for Princeton (he utters this line to the admissions officer, though it is his friend Miles -- who other 80s movie fans will remember as Booger in <em>Revenge of the Nerds</em> -- who initially imparts this wisdom to Joel). And in my day-to-day, I definitely encourage my team to say, \"What the f&amp;8ck,\" in order to take risks and produce work that\'s not only distinctive, but often game-changing. In fact, the longer version of that quote has this at the end: \"Saying \'What the Fuck\' brings freedom. Freedom brings opportunity, opportunity makes your future.\" Precisely.\n\n<em>Back to the Future Part</em> I: \"Roads? Where we\'re going, we don\'t need roads.\"\n\"Doc\" Brown, one of my favorite film characters ever, utters this legendary line at the very end of the first <em>Back to the Future</em> movie (I don\'t even acknowledge the sequel), right before he and Marty McFly jet off in their DeLorean time machine to 1988 -- \"the future.\" And the notion that you really can\'t predict what\'s coming down the line, no matter how hard you try, is so integral to the kind of work we do every day. We always need to focus on the task at hand, and not pretend like we know what\'s going to happen the day after tomorrow. At the same time, it\'s important to create work that stands the test of time, and which will still be around if and when you do go <em>Back to the Future</em>.\n\n<em>The Breakfast Club</em>: \"You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out, is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess and a criminal.\"\nThis quote comes from the letter that <em>The Breakfast Club</em> writes to Principal Vernon at the end of the detention day. Quite literally, it speaks to the fact that nobody -- including the misfits in the film -- is as they seem. And as far as organizational structure goes, it also speaks to the fact that everybody in our company has value, based on who they are and the experience they bring. While each has an area of expertise, the melting pot of perspectives and the open environment in which to express them provides a grounding to our work -- we are different, but we are the same.\n\n<em>Stripes:</em> Winger: C\'mon, it\'s Czechoslovakia. We zip in, we pick \'em up, we zip right out again. We\'re not going to Moscow. It\'s Czechoslovakia. It\'s like we\'re going into Wisconsin. Russell: Well, I got the shit kicked out of me in Wisconsin once.\nWhat can I say about a movie whose tagline was, \"The story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy...and meet girls\"? Well, a lot actually. This quote is so fitting to what we do every day, because having realistic expectations for any given project is key to getting the job done, and done well. You can never really predict how things will turn out, but going into a job knowing what could happen helps mentally prepare you for possible pitfalls along the way.\n\nOkay, so I know what you\'re thinking: This grown man (me) has based his whole management style on those dirty, ridiculous movies from a decade that most people mock? Well, I\'m here to tell you there\'s a helluva lot more than just silly banter in these films; if you look deeply enough, you can find the meaning of life. Or at least, enough wisdom to keep a company going for 10 years, keep employees feeling inspired about their day-to-day, and keep me laughing my butt off in good times and bad. \"Razzle, Dazzle...and that\'s the fact, Jack.\"\n\n<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/risky-business-management_b_3868895.html?view=screen\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/risky-business-management_b_3868895.html?view=screen</a>', 'Risky Business: Management Wisdom Gleaned From 80s Movies', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1849-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1849, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1849-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3034, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2173-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2173, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2173-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3035, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2190-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2190, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2190-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3036, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2175-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2175, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2175-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3037, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2185-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2185, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2185-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3038, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'Saks Fifth Avenue has completed a major renovation of its Beverly Hills men’s store, creating what it calls a “stand-alone lifestyle store” under the name The Fifth Man.\nThe 54,000-square-foot, four-level unit on Wilshire Boulevard opened in 1995 in a landmark building that was designed by Timothy Pflueger and formerly housed an I. Magnin. The revamp includes several new designer shops, the largest men’s shoe presentation on the West Coast and a new underground home for denim and cocktails, called D-Bar.\n\n“The store has very beautiful bones,” said Tom Ott, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s wear. When it opened, Saks “put in some shops and enhancements to make it more masculine. But the business has changed and we’re trying to create a wonderful store that caters to the Beverly Hills and California market and is not New York-centric.” Ott said the redesign was executed by Los Angeles-based designers to ensure it has “a local flair. Even though we’re a big national company, we pride ourselves on understanding and assorting for local markets.”\n\nArchitectural features include exposed ceilings, hand-distressed European white oak floors that lead customers through the selling floor, as well as sustainable composite flooring. It features furniture from Matter, Porro, Boffi NY and Julian Chichester, and custom fixtures designed with Amanueal, Van Stry and CBX.\n\nIn terms of merchandise, Ott said the first floor now offers “a big sportswear statement,” with new or renovated shops for Salvatore Ferragamo, Giorgio Armani and Brunello Cucinelli. “This sends a message of a more-casual lifestyle in Beverly Hills,” he said. “It’s still all about luxury, but it’s less serious.” He said a Zegna shop on the main floor will be renovated this spring.\n\n“And we’ve really enhanced our footwear presentation,” Ott continued. “We have 680 sku’s of shoes, which our intelligence tells us is the most pairs of men’s shoes on the West Coast. It flows from sneakers to fine dress shoes. There are sneakers for $100 to hand-made Kiton shoes in the high-$3,000s. And there’s a big statement in designer footwear. It’s very dramatic.”\n\nNewly added brands include Del Toro, Giuseppe Zanotti, Kiton, Louis Leeman, Martin Margiela, Pirelli and Riviera. Lanvin will be added to the mix in the future. The space is divided into three sections, one for classic brands such as Ferragamo, Rosetti and Pierre Corthay; one for designer brands including Gucci, Prada, Dior and Alexander McQueen, and one for contemporary brands such as Paul Smith, Vintage, Viktor &amp; Rolf and Marc Jacobs.\n\nThe shoe department opened last week, Ott said, and business is “off the charts. We’re trying to push the envelope so it’s not so predictable.”\n\nAlso on the main floor, the company is opening the first hard shop for the Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Collection, a line that  has grown into the company’s largest men’s resource since its introduction in 2009. The 2,000-square-foot boutique has taken the space formerly devoted to shoes. Ott said the New York flagship will add a boutique for the collection over the summer.\n\nThe lower level is now home to the company’s assortment of denim collections and contemporary apparel. D-Bar was designed by California architecture and design firm Marmol Radziner and includes a lounge with an orange-felt-top pool table; a floor-to-ceiling, street-art-inspired mural by artist Karl Clay; boardwalk wood walls; a neon light installation; custom and found furniture in velvet and leather, as well as decorative lighting from Marmol Radziner, Organic Modernism, Pfeifer and Moooi. A John Allan’s Salon was added as well.\n\n“We really believe in the denim and contemporary business,” said Ott. “It’s been one of the fastest-growing categories for us over the last several years. This is our opportunity to take Beverly Hills to the next  level.”\n\nAmong the brands that are being offered are AG Adriano Goldschmied, Diesel, DL196, J Brand, Joe’s, Hudson, Nudie, Prps, Rag &amp; Bone, Seven For All Mankind and True Religion, as well as new offerings from up-and-coming Los Angeles-based designers such as Diana Keinejad. “There’s a lot of exclusive product,” he added. “The assortment will be different than the other stores, even New York.”\n\nOn the second floor, which is devoted to more-classic vendors, the store has introduced Charvet, redone the Armani clothing shop, is planning a renovation of the Zegna shop and will install a Kiton boutique. “This is the floor for the guy who is more suited up,” Ott said.\n\nThe third floor is now devoted exclusively to “pure designer” merchandise. “Without denim and contemporary there, the offering is more polished. We have a designer room like we do in New York and there’s a new Hugo Boss Red shop.” Other vendors on that floor include Burberry, Dsquared2 and Ralph Lauren Black Denim.\n\nIn its totality, the store is being called The Fifth Man, a tag line conceived by Terron Schaefer, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, that is short for The Saks Fifth Avenue Man. “It calls attention to us as a men’s store,” Ott said.\n\nAlthough the company declined to provide a volume figure for the store, Ott believes the renovation is “a great opportunity to showcase these brands.” He said the location in Beverly Hills is one of the “most competitive strips” in the country, with Neiman Marcus and Barneys New York flanking the unit. “We have to offer something new and unique,” he said. “So we’ll have the large brands we’re known for, but inject [the store] with some newness.”\n\nOtt declined to say if any of the concepts that are being unveiled in Los Angeles will be rolled out to other stores in the chain. Saks operates men’s-only stores in San Antonio, Boston, Chevy Chase, Md., Chicago and Palm Beach, Fla. He also declined to provide details on plans for the company’s men’s store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, which sources said is the next unit slated for a change. “Chicago will be one notch up,” Ott said. \n\n“\n\nThere are a lot of things out there for men’s in the next 12 to 18 months,” he added. “Men’s has outpaced growth [at the company] and Steve [Sadove, chief executive officer] and Ron [Frasch, president and chief merchant] are putting capital into men’s. We have a lot of great stores, but they were built in the Nineties. They stood the test of time but we’re updating them to do something fresh and unpredictable.”\n\nHe said that while the other upscale retailers are strong competitors, “our biggest competition is online. So to drive traffic to our stores, we have to create theater and a certain service standard for our customer. That’s our great differentiator.”\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.wwd.com/menswear-news/retail-business/saks-revamps-beverly-hills-mens-store-6833449\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.wwd.com/menswear-news/retail-business/saks-revamps-beverly-hills-mens-store-6833449</a>', 'Saks Fifth Avenue Renovates Men\'s Store', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1905-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1905, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1905-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3039, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2168-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2168, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2168-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3040, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2187-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2187, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2187-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3041, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2199-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2199, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2199-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3042, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2193-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2193, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2193-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3043, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2192-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2192, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2192-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3044, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'Created in collaboration with CBX (New York), the upper floors house the Fifth Avenue Man collection and the largest shoe assortment at any Saks to-date. Wound copper and stainless steel mesh material on the walls visually unites rooms. \"We wanted something with a little sparkle that could still feel raw and masculine,\" Harry Cunningham, svp store planning and design, says.\r\nRead more about the robust reinvention of the Beverly Hills Saks <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/robust-reinvention\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'Saks Fifth Avenue\'s Fifth Avenue Man/D-Bar takes VMSD\'s 2014 Retail Renovation of the Year', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1992-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1992, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1992-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3045, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'Four-floor Wilshire Boulevard location is being called The Fifth Man.\r\nSaks Fifth Avenue (New York) has completed renovation of its men’s store on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, Calif. It’s calling the 54,000-square-foot, four-level store The Fifth Man.\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/saks-renovates-its-beverly-hills-men-s-store\" target=\"_blank\">http://vmsd.com/content/saks-renovates-its-beverly-hills-men-s-store</a>', 'Saks Renovates its Beverly Hills Men’s Store', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1821-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1821, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1821-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3046, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', 'By Todd Maute:\r\nBrand-led strategy the right approach for retailers in the future  .\r\n\r\nFrom one perspective the news on private label could hardly be better. After all, product quality is much higher these days, and consumer perception has changed dramatically as well. Studies show that about two-thirds of shoppers believe private-label products are as good as the national brands.\r\n\r\n“Shoppers report feeling good about buying private label products,” notes a May 2012 report by Perception Research Services International. “Over half (51 percent) say they feel smart/savvy when they buy private label products; and very few – only 11 percent – say they feel self-conscious, with almost none – 3 percent – saying they feel embarrassed when doing so.\r\n\r\n”  Moreover, according to analysts with the research firm Mintel, today’s rosier perceptions “point to the potential for continued growth in private-label food sales and share.” Other observers cite the boost provided by tough economic times. Consumers, they note, are still trading down to private label in droves.\r\n\r\nBut let’s take a step back and look at the situation from a different perspective.\r\n\r\nWhen researchers still feel compelled to ask people whether they feel self-conscious or embarrassed about buying private-label brands, what does that say about the state of things? Regarding those statistics, imagine what would happen if somebody handed those numbers to a brand manager at, say, Coca-Cola. Odds are the executive would shout something along the lines of, “Oh my God! Only 70 percent of the people think our product is as good as Pepsi? Only half feel smart and savvy when they buy our brand? There are actually people who feel self-conscious or embarrassed when they walk up to the counter to buy a Coke! That’s terrible! This will not do!”\r\n\r\nAnd if economic doldrums have played such an outsized role in private label’s recent growth, what does this say about how well companies have positioned their brands in customers’ minds? Or better yet, are they actually positioning brands – or are they merely putting products out on the shelf?  Satisfaction no longer motivates. Those who market, manufacture and sell private-label products should be proud of progress, yet they should not be satisfied. Amid the ferocious competition in American retailing today, private label brands need to be aggressive. The goal should be to build consumer loyalty, provide a point of difference and, ultimately, drive profits – not just to beat national brands at their own game.\r\n\r\nAs private-label growth stabilizes and consumers tire of frugality for frugality’s sake, private-label brands will be under the gun to seek deeper connections with consumers. In 2009, one-third of adults said they expected to buy more private-label foods over the prior year, according to NPD Group. But in 2012 that number had dropped to one fourth, as the economy improved and national brands did more to fight back. The time is now to secure a better, more lasting perception in consumers’ minds and hearts.\r\n\r\nTo be sure, those merchants with the highest share of private-label sales – names such as Safeway, Wegmans, Kroger and Target – know how to create, market and merchandise brands with skill. But many retail companies are still fuzzy on the critical distinction between product-led and brand-led strategies.\r\n\r\nA typical approach to a product strategy may run something like this: Presented with a product to sell, the retailer evaluates its market sales potential, decides to include it in his category mix, and then says, “Now what brand should this go in? Do we have a brand that suits this? No? OK, then we’ll create another brand.”\r\n\r\nI’m exaggerating, but not too much.\r\n\r\nIn a brand-led strategy, by contrast, the retailer marries deep-dive market and customer analysis with a long-term vision that includes the customers the chain would like to have in the future, as well as the kind of image it would like to have in the market. The private-label strategy hinges on creating brands that serve all of these objectives. Some of the parameters of those brands might be related to quality, but the brand is not driven primarily by Individual product attributes.\r\n\r\nDuane Reade’s Good n’ Delish brand, created in partnership with CBX, is an example of how customer insights and desired positioning can drive brand development.\r\n\r\nHere, the Walgreen Co.-owned, New York City drugstore chain took a close look at its affluent customer base and identified a substantial opportunity to sell more premium food. Duane Reade knew its stores were in a very affluent marketplace and had a deep understanding of its customers and their preferences. Delish as a brand name offers a touch of urban slang that you would hear in New York City all the time. For Duane Reade, the positioning is all about New York living made easy. By offering a premium brand of food that New Yorkers could relate to, Duane Reade saw a surefire way to connect with its core customers. With each product addition to this brand – premium cookies, candies, pastas and more -- Duane Reade has been able to make this brand’s story come to life in its customers’ minds, a destination point that differentiated those stores from the competition.\r\n\r\nThis is an approach to private label in which brands are regarded as assets. Although Coca-Cola certainly has billions of dollars in factories, trucks and other physical assets, just think of the massive value of the Coke brand itself, which is the best-recognized brand on the planet.\r\n\r\nBy thinking about private label a bit differently – in other words, as a marketing tool versus a margin enhancer – retailers can set themselves apart, bolster shopper loyalty, improve price perception and boost their bottom lines through the higher gross margins these products deliver.\r\n\r\nThe best retailers think of their private-label vendors as partners, not as mere procurement sources. They work together to create a reason for customers to believe in a brand. They also merchandise with pride, and promote their brands as though they were national leaders – not lower-tier alternatives.\r\n\r\nWhen you really think about it, the statistics for private label are positive, yes, but should you be satisfied? I say “not.”\r\n\r\nBy taking a step back and thinking about things a little differently, retailers and manufacturers can take private label to the next level. The trick to staying ahead of the curve is easily summed up in a straightforward slogan: “Never be satisfied.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://digital.bnpmedia.com/display_article.php?id=1217581\" target=\"_blank\">http://digital.bnpmedia.com/display_article.php?id=1217581</a>', 'Satisfaction No Longer Motivates', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1780-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1780, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1780-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3047, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '<p><strong>Veteran store design consultant Joseph Bona of CBX highlights 21st-century challengesas part of National Retail Federation panel</strong>\r\n\r\nNEW YORK (1/11/2010)—Store design has long been driven by the need to make the customer experience as compelling as possible. But in a society where shoppers can download Kindle bestsellers in a flash or shop on-the-go with iPhones and netbooks, today\'s retailers must rethink how they use design to drive traffic—and more importantly, boost sales—in brick-and-mortar stores, said Joseph Bona, President of the Retail Division at CBX, the strategic branding and retail design consultancy.\r\n\r\n\"Shoppers are redefining how the game is played,\" Bona said yesterday during \'The Power of Retail Design,\' a panel discussion at the National Retail Federation\'s 99th Annual Convention & Expo, in New York City. \"Yes, they still go to brick-and-mortar stores. But they are taking full advantage of high-tech tools that are powering up and evolving at a blistering pace. This puts the onus on designers to create extraordinarily compelling in-store experiences—experiences that are fully integrated with retailers\' brand identities, operational capabilities and the fast-changing behaviors and preferences of their core customers.\"\r\n\r\nSpeaking to an audience that included top retail executives, store designers and architects, Bona cited bold moves in store design that have enabled specialty retail and other chains to set themselves apart from their competitors. \"One example is Hollister,\" he noted. \"The teen apparel retailer changed the way people think about its stores by bucking the status quo at the mall. Instead of having floor-to-ceiling glass storefronts, Hollister actually \'boarded up,\' so to speak, and created cave-like entrances to its stores. This gave shoppers the sense that, simply by walking in, they were about to embark upon a distinct experience. The oversized photos of sexy models, meanwhile, provided a tantalizing suggestion that what could be found inside would be compelling.\" Skillfully executed, such game-changing approaches can work in any retail category, said Bona, who has worked with brands and stores on six continents in his 30-year career in store design. \"Our firm, for example, transformed Petro-Canada\'s Neighbours concept into something that looks and feels more like Panera Bread Co. than your typical convenience store,\" he said. \"The result actually changed shopper behavior and turned Neighbours into much more of a destination for planned purchases vs. impulse-driven purchases. Through design, Neighbours\' stores now have a warm-and-inviting atmosphere—a blend of both convenience and experience that calls to mind something between a corner store and a café.\"\r\n\r\nClear communication, too, is a critical component of effective in-store design, commented Bona. \"The in-store experience, of course, is also a key communication channel,\" he said. \"All of us in branding and design should keep in mind that shoppers today demand authentic and transparent messaging as never before. It\'s a bit of a backlash in the wake of the housing collapse, Wall Street bailouts and trends like green-washing.\"\r\n\r\nBona cited Patagonia as a brand that understands the importance of transparency. Shoppers who visit Patagonia.com can click on the image of any garment and read about its ecological upside, he noted, but they can also learn exactly what is not green about the product. \"For example, one pop-up info box on their Web site tells all about how the garment\'s down came from humanely raised geese and how its light shell is of recycled polyester,\" Bona explained. \"Under the heading \'The Bad,\' however, the site then explains that the zipper is treated with a synthetic chemical and is not recyclable. Patagonia is basically saying, \'We know this isn\'t perfect, but we\'re working on it.\'\"\r\n\r\nBona and his team seized an opportunity for such authentic communication when Freson Bros., a family-owned grocery chain with more than 50 years of history in northwestern Canada, asked CBX’s Retail Division to revamp its stores. The regional chain had been concerned about competition from Wal-Mart and other multinationals. \"If you go in Freson Bros.\' conference room, they have black-and-white photos literally lining the walls—a chronological history of the different generations in the business,\" Bona said. \"To this day, their customers know all the owners and managers of these stores on a first-name basis, and they know their customers just as well. That\'s something the competition cannot offer.\"\r\n\r\nBona\'s redesign for Freson Bros. highlighted this mom-and-pop feel. The CBX team literally took pages from the family\'s photo albums and integrated these sepia-toned images into the store redesign, hanging poster-sized portraits of company founders on the walls and integrating candid shots from early in the company\'s history into the signage. \"In the old original photographs, the managers wore bowties every day,\" Bona noted. \"Our new Freson Bros. logo has a little bowtie, too. It\'s a subtle thing, but all these cues, taken together, reinforce the brand and bring you back to a time when communities were more intact.\"\r\n\r\nAs important as it is to communicate effectively, craft compelling experiences and develop innovative retail concepts, Bona told the audience, such efforts must stay grounded in operational and budgetary realities. \"An integrated approach is what is required,\" Bona said. \"When you\'re looking to do a game-change—something totally new that actually changes consumer behavior—you have to make sure you have the internal capability to deliver.\" \r\n\r\nLikewise, store design should be about the customer experience rather than an abstract reflection of ethereal ideas about brand. \"Pressure is being created on all fronts—from traditional online shopping to retail-focused iPhone apps to the Amazon.com Kindle, and who knows what else in the future, \" Bona said. \"Today, store design is all about the end-user: \'How do we communicate from the exterior? How do people interact with and within the space? How do we communicate the point of difference we offer?’ Self-referential branding with an interior focus is a thing of the past.\"\r\n\r\nAs a full-service consultancy, CBX offers architecture, interior design, merchandise and store planning, identity and branding, graphics and environmental graphic design, media design, product design, master planning, construction detailing, and consumer research. Well known for its work within the grocery, drugstore and convenience store-petroleum industries both domestically and internationally, CBX\'s Retail Division has a prolific portfolio spanning multinational and regional chains. With several key staff additions, it recently expanded its capabilities to service the specialty retail and department store sectors, with its team now working with a major American fashion chain.\r\n\r\nNew York-based CBX\'s Retail Division is exhibiting this week at the NRF convention\'s DESiGN STUDiO for Store Design and Visual Merchandising, a resource area for suppliers.</p>', 'Savvy Store Design in an Age of Instant Books And Endless \'Apps\'', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1622-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 1622, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1622-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3048, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2279-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '2018-09-27 17:58:47', '', 2279, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2279-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3049, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JoeB_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JoeB_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"JoeB_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1081\" /></a>By Joe Bona:\r\nLike novelists intent on creating lively protagonists, today’s retailers love to pen vivid descriptions of the all-important “core customer.” In all likelihood, you have heard or even given presentations that rely on this kind of language: “Her name is Cindy,” says the specialty store executive. “She’s 37, works in the insurance business and has 2.3 kids. Her husband, Dale, is an IT whiz. He hates going to the mall and has just started doing online shopping with his beloved iPad.” \r\n\r\nThis approach is popular for a reason. By leveraging in-depth data, retailers can figure out exactly what types of shoppers are most likely to make repeat purchases at their stores. Detailed composite characters like Cindy can then be used to help them shape more effective approaches to merchandising, marketing, branding and customer-service. And yet, in its single-minded focus on one type of shopper, the “core customer” concept tends to ignore one of today’s most prominent retail trends: channel-blurring.\r\n\r\nJust a few years ago, the retail business was characterized by bright lines between one sector and another: If a place had fueling stations and coolers full of drinks, you knew it was a convenience store. If it had a pharmacy and was located on its own corner, its core business was obviously to sell prescription and over-the-counter drugs. During this (relatively) stable era, the Walmarts and Costcos of the world were always out on the strip by themselves, and tenant lineups at regional malls were eminently predictable.\r\n\r\nThese formerly bright lines are fading fast. Channel-blurring is occurring to a remarkable degree in many sectors of the retail industry. Malls that once relied on upscale, fashion-forward tenant lineups are now welcoming the likes of Costco and Target to backfill vacated department store spaces. Walgreens, which has been looking more like a convenience store with each passing year, aims to put e-vehicle fueling stations in its parking lots, making that resemblance even more striking.\r\n\r\nConvenience stores, once known for that shriveled hot dog of indeterminate age, are transforming into something akin to a quick-serve restaurant, replete with cafés and prepared meals. Even Goodwill is cleaning up its stores and moving into nicer neighborhoods. And as retailers like Walmart broaden their appeal to more well-heeled shoppers, their counterparts on the luxury end are building outlet stores and wooing shoppers from lower tax brackets.\r\n\r\nSo what is happening here? When Wall Street and the housing bubble collapsed in 2008, consumers’ spending priorities shifted. Relatively affluent shoppers began checking out the likes of Walmart or Big Lots for the first time. Wine aficionados went to see if their favorite brands were cheaper at Costco, which they were. And landlords began welcoming extreme value retailers like Dollar Tree to centers that were once off limits to such tenants.\r\n\r\nThe net effect is that more retailers now understand that their stores are not necessarily for one type of person alone, no matter what name we give her. Indeed, cross-shopping among store formats and price-points is rare only among the very rich and the very poor. Cindy might be perfectly content to buy her husband an anniversary present at Nordstrom, but then hit T.J. Maxx for a small token of affection for one of her girlfriends. Thus, retailers would do well to think harder about how they can appeal to the heterogonous mix that is their customer base. Walmart did this by ramping up quality and cleanliness while preserving its emphasis on price. Duane Reade, the New York pharmacy chain, has done a fantastic job of reaching out to a broad array of shopper types using everything from organic foods to high-quality cosmetics. Department stores like Nordstrom are making lower-priced goods more visible in their stores, without skimping on atmosphere or top-notch customer service.\r\n\r\nIn the “new normal” of today’s economy, shoppers will continue to be circumspect about how they spend, and old channels will keep on blurring. This will make cookie-cutter approaches even more outdated. Embracing complexity -- or even, at times, paradox -- is a must. While your brand might have been founded on other attributes, it is still possible to introduce, say, more value or convenience. But it is also possible to lose credibility by being too heavy-handed with this approach. Your niche, in other words, still has to be your strength. Retailers who try too hard to be all things to all people can overreach, just as those who focus too much on an ideal “core customer” can miss valuable opportunities with the rest of us.\r\n\r\nAwareness of channel-blurring also will be more important for some retailers than others. Will a 19-year-old male be shopping at a women’s fashion retailer like Chico’s for any reason other than holidays or birthdays? Not likely. But for a wide variety of less-specialized retailers, it makes sense to see how innovative and creative you can be in broadening your appeal. Indeed, social networking and other technological tools make this more viable today than ever.\r\n\r\nAre we saying au revoir to Cindy, then? Not really. Instead, think of it as a bonjour! to all those new classes of customers who will be strolling into the store.</p> \r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/seeing-past-‘core-customer’-channel-blurring-means-retailers-should-embrace-complexity-and-e\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/seeing-past-‘core-customer’-channel-blurring-means-retailers-should-embrace-complexity-and-e</a>', 'Seeing past the ‘core customer’: Channel-blurring means retailers should embrace complexity -- and even paradox', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1557-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1557, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1557-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3050, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'By Satoru Wakeshima\nSo, you go through the long, arduous task of an agency selection process. “We’re not looking for just a great agency,” you say. “We’re looking for someone that will truly partner with us.”\nThe agencies go through a rigorous request-for-information (RFI) and request-for-proposal (RFP) process that involves lots of important people who have little time for this kind of thing, but “this will affect the future of our organization and our brands!” Then each agency is brought in to demonstrate how it is different, answer questions with all the right answers, and put on a show. Finally, you’ve found them—the agency you’ve been searching for. Great people, incredible talent, the right experience, and, thanks to procurement, a great price! You’re excited and they’re excited, too. “We love these guys! GREAT! (pause) Now, we can’t stand them.”\n\nUnfortunately, those quickly changing feelings are common. Why?\n\nLet’s look at how a partnership between an agency and a client compares to other partnerships in our lives.\n</br>\n<strong>1. Money Matters</strong>\n\nMost people don’t have to pay someone to be their friend, mate, or partner. Money makes a relationship awkward. But here’s the truth: The creative folks aren’t in it for the money. The money is a necessary means for people to be creative for a living. Creative people are motivated by the opportunity to do great work. We want the work to be great, not for our clients, but for us. Why is this important? Because to get the best work out of a creative agency, you have to get past any misconception that they’re out to get you. They’re not. A creative agency’s work is its calling card. The more successful the work, the better we look. The better we look, the better we feel.\n</br>\n<strong>2. Expertise and Experience Means Something</strong>\n\nThink about other relationships where your expectation is that the person you’re paying has specific expertise or experience—doctors, lawyers, mechanics, accountants, etc. These people “work for you,” but you’re likely to want to work with them because they’re trying to help you. You don’t usually tell a doctor or lawyer how to do their job because they’re experts. Are the folks in your agency experts in what they do? They should be. And didn’t you just go through a very rigorous process in hiring them?\n</br>\n<strong>3. Your Partner Wants to Help You</strong>\n\nHow is your relationship with your doctor different than your relationship with your gardener? You have a much more respectful relationship with someone who’s trying to help you solve bigger problems. There’s a lot more on the line when you’re dealing with your health or legal matters, than if your grass is cut too short. Your agency is trying to help you solve brand problems—that’s pretty important.\n</br>\n<strong>4. Respect One Another</strong>\n\nThere are also relationships where you’re paying someone to do something that you know how to do, but don’t really want to do, like cutting your lawn. Unfortunately, you’re not likely to show these people the same respect you would your doctor. (Truth.) But these people are likely to want to do a better job for you. Whether you’re asking your agency to help you with highly strategic, creative work, or maintenance work, you want them to feel like everyone’s on the same side. Because ultimately, you’re all working towards the same objective: great work.\n\nWe agency people are like puppy dogs; we want you to love us and we want to please you more than anything. Tell us you love us, treat us with love and respect, and we’ll bend over backwards for you. Hell, we’ll even give you extra work for free! Treat us like we’re on opposing sides and… well, we’re less likely to want to please you.\n\nYou don’t need to show your agency “who’s boss.” Trust me, we already know. Because without our clients, we have no business.\n</br>\n<strong>5. Good Partnerships Are Fair</strong>\n\nIn any partnership, there’s give and take. Each partner needs to feel like they’re getting something in return for what they’re giving. Like in any business partnership, there’s a value associated with time. If something requires a lot of time or needs to be done in a really short amount of time, it generally costs more. But being fair isn’t just about money. One of the most important factors in making either scenario work is the amount of your time you invest in setting your agency up to succeed. Your time in planning, preparing, organizing, gathering, and explaining will directly impact their performance.\n\nBeing fair also means being loyal. When you’re loyal in a relationship, it can prosper. Play the field, and the relationships become less meaningful. It’s common for clients to require their agencies to sign contracts that prohibit them from working with their direct competitors. But is that a commitment from both partners? Just like a person who dates too many people at the same time, gets a reputation, so can business partners. Just like in a good personal relationship, with commitment comes trust.\n</br>\n<strong>6. Trust Is Everything</strong>\n\nThe best partnerships are founded on trust. Trust is earned over time and demonstrated by actions. We typically enter a partnership cautiously—that’s natural. But just as agency needs to earn a client’s trust, clients can do things to earn an agency’s trust, whether by helping them communicate their perspective to senior leadership, working with them to secure more time for the project, or just truly listening to what they’re saying. Trust is what makes each partner feel like they’re on the same side.\n</br>\n<strong>7. Don’t Forget to Appreciate Your Partner</strong>\n\nI really appreciate great clients who exemplify the word “partnership,” and I let them know how much we appreciate their support. I tell them and I show them by treating their business like our business. Saying thanks, dropping a little love note, and showing your partner how much you appreciate them goes a long way. Don’t worry—you don’t need to remember birthdays or buy flowers. But like a good marriage, a good business partnership does take effort.\n\nSo in the end, the client and agency partnership is actually quite a lot like the other relationships in one’s life. There will be bumps in the road, walks in the park, celebrations, and sometimes tears along the way. But with the right partner, the work is worth it.\n</br>\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.mpdailyfix.com/seven-things-marketers-need-to-know-about-agency-partnerships/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.mpdailyfix.com/seven-things-marketers-need-to-know-about-agency-partnerships/</a>\n', 'Seven Things Marketers Need to Know About Agency Partnerships', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1870-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1870, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1870-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3051, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'By Sandra Creamer\r\nI’m a strong believer in the notion that brands – whether you’re talking about products or companies – should be “single-minded” about who they are. But what about social media, programmatic media buys and the proliferation of touch points created by the trend toward omni-channel marketing? Don’t you need to sacrifice the brevity and clarity of a single, overarching idea if you are to have any hope of coping with the complexity of today’s media environment? Not at all. The key is to take a more nuanced view of the challenge.\r\n\r\nFor starters, single-minded doesn’t mean a single benefit. Plenty of longstanding and popular brands tout their multifaceted upsides (see the popularity of “all-in-one” or “3-in-one” statements, etc.). At the same time, however, all of these brands can explain themselves with clear, simple words or a single, straightforward phrase. This enables them to stay focused whether the channel is TV, print, packaging, store displays or digital media. After all, competing for the attention of today’s multi-tasking, time-pressed, driven-to-distraction consumers requires nothing if not brevity and clarity. Effective marketing necessitates well-chosen language. And yet a great many clients still ask for the “kitchen-sink concept.” They seem to believe that appealing to a broad audience means explicitly stating everything you can think of about the brand’s upside. It’s very tempting, but according to experts, this approach always tests poorly with consumers; they get confused and don’t take away anything at all.\r\n\r\nCompanies like P&amp;G practically mandate that communication strategies have one idea that gets played out across all touch points to reinforce the main reason consumers should or will want to buy the product (they do a lot of testing to get there). Mega brand Tide launched Pods to great fanfare with a functional description on pack: “detergent + stain remover + brightener.” It’s an example of the 3-in-1 approach delivered in the context of a single-minded focus. Likewise, lucky number 7 appears across categories in P&amp;G products, including newer products like Pantene Age Defy, which “fights the 7 signs,” and Total Effects, which was one of the first brands to kick off the multiple benefit idea with 7-in-1 anti-aging. A third P&amp;G brand, Crest, relies on a modified approach: The new Sensi-Stop Strips have a simplified set of claims and benefits: 1 strip, 10 minutes, up to 1 month of protection. Lastly, Cover Girl, a P&amp;G color cosmetic brand, launched Lip Perfection lip color a couple of years ago with the marketing line “softer lips in 7 days.” To this day, Cover Girl continues to use the copy “create soft, smooth, beautiful lips in just 7 days” (there’s that 7 again). Imagine how easy it is to use this communication message across all touch points.\r\n\r\nWhat you see in the examples above is what I call “choicefulness,” applied at the brand level. But choicefulness also lives at a deeper level – in the brand’s DNA. While it is possible to be single-minded and still have broad appeal, this does not mean the brand should, in its earliest stages of development, be designed for the masses. Who hasn’t heard a marketing executive say “Well, we want to appeal to everyone.” We know. But how you get there is a different consideration. The Apple iPod, Starbucks and Target brands were not designed with everyone in mind. Eventually the crowds came, but at the beginning, more than likely each brand had an “aspirational design target” – a hypothetical composite person – in mind for the design. It makes sense that industry insiders believe that Apple engineers designed their products for themselves. It’s impossible to imagine that “Joe the Plumber” could have inspired Apple, high-end coffee or Target’s accessible high-end design idea. But what these brands did embrace was the principle of choicefulness – conveying multiple benefits without sacrificing the clarity of a single, overarching idea.\r\n\r\nThere are many reasons why corporate and individual brands don’t automatically apply the principle of choicefulness. First, it’s counterintuitive and paradoxical to believe successfully appealing to a broad market means designing for a non-majority. Second, it feels too simplistic, warranting defensive cries of “but we’re a large complex business/brand/offering.” In reality, neither complexity nor size actually matters. Just look at GE (“imagination at work”) and IBM (“smarter planet”). Another perceived barrier: that being choiceful will somehow “limit our future options.” And yet consumers don’t miss a beat when brands modify themselves over time. Amazon used to describe itself as “a retail bookseller that provides instant access to over 1.1 million books.” Today, Amazon “seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company.” This is definitive, memorable and clear.\r\n\r\nIf you are not choiceful in your strategy and design, you’ll have difficulty aligning on a whole host of branding tactics: including naming, messaging and design, to name a few. And it will be much more difficult to have a unique and ownable point of view across all touch points. But it certainly doesn’t have to be that way.\r\n\r\nRead the full article <a href=\"http://www.cpgmatters.com/Viewpoints1114.html\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'Should Brands Be Single-Minded in a Multi-Touch-Point World?', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2027-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2027, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2027-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3052, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<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?', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2290-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2290, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2290-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3053, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p>Retailers might not have the deep pockets of a consumer-packaged-goods giant. But a little creative thinking goes a long way. Consider the following tips — in no apparent order — when marketing your store brand products:\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PGSB0811_29.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PGSB0811_29.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"PGSB0811_29\" width=\"400\" height=\"334\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4958\" /></a>\r\n\r\n1. Don\'t just promote on price.\r\nA quality store brand product at a low price might be appealing to many consumers, but it isn\'t necessarily a strong differentiator.\r\n\r\n\"The most successful retailers use [their brands] to not only drive margin, but to provide a clear point of difference, help enhance the shopping experience, and — most importantly — provide customers with additional reason to come to your stores and buy more,\" says Andres Siefken, vice president of marketing with Daymon Worldwide, Stamford, Conn.\r\n\r\nBrad Hanna, senior vice president, consumer packaged goods, and group practice leader of Kansas City, Mo.-based Barkley, says the \"quality and value\" proposition is an entry point for many categories. Retailers such as Target, Costco, Trader Joe\'s, Whole Foods and Safeway have gone beyond this proposition and carried through the more \"vibrant, relevant and defined personality\" of their retail brands into their store brand products to better differentiate themselves in the market.\r\n\r\n2. Consider the category.\r\nStore brand penetration varies from category to category. Ergo, marketing strategies also must vary from category to category, says Todd Maute, a partner with New York-based CBX.\r\n\r\nFor example, an April study from Market Force Information of Boulder, Colo., found that more than 29 percent of survey participants never purchase private label cereal (citing taste as the primary reason), while only 4 percent never purchase own-brand milk.\r\n\r\nRetailers should effectively analyze data to determine the optimal private label product mix, Maute says. The insight also should be coupled with marketing strategies that vary from category to category.\r\n\r\n3. Use the shelf edge.\r\nMany experts believe that at least 70 percent of purchasing decisions are made in-store. For that reason, Jeff Weidauer, vice president of marketing and strategy for Vestcom, Little Rock, Ark., calls the shelf edge a store’s \"most valuable real estate\" for educating customers and promoting store brand items.\r\n\r\n\"It\'s the first place a shopper looks for information,\" he says, \"and it\'s the best bet for creating that all-important connection that makes her choose the product off the shelf.\"\r\n\r\nAnd don\'t forget about placing quick response (QR) codes on the shelf edge. By taking a picture of a QR code with a smartphone, consumers are directed to a website containing product information that might not fit on packaging or a shelf edge.\r\n\r\n4. Get creative with displays.\r\nThe private label industry has seen a push toward creative point-of-purchase (POP) formats that feature innovative, multi-dimensional and 3D visuals that really grab consumer attention, says Kathy Calta, chief marketing officer for Baltimore-based Vertis Communications.\r\n\r\n\"Mixing textures like fabric, wood, aluminum and metal is another trend retailers are using with their displays to promote store brands,\" she says.\r\n\r\nRetailers also could use window clings and creative shades or blinds, Calta adds. And when integrating a brand\'s message on POP displays, it is important to think regionally — in terms of both geography and ethnicity — so messages are versioned appropriately.\r\n\r\n5. Be consistent.\r\nIn packaging, visual quality and consistency — in terms of both color and content — are two key attributes that impact a brand\'s value and affect the way consumers view and select products, Vertis\' Calta says. Both help tie store brand products together.\r\n\r\n\"To make a store brand easily recognizable on shelves, it\'s important that the colors and images on a can of soup are consistent with those on [a] bag of chips,\" she says.\r\n\r\nVertis recently began using customer insight to develop packaging concepts for Sunflower Farmers Market\'s own-brand products. The concepts — which go across a variety of product substrates — feature colors, imagery and designs that convey the attributes of the brand that resonate most with consumers.\r\n\r\n6. Encourage exploration.\r\nThe retailer has the power to create a shopping experience that motivates clients to explore, says Greg Feinberg, president of the Los Angeles-based Aisle 9 Group.\r\n\r\n\"The retailer also has the power to place its products in optimal areas where they will be picked up,\" he points out. \"Remember: Once a product is picked up by a consumer, there is an 80 percent chance that they will buy it.\"\r\n\r\nMike Taylor, executive director, brand strategy and research for Dayton, Ohio-based Interbrand, says his company\'s research shows that consumers consider every shopping experience to be a journey.\r\n\r\nTo create an enjoyable journey, Taylor says retailers should let their store brands be trail markers. Retailers could place them in areas that \"surprise and delight consumers\" every time they walk into the store and down an aisle, with one \"marker\" leading to another.\r\n\r\n7. Create a demo program.\r\nIn-store sampling not only impacts day-of sales, but also impacts sales for many weeks following. An August 2009 study from research firm Knowledge Networks-PDI, Menlo Park, Calif., found that items sampled in-store in multiple categories showed an average 475 percent cumulative sales lift on the day of the event. What\'s more, over the course of a 20-week period, the sampled items saw an average cumulative sales lift of 74 percent.\r\n\r\nThe study also found that in-store sampling drives repeat purchases and sales of existing products and line extensions.\r\n\r\n8. Promote outside the store. \r\nMost purchase decisions are made in-store, but don\'t discount the importance of engaging consumers outside those four walls. Rich Simon, managing partner with Boomerang Brands, Westmont, Ill., says every retailer has a captive audience for its store brands. But rarely does one see a retailer promoting its brands outside of the store.\r\n\r\n\"Retailers must look at the daily lives of their iconic customers and promote their store brands where they work, work out and receive their local news,\" Simon adds.\r\n\r\nHe goes on to say that retailers have the opportunity to promote their store brands through targeted advertising via print (local newspapers and mailers), health-focused events (local 5K runs and amateur sports) and social media.\r\n\r\n9. Think big picture. \r\nA store brand represents its owner, taking on its personality and visual identity. Therefore, it is important to know the attributes consumers find most appealing about the retailer and use them during every step — from product development to marketing.\r\n\r\n\"Many retailers have vibrant and relevant retail brands, but they are missing an opportunity to push the equities of their retail brand into the equity of their private brands,\" says Barkley\'s Hanna.\r\n\r\n10. Use excess space. \r\nIn the May issue of its Competitive Edge (titled \"My Store Is Too Big — What Do I Do With the Extra Space?), Barrington, Ill.-based retail consultancy Willard Bishop says the most efficient store size is approximately 40,000 square feet — nearly 25 percent smaller than most grocery stores are today. That extra space could be dedicated to destination or signature categories, thus providing customers with a unique shopping experience.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.plstorebrands.com/print-article-shout_it_out-2139.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.plstorebrands.com/print-article-shout_it_out-2139.html</a>', 'Shout it Out', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1750-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1750, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1750-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3054, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'I recall a business meeting where my team hosted 20 colleagues from Japan. At the end of the meeting, each and every one of our guests twisted the cap back onto his soda bottle and placed it in his bag. I had noticed cultural differences via greetings and meeting behaviors throughout the day. This action, however, transcended customs and geographies and I realized in that moment that appreciation for beauty and art is a universal human trait. These people “liked” this showstopper packaging design and decided to keep it. These particular bottles were the streamlined metal <a href=\"http://www.coca-colacompany.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Coke and Diet Coke bottles</a>, and would undoubtedly be put on display when they returned home.\r\nHistorically, consumers held onto packaging only if it served a functional purpose. Cigar boxes, coffee tins and <a href=\"http://www.quakeroats.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Quaker Oats</a> canisters were repurposed as storage or toys. They ended up sticking around for days, months or years as subtle reminders of the brand. Growing up, I can remember having <a href=\"http://www.folgerscoffee.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Folgers</a> cans in our basement filled with nuts and bolts. The Container Store wasn’t ubiquitous in the 80s, so my dad improvised. As a result, I will never forget those Folgers cans.\r\n\r\nFunctionality will keep an old package around. Creating something that consumers find beautiful enough to hold onto is another. There are two major benefits to showstopper packaging.\r\n\r\nThe first is impressions. Traditional advertising is on the decline, social media is on the rise and brands around the world are challenged to connect with consumers in unique and personal ways. Showstopper packaging delivers strong, personal impressions over and over again. When you pick up a pack, that’s an impression. When you eat or drink the product, that’s an impression. And when you display the pack, you get a new impression every time somebody so much as glances at it. That’s as good as advertising. I’d like to go so far as to say “free advertising,” but it’s not free. It costs money to design and produce showstopper packaging. These impressions, while small in scale, are so valuable because they reach the unreachable to manufacturers: homes and offices.\r\n\r\nThe second major benefit is creating incremental sales. With showstopper packaging, consumers may choose to buy an item just to keep, use or display and still buy a separate package to consume. Any kind of olive oil sold at Williams Sonoma is an example of this. These packages work hard to show off the beauty of the product, and as a result double as decoration. If a consumer wants to display it and consume it, he or she will need to buy two. This is a huge win for brands, and one that the post office has been pulling off for years by encouraging people to collect stamps. Showstopper packaging also reaches a subset of people who wouldn’t ordinarily buy a particular product. If a pack is notable, they may be inclined to purchase it as a gift or put it on display, resulting in even more incremental sales.\r\n\r\nThere are many benefits to packaging that consumers want to keep and all are linked to sales.\r\n\r\nFor new food and beverage brands, great packaging is needed to stand out on the shelf. So much has been done before with form, substrate and graphics. To enter the crowded vodka market, <a href=\"http://crystalheadvodka.com/en/age_check\" target=\"_blank\">Crystal Head Vodka</a> designed a glass skull. These bottles were undoubtedly designed to grab attention and give consumers something interesting to display at home. New brands can also use showstopper packaging to create the perception that their brand and product has value.\r\n\r\nFor existing brands, showstopper packaging can be used to make news and cause people to pause for a second look. Many brands take advantage of licensing partnerships, throwback designs, designer series or sports team themed seasonal packaging. A strategy like this will certainly get people to take notice, but doesn’t necessarily convey a sense of increased value that showstopper packaging does. <a href=\"http://www.millerhighlife.com/av?url=http://www.millerhighlife.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Miller High Life</a> recently commissioned a designer series, but there were very few variations and multi-pack cases did not carry the variety. Thirty of the same doesn’t say “special.”\r\n\r\nThe way to create a showstopper package for food and beverage is to create something that people want to hold in their hand and put on display. They need badge value. They need to be cool — like the metal coke bottles that my Japanese colleagues carried home with them. And even more so, like the original coke bottles: showstoppers.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2015/09/23/showstopper-packaging-the-power-of-a-bottle/\" target=\"_blank\">Smartblogs</a>.\r\n\r\nPhoto courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/image-library/aluminum-bottles\" target=\"_blank\">Coca-Cola</a>.', 'Showstopper Packaging: the Power of a Bottle', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2137-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2137, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2137-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3055, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Rick_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1070\" /></a>By Rick Barrack:\r\nMore than two months later, we still haven\'t forgotten the images of Haiti being reduced to rubble in the worst catastrophe in its 200-year-old history. But with the devastation in Haiti--and in the aftermath of Chile\'s worst earthquake in over 40 years--we have also witnessed unprecedented support from private and governmental agencies, religious groups of all denominations, and international relief organizations from around the world. In the United States alone, the American Red Cross generated nearly $30 million in two weeks after setting up its $10 text-message donation system for Haiti.\r\n\r\nAs we\'ve seen in Haiti and Chile the logos of disaster relief agencies must also work harder than most other logos. Due to the fact that they\'re used in a variety of foreign countries and by people who speak many different languages, they need to communicate a singular idea that\'s easily recognizable, even if the name attached isn\'t instantly understood. Since they\'re used in the field with less-than-optimal graphic conditions, these logos need to make sure they can be readily reproduced on a large scale and across all mediums. And since disaster relief logos are often used as landmarks for aid in infrastructurally-damaged areas, they must use a vivid color scheme that will stand out against any background.\r\n\r\nWhen we think of disaster relief and humanitarian organizations, which come to mind first and why? How effective and memorable are their identities?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ER_RedCrossLogo.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ER_RedCrossLogo.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"ER_RedCrossLogo\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-631\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe Red Cross/American Red Cross is the neutral worldwide organization dedicated to humanitarian interests and the prevention of human suffering. The visual effectiveness of its logo is centered on a simply colored shape, transcending language barriers and making it one of the most widely recognized symbols on the planet, synonymous with mercy and charity.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/care_logo.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/care_logo.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"care_logo\" width=\"166\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-632\" /></a>\r\n\r\nCARE serves individuals and families in the poorest communities of the world. Drawing strength from its global diversity, resources, and experience, CARE promotes innovative solutions and advocates global responsibility. The warm color palette evokes a sense of positivism and compassion, and the hands forming a circular shape create an unmistakable, universal symbol of partnership and cooperation. The lower case lettering suggests approachability, access, and friendliness. It is easy to scale up and down and has great visibility from a distance.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/unicef_logo.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/unicef_logo.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"unicef_logo\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-633\" /></a>\r\n\r\nUNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children\'s rights--to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. The UNICEF logo benefits enormously from the fact that it is based on the United Nations logo, which is highly recognized and afforded immediate legitimacy all over the world. It could be improved slightly by sharpening the mother/child silhouettes or transforming these images to seem more life-like.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/DWB-logo.gif\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/DWB-logo.gif\" alt=\"\" title=\"DWB-logo\" width=\"600\" height=\"193\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-634\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThese logos, for the most part, work. But I as I surveyed disaster relief logos in action throughout the many photos of Haiti and Chile, I was struck by the poor graphic presence of Doctors Without Borders (or Médicins Sans Frontières). The international medical humanitarian group is a neutral organization that provides aid to people whose survival is threatened by violence and neglect due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, or natural disasters. But even with its very bold mission this is an example of a disaster relief organization badly in need of a new identity to communicate its cause.\r\n\r\nWhile the coarse and sketch-like nature effectively communicates the often incredible and daring endeavors of the organization, the image is still vague and confusing. While Doctors Without Borders has not asked for our help, CBX decided to show how a new logo could provide an improved image reflective of its international, global mission.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/MSF_DWB_concept_CBX.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/MSF_DWB_concept_CBX.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"MSF_DWB_concept_CBX\" width=\"620\" height=\"620\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-635\" /></a>\r\n\r\nTo create something much more effective, we started by communicating a singular idea in a much simpler way by using a symbol with a medical connotation that also suggests freedom of movement to convey the \"without borders\" aspect of the organization.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/MSF_DWB_flag_concept.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/MSF_DWB_flag_concept.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"MSF_DWB_flag_concept\" width=\"620\" height=\"485\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-636\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe chose a dove for its peace symbolism but also to illustrate that doctors should be free (as birds) to cross borders. Instead of the traditional olive branch, we picked a stethoscope that symbolizes medical relief--it\'s a concept that easily communicates what to expect wherever that logo will be found.\r\n\r\nFinally, this color spectrum illustrates that Doctors Without Borders will help people of all nationalities. But we also chose this rainbow of colors for its bright, hopeful feeling. At the very least, a disaster relief logo might be able to provide a small moment of optimism in an otherwise devastating environment.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/1600702/sign-humanitarian-relief-anyone-can-understand\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.fastcompany.com/1600702/sign-humanitarian-relief-anyone-can-understand\r\n</a>', 'Sign of Humanitarian Relief That Anyone Can Understand', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1569-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1569, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1569-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3056, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2189-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2189, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2189-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3057, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<strong>Leveraging Their Talent for Providing Customer Service and Developing Innovative New Concepts Can Help Brick-and-Mortar Merchants Cultivate the Older Populations, CBX Executive Writes.</strong>\r\nWhile lower prices and broader assortments of merchandise will continue to give Internet retailers a leg up on their brick-and-mortar counterparts, the latter can thrive by using customer service and innovative new concepts to cater to the growing senior citizen market, writes Crosby Renwick, Executive Director of Strategy at brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX, in a guest commentary that appeared in late October on www.chainstoreage.com, a retail management publication.\r\n\r\n\"The prognosticators all say the same thing: What little growth there will be in consumer spending over the next five years is mostly going to happen online,\" writes the veteran marketing executive. \"But the bricks and mortar model can start winning again by leveraging its natural talent with the changing conditions\" -- the graying of the American marketplace.\r\n\r\nIn the column, titled, \"Advantage: Retail,\" Renwick notes that retailers may perceive the increasing number of older Americans as a disadvantage to their business because these consumers do not spend as much money on goods as their younger counterparts. However, senior citizens do buy services. Brick-and-mortar retailers are in an ideal position to leverage their natural talent to provide these services, in turn distinguishing themselves from merchants that only conduct business online.\r\n\r\n\"Haven\'t bricks and mortar retailers been in the service business all along?\" Renwick asks. \"Especially mom-and-pop stores, who buy, edit, arrange, display and demonstrate an array of products while bringing them close to the customers. That\'s service. It\'s a natural talent missing from the Internet; you can\'t click and order services. Services most likely require in-person experiences within bricks and mortar.\"\r\n\r\n\"The explosive growth of the senior population brings with it opportunities that go well beyond storefront medical and insurance services,\" he notes, outlining several concepts that can be employed to fill vacancies in malls, strip centers and business districts. These include storefront \"Senior Social Clubs\" complete with gyms, reading and art programs, wood shops, talent shows, and other features intended to bring together like-minded individuals. Although services of this type could be placed in church basements and other locations off Main Street, being in the center of everything, with retail locations, ensures maximum visibility, Renwick contends.\r\n\r\nAnother option are service-driven integrative pharmacies that stock naturopathic (plant-based) remedies as well as Western pharmaceuticals, and concentrate on the pharmaceutical side of the business, \"All the big drug chains turned themselves into convenience stores in the past 20 years,\" Renwick writes. \"Pharmacy is still a major part of their business, but nobody specializes in it anymore. And, what a giant, dependable business it is. Indeed, the elderly average six prescriptions per person, to be taken every day for the rest of their lives.\"\r\n\r\nRenwick also advocates the launch of \"senior living superstores\" targeted towards individuals over 50 years of age. He describes these stores as \"one-stop emporiums\" whose merchandise mix would include all the items necessary for modifying a home to accommodate older residents (e.g., grab bars, motion-sensitive lighting and chair lifts). Shoppers could also arrange for home-modification services, like elevator installation. Related products, such as large-print books and invisible hearing aids, would be available as well. \"Today, the only retail place where you can access even a modest assortment of these products is a hospital supply store,\" Renwick writes. \"It\'s probably located on the wrong side of town, it\'s grey, badly lighted and there\'s a wheelchair and toilet seat in the window -- and probably a dirty window, to boot.\"\r\n\r\nRenwick notes that touting low prices on commodities is the only arena in which Internet retailers triumph over brick-and-mortar retailers. \"Who wants to be in that business anyway?\" he writes in the conclusion to the piece. \"Let\'s apply what retail really already does better -- servicing its clientele -- and focus those services on the exploding aging population.\"\r\n\r\nThe full article is available at: <a href=\"http://chainstoreage.com/article/advantage-retail?ad=exclusives-analysis. \" target=\"_blank\">http://chainstoreage.com/article/advantage-retail?ad=exclusives-analysis. </a>', 'Smart Retailers Target Seniors With Service', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1886-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1886, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1886-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3058, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p><strong>Scotts creates a no-mess, no-guesswork lawn spreader that works with pouched lawn-care products that snap into place and provide controlled-flow dispensing.</strong>\r\nThe Scotts Co. has stirred up a stagnant lawn-care product category with a new lawn spreader system featuring a custom pouch with fitment that becomes an integral part of the product-dispensing process. The Scotts Snap cartridge spreader system with complementary Scotts Snap-Pac pouches, engineered in-house with assistance from a design firm, provides a no-mess, no-guesswork lawn-care option for consumers with smaller lawn sizes—4,000 sq ft or less—and for those looking for a more convenient spreader option.\r\n\r\nThe sleekly engineered spreader and eight product varieties in flexible Snap-Pac pouches—including lawn food, weed controls, crabgrass preventer, and insect killer—were launched gradually into the market, beginning in 2010 and becoming available nationally in home and garden retailers in 2012. Sold separately from the spreader, the products are dispensed by placing the Snap-Pac on top of the applicator, flipping a switch that affixes the pouch to the spreader, and engaging the handle of the spreader, which opens the fitment at the bottom of the pouch to release product in a controlled flow.\r\nAccording to Scotts research principal Brad Schultz, the Snap system was developed in response to ethnographic research conducted by the company to determine consumers’ pain points relating to lawn and garden care. One challenge, they learned, was the unwieldy task of pouring product into the spreader, as well as the subsequent storage of unused product.\r\n\r\n“Another challenge, particularly for consumers who aren’t experienced in lawn and garden fertilizing, is understanding the product instructions,” Schultz adds. “Snap basically takes that anxiety away for the consumer because there are no settings. Each cartridge is preset for the product that’s being dispensed. So assuming the consumer goes over their lawn just one time [with the spreader], there is no chance of over- or under-application of product.”\r\n\r\nAt $49.99, the Snap applicator is positioned between Scotts’ mid-tier and high-end spreading units. It was designed with a streamlined, contemporary appearance and a small footprint, with a handle that folds in half for easy storage. Premium metallic colorants were used in the injection-molding process to offer more “bling” than Scotts’ traditional agricultural-style spreaders, Schultz notes. All colorants and resins for the spreader were also selected to meet Scotts’ strict durability and fade-resistance requirements, he adds.\r\n\r\nThe crowning achievement of the Snap cartridge system however, is the Snap-Pac. Says Schultz, “When we set out to build this package, we really pushed the limits of what has been attempted before in terms of fitment technology.” The Snap-Pac employs two proprietary parts: a multilayer stand-up pouch, and a custom injection-molded dispensing fitment. The pouch, holding from seven to 12.8 lb of product, depending on variety, offers a custom shape that engages with the spreader and features a two-hole handle that makes it easy for consumers to carry. The proprietary pouch structure is laminated for strength and for high-end print capabilities, and offers UV-resistance.\r\n\r\nThe fitment, positioned at the bottom of the pouch, is a four-piece construction made of high-density polyethylene that includes a metering plate specifically designed for each product variety to ensure the proper application rate. “You don’t put an insect control product down at the same rate as a fertilizer,” Schultz explains. “So we modify the metering plate so we get a variety of orifice sizes that allow us to control the flow of product.” Once the consumer releases the handle of the spreader after product application, the fitment closes, and the pouch with any unused product can be removed from the spreader for clean, no-spill storage.\r\n\r\nAs for the product’s marketing prowess, brilliantly colored Snap-Pac pouch graphics were designed by brand agency CBX, which created aspirational images for each lawn-care variety to showcase the end benefit of the products. A blue sky with fluffy clouds is pictured on the top half of the bag, while the bottom displays vibrant-green grass. The product name uses an approachable, contemporary typeface that is locked up with the Scotts logo. A three-step instructional inset with product illustrations at the bottom of the bag depicts how users “Snap,” “Lock,” and “Go” with the system.\r\n\r\nSays CBX chief creative officer Rick Barrack, “The educational component of the product was paramount to our solution. The visual design needed to communicate that this is an integrated lawn care system with key features and benefits—essentially that a beautiful lawn is just a Snap away.”\r\n\r\nSince its introduction, Scotts Snap spreader cartridge system has caused some buzz in a retail category starved for innovation, Schulz says, and has attracted new consumers to a process that may have formerly intimidated them. Snap-Pacs are available nationally at a suggested retail price of $13.99 to $29.99, depending upon variety. \r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-type/bagspouches/snap-pac-pouch-makes-lawn-spreading-simple\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-type/bagspouches/snap-pac-pouch-makes-lawn-spreading-simple\r\n</a>', 'Snap Pac pouch makes lawn spreading simple', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1657-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1657, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1657-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3059, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'Snapple has emerged with a new look following a makeover from the company’s longstanding brand agency, New York City-based CBX. The company announced the “brand refresh” in a press release Wednesday, revealing that over twenty different flavors of Snapple’s regular and diet teas and juices will see a packaging redesign. The moves comes as part of the company’s efforts to deepen its presence across the United States as the ready-to-drink tea category continues to experience significant growth.\r\n“Snapple has a strong following on both coasts and now it’s about reaching the center, so to speak, as it moves to boost household penetration throughout the country,” said Rick Barrack, CBX’s Chief Creative Officer.\r\n\r\nYou might not notice Snapple’s new face at first glance but its graphics have seen some tweaks. In an effort to “amplify the playfulness, wit and simple goodness” of the brand, its lettering has been updated while keeping the brand’s signature curled “S” intact. A new hand-drawn sun also now hangs above its logo. CBX also placed an emphasis on Snapple’s New York roots with a NYC skyline featured on its bottles.\r\n\r\n“We want people across the country to share this excitement about the brand because, although it was born in New York, it’s truly made for everyone,” said Brent Chism, Snapple’s director of marketing.\r\n\r\nLastly, Snapple’s flavors will also now feature captions including “Life’s a Peach,” “Lemon Large,” “Takes 2 to Mango” and “Kiwi Meets Berry.” The new bottles are hitting store shelves now.\r\n\r\nOriginally printed in <a href=\"http://www.bevnet.com/news/2015/snapple-undergoes-brand-refresh/\" target=\"_blank\">BevNet</a>.', 'Snapple Undergoes “Brand Refresh”', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2109-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2109, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2109-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3060, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '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)', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2176-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2176, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2176-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3061, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'A new generation of specialty carts and kiosks is generating big revenues in small spaces.\nBack when giant televisions and stereo systems were at the top of shoppers\' must-have lists, electronics chains shelled out millions of dollars for big-box stores manned by oodles of employees. But these days a kiosk staffed with just one person can rake in huge amounts of cash by selling tiny gizmos and accessories. After all, when powerful computers are small enough to put in a pair of eyeglasses - as with the much anticipated Google Glass, the head-mounted device set to go on sale in 2014-who needs all that shelf space? \"Size doesn\'t matter anymore,\" said Don Gregor, national vice president at Canada\'s Aurora Realty Consultants. \"lt\'s profitability.\"\n\nAnd according to the pros, the powerful punch of smaller spaces is just one of many factors contributing to the ongoing vibrancy of specialty leasing in today\'s technology-driven, post-recession economy. With their high traffic, low overhead and short-term leases, carts and kiosks are a perfect way for entrepreneurs to test new concepts and otherwise respond creatively to the ever-shifting marketplace, observers say. Thanks to technology, even mainstays of the business are managing\nto make more money, Gregor says. \"Look at the T-shirt kiosks - they\'ve been around at every mall for 20 or 30 years,\" he said. \"But they no longer print up the T-shirts in advance, except for the ones on display. Now they have a computer, so people can press a button and create their own shirts using hundred of customizable designs. Blank shirts are the only thing in the actual booth--no inventory and no wastage.\"\n\nAnd though kiosks hawking cellphone accessories have been around nearly as long, the continual release of new-model gizmos keeps stir ring demand for chargers, cases and more, particularly among status-conscious young people. \"Some of the cart people do incredible number,\"Gregor said. \"We have a client that does cellular-phone faces. You might think, \'Why would anyone be in the cellular-phone face business?\' But if you look at a little tiny piece of plastic that I molded, colored and with some bedazzled jewelry on it kids are buying these things for $25 or $30 bucks each. The profit margin is so incredible that effective sales per square foot of some of the cart operators would rival that of any of the major international brands.\"\n\nBut technology is not the only innovative force in the world of specialty leasing. Landlords’ leasing teams, for one, are scouring local markers to find new categories of colorful and compelling specialty leasing concepts. Carts and kiosks with a retro focus are a prime example. \"Sometimes it\'s actual vintage furniture where the operators will repurpose things,\" said Michael J. Anderson, assistant vice president of leasing development at Macerich. \"Other times it\'s things like vintage or reproduction clothing. The e types of stores are really popping up in urban shopping areas, and so now we\' re adding them to our centers.\"\n\nMacerich leveraged both the \"buy local\" trend and the strategic advantages of smaller spaces when it created The\nUnion, an alternative retail concept that opened last year at Biltmore Fashion Park, in Phoenix. The idea was to give shoppers a mix of 18 distinctive boutiques, some of which were as small as 200 square feet. The roster of kiosk like tenants now includes businesses that may be found along any city street in d1e world: newsstands, flower sellers, gift shops and clothiers among them. \"We basically took a 7,000-square-foot empty shell and created a group of individual stores,\" Anderson said. \"It\'s a great concept. Some of these tenants have other stores wid1in the city, but they\'re all local retailers and entrepreneurs.\"\n\nMeanwhile, many of the same trends that are making an impact elsewhere in the retail universe - such as the rise of medical and service-oriented tenants, or the growing popularity of the franchise model among entrepreneurs- are equally visible in specialty leasing, observers say. Health care spending will rise by about $600 billion over the next three years alone, according to CBRE. Little wonder that leasing teams, including those responsible for carts, kiosks and temporary in line spaces, are doing more deals with medical-related users. \"With key parts of Obamacare coming to fruition in 2014, we are seeing a lot of the health care companies want to have a presence in our centers,\" Anderson said. \"They want to explain the process to the consumer, face-to-face.\"\n\nBranding is also hugely important to health care companies and other non-traditional users these days- especially in those markers where they happen to be locked in battle for market share with one or two competitors. Leasing carts and kiosks gives these tenants the ability to accomplish two goals at once: making money by selling in high-traffic parts of the mall, and boosting their brands against those of their rivals, says Jeffrey L. Gregerson, vice president of specialty retail at CBL &amp; Associates Properties. He cites the trend of colleges and universities that hoist their banners at the mall. \"There are a lot more adults going back to school, especially after the recess ion, and we arc now finding that more colleges want to advertise to our shoppers,\" Gregerson said. \"They see this as a great way to go after prospective students.\" Doing kiosk deals with the likes of d1iropractors, masseurs, manicurists and gel-nail artists also holds the promise of driving traffic to the center, he says. After all, shoppers cannot enjoy much real-world services by touch screen.\n\nMalls are also benefiting from greater interest in kiosks on the part of entrepreneurs hard-pressed for startup funds, observers say. Amid the volatility in retail in recent years, many of these business people are keen on buying established franchises rather than creating their own concepts, Gregerson says. In Canada particularly, hardworking immigrants tend to see a lot of upside to operating mall kiosks. \"These are smart people who are looking to advance,\" Gregerson said. \"Instead of driving a cab or opening a restaurant, many of them might want to buy their way into a small franchise system, which often is a kiosk style of business.\" And while nicer kiosks can cost upwards of $40,000, entrepreneurs who work with the Canadian Franchise Association typically can obtain $150,000 small-business loans. \"This is another driving factor toward small-style retail operations here,\" Gregerson said.\n\nSpecialty leasing professionals also see plenty of room for future growth. Burlington Coat Factory, Harry &amp; David and Toys \'R\' Us, to name a few, have experimented with temporary spaces in the mall. But other national retailers could reap strategic advantages by ramping up the visibility of their products in mall common areas, Gregerson says. \"What better way to test something than to take it out of your inline store, or even a department store, and bring it out into the middle of the mall?\" he said. \"You can see how people respond to the product.\" And on this score, established chains enjoy clear advantages over kiosk startups. \"If shoppers are seeing you for the first time, then you really have to find a hook, because you need to give them a reason to say, \'I will rake a chance and buy your product,\' \" Gregerson said. \"A permanent, national tenant like Macy\'s already has the advantage of brand-name recognition; customers are comfortable with the brand and feel that it will be a high-quality product.\"\n\nIn other words, in today\'s era of omni-channel retail- the notion that products should be sold anywhere and everywhere shoppers want to buy them, not just in typical storefronts- carts and kiosk could be seen as an untapped channel for a host of products and companies.\n\nAnd when it comes to the future of mailer retail spaces, U.S. landlords may be able to learn a thing or two from what retailers and developers in China, the Philippines, South Korea and other places are already doing, says Peter Burgoyne, creative director at New York City-based ~ a global branding and retail consulting firm. One mall owner in the Philippines is working with CBX to create kiosk locations for well-known restaurants at a new mall, Burgoyne says. The goal is to help the mall bolster its brand with local shoppers and add to the overall atmosphere. Likewise, South Korean department store Shinsegae makes especially creative use of carts, kiosks and other small-scale retail spaces, he says. \"Shinsegae has lots of island spaces and kiosks throughout the building- areas for [product] launch, visual merchandising, events,\" he said. \"They call these \'spice\' locations. These kiosks in the store aren\'t static- it could be a large area for sunglasses and accessories one day, an ice-cream smoothie bar the next. The point is to have something exciting and new all the time. This creates energy. The architecture can be pretty adventurous, too.\"\n\nBy contrast, U.S. developers sometimes have relatively li near groupings of similar-looking kiosks. When they redevelop their properties or build new wings, U.S. mall owners might consider taking some alternative approaches to the placement and design of such small-scale retail spaces, Burgoyne says. \"Make these kiosks destinations in their own right, because they are almost as important as the [in-line retail] brands,\" he said. \"They can add to the total experience of going to the mall\"', 'Specialty Retail Revolution', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1833-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1833, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1833-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3062, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<em><strong>Innovation is key in retail — so long as it is rooted in realism</strong></em>\nBy Joseph Bona,\n\nIn media interviews of late, Beth Newlands Campbell, the new CEO of Food Lion, has been offering reporters a frank assessment of the supermarket chain’s ho-hum, middle-of-the-road situation: “Staying the same,” she explains, “is not an option.”\n\nSlogans such as these can only go so far. But in the topsy-turvy world of 21st-century retailing, you could do a lot worse than Campbell’s mantra. Retailing, after all, continues to be rife with homogeneity, commoditization and redundancy. Imagine a team of researchers conducting a blindfold test. They strip the logos from inside a wide range of drugstores, supermarkets and big boxes. Then they bring in some blindfolded consumers. Would these shoppers, once their blindfolds were lifted, actually know where they were? Arguably, many would not have the foggiest idea whether they were in chain X, Y or Z.\n\nSuch is the sameness of the shopper experience today. While there are leaders in various retailing categories — among supermarkets, for example, chains like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Fairway have carved out distinct identities — many other operators would likely flunk the blindfold test. Their stores are neither good nor bad. They utilize similar layouts, offer basically the same type and level of customer service, sell the same products at the same or similar price and their store environments are generic at best.\n\nTo be stuck in the middle in this way is to be on a clear path to irrelevance. For the likes of Food Lion, the trick is to figure out how to give consumers a clear reason to drive past the competition and stroll into your store. Retailers are in control of their own destinies, but to be competitive they need to exercise that control in creative and strategic ways.\n\nGone are the days when a lagging chain can take a “me, too” approach and try to eke out an existence by copying successful innovators. Nor can you save a bad retail proposition by making incremental improvements alone — things like cleaner floors, brighter lighting or a new customer-service manual geared toward plastering smiles on the faces of your employees. Basic tweaks such as these might have worked 10 or 15 years ago. Today these kinds of changes are table stakes.\n\nRetailing today is hyper-competitive. The bar is higher than in the past. But if staying the same is not an option, how should retailers tackle the challenge of change?\n\nStart with another timeworn slogan: “Know thyself.” Once you identify an opportunity in the marketplace — something like the brand-building and cost-saving potential of private-label products, or the trend toward prepared food — the next step is to take an honest look at whether this opportunity matches your capability. Do you have the corporate culture, backend systems, financial strength, human capital and other resources needed to pull off the reinvention? If not, is the opportunity you have identified so great that it would be worth the herculean effort required to raise those capabilities?\n\nBrand attributes are an important consideration here. Let’s say a chain is widely regarded for its fast, hands-on service. In focus groups, consumers say things along the lines of, “I go to you because you get me in and out of there in a snap.” It would be a disaster to adopt a new program designed to, say, slow the entire experience down under the pretext that longer dwell times translate into greater spending.\n\nConsider the road taken by William Ackman, manager of the $11 billion hedge fund Pershing Square Capital. At the end of August, Ackman announced that he had finally sold his entire stake in J.C. Penney Co. — about 18 percent of the company — amid internal squabbling over strategy. Ackman, of course, had brought in Apple’s Ron Johnson in a failed bid to remake Penney, which saw its sales and stock-price take a nosedive. As CEO of Penney, Johnson had sought to enrich the customer experience, redesign the stores, beef up the roster of brands and otherwise reinvigorate the chain. Unfortunately, though, there was a mismatch between the perceived opportunity and Penney’s capability to execute on it. Johnson’s vision had merit, but it was an expensive and ambitious about-face that required securing the buy-in of shoppers, employees, shareholders and the media. With a clearer message and greater reserves of time and money, the strategy might have worked. Unfortunately, this was not to be.\n\nThe Penney saga also highlights the pitfall of launching a reinvention after the company’s market position has deteriorated. A weak position translates into a reduced capability for serious change. And so, even when times are good, true leaders tend to think hard about where they will be, not just a year or two from now, but also 10 or 15 years down the road. They understand that, regardless of how swimmingly things might seem today, a fierce competitor could rear its head tomorrow. As a result, leaders see innovation as a necessity. They constantly look for ways to improve design, product delivery, customer service and more.\n\nThis involves risk. A product line might fizzle. A test-store rollout might go nowhere. A ballyhooed mobile app or in-store technology program might fail to live up to its promise. But this is just part of the cost of admission in retailing today. Ultimately, what matters most is the willingness to keep looking forward so that you can move the needle in the direction of the next big idea. This does not have to mean chasing one tech trend du jour after another. If your business is not particular visual in nature, forget about the Pinterest page. The focus should be on how individual technologies and services can bolster and fit into the overall mission. Where does the company need to be in the marketplace? Who does it most want to serve? What do these customers want, and how can you meet or exceed their expectations?\n\nStaying the same is easy. Innovating is hard. But by being honest and realistic about the limits of the brand and the actual capabilities of the company, it is possible to stay on the leading edge. Otherwise you fall prey to inertia, which is no option at all.\n\nRead more: <a href=\"http://chainstoreage.com/article/staying-same-not-option\" target=\"_blank\">http://chainstoreage.com/article/staying-same-not-option</a>', 'Staying the Same is not an Option', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1878-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1878, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1878-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3063, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p>Compared to a decade ago, when most retailers still were emulating the national brands, the strategy behind the creation of store brands has changed dramatically, according to George Miketa, executive vice president, sales for Minneapolis-based Snacks Holdings Co. In a May 1 panel discussion (moderated by Progressive Grocer’s Store Brands’ publisher, Steven Lichtenstein) at the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) 2012 Private Brands Summit, held in conjunction with the FMI Show in Dallas, he said retailers now are looking for differentiation to create loyalty.\r\n“Private brands are no longer the low-cost solution at the shelf,” added panelist Laura Sturdevant, director, product development – private brands for the Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreen Co. “You’re going to hear about differentiation a lot today; that’s what every retailer wants.”\r\n\r\nBut the differentiation so many retailers desire calls for a much more strategic — and collaborative — approach to product development, as well as to branding and design, said panelist Todd Maute, partner at CBX, New York. The products must connect emotionally with consumers if they are to be a success, he added, noting that CBX is starting to see retailers and manufacturers looking at packaging innovations as another way to differentiate.\r\n\r\nAnd collaboration for private brand differentiation really starts with a commitment to co-creation by all parties involved, Miketa said.\r\n\r\n“Why not get the retailer involved from the start?” he suggested.\r\n\r\nFor its part, Walgreens now relies on external partners and agencies to get critical insights related to consumer wants and needs, Sturdevant said. Such insights will be even more important for differentiation going forward.\r\n\r\n“We want to be pushed; we want to be pulled at the same time,” she said.\r\n\r\nCollaboration between the retailer, the manufacturer and the branding/design firm during the product development and launch process is important, but Maute noted that the work doesn’t end at launch. A collaborative approach also can involve all the parties in the development of merchandising and marketing strategies — and evaluation of the results.\r\n\r\nUltimately, collaboration in the name of store brand differentiation works best when every person’s role and responsibilities are well-defined, Maute noted.\r\n\r\nAnd clear communication is critical.\r\n\r\n“It all starts with communication,” Miketa stressed.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.plstorebrands.com/top-story-store_brand_differentiation_calls_for_collaborative_approach-1512.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.plstorebrands.com/top-story-store_brand_differentiation_calls_for_collaborative_approach-1512.html\r\n</a>', 'Store Brand Differentiation Calls for Collaborative Approach', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1681-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1681, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1681-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3064, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Todd_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Todd_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Todd_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1074\" /></a>By Todd Maute:\r\nHere’s a sad but true statistic: As many as 95% of new products introduced each year are financial failures, according to AcuPoll. It’s not surprising. Most companies tend to equate “product development” with things that are really line extensions, in which a brand adds a new flavor or ingredient and calls it new. But “orange juice with mango” isn’t really an innovation; it’s more of a new product for new product’s sake. True innovation is about leveraging your brand in a multitude of ways, by understanding the behavioral needs of your consumers.\r\n\r\nIn recent years, technology brands have led when it comes to innovation, with the amount of new products and services coming at breakneck speed. Apple changed the world with the iPod, a product that people didn’t even know they needed – but soon the brand had carved out an entirely new category around those little white music players. National brands have definitely learned a thing or two from Apple and created products that are true innovations, not just line extensions. Coca-Cola’s Fridge Pack filled an unmet need by revolutionizing the package and beverage categories by introducing a longer, narrower package for its 12-pack soft drink cans that dispenses easily and stores smaller in the refrigerator. Scotts “Tube-Free” Toilet Paper was “a-ha!” innovation moment that spoke to consumers who wanted to do something good for the environment.\r\n\r\n<strong>Private Label Innovation</strong>\r\nBut while national brands typically led the innovation game in grocery, it actually seems that the most interesting kind of innovation is coming out of the private label world. Historically, private label brands have ridden on the coattails of national brands – first as followers, and more recently as “fast followers.” But smart retailers like Duane Reade, Safeway and Walgreens are leveraging brand development, their retail spaces, and technology when it comes to innovation, and shifting the focus away from products. Here are some recent examples of successful brand innovation that come to mind:\r\n\r\nDuane Reade played into the behavioral insights and learnings from their NYC consumers and created a “New York living made easy” positioning that spoke to its heritage as New York’s drug store chain. They developed new brands that played into this positioning, including a premium private label program, Delish, never before sold in this kind of retail space, and then made their stores destinations by giving customers “Uniquely New York” experiences. These included novel innovations like a growler bar, Brew York City, that offers dozens of kinds of beers, an “upmarket: CHOP” salad café, and a self-serve frozen yogurt bar called Fro-Yo. These scalable innovations were all grounded in strong insights and a solid understanding of Duane Reade’s New York consumers.\r\nSafeway reinvented its stores based on lifestyle, launching a new “Ingredients for Life” positioning. Their private label lines – “Eating Right,” “Open Table” and “O Organics,” were developed under this positioning, and were distinguished by design, marketing, as well as product offering. (For example, one of the store’s recent innovations, Safeway Select Grilling Sauce, comes in a spray bottle so you aren’t continually dipping your raw-chicken covered basting brush back inside a jar.)\r\nPhoto development, once a big money maker for drug stores, suffered greatly with the advent of digital photography and smart phone cameras. Walgreens tapped into this opportunity and met the needs of consumers by creating an innovative app that lets people download smartphone photos and then automatically send them to local Walgreens’ stores for printing.\r\nThe success surrounding these innovations can largely be attributed to these retailers knowing their customer and their market. To pinpoint what was missing from their current offerings and set their brands apart, they stepped back and looked at three key things:\r\n\r\n1. Brand \r\na. Look at your brands and how they relate to business goals. Ask yourself, “How can an innovation strategy help you achieve your goals?”\r\nb. Look at your business and innovate to your strengths, e.g. Duane Reade “NY Living Made Easy.”\r\n\r\n2. Culture\r\na. Understand the cultural milieu, in terms of how people are spending and what products they are buying. \r\nb. Send the innovation message throughout the organization. This is not just about products – it can be merchandising, store experience, services or technology-based innovation.\r\n\r\n3. People \r\na. Get in touch with consumer behavior – know what motivations, needs, and wants they have – and develop simple solutions to drive differentiation. \r\nb. Hire the right people that will help you think and act differently.\r\nInnovation is a process and a way of thinking. Look at innovation more broadly and you will help minimize the space planning game and drive meaningful points-of-difference. Retailers have a captive audience and deep relationship with their customers, and are in a perfect position to leverage their knowledge. Using product, services, retail experiences, and/or great design will help you differentiate your brand and help build undying consumer loyalty.</p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.plstorebrands.com/plmag-article-store_brands__taking_product_beyond_the_shelf-3290.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.plstorebrands.com/plmag-article-store_brands__taking_product_beyond_the_shelf-3290.html\r\n</a>', 'Store Brands: Taking Product Beyond the Shelf', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1651-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1651, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1651-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3065, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<strong>Convenience Store News cites CBX’s foodie-friendly design for Wawa’s new Florida stores, along with chain’s social media strategy, mobile app and strong focus on customers.</strong></br>\n\nThanks in part to a new store prototype created by New York-based brand agency and retail design firm CBX, Wawa was named Convenience Store News magazine’s “Innovator of the Year.”\n\n“Always one of the leading innovators in the c-store industry, Wawa in the past year seems to be taking convenience retailing to a new level,” the magazine wrote in its October cover story. “With its successful entry into Florida, innovative use of social media, a mobile app initiative and continued focus on the consumer, Wawa has been selected by the editors of CSNews as the 2013 Retailer Innovator of the Year.”\n\nIn describing the Pennsylvania-based chain’s rapid rollout in the Florida market, the magazine noted: “To make this great first impression, Wawa needed to do more than just transplant its Mid-Atlantic store model to the South…To introduce itself to customers in central Florida, Wawa worked with store design firm CBX to unveil the retailer\'s first major new store concept since the late 1990s. The new design uses ‘fresh’ decorating cues such as natural materials, floor to ceiling glass windows, warm colors, an outdoor seating area and a redesigned, highly visible kitchen/sandwich-making area.”\n\nThe article goes on to quote Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens on the integral role the design played in capturing the imagination of Sunshine State shoppers. (This work also previously earned CBX an Honorable Mention in the magazine’s 2013 Retail Design Awards.)  “We felt we needed a fresh design, driven by the psychology of the Florida customer,” explained Gheysens.  “The new store design has really informed the majority of people who didn’t previously know Wawa and what the brand stands for: fresh, great-quality food and beverages, and convenience…When you walk into the store, you see people making food, as well as digital signs romancing the offer. There’s no mistaking that we are in the fresh food and fresh beverage business.”\n\nVeteran c-store designer Joseph Bona, President of Branded Environments at CBX, added: “With its signature coffee bar, open kitchen, fresh-baked goods and other distinguishing characteristics, Wawa needed to makes sure Floridians understood this new entry was a cut above other convenience stores. People tend to think of any building with gas pumps as a run-of-the-mill convenience store, but we were intent on making sure Wawa’s brand did not fall victim to this ‘gas penalty.’ We’re delighted that customers and peers are giving Wawa’s design rave reviews.”\n\nWith more than 600 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, Wawa has rolled out 25 stores in Florida since entering the state in July 2012. Demand at many of these locations was so great that staff had to be beefed up and kitchen and stockroom areas expanded, the magazine notes.\n\nAs noted, among other things, Convenience Store News also lauded the chain for its innovative use of social media, a mobile app initiative and continued focus on the consumer. Those endeavors have helped Wawa’s Facebook page accumulate more than 1 million “likes.”\n\n&nbsp;', 'Store Design by CBX Helps Wawa Take \"Retail Innovator of the Year\"', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1868-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1868, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1868-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3066, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - November 22, 2010) - CBX, a strategic branding and retail design consultancy based in New York today announced that the second of the locations it designed for Freson Market Ltd., received a major award from the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) during its annual Grocery Innovations Canada tradeshow held in Toronto. Freson\'s Manning store in Alberta earned the 2010 Gold Medal Award in the Small Surface Category (stores under 15,000 square feet) in CFIG\'s Independent Grocer of the Year Competition.<p><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/nov2010_1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/nov2010_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"nov2010_1\" width=\"826\" height=\"242\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-694\" /></a>\r\n\"This latest award confirms my belief that we are building Canada\'s best small store format,\" noted Doug Lovsin, Freson Market\'s vice president of operations. Last year, CFIG honored Freson\'s Valley View store with a Silver Medal Award in the same category.\r\n\r\nFreson\'s 12,165-square-foot Manning store underwent an expansion and renovation that was completed in October 2008. The project was based on an old-world inspired prototype design created by CBX that updated the store\'s interior, exterior, graphics and departmental layout. The supermarket chain is now in the process of rolling out its new look to the 15 locations it operates throughout Alberta. Founded in 1955, the Peace River-based, family-owned company is known for good value, customer service and community involvement.\r\n\r\nThough located mainly in rural Alberta towns, Freson stores are increasingly facing competition from larger chains and multi-nationals, explained Joseph Bona, president of CBX\'s retail division. \"But from a strategic standpoint, none of Freson\'s competitors could touch the Lovsin family\'s history in the markets they serve,\" he said. \"That became a significant point of differentiation we sought to highlight in the design. What\'s interesting is that founder Frank Lovsin actually worked in many of the Freson stores, establishing a personal relationship with community members and knowing many of his customers on a first-name basis. Our objective was to capitalize on that heritage by making sure customers could sense the family\'s presence in their local store. This prestigious award, which examined all phases of the Manning store\'s operations, underscores Freson\'s strong connection with its customers.\" Bona added: \"It\'s great to have our client\'s operation recognized. Both our Minneapolis branding team and New York store design team were delighted to hear that the project they collaborated on for the Lovsin family was honored with this award.\"\r\n\r\nThe award for Freson\'s Manning store was presented on October 26 in front of an audience of more than 500 grocery industry professionals. The Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year is CFIG\'s most prestigious award. From coast-to-coast, Canadian independent grocers vie for this title in the Large, Medium, Small Surface and Specialty categories, with awards presented in the Gold, Silver and Bronze levels. Each of the competing stores is visited personally by a respected retail management expert, who evaluates the locations based on retailing excellence and innovation, store team performance, customer service, space usage, freshness and cleanliness. Once regional finalists are determined, the stores with the most points are audited once again and finalists go on to compete at the national level.</p>\r\n\r\n', 'Store Designed by CBX for Freson Market Ltd. Wins 2010 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Award', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1607-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1607, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1607-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3067, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'In today’s digitally inclined and rapidly changing shopping landscape, strong brands can help pet retailers come to terms with the increasingly purpose- and values-driven mindset of the consumer. Simply put, today’s consumers have shifted from buying brands to “buying into” them. Now more than ever, brands represent users’ values, beliefs and points of view. Because of this, both private-label and mainline brands need to think more about the types of conversations they can initiate with consumers.\r\nStrong brands can even help retailers adapt to the forces of disruption that are reshaping retail, from the rise of the millennials, to the growing popularity of Amazon Alexa. In the pet category, the potential rewards for getting this right are high indeed: According to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association, 68 percent of U.S. households now own pets, and Americans spent nearly $69.4 billion on pet products in 2017. To win market share, retailers need highly targeted strategies. Here are some key considerations:\r\n\r\n<strong>Demographics</strong>\r\nMillennials are the country’s largest living generation. In 2016, there were an estimated 79.8 million millennials compared with 74.1 million baby boomers. While they dominate the population, millennials are having the hardest time economically, with 36 percent saying they have difficulty affording groceries. Those aging baby boomers, meanwhile, still wield a lot of spending power even as the rest of the population continues to gray (98.2 million people will be over 65 years old by 2050). Older consumers strive to be frugal, especially on commoditized essentials. Lastly, the middle class continues to shrink: According to Pew Research, half of U.S. adults belong to middle-income households, as opposed to 61 percent back in 1970. All of this points to one thing: value will continue to matter.\r\n\r\n<strong>Tech Innovation</strong>\r\nTechnology is transforming retail. Americans are not only going online more often, but more of them are also buying online on a weekly basis. According to industry research, mobile payments for online goods and services will grow over the next five years from an estimated 453 million global users in 2014 to nearly 2.1 billion users in 2019. Meanwhile, researchers estimate that 22.5 million connected products will be in American homes by 2020, with Amazon Alexa’s sales rising to 11 million units sold over just the last year. Pet products are ideal for automatic online renewal. How will your brand look on an iPhone X? And what kind of personalized and connected cross-channel experiences are you offering?\r\n\r\n<strong>Informed Consumers</strong>\r\nIncreasingly, we see consumers looking to online articles, reviews, forums and even the Amazon comments section to learn about and discuss products and services. As part of this, they want to know about a brand’s values. Packaging for Open Farm, a family-run pet food business based in Toronto, includes barcodes that let shoppers see sources right down to specific farms. This reinforces the attribute of being ethically conscious. Highlighting your corporate responsibility is always a good idea, as cause-oriented brands like Warby Parker and REI have learned.\r\n\r\n<strong>Packaging</strong>\r\nPackaging is a key communication channel across retail, but especially in pets. Walk the aisles of any major pet retailer today and it is easy to see how advanced packaging has become. Pet food is now a complex category, with products based on life stage, gluten-free, grain-free, made in the USA and more. Strong packaging also clearly establishes tiers such as value, premium or super-premium. Brands need great packaging quality and clarity.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, the term experiential retail is all the rage. Shopping for, buying and using products amounts to an experience for consumers. Carefully target your consumer, provide great packaging with a strong message and merge your strategy with evolving trends. These steps will encourage shoppers to identify with your store’s brands, develop strong loyalty and keep coming back for more.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"https://www.petage.com/strong-brands-help-retailers-adapt-to-change/\">Pet Age</a>', 'Strong Brands Help Retailers Adapt to Change', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2307-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2307, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2307-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3068, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2291-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2291, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2291-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3069, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p>New York, NY – April 6, 2009 – As consumers strive to add fruits and vegetables into their diets, Del Monte brand\'s introduction of Del Monte® Citrus Bowls makes it easier for them to do so. Del Monte refrigerated produce takes the guesswork out of shopping for fruit by providing consumers with a product that is packaged at the peak of ripeness and stripped of skin, seeds and cores — making it more convenient than ever for them to eat the fruits they love. This new offering of refrigerated citrus fruit is pre-packaged in clear, plastic bowls with a paperboard sleeve and sold in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket.\r\nCBX, the strategic branding consultancy, was identified to create this new product’s identity and packaging design. The key to success was positioning it for retail in the produce section, an area known for high-growth, high-margin products. \"Consumers are accustomed to finding Del Monte brand products in the center isles of stores where there are lower margins. We wanted to help Del Monte grow their brand within the value-added produce section located around the perimeter of the store where consumers look for healthy, new items,\" says Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer, CBX.\r\n\r\nWith an emphasis on simplicity, the CBX design team knew they needed to use the package as a window for consumers to see the fruit within. A paperboard sleeve surrounding the 20-ounce plastic bowl provides the background for minimal, elegant graphics. The image of fruit on a fork stands out prominently on the white background as does the black, free-style typography that clearly communicates the contents inside the bowl. This simple design, along with the message, \"ready to enjoy,\" and the trusted, iconic Del Monte brandmark completes the design.\r\n\r\n\"This light, vibrant package design was vital for Del Monte brand\'s success in the produce section, which is like a country market — a place that\'s full of life. It\'s vibrant, colorful and full of enticing aromas. It\'s a place where consumers linger and explore,\" adds Barrack.\r\n\r\n\"The brand proposition is successfully expressed through our packaging and has provided us with great visibility on-shelf in this growing category,\" says Bonnie McFarland, Director Graphic Design & Packaging, Del Monte Foods.\r\n\r\nPlans call for other citrus varieties to roll out this year.</p>\r\n', 'Take the guesswork out of buying fruit with Del Monte® Citrus Bowls', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1637-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1637, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1637-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3070, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'By Todd Maute\r\nCommitment can be a sticking point when it comes to retailers and their private label brands. After all, making a serious commitment usually requires a willingness to sacrifice and take risks—and that can be scary.\r\n\r\nTrue commitment also needs to be multidimensional. In retail, this involves fully supporting the brand, not just at shelf, but also within the broader context of the store and through the full gamut of available advertising, marketing and branding channels. Yes, the shelf is (and will continue to be) extremely important. But if merchandise amounts to, say, 80 percent of what consumers see in the store, what about the other 20 percent of that multi-sensorial customer experience? If a retailer has a clearly tepid commitment to their private label, it is hard for consumers to be passionate about the products. What has the retailer done with its signage, décor, graphics, color schemes or even olfactory environment to reinforce its private label brands? How many touch points inside or outside the store offer cues that reinforce the carefully selected attributes of that private label line?\r\n\r\nWhen retailers do take the plunge and fully commit their resources to a portfolio of private label brands, they are often surprised by the way this “multiplier effect” yields a host of benefits. From a branding standpoint, they often discover that it is much easier to tell a consistent story if you commit to presenting your private label narrative in the store, in your circulars, online and at shelf. They also find that “owning” particular categories can become quite doable—and profitable—whenever you fully commit. To be sure, this is easier for private label–dominant retailers like Trader Joe’s, ALDI or Body Shop, all of which see their stores as blank canvases for their private label merchandising and branding strategies. Unlike typical mass-market grocers—where private label accounts for just 10 percent or so of the 40,000 SKUs—these chains are never forced to make tough choices about whether to commit square footage to a national brand in exchange for cash.\r\n\r\nNonetheless, plenty of retailers have managed to make strong commitments to private label even as they carry lots of national brands. The Home Depot, for one, puts heavy emphasis on the Behr portfolio, its exclusive private label paint partner, while also selling a whole host of name brand options. The Home Depot supports Behr by spending money on sumptuous, visually engaging advertisements that, in in turn drives traffic to the store. Stroll into the paint department at The Home Depot, and it is clear that Behr owns the category. This took commitment. National brands would pay good money for the perks now enjoyed by Behr, but The Home Depot continues to be faithful to its private label partner. There is even a mobile app geared toward fans of Behr paints. Along the same lines, Ace Hardware was committed enough to its Clark &amp; Kensington paint brand that it redesigned certain stores to better show off the line.\r\n\r\nThese approaches are about investing in product innovation and understanding the broader context in which the private label brand lives, not just the appearance at shelf. To that end, it is important to think about how people actually shop the store. The centrality of the paint department at The Home Depot is no accident—it is meant to be a visual showpiece with bright colors and an interactive paint-mixing counter.\r\n\r\nEven smaller gifts to the brand can yield dividends. That could mean putting more thought and creativity into end cap presentations (glance at the end caps at Trader Joe’s and you might just see some of the same products featured in the chain’s latest Fearless Flyer) or making sure your product demonstrations are a rich, brand-reinforcing experience (Costco’s Kirkland Signature line is a case in point).\r\n\r\nBut these connections can be subtle, too. If a national grocery chain were to launch a new line of natural products geared toward Baby Boomers, it could certainly take a traditional approach by mailing out coupons. A more subtle alternative, however, would be to produce a health-oriented magazine that happens to reinforce the brand attributes of that line, perhaps with no more than a tasteful mention or two of the new products. This would be a long-term strategy—again, a reflection of commitment to concept.\r\n\r\nThe point is to think in terms of touch points, which extend from the circular at the kitchen table, to the in-store experience, to the point of purchase, and even to the sight of the store in the rearview mirror. At Fairway Markets, the multiplicity of experiences creates positive private label brand associations almost through sheer osmosis. Fairway takes pride in carrying or importing new and delicious foods. It bills itself as “the only market to roast hand-selected coffee beans of the highest quality on premises” and boasts of “a selection that all other grocery stores are absolutely envious of.” Hyperbolic? Maybe. But there is theater in this, too. The unspoken message is that, if you find a product in Fairway, it is likely to be worthwhile. This gives Fairway’s private label brands a head start when it comes to winning credibility with consumers.\r\n\r\nSo retailers, you need to think about the importance of commitment and avoid being myopic and overly focused on the package at shelf. Context counts. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge.\r\n\r\nRead the full article <a href=\"http://www.privatelabelbuyer.com/articles/87922-take-the-plunge-fully-commit-to-private-brands-and-reap-the-benefits\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'Take the Plunge: Fully Commit to Private Brands and Reap the Benefits', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2030-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 2030, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2030-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3071, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/redesignedSpreaderPackaging.jpg.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/redesignedSpreaderPackaging.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"redesignedSpreaderPackaging.jpg\" width=\"449\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4793\" /></a>\r\nThe Scotts Snap Spreader System debuts with packaging designed to take the guesswork out of lawn care. The product line includes a spreader and specially formulated products for specific lawn care needs, such as controlling weeds, killing insects and fertilizing.\r\n\r\nTo help consumers easily identify which product is the best fit for their lawn care needs. “The visual design needed to communicate that this is an integrated lawn care system with key features and benefits – essentially that a beautiful lawn is just a Snap away,” says Rick Barrack, chief creative officer, CBX. The Scotts Company collaborated with CBX, a brand agency based in New York City. CBX was also part of a team of agencies that worked with The Scotts Company on the Snap name.\r\n\r\nOnce the product name was confirmed, the CBX design team brought it to life with an approachable, contemporary typeface for the Snap logo and then locked it up with the brand logo. Aspirational graphics were developed and bright colors used on each Snap Pac, including a blue sky on the upper half of the bag and vibrant green grass imagery on the lower half to showcase the end benefit. A three-step instructional inset of Snap, Lock and Go illustrates how simple it is for homeowner’s to use the lawn care system. Finally, the close-up circle device depicts the solution to lawn care with the background grass and blue sky representing the end benefit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/teachings-on-the-green#.UAcXdHAxEgs\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/teachings-on-the-green#.UAcXdHAxEgs</a></p>', 'Teachings on the Green', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1676-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1676, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1676-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3072, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer and Founder of CBX, has over ten years experience working in the creative industry. In this article, he describes the ten lessons he has learned over ten years in design.I have two young daughters, and every year at their birthday parties, as they lean in to blow out the candles on their cakes, I find myself reflecting back on every single year of their lives. So you might imagine that I’m also feeling sentimental about the tenth anniversary of CBX, the brand agency I helped found with some colleagues back in 2003.\nI’ve seen a lot of changes in the branding game over the course of a decade, and I’ve seen even more changes within our own company. My staff, my clients and my fellow partners have all taught me valuable lessons – at least one per year for the last ten years. And let me tell you: They’re not at all what you’d expect. Along the way, we’ve made Fem Care cool, drug stores chic and learned the hard way to “Keep it simple, stupid” (what I say to myself, not to my staff).\nSo here are some of the most significant things I’ve learned, in no particular order:</br>\n<strong>1. Black is the new black.</strong>\nIn 2009, CBX was asked to help position Kimberly-Clark’s U by Kotex* brand for Millennials, an audience who previously hadn’t given Kotex the time of day. After research proved that this audience wanted products that reflected who they really are (not just their mother’s daughters), we made a bold decision to use black packaging – the polar opposite of the whites and pastels used by other brands – in our packaging. The boxes popped off the shelf and had real attitude, and as a result, U by Kotex* shook up the category and created a new paradigm in feminine care.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7268\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"431\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>2. Design can feel good.</strong>\nWe all know that design can look good – but it can also feel good, which I learned when CBX create a strategy and retail presence for Fare &amp; Square, a supermarket in Chester, PA, for non-profit organization Philabundance. Located in a Delaware Valley “food dessert,” Fare &amp; Square helps the residents of Chester – which has been without a grocery store since 2001 – gain convenient access to “good food right around the corner,” including fresh produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and frozen foods. We helped establish a warm look and feel for this prototype store, and it felt damn good to be involved in such a kick-a&amp;* project.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7269\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>3. You can improve upon a classic.</strong>\nIf you told me when I was 25 that I’d be working with M&amp;M/Mars one day, I would’ve said, “Come on.” Helping iconic brands stand the test of time and continue to attract new audiences is my passion. Our packaging for M&amp;Ms put a fresh spin on a beloved classic. By playing into the Pavlovian reaction that customers have when they hear the product being poured into a bowl, we’ve featured a bowl full of M&amp;Ms right on pack. Our seasonal designs also personified the candies in a way that had applications across various holidays, including Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7270\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"471\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>4. Pets are people, too.</strong>\nOne of the categories that’s seen the most growth since CBX’s inception is the pet food category. Our packaging design for Milo’s Kitchen, a new brand in the “real meat treat” category for dogs, was built around the idea that dog owners treat their pets as members of their family, and as such, want to give them the kind of food they themselves eat. The final brand name and packaging graphics highlight the connection between human beings and their dogs, one that I totally relate to now that we’ve added a dog into our family mix.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7271\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_5\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"478\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>5. Beverage tastes come and go, and go, and go.</strong>\nOur clients are always telling us that our people are what make CBX so special, and why they come back to us again and again. We’ve been lucky enough to work with Snapple continually since our inception, and have seen the brand go from beverage leader during the ice tea boom days to a brand moving into new territory such as bottled water. From redesigning a new Snapple iced tea to Snap2O, we’re happy to ride the kooky refreshment wave with Snapple, no matter what is going on in the industry.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7272\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_6\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"459\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>6. Drug stores can be chic.</strong>\nChic, you say? Yes, chic – and cool, too. We helped NYC’s biggest drug store chain stave off the competition and bring its new positioning, New York Living Made Easy, to life by rolling out new and innovative designs for more than 250 stores; creating five private label brands with a distinctly New York sensibility; and developing unique marketing collateral like The Duane Reader. Products ranging from coffee to nuts got a dose of New York iconography and branding on their package. We also created my personal favorite, Brew York City – a growler bar where customers can fill growlers with dozens of different beers.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7273\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_7\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" />\n</br>\n<strong>7. Private label design is the new luxury.</strong>\nIt takes a lot to surprise me – but perhaps the biggest surprise I’ve had in the last ten years is the way that the private label category has stepped up its branding and design, giving national brands a reason to shake in their boots. It’s been an honor and a privilege to create amazing work for Duane Reade, Walgreens, Giant Eagle, and KMart. By seizing the day and recognizing what it takes to stand out in the drug store aisle (smart strategy, kick ass design), these private label brands have reinvented the way we think about the category.</br>\n<strong>8. Less is more.</strong>\nThere is a saying, “Keep it simple, stupid,” that gained popularity in the 1960’s, and I must think about that saying on a daily basis. Brands like Apple and Target have always recognized that it’s better to create a clear, concise message and design with a lot of white space than the bog down packaging with text and overwrought design. Fortunately, in the past ten years since CBX was created, a lot of brands have jumped on the KISS bandwagon, and I believe this is for the better. We’ve incorporated “KISS” into our work for so many of our clients, namely Walgreens Nice!, Milo’s Kitchen, Pillsbury Simply and Miracle-Gro Culinary Herb Garden, all of which utilize considerable white space, bold photography and clear messaging to make the product the star.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7274\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_8\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"418\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>9. Condom packaging can be hot (outside the bedroom).</strong>\nI could make some lewd jokes about our work for LifeStyles condoms, but the truth is, it’s one of the projects that makes me feel incredibly proud. Like our work for U by Kotex*, Lifestyles presented an opportunity to speak to a new audience through a bold new look, naming convention and package design. By highlighting the “Y” in some of the sub-brand names – Kyng, Wyld, Thryll – (for Y chromosome), communicating the brand’s sensorial promise, and switching to all-vertical packaging that maximized shelf space, we were able to help alter the LifeStyles brand perception and its place in the market. And there’s nothing hotter than that.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7275\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_9\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"354\" /></br>\n</br>\n<strong>10. Politics are anything but boring.</strong>\nLook, I’m not really a political guy. But I AM a design guy, which is why I sit up and take notice during election years – of the party logos, that is. In 2010, after the Democratic and Republican parties unveiled boring new logos, my team and I took a stab at redesigning them, as well as one for the Tea Party (which still had credibility at the time). Posted on the FastCoDesign blog, our designs generated a good amount of debate, proving my belief that controversy is not just a stage for politicians. Design can create debate too.</br>\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7276\" title=\"11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_10\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11_15_13_OpinionSeries_RickBarrack_10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"410\" /></br>\n</br>\nSo there you go – my top ten lessons from the past ten years. Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me in honor of CBX’s 10th anniversary. The truth is, there are dozens of invaluable lessons I’ve learned, and each one is more inspiring than the next. Now bring on the next ten!</br>\n</br>\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/11/19/ten-years-ten-lessons-in-design.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/11/19/ten-years-ten-lessons-in-design.html</a>', 'Ten Years, Ten Lessons in Design', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1888-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1888, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1888-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3073, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', 'The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a leading organic and natural products company providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life, today announced a packaging refresh for its TERRA brand root vegetable chips. The new look, designed by brand agency CBX, puts a modern spin on the brand\'s classic black bag with dramatic food photography and a crisp architectural structure. Beyond the stylistic changes, the package refresh also highlights the real root vegetables in each blend through the use of icons at the bottom of every bag.\r\nFor more than two decades, TERRA snacks have provided consumers with delicious vegetable chips made from a diverse set of root vegetables -- including taro, kabocha squash, parsnip and beets -- in a variety of vibrant colors and sophisticated blends. The new packaging gives consumers a more distinctive view of the vegetable experience that awaits them inside.\r\n\r\n\"The root vegetables that go into TERRA set it apart from ordinary chips,\" said Sam Garfinkel, Sr. Brand Manager of TERRA Chips. \"Our packaging refresh puts these vegetables center stage on every bag to remind consumers of the unique taste experience.\"\r\n\r\nIn January 2014, TERRA introduced two new flavors to its roster of global taste combinations: Tropical Blend and Exotic Potato Blend. TERRA Tropical Blend adds sweet coconut and plantain to a mix of taro, sweet potato and batata for a touch of Caribbean flavor in every bag. TERRA Exotic Potato Blend includes an eclectic blend of sweet potato, yukon gold and blue potato chips for a combination unlike any other.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140304-908603.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140304-908603.html</a>', 'TERRA Chips Introduces New Look', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1954-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '2018-09-27 17:58:48', '', 1954, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1954-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3074, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>New Packaging Design to Spotlight Unique Root Vegetables in Every Bag </strong>\r\nThe Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a leading organic and natural products company providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life™, today announced a packaging refresh for its TERRA® brand root vegetable chips. The new look, designed by brand agency CBX, puts a modern spin on the brand’s classic black bag with dramatic food photography and a crisp architectural structure. Beyond the stylistic changes, the package refresh also highlights the real root vegetables in each blend through the use of icons at the bottom of every bag.\r\n\r\nFor more than two decades, TERRA® snacks have provided consumers with delicious vegetable chips made from a diverse set of root vegetables – including taro, kabocha\r\n\r\nsquash, parsnip and beets – in a variety of vibrant colors and sophisticated blends. The new packaging gives consumers a more distinctive view of the vegetable experience that awaits them inside.\r\n\r\n“The root vegetables that go into TERRA® set it apart from ordinary chips,” said Sam Garfinkel, Sr. Brand Manager of TERRA Chips. “Our packaging refresh puts these vegetables center stage on every bag to remind consumers of the unique taste experience.”\r\n\r\nIn January 2014, TERRA® introduced two new flavors to its roster of global taste combinations: Tropical Blend and Exotic Potato Blend. TERRA® Tropical Blend adds sweet coconut and plantain to a mix of taro, sweet potato and batata for a touch of Caribbean flavor in every bag. TERRA® Exotic Potato Blend includes an eclectic blend of sweet potato, yukon gold and blue potato chips for a combination unlike any other.\r\n\r\n<strong>As seen in:</strong>\r\n<a href=\"http://finance.yahoo.com/news/terra-chips-introduces-look-iconic-145500320.html\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Yahoo Finance</em></a>\r\n<a href=\"http://fandbnews.com/terra-chips-introduces-new-look-for-its-iconic-black-bag/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Food and Beverage News</em></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'TERRA Chips Introduces New Look For Its Iconic Black Bag', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1958-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1958, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1958-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3075, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>HOW TO MAKE RETAIL EXCITING AGAIN</strong>\r\nBY: STEPHANIE SCHOMER\r\n\r\nRick Barrack is the chief creative officer at branding firm CBX, which recently helped Duane Reade do the impossible: execute a redesign to become cool (at least, as much as any drugstore can be cool).\r\n\r\n\"The dynamics of e-commerce, as it has evolved, created a new shopping behavior. People demand more information. And now, outside of e-commerce, we have to provide that as well,\" Barrack says. \"... E-commerce has provided exclusivity, and people want that in retail stores. Duane Reade narrowed offerings to make it feel more relevant--and exclusive--to New Yorkers: At the Wall Street location, the sushi bar is called Up Market and there\'s a stock ticker; in Williamsburg, there\'s a growler bar. It\'s telling the consumer, We understand the way you live, where you live, and what you need from us.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2012/rick-barrack#interactive\" target=\"_blank\">Click here</a> to read the conversation about making retail exciting again between Barrack and Story founder Rachel Shechtman, No. 80 on our Most Creative People list.\r\n\r\nTIMELINE\r\n1973\r\nAttends his first Indianapolis 500; hasn’t missed one since in 39 years\r\n\r\n1987\r\nPurchases first X-ACTO knife, which has survived for more than 25 years\r\n\r\n1988\r\nSecures first design internship with Connie Birdsall\r\n\r\n2000\r\nGets engaged\r\n\r\n2003\r\nEstablishes CBX with three people; the team has now grown to 140\r\n\r\n2003\r\nWelcomes daughter Lily\r\n\r\n2007\r\nWelcomes daughter Sadie\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2012/rick-barrack\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.fastcompany.com/most-creative-people/2012/rick-barrack\r\n</a>', 'The 100 Most Creative People in Business', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1679-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1679, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1679-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3076, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rick_web1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Rick_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1070\" /></a>By Rick Barrack:\r\nLast month, I attended \"back-to-school night\" at my four-year-old’s preschool, where the teacher spelled out my daughter’s curriculum for the school year. Not only did she inform me that my kid would be learning eight languages plus calculus by the time Christmas rolls around; she also told me that I should not pack her lunch box with cookies, chips, or sugary juice boxes, as that would be a major Montessori faux pas. (Personally, I’m surprised they don’t have an organic chef on staff, given how much I’m dishing out in tuition.)\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://vimeo.com/31017874\" target=\"_blank\"><a href=\'http://vimeo.com/31017874\'>USDA\'s MyPlate Initiative</a>\r\n</a>\r\n\r\nUnsure of how to achieve the optimal nutritional intake for my daughter, I turned to the USDA’s MyPlate well-intentioned initiative designed to (and promoted by Michelle Obama) remind parents of the basics of eating right. Given how much debate there’s been lately about childhood obesity and diabetes, I think there’s no better time to take a good, hard look at kids’ diets. So you can imagine my disappointment when I felt more baffled than ever after having a look at the primary graphic: a circle (presumably a plate) carved up four food groups, which looks to have spawned a smaller circle labeled “Dairy” (presumably a glass of milk). The plate is supposed to be an improvement over the food pyramid, which caught criticism for being too complicated to understand.\r\n\r\nBut as these on-the-street interviews show, MyPlate’s dietary recommendations are still far from self-evident. It does away with the pyramid’s number of servings but doesn’t provide its own details about number and size of recommended portions. With 17% of U.S. children facing obesity, clear dietary guidelines should be available for families looking to make healthful choices. Unfortunately, MyPlate doesn’t measure up.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665239/the-brain-dead-design-behind-the-usdas-new-dietary-chart\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665239/the-brain-dead-design-behind-the-usdas-new-dietary-chart</a>', 'The Brain-Dead Design Behind The USDA’s New Dietary Chart', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1547-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1547, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1547-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3077, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'By Gregg S. Lipman\r\nI asked a contractor doing some work on our house for an estimate. The first pass was a lump sum, and he was reticent to line item it. I explained that I too am in the service business, and that I had no issue with him making a fair profit. I just needed to know what the base cost was, and what premium my wife was adding to the party. I\'m sure my clients sometimes wonder the same. So here are three things to keep in mind when dealing with your agency.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Talk About Value... Even if It\'s Awkward</strong>\r\n\r\nValue is generally understood as the ratio between price and quality. We get it -- in the service business, the value equation is hard to peg. In work for hire, agency models are most often based on time -- the goal is to get the best work in the shortest amount of time. Clients use leverage to minimize cost (and therefore time). But, fact of life, creativity needs time to \"bake\" -- it is an iterative science where mistakes are made (see Creative Inc., Ed Catmull\'s [head of Pixar and Disney\'s] new book about creative management], since the creative idea is not a tangible thing, it is not as efficient as, say, making widgets).\r\n\r\nEven though we all know that value often boils down to dollars, it\'s a known fact: Whether in friendship, marriage or business, money makes things a little more awkward. But while money is necessary to keep companies afloat, at the end of the day, the opportunity to do great work simply jazzes us creative types up. So please, let\'s have a candid conversation. We recently went through an RFP process where the client was moving to an agency relationship (from working with individual freelance vendors), for stability and consistency of high-quality work and service. The budget, however, did not change to address the new strategic partnering objective. Champagne taste: beer pocket, as they say. To be clear, you needn\'t kill a fly with a bazooka either. Define your own expectations, and recognize the market parameters.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Good Partnerships Are Mutually Beneficial</strong>\r\n\r\nIn most healthy relationships, there\'s a fair amount of give and take. Each partner needs to feel like they\'re getting something in return for what they\'re giving. In the service business, however, the requirement is to give before receiving. The truth is, most agency people -- I\'ll speak for CBX -- are like puppy dogs; we want you to love us and give us treats because we want to please you more than anything (it is an emotional business, and trust me, you want it that way). It is amazing what the little things mean, like saying \"thanks for the effort,\" or saying you\'re sorry that the team worked the weekend. Don\'t worry -- you don\'t need to remember birthdays or buy flowers (that\'s our job). Just be aware and respectful and we\'ll bend over backwards for you. Hell, like a well-treated waiter who offers dessert on the house, we\'ll even give you more than you were looking for. After all, there\'s nothing like working for someone who appreciates what you\'re doing. We\'re currently working with a client who was formerly on the agency side. He\'s good enough to verbalize that he is empathetic because he\'s been on our side. He then unapologetically asks for deliverables in unreasonable amounts of time. The thing is, we are more than pleased to deliver as best we can because our client, while demanding, is straight with us. He\'s part of the process, quick to praise and as a result, our relationship is strong.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Trust</strong>\r\n\r\nRespect is something earned everyday. Respect earned over time equals trust. And trust is everything. As an agency guy, I\'m most proud of our long-standing relationships with clients. Nice guys who do mediocre work don\'t last too long. Great work done by jerks is not sustainable either. Truly great firms have a secret sauce -- a magical combination of business-oriented thinking driven through a highly creative environment with delightful white glove service. We strive to be intimate with our clients -- because our relationships are where the value truly lies. Signs of a trusting relationship show that we can anticipate on your behalf, communicate without speaking, motivate teams on all sides, and innovate to further the business without formalities. Added bonus -- trust is wonderful in good times, but its value is clearly felt in the toughest situations.\r\n\r\nThe results of our work together will be judged by the success or failure of your brand and its products. At CBX, we believe that connectivity to the lives of people is what matters most -- it is our mandate. But make no mistake, the metric that underscores these connections is money, and that\'s the truth.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/the-business-of-creativity-partnership_b_5198129.html\" target=\"_blank\">www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/the-business-of-creativity-partnership_b_5198129.html</a>', 'The Business of Creativity: 3 Ways for the Client/Agency Relationship to Work', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1932-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1932, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1932-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3078, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2184-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2184, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2184-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3079, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>How Apple escaped from the doldrums of Sears to create the coolest retail space on planet Earth.</strong>\r\nVirginia’s Tysons Corner Center, opened in 1968, was one of the country’s first shopping malls. But on May 19, 2001, it would notch another first. The line began forming in the predawn hours, as many as 500 people assembling in the darkness. After that number doubled, security guards stood by to keep the crowds from violating the maximum-occupancy laws. In time, the line stretched through the mall itself, doubling back like a serpent and pouring right out onto the sidewalk. “I have lived in this area for 17 years,” said one man. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”\r\n\r\nIndeed, nobody had. “This” was the opening of an Apple Store—the very first one.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/storeandjobs-750x555.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11246 aligncenter\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/storeandjobs-750x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"555\" /></a>\r\n<em>Opened in May of 2001, the first Apple store (top) was the culmination of the vision of Steve Jobs (inset), who’d tapped a number of retail gurus to help plan a signature space that would free Apple from its longstanding problems at the retail level.</em></p>\r\nSeventeen years later, it’s hard to imagine the retail world without these gleaming minimalist boxes of blond wood, brushed steel and astounding revenue. There are now more than 500 Apple Stores in 24 countries—272 of them stateside—and the concept continues to grow and evolve. Apple raised the curtain on its latest prototype in San Francisco in 2016; it’s busy converting the historic Tower Theater in downtown Los Angeles to house another store; and so far this year, it’s opened new retail locations in Austria, Mexico, Japan and Macau, to name just a few.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/performa-sears-500x522-2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11249\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/performa-sears-500x522-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"522\" /></a><em>Prior to 2001, the brand sold its goods in mass retailers like Sears, where the environments hardly conveyed the brand’s personality. </em></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWith at least one Apple Store in every major city, it’s easy to overlook just how radical a development the stores were—and continue to be. At a time when brick-and-mortar retailers are shuttering thousands of stores, Apple locations reportedly draw 1 million customers each day and boast the highest per-square-foot sales of any concept.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/gettyimages-97079465-750x295.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11252\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/gettyimages-97079465-750x295.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"295\" /></a><em>Among the new innovations was the Genius Bar, which offered support after the purchase—a novel idea.</em></p>\r\nThe logical question: how? There are many reasons, but the essential truth of the Apple Store is that it isn’t (nor was ever intended to be) merely a store. As Michael Ventura, CEO and founder of design firm Sub Rosa, observes: “These aren’t retail channels as much as they are brand beacons—places where Apple fans, customers and potential new clientele can come to be immersed in the brand.”\r\n\r\nApple Stores were borne of necessity. For the first half of its existence, Apple sold its wares through the likes of OfficeMax, Circuit City and Sears. But the company hemorrhaged money throughout the 1990s, and one of Steve Jobs’ first tasks on his return as CEO in July 1997 was reporting a $161 million quarterly loss. With help from Gap’s Mickey Drexler (lured to Apple’s board) and merchandising visionary Ron Johnson (hired away from Target), Jobs concluded that Apple products were never going to sell well inside big-box retail stores, where sales staff were undertrained and customers were naturally drawn to cheap PC clones selling one shelf over. The solution was to create its own stores where, he later said, “customers can … learn and experience the things they can actually do with a computer.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/interiorshots-750x965.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11253\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/interiorshots-750x965.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"965\" /></a><em>What makes the Apple Store such a singluar experience? Christina Papale, svp of strategy and director of innovation for CBX, ventures that the stores function as a kind of retail correlate of a church. “It’s a house of worship for the religion of Apple,” she said. “They’re supplying spiritual access to Apple, and they do it in a way that’s akin to great religious brands.” The soaring interior spaces, filled with light and air, are cathedral-like in themselves. The rows of wooden tables function as pews where, instead of praying, visitors interact with Apple products. The central feature of many stores is the run of plate-glass steps. “It’s like a stairway to heaven,” Papale explained. “It’s not on this plane of being. If you can access that spiritually, it becomes a purchase.” </em></p>\r\nTo craft its stores, Apple has worked with a variety of design firms—Gensler, Eight Inc., Foster + Partners, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson—and yet all make use of clean, unobtrusive elements like glass, stone and maple, and all lavish square footage on light and air. But according to Clark Goolsby, CCO of Chase Design Group, the beauty of the store’s design isn’t the aesthetic as such, but the interface it creates. “The store is designed to stay out of the way of the user experience and facilitate interaction with the products,” he says. “This environment is successful because it supports the promise of personal expression.”\r\n\r\nYou can almost see Steve Jobs smiling at that.\r\n\r\nOriginally published by <a href=\"https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-apple-escaped-sears-downward-spiral-to-create-the-coolest-space-in-retail/\">Adweek</a>', 'The Church of the Apple Store', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2310-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2310, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2310-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3080, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>You\'ll never have breakthrough ideas if you\'re living life entirely through a screen. Which is why Rick Barrack, chief creative officer at branding firm CBX, recently dumped 10 pounds of sand on a conference room floor.</strong>\r\nBy Rick Barrack\r\n\r\nRick Barrack, the chief creative officer at the branding firm CBX and the man responsible for Duane Reade\'s successful redesign, believes that a life lived entirely through a screen is one that\'s probably short on genuine creative output. Which is why at CBX, it\'s all about the tactile. The objects around his team, Barrack says, help them dream up new directions and identities for their clients\' products. CBX\'s office, he says, is \"built around the spirit of theatrics\" that has gone as far as filling a room full of sand to re-create the feel of a beach. Here, he shares his creative case for stuff.\r\n\r\n<em>This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Stuff Is The Stuff Of Inspiration</strong>\r\n\r\n\"One of the areas that we find really important, particularly in this day and age of the computer and social media and such, we find it necessary and critical to get back to our roots. What I mean by that is, as a branding agency, our consumers and the audience that we speak to are picking up product and living with brands that are tangible and are not necessarily always viewed through a monitor. We find it really important when being briefed and initiated into a given project to immerse ourselves in what we call \"stuff\"--stuff that inspires us, stuff that motivates us, stuff that provokes thought and interest, and helps us live the brands that we\'re so lucky to initiate with.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Really Live The Brand</strong>\r\n\r\n\"I think living the brand is really important and you can live the brand in many ways. What we really ask people here to do is to immerse themselves in analysis and thought through physical and tangible tools. We\'ve even set the culture up in a manner that manifests that, such as having areas within the company that are more communal, that allow for the collection of material products, analogs, and other things that you would find out in the marketplace off the shelf.\r\n\r\n\"It doesn\'t stop there. It goes as far as having examples and representative materials that would speak to what a given consumer would be experiencing in their lives that would be associated with or adjacent to the product or brand initiative that we\'re engaged in. If we\'re being asked to create a new brand for a liquor product, for example, we would immerse ourselves in products that would be associated with those liquor products, or products that people would experience adjacent to those liquor products. So that\'s things such as glasswear or tobacco products, or things that would be found at a typical bar.\r\n\r\n\"We are pushing out on this idea much further than we ever have before. We are creating not only war rooms but conference rooms that are experiential in everything not just from the work, but the products that are adjacent.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>An Experiential Office Space Is a Creative Office Space</strong>\r\n\r\n\"Our office is built around the spirit of theatrics. Much of the work that we do needs to create or provoke an experience. In our office, we want people to feel from the moment they walk in that they are stepping into an experience. And that experience is one that is comfortable to them, is familiar to them. We have living room space throughout the office--little living rooms that are set up not only for communal ideation but also to provoke free thought. Our furniture themes are very warm and living-room like. Our space is very communal.\r\n\r\n\"We do not have necessarily specific breakout rooms, where ideation needs to happen. Ideation can happen anywhere. I have my own office; I work around a circular dining room table versus a traditional desk. It helps foster the same spirit that the rest of the office provokes: communal conversation, ease and approachability, and the ability to have free thought.\r\n\r\n\"It\'s really important for people, in order to inspire creativity, to have comfort and familiarity. If people are familiar and comfortable in their environment it actually allows for free thought and it allows for people to take a breath and relax and think through things. My office is my comfort zone.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>Get Creative Tools</strong>\r\n\r\n\"I encourage my teams to live the brands that they are working with every day, to use the products that we\'re actually working on, and to shop at the stores where the products are sold that we\'re working on. While I don\'t have a specific recommendation on how to get inspired, I do know what has worked for us: Think freely about how one immerses in problem solving and think about the tools differently.\r\n\r\n\"The analogs can provide greater insight than the actual product. Another good example, for a beverage project that we did here at the office: as opposed to building a conference room and pinning up designs on the wall, we actually created an entire experience within that conference room. We brought in paraphernalia and accessories and tools. We even changed the color of the conference room, painted the conference room, laid sand in the conference room. The product was having fun in the sun, so we brought in things that were about what people have fun with in the sun and what people’s perceptions were. Instead of having an area rug in the conference room, we brought in 10 pounds of sand. It was a nightmare to clean up at the end, but during the process it got people into the mindset immediately.\r\n\r\n\"Find the tools that allow you to get into the mindset of what that brand is about. That’s what my idea of living the brand is: transforming experience.\"\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7891\" title=\"CBX-105\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CBX-1051-1024x682.jpg\" width=\"279\" height=\"185\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1212-MP-InsideTheStudio_7.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7889\" title=\"1212 MP InsideTheStudio_7\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1212-MP-InsideTheStudio_7.jpg\" width=\"279\" height=\"185\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7893\" title=\"3028545-slide-s-2\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/3028545-slide-s-21.jpg\" width=\"279\" height=\"187\" />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7888\" title=\"1212 MP InsideTheStudio_2\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1212-MP-InsideTheStudio_2.jpg\" width=\"279\" height=\"186\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.fastcompany.com/3028545/agendas/the-creative-case-for-stuff\" target=\"_blank\">www.fastcompany.com/3028545/agendas/the-creative-case-for-stuff</a>', 'The Creative Case For Stuff', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1937-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1937, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1937-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3081, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<p>NEW YORK – Before there is a dazzling store, there has to be a magnificent space. Duane Reade had such a space at 40 Wall Street, and it shows in the chain\'s bold new drug store there.\r\nThe fantastic architectural detail at the lower Manhattan skyscraper — including archways, tall windows and David Rockefeller\'s office fireplace — led to a drug store like no other, says Joe Bona, president of the retail division of New York-based CBX, which designed the 22,000-square-foot unit.\r\n\r\nThe fantastic architectural detail at the lower Manhattan skyscraper — including archways, tall windows and David Rockefeller’s office fireplace — led to a drug store like no other, says Joe Bona, president of the retail division of New York-based CBX, which designed the 22,000-square-foot unit.\r\n\r\n“One of the good things about doing work in the city is that every once in a while you come across spaces that are unique,” says Bona.\r\n\r\nThe 72-story financial district building dates to 1930, and it was the tallest in the world before being overtaken by the Chrysler Building while still being recognized as “the crown jewel of Wall Street.” Its dramatic use of space “made the project that much more fun to work on,” Bona says.\r\n\r\nThe former bank space also happened to have about 8,000 square feet more than a typical Duane Reade, affording the chain an opportunity to pioneer offerings such as a sushi bar, juice bar, fresh food section and “Up Market” dining area. While not a sit-down restaurant, Up Market does allow shoppers to “decompress” with a bite to eat, Bona says.\r\n\r\nThe idea of luxuriating with some gourmet food seems natural at a store with double-height ceilings and windows, he adds. “As you get off the escalator you’ve got this high, dramatic ceiling and four or five archways framing the colonnades both sides of the main space, and it’s just very, very dramatic.” CBX filled the archways with white subway tile “that helped bridge old-world style with new age design in a way that felt seamless and purposeful,” says Bona.\r\n\r\nWhile taking advantage of the details, CBX also adapted them for a 21st century drug store where necessary. To create a nail salon, for example, the fireplace’s heavy oak paneling was replaced with white marble around the mantle, to complement white walls. Recessed cove LED lights for a soft purple glow and a coffered ceiling with a modern crystal chandelier were also added.\r\n\r\nThe new look changed what had the feel of a men’s club to something more appropriate for women, Bona notes. “I would have loved to have kept it as it was, because it was a unique office of a famous person. But, in the end, we were able to transform this area into a modern, welcoming space while retaining the visual impact of the fireplace.”\r\n\r\nOn the other side of the mezzanine, three white marble archways were used to form the walls of a hair salon. Two of the archways occupy their original positions; a third, crafted of similar marble, was carefully removed and relocated to the area in its entirety.\r\n\r\nComplementary faux marble panels were added to fill in where needed to vertically extend the archways and complete the visual story.\r\n\r\n“While there aren’t many opportunities to work in spaces like 40 Wall Street, some of the store’s design components, programs and offerings could be rolled out in neighborhood locations where warranted,,” Bona says. As urban as the outlet seems, Bona sees potential for certain of its elements in the suburbs. He views it as “the convenience store for women,” saying features could work at Main and Main.\r\n\r\n“From a design standpoint and also from an offer standpoint, I actually think it’s a perfect model for the industry. It redefines convenience, because it’s a store where you can get soda, beer, snacks and groceries, including fruits, vegetables and salads, and even some meats. Yet, it’s still a pharmacy and it has what women are looking for in a drug store — namely, the beauty component. You put those things together in a nice setting and if it were on every busy corner in the suburbs it would be a hard store to beat. Put gas pumps out front and who knows? I think it would work anywhere. I believe in Duane Reade as an urban retailer, but I think the idea certainly could reshape the chain drug industry.”\r\n\r\nWhile the chain has become known for striking stores, including outlets designed by CBX on Spring Street in Manhattan and in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, Bona says there is a Duane Reade “brand standard” with a strict set of guidelines and rules for a consistent store look and feel.\r\n\r\n“Part of our job is to not get so enamored of the different spaces we’re working with that we’re designing one-off stores. Our job is not to focus on design for the sake of design.” While the design and branding firm has localized outlets with such features as a growler bar in Williamsburg, “by and large what we try and do is maintain the integrity of the brand,” says Bona. A shopper walking into any Duane Reade “should feel almost the same experience,” he explains.\r\n\r\nEven the 40 Wall Street store is divided into color-coded “How I Look,” “How I Feel” and “What I Need Now” sections for beauty, health and convenience products, he notes. ”We use the imagery and graphics in a consistent way no matter what the space.”\r\n\r\nHe credits Duane Reade president Joe Magnacca, who has overseen the chain’s overhaul with such launches as the Look Beauty boutique, with being a major inspiration for the unique offering in the new store.\r\n\r\nCBX’s relationship with Duane Reade started with its work a couple of years back on the chain’s private label packaging design. The line, DR ­Delish, proved so successful that parent company Walgreen Co. adapted it for a chainwide rollout under the Good & ­Delish name. The store brand work led to store design work, resulting in CBX’s design of some 40 units last year. The firm is on track to design a similar number of units this year.\r\n\r\nCBX partner Todd Maute, who directs the firm’s retail and private label business, credits the management of Duane Reade and Walgreens, where Magnacca is president of daily living products and solutions, as being “the most open-minded, quick to execute, and strategic” he has worked with in the industry.\r\n\r\n“It’s unique for a retail organization to define itself based on the marketplace, and act on the dynamics and nuances on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis, as fast as they have,” he says. “Whether it was their private label, or 40 Wall Street, they pushed the envelope, made decisions and executed flawlessly. This store was designed in record time. From concept to completion, the process — including the creation and trademarking of logos and brands and the retrofitting of an extra-large space — took six months. It was a great experience.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.chaindrugreview.com/inside-this-issue/news/08-29-2011/the-designers-who-helped-duane-reade-create-a-hit\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.chaindrugreview.com/inside-this-issue/news/08-29-2011/the-designers-who-helped-duane-reade-create-a-hit</a>', 'The designers who helped Duane Reade create a hit', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1740-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1740, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1740-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3082, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Gregg_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4829\" /></a>By Gregg Lipman:\r\nTweens are a complicated bunch—as parents and marketers know. Considered “too old for toys, too young for boys (and girls),” this demographic of kids ages 9 to 14 is feisty, opinionated, honest, sharp, cynical, and responsible for $200 billion in sales a year. That means tweens yield a tremendous amount of purchasing power, which is why every smart marketer needs to keep them top of mind in 2012.\r\n\r\nCreating, designing, and marketing brands for tweens, however, is a challenge mostly because tweens are full of dichotomies.\r\n\r\n1. Tweens aspire to be older—but are still children.\r\n2. They want to be unique—but also fit in.\r\n3. They have strong ideas about what they want to buy—but need parental involvement and approval to purchase desired items.\r\n\r\nThat last point means marketers need to talk authentically to teens and, at the same time, convince parents that the products are worth their money.\r\n\r\nAppealing to parents and tweens isn’t easy. And as the parent of a tween, I can tell you that there’s a fine line between being cool and trying too hard. (I’ve gotten the stink eye one too many times for corny comments I’ve made in front of my daughter.) <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bigstock_Group_Of_Tweens_With_Thumbs_Up_4782253-300x200.jpg\"><img src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bigstock_Group_Of_Tweens_With_Thumbs_Up_4782253-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"bigstock_Group_Of_Tweens_With_Thumbs_Up_4782253-300x200\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-552\" /></a>\r\n\r\nMy company, CBX, found out how difficult it is to appeal to both tweens and parents when we, as brand stewards of Kimberly-Clark’s U by Kotex feminine care line, were asked to design U by Kotex Tween. After conducting a deep dive to get into the minds of tween girls, we created packaging that featured:\r\n\r\n-Copy that speaks to girls honestly and openly\r\n-A black and pink glittery pack that conveys the idea of “girly princess meets teen rebellion”\r\n-Star-shaped peekaboo windows that let girls see the brightly colored product\r\n-Designs with hot pink doodled stars and hearts that could be straight from girls’ notebooks\r\n-Discreetly designed packaging and product, so as not to embarrass girls\r\n-The designs were a hit in addressing a tween’s desire for freedom and self-expression, and her mom’s need for reassurance and safety. By appealing to both tweens and -parents, sales of U by Kotex Tween helped Kotex capture a 15.9% share of the tampon market and 19.4% of the sanitary napkin and liners segment.\r\n\r\nAnother product that tweens like and parents approve is Someday perfume. Do you have a Biebs lover in your house? (I do!) Justin Bieber and his team just keep hitting it right from a branding angle. His perfume for girls, Someday, strikes a perfect balance between being modest enough for parents and alluring enough for tweens. In the ads, a young girl is shown pining for Justin, who is shown against a backdrop of purple, his favorite color (and that of many tween girls). The perfume bottle features blooming hearts that appeal to this love-obsessed demographic and a removable key and jewel-encrusted heart to carry Justin wherever the tween goes. Tween-friendly elements such as those helped Someday bring in $3 million in sales in its first three weeks.\r\n\r\nTween Marketing Gone Horribly Wrong\r\n\r\nNot all products can balance the appeal to tweens and their parents. Some products miss the mark completely and get shunned by both tweens and parents.\r\n\r\nFor example, let’s take Abercrombie Kids’ Ashley Push-Up Triangle. The bikini top lined with push-up padding was marketed to girls as young as eight. Eight! Tweens may want to seem grown-up, but their parents still want to keep them kids—which is why parents were absolutely furious over the product. Abercrombie & Fitch backpedaled, saying the product was always intended for girls ages 12 and up. The bikini top was soon removed from shelves, and Yahoo Finance’s 24/7 Wall Street placed the Ashley Push-Up Triangle in its No. 1 slot for biggest product failure of the year.\r\n\r\nHow to Best Reach Tweens\r\n\r\nIn addition being smart about tween products, marketers have to be savvy about their advertising and promotions. Gone are the days of reaching tweens via 30-second TV spots. Tweens are tech-obsessed, always looking for the newest and coolest platforms and gadgets. This audience likes to push its boundaries, albeit within a controlled environment like Mommy and Daddy’s house. New platforms come out every day. (Facebook and Tumblr are being replaced by newer programs like Xbox Live and Sweety High.) The most successful ads tend to mix an element of danger with something safe and responsible.\r\n\r\nHere are a few rules for marketing to tweens.\r\n\r\n1. Know your audience\r\nConduct a serious deep dive into the media, technology, fashion, and products that are speaking to tweens today.\r\n\r\n2. Tell it (to parents and tweens) like it is\r\nTweens want to be talked to—not down to. Immerse yourself in their lingo, and keep your words short and sweet in a relatable, conversational tone. But be sure to use language that doesn’t completely alienate parents; they’re the ones paying, after all.\r\n\r\n3. Wow them\r\nAlways include an element of surprise, something unexpected and fun, that will stand apart from the competition as well as from their parents’ products. Funky graphics, glitter, stickers, and jewels all feel like special treats for tweens.\r\n\r\n4. Give tweens a voice\r\nTweens like to put their stamp on the world, so give them avenues for feedback on social networks.\r\n\r\n5. Keep cool\r\nLastly, keep in mind that tween trends change like the weather… Be sure to stay abreast of what’s cool right now. If you don’t know what’s trendy, tweens won’t give you the time of day.</p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.mpdailyfix.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-tween-marketing/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.mpdailyfix.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-tween-marketing/</a>', 'The Do\'s and Don\'ts of Tween Marketing', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1542-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1542, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1542-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3083, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>A push for more efficient healthcare challenges designers to bring medical services to retail</strong>\r\nAny Lab Test Now is probably your doctor’s worst nightmare. The service, which allows patients to request their own lab tests without a physician’s order, has even trademarked the phrase “No insurance? No problem.” It’s like Googling your own symptoms on steroids: Instead of a rumpled printout (apology expected), you can hand your physician a crisp set of lab results to back up your self-diagnosis.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/doctor\" target=\"_blank\">http://vmsd.com/content/doctor</a>', 'The Doctor Is In', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1828-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1828, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1828-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3084, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>Brands are telling consumers how they will feel if they buy their product—and are doing it front and center on their packages.</strong>\r\nMaybe it’s me, but it seems like everywhere you look these days, there’s bad news: war, domestic shootings, political unrest, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (okay, so that was a false alarm, but still…). With headlines like these, is it any wonder that people are grasping for positivity wherever they can find it? Not surprisingly, Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” song is the anthem of 2014, the one that got Meryl Streep dancing in the aisles at the Oscars. Pharrell is proud to tell everyone that he’s happy, and you should be too, dammit.\r\n\r\nPop songs have no problem telling you how you should be feeling, and now brands are following suit by staging end benefits front and center on pack. A recent trip down the supermarket aisle proves how brands are leveraging this strategy. Several can be seen using a strong end benefit to make the consumer believe they need to buy these products to feel better about life. To feel refreshed, optimistic, energized and—you guessed it—happy. Instead of human behavior driving brands, as they once did, it now seems that brands are the ones driving human behavior.\r\n\r\nAnd when I say they are “on pack,” I’m not saying that these messages are simply tertiary copy buried beneath a brand, sub-brand or claim. In many instances, the end benefits are promoted prominently, and have even become part of the brand name.\r\n\r\nCrest recently launched a new line, “Be,” that lets consumers define themselves based on the products they are using. Forget about getting clean teeth and fresh breath—now, you can recalibrate your psyche with just one brush! Be INSPIRED, in a Vanilla Mint Spark flavor, is for those who feel their dental routine is a little, well, underwhelming. Be ADVENTUROUS, in a Mint Chocolate Trek flavor, takes your mouth on an exhilarating ride. And Be DYNAMIC, with its unusual Lime Spearmint Zest combination, tingles the senses with bold and unexpected flavors. The thing that gets consumers’ attention is the prominent sub-brand “Be”; and the end benefit that follows reinforces who and what they should be (inspired, adventurous, dynamic). Crest believes that the emphasis on the potential of what one could be will ultimately drive sales.\r\n\r\nDietary supplement brand, Neuro, prominently features its end benefit front and center on its bottles. In fact, this benefit is so much larger than the actual brand name that you might think that SLEEP (with the tagline “Sweet Dreams”) is the brand, rather than a sub-brand. With this approach, Neuro is trying to lure consumers who are looking for an end benefit, not a specific brand. It’s a great strategy because who wouldn’t be attracted to a product that has the ability to change one’s behavior for the better? Hell, any drink that would help me sleep more soundly is one I’d happily give a shot.\r\n\r\nI have to admit, there’s something incredibly appealing about a brand trying to enhance my well-being. But I also can’t help but wonder: Is it realistic to expect a brand to make us feel a certain way about ourselves? Most people would say no, but in a time when books like “The Happiness Project” put a premium on feeling happy, I guess my response is: Why not? After all, Coca-Cola, Apple and Betty Crocker—three of the biggest brand names of our time—have been asking us to feel and behave in certain ways for years, but have limited the use of these messages to their advertising campaigns.\r\n\r\n“Have a Coke and a Smile”—a slogan that embodied Coke’s M.O. to spread happiness around the world—has appeared in Coke ads and on promotional collateral for years but rarely on actual bottles. Ditto for Apple, who used “Think Different” in its groundbreaking ad campaign, and put the letter “i” before its product names. (They claim the “i” stands for “interactive,” but there’s no question it also references the individual who puts his/her own stamp on whatever Apple device they are using.) For years, Betty Crocker inspired consumers to “Bake Someone Happy.” What heartless soul wouldn’t bake a dozen cupcakes to make their kids smile?\r\n\r\nSo, at the end of the day, I wholeheartedly welcome this movement. It’s a lot easier and cheaper than paying a therapist $200 an hour to have you vent about your emotions or complain about why you’re not sleeping at night.\r\n\r\nI can’t wait for the day when I can buy a shampoo that will make me feel more creative or use a deodorant that not only helps with perspiration but also makes me feel like a better parent. Soon, we might not even need to analyze how we’re feeling at all—the brands can just do that for us. And singers like Pharrell, of course.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/the-era-of-feel-good-packaging140814\" target=\"_blank\">www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/the-era-of-feel-good-packaging140814</a>', 'The era of feel-good packaging', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1984-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1984, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1984-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3085, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'by Meg Asaro,\r\nCulture has become quite the buzz word as of late. The word itself has been trending on Merriam-Webster as the third most popular on their site (06.26.14). Is it because culture is literally expanding in size or because it is one of those words that has different meanings and needs clarification? I believe the root cause is related to both.\r\n\r\nThe dictionary definition of culture is “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular society, group, place or time.” That makes total sense but, as a brander, I see culture as the palpable environment in which brands gain or lose relevance and meaning. For my work, the definition needs be more specific and actionable, setting up a call and response between culture and consumer, with brand smack dab in the middle of that conversation.\r\n\r\nSomething along the lines of “culture is the fusing of opportunity and motivations through mass behavior.” Redefining culture in this way makes room for the ever-changing symbiotic relationship between consumer and culture, humans and their environment and allows brands to connect on a deeper level. Deconstructing the definition a bit for clarity, motivations refer to the consumer need and opportunity to the shifting white space that brands inhabit in order to best satisfy that need.\r\n\r\nOnly by connecting a human need to a brand truth can brands hope for solid traction. Think of a brand that moves you. For me, it is Target. Experiencing awesome design at affordable prices, with modernized version of songs from my past (“Unbelievable,” 1991 from their back-to-school clothes spot) totally yins my yang.\r\n\r\nBut, today, there is a big challenge looming. We live in a time of constant content bombardment. Perpetual information is bought and sold, repurposed, consumed and more and more, forgotten. Ray Kurzweil’s “accelerating intelligence” is here. It is not a cultural shift of tomorrow but a reality of today. Culture is accelerating and is now much more fractured, splintered and well, weak. As the connective tissue between brand and consumer, it is getting stretched so thin that it is becoming more difficult to know what is true, what to latch onto and ultimately, what to leverage. Basically, it is becoming harder to find true relevance as cultural relevance itself is becoming less potent.\r\n\r\nI stumbled on cultural strategy as a profession by happenstance about 16 years ago when I worked as a cultural curator: someone who defines and re-appropriates cultural meat for brand strategy and, ultimately, expression. At the time, Naomi Klein came out with No Logo and stated, “Whoever produces the most powerful images, as opposed to products, wins the race.” Tracking cultural shifts back then was dare I say, easy. You could see them coming from Technohuman (the melding of technology and humanity) to S/he (gender bending) to Mass Class (the democratization of design - thanks Martha).\r\n\r\nWe talked of white space and penetrating gray matter because we could with culturally relevant image and design. Culture had gravitas and weight and we had water cooler moments to discuss and dissect. But progressively, these moments got fractured. Common cultural stories were told in smaller like-minded tribes. And those bigger cultural moments? They got uglier. The squeaky wheel tends to get the grease, or the loudest voice the mic, more appropriately. Examples that come to mind range from the Real Housewives juggernaut to Miley’s twerking to the unfortunate nature of the coverage of our beloved Robin Williams‘ death. We don’t need all the gory details but the school of thought that’s winning today says: sensationalism sells.\r\n\r\nI look back at 1998 with rose-tinted glasses. We saw the future through brightly colored iMacs and Woody from “Toy Story.” But, we could also turn ourselves off and just be human, find some peace. Cyber reality was just that, another world to enter and leave. Today, we are never unplugged, the thought is foreign as our smartphones get smarter and our addiction grows. Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt is famously quoted as saying, “Every two days, we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.” Because of this, I sometimes find myself feeling overwhelmed and overloaded. I worry that we are experiencing a cultural fracturing, and that perhaps a deep cavernous disconnection has begun.\r\n\r\nSo, in this world where overload is the new normal, what is a brand to do? How can brands connect with consumers and actually, really, still break through?\r\n\r\nI have a few thoughts:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Be strong</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is brand’s role to act as a stabilizer in this cultural uncertainty. JC Penney illustrated what happens when a brand radically departs from what they know. They crumbled fast but thankfully are back on track, returning to their original logo and common industry practices.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Be true to your brand’s roots</strong>\r\n\r\nDon’t act upon a cultural shift that is not true to the DNA of your brand. Remember Pepsi’s Refresh Project? It didn’t resonate because cause marketing was not core to the brand. Once they started embodying being “timely” to Coke’s “timeless”, did Pepsi gain traction. They now message “current” to go up against Coke’s “classic”, leveraging a rich history of using “of the moment” musicians to retain cultural relevancy.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Be ahead of the curve</strong>\r\n\r\nBrands that follow by nature tend to get swallowed up in the abyss and don’t truly stand for something. Yesterday’s low fat is today’s whole grain.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Research culture relevant to your tribe</strong>\r\n\r\nContinually monitor your core constituents, their behaviors and needs. With today’s cultural fracturing, staying close to those who love your brand allows you to stay at the heart of the conversation and respond with culturally relevant stories. Only then are we truly allowing brands to do their thang.\r\n\r\nRead the full article <a href=\"http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/235777/the-fragility-of-culture.html\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'The Fragility Of Culture', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2011-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2011, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2011-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3086, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'Brand agency CBX collaborated with 826NYC, an organization that helps under-resourced students in New York, to create design and packaging for a tropical oasis-style lemonade stand in New York City. The project was part of a special collaboration to support 826NYC\'s project-based learning format.\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-8436 alignleft\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_2.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_2\" width=\"635\" height=\"509\" />\r\n\r\nFor two months, students and agency creatives developed concept and design for the ‘Sweet ‘n Sour Chillville’ lemonade stand. The goal of the project was to spread the word about 826NYC\'s mission while giving children of the program, who range in age from nine to 12, the chance to work side-by-side with the CBX creative team on everything from the naming of the business to the design of the logo, stand, signage, product packaging, and uniforms.\r\n\r\nThe stand was unveiled at Manhattan’s Flatiron Plaza on August 20, and 11 students from the organization interacted with the public, collecting donations and sharing the organization\'s mission with their customers. The effort raised nearly $3,000 for the Brooklyn-based organization.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_3.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-8437 alignleft\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_3.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_3\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\" /></a>\r\n\r\nUnder the students’ vision, the  10-ft. by 20-ft. installation was designed to resemble “a tropical oasis hidden in the heart of New York City’s steamy concrete jungle,” complete with a treasure chest cooler for the product, palm trees, towering Easter Island statues, flamingos, penguins, a misting system, and “Welcome to Paradise” signage. Information on the project and 826NYC was provided on a TV monitor and additional signage.\r\n\r\n“The lemonade stand was a great opportunity for our students to not only learn about how to tell a story through branding with the folks at CBX, but to also lend their voice to why 826NYC is so important,” noted Joshua Mandelbaum, executive director of 826NYC.\r\n\r\n826 founder Dave Eggers added: “As a project-based learning center, 826 has always tried to focus on making things whereby the students feel like their work has real-world application. Having the students plan with the professionals at CBX, execute and then interact with the general public in Flatiron Plaza is an experience that will have a profound effect on these young people.”\r\n\r\n“Our purpose in taking part in this project was to energize the young creative minds of 826NYC and to enable them to see that their imaginations can be realized in a meaningful and tangible way,” said Gregg S. Lipman, Managing Partner of the Manhattan-based CBX. “We wanted them to experience how gratifying it is to come up with an amazing idea and see it come to life.  I\'m proud that CBX was able to make a difference in these kids’ lives, and we will continue to work with the organization in the future. It was a unique and fulfilling experience for the entire CBX staff, and a cool reminder as to why we are in the creative business in the first place.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_4.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8439\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_4\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_5.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8440\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_5-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_5\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_6.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8441\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_6-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_6\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> <a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_7.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8442\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_7-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_7\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8443\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_8\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8444\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_9-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_9\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_11.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8447\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_11-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_11\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><img class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-8448\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LemonadeStand_101-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"LemonadeStand_10\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" />\r\n\r\n<em>826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping under-resourced students, ages 6-18, strengthen their writing skills and improve their academics through evening and weekend workshops, afterschool tutoring, in-schools projects, and creative writing field trips.</em>\r\n<em>Along with CBX, two New York City firms, Big Apple Visual Group and Suite Spot lent their services on a pro-bono basis.</em>\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2014/9/9/the-great-lemonation-imagination-collaboration?utm_content=buffer9edc9&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer\" target=\"_blank\">www.thedieline.com/blog/2014/9/9/the-great-lemonation-imagination-collaboration?utm_content=buffer9edc9&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer</a>', 'The Great Lemonation Imagination Collaboration', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1994-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1994, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1994-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3087, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'By Meg A.\nLast week, after taking the train to the \'burbs and then picking up my four-year-old son from preschool, I was lucky enough to witness a tender moment. A father and his kids were sitting on their stoop, barefoot, happily watching the world go by. The dad was dressed casually, the toddler was in shorts and the baby was hanging in his diapers. They clearly had been home all day -- you could tell that they had happiness and rhythm in their world, a successful hallmark of being a stay-at-home parent. The only thing \"unusual\" about this scene was that a man was in the nurturing role, traditionally embodied by a woman.\n\nThis scene got me thinking about how gender roles have shifted, even reversed -- and how as a result, advertising is challenged in authentically portraying these roles today.\n\nSo much of the dialogue today is around the rise of women: Look at them break through that glass ceiling! I remember my mom going to work. One day, she sat me up on the washing machine, showed me how to use it and said, \"I’m going to work now so you are going to have to learn how to take care of yourself.\" I was in third grade and welcomed the responsibility, I learned independence and self-reliance, says the former latchkey kid. Looking back, I see that my mom taught me that women can do, get and be whatever they want. But where do men fit in this equation? Especially now that women are being raised to be self-sufficient, heroes in their own right that don’t need a man to save the day? With every action comes a reaction. Where are men in this ongoing cultural shift?\n\nAs culture shifts, so do brands. Let’s look through the lens of traditional female roles to see how they are portrayed in brand messaging and advertising today. Female roles tend to fall into two camps: the madonna or the whore. Can men wear these shoes?\n\nLet\'s start with the whore. (I promise not to get too dirty.) We see this role portrayed by women all the time when products are marketed to men -- namely beer or HBA products that tempt men with the idea that they might “get some.” Let’s hire us a hottie to move some cases. Easy!\n\nBut can the same visual strategy apply to products traditionally marketed to women? Brands such as Liquid Plumbr and Velveeta are giving it a whirl. Clearly, it is quite entertaining to reverse the roles but does it work? With an air of self-deprecation about them, these ads seem forced and inauthentic. Perhaps taking it to humor instead of to sexy is more palatable for mainstream America, but it does feel a bit more Chippendales than <em>Magic Mike</em>. Perhaps this is still an unnatural role for men to play or even to be viewed in? Basically, unless the man wants to be an object of desire (we love you, Channing Tatum) this image won’t ring true to the viewer.\n\nLet\'s now look to the madonna role. Madonna (no, not that one) is the quintessential nurturer -- a caring persona whose goal is to care for or help others. In modern-day layman terms, the mom role. But today, with approximately 20% of men who are stay-at-home dads, these waters are getting rather muddied. Part of this is due to the “mancession” (yes, that’s a word) but part of it is choice. “There are a lot of guys out there that had remote relationships with their own fathers and they don’t want that with their kids,” according to Jeremy Adam Smith, author of The <em>Daddy Shift</em>.\n\nWhich brings us back to that guy on the stoop. What did I love so much about that moment? It was <strong>real</strong>. Men as nurturers might not have a historical precedent, but it is a role that is becoming more and more authentic today. Ask yourself, what is more attractive to a female eye? A man in a uniform or a man with a baby? The times they are a changin\'.\n\nWe see this in advertising more and more today, especially around Father\'s Day, with brands like Wells Fargo, Huggies and Oral-B, the latter of which showcased this trend in its Power of Dad spot.\nBy elevating the conversation to the concepts of nurturing and love, we find a universal story that speaks to anybody with a heart. Screw the stereotypes -- the heart wins every time. Who are these ads resonating with most, mom or dad? The answer is both, methinks. \n\n<a href=\"http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/204771/the-great-role-reversal.html?print#ixzz2a9vpBNf4\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/204771/the-great-role-reversal.html?print#ixzz2a9vpBNf4</a>', 'The Great Role Reversal', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1835-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1835, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1835-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3088, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'Coca-Cola, Tiffany &amp; Co., and John Deere have all leveraged color to a point where it has become synonymous with their brand identities. But just how does a brand go about identifying color and trends that generate relevance in order to connect with consumers in a meaningful way? Start by using color resources and listening to what consumers have to say about their favorite brands.\r\nOne such resource is the Color Marketing Group (CMG), a non-profit association that provides color direction and forecasting for a broad range of industries, products and services—including branding and packaging. The group’s forecasts, which are released under the NEXT moniker, detail colors that have made their way into the marketplace or are about to be introduced.\r\n\r\n“CMG forecasts are considered color directions and are not directives,” John West, vice president of color forecasting explains. “They show the course that colors are likely to take and are open for interpretation across industries, products and packaging.”\r\n\r\nWest goes on to explain that CMG members collaborate at regional color workshops called ChromaZones which take place throughout the year to determine the NEXT colors. These outputs are then collectively shared at an end-of-year international summit conference. Members interpret the direction of color based on many types of global influences. These are consolidated into a final color forecast of about 60 to 70 total colors that will influence Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America regions.\r\n\r\n<strong>Differentiation and disruption</strong>\r\n“Memory structures in the brain are what cause us to recall a product, package or an advertisement,” Donna Sturgess, executive in residence at Carnegie Mellon University, and president and co-founder of Buyology, says. “Color is an aid to creating and refreshing the memory structures that are an important component of decision-making and buying. Our non-conscious mind processes color at a subliminal level and reinforces a brand framework and cues that leads to long-term distinctiveness. Brands need to look towards distinction and to find a place to be. This can be achieved through the use of form and color choice.” She goes on to add, “Brands must stand out with distinctiveness, and without confusion for customers to recognize and recall the brand in buying situations. Color is a meaningful element to deliver upon this distinction.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Back in black</strong>\r\nOne color making a bold statement across several categories is black. In combination with bright, vibrant colors, or with spot varnishes, patterns and textures, black is showing up in unusual verticals—such as personal hygiene, produce and nuts, and dairy— to convey a sense of luxury, youthfulness, beauty, fashion, power, and in some cases, masculinity.\r\n\r\nDanone Yogurt for Men is a perfect example. When Danone wanted to release a yogurt specifically marketed to young men, it found that men not only had specific preferences when it comes to product—a distinctive taste, higher fat content and thicker consistency—but also wanted clearer, simpler and bolder packaging.\r\n\r\nWorking with development partner Greiner Packaging, Danone created a stylish, sleeved yogurt cup with a deep black color scheme. The minimalistic graphics and text combinations applied to the cups communicated a sense of strength.\r\n\r\nThe black packaging used by Wonderful brands to market its pistachios and almonds makes the brand stand out in the food aisle. The solid black packs combined with neon green and orange copy offers a minimalistic, impactful brand blocking presentation at shelf. This youthful, bold-and-upscale looking approach is something that has gained noticeable traction with the millennial audience.\r\n\r\n<strong>Cutting through a sea of sameness</strong>\r\nWhen Kimberly Clark enlisted CBX as the branding firm to design its U by Kotex line of women’s personal care products, it became evident to them that to compete with brands such as Always and Carefree, the packaging was going to have to find a way to connect and relate to 18- to 24-year-old females. Consumer research found that the target market had an innate sense of collectivism and characteristic of sharing everything. It became imperative that the brand become something worthy of being shared.\r\n\r\nIn an effort to break through traditional conventions and the preconceptions of women’s personal care products being branded in pink and pastel color palettes, CBX developed a black pack design that felt more like a beauty cosmetic, trendy and fashion forward that challenged the category norm and created disruption. “Research results suggested that consumers were giving us permission to go with the black packaging,” Allison Koller, creative director at CBX, says.\r\n\r\nCombined with distinctive patterns, vivid accent colors and consistent brand messaging, the packaging and colored product wrappers offer up an unexpected surprise and delight. Taking this contrarian approach has paid off.\r\n\r\nKoller reports that consumer feedback showed that women would be comfortable displaying U by Kotex products in their bathrooms or taking the women’s personal care products out of their purses in public, which was really something the category had not experienced before.\r\n\r\nIn today’s marketplace, it is becoming more and more difficult for brands to be distinctive and standout on shelf. As the retail space becomes more and more saturated with competing brands and private label offerings, product packaging needs to be disruptive in order to capture the attention of consumers. When done in the right manner, this can be achieved through the use of form and color. While color can often be a subjective topic of debate, especially when developing packaging and branding, it is hard to argue the fact that it holds the power to persuade, stimulate and connect with consumers, on both physical and emotional levels.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://www.packagedesignmag.com/content/the-hue-for-you\" target=\"_blank\">www.packagedesignmag.com/content/the-hue-for-you</a>', 'The Hue for You', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1924-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1924, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1924-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3089, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'Interested in investing in beverage companies Coca-Cola , SodaStream , and Dr Pepper Snapple Group ? Exploring this week\'s news in the beverage industry may help you decide.\r\n<strong>Partnerships and innovation</strong>\r\nCoca-Cola\'s Honest Tea subsidiary recently took its zero-calories Unsweet Lemon Tea national. Feeling good about the success of its Just Green Tea drink, Honest Tea thinks it can capitalize on the robust tea market. On the innovation front, Drinks Business Review nominated Coca-Cola for the 2013 DBR Drink Innovation Award. Last month in Japan, Coca-Cola introduced a Canada Dry Hot Ginger Ale drink in a can designed to maintain the carbonation when the drink gets heated from a \"chemical concoction\" within the container.\r\n\r\nSodaStream increased the convenience of making soda at home in the United States by introducing SodaStream caps. You essentially take the pre-measured one-use capsule and pour it in the bottle to make a drink. This will certainly add to its appeal for the environmentally conscious consumer. Moreover, it may appeal to the convenience-oriented consumer who doesn\'t want to measure the amount of syrup to make a drink.\r\n\r\nIn an effort to expand their presence as well as combat waning sales in the perceived \"unhealthy drinks\" arena, beverage companies -- via partnerships or their own research team -- are bringing new products to market to entice consumers. Dr Pepper Snapple Group intends on using excess distribution capacity to expand the range of products it sells. Last month, the company partnered with Sunny Delight Beverages to sell the Sparkling Fruit2O flavored water. More recently, Dr Pepper Snapple teamed up with Bai Brands, makers of Bai 5-Calorie Antioxidant Infusions to bring its natural beverages to major markets.\r\n\r\n<strong>Packaging and advertising</strong>\r\nAccording to a Beverage World article, Dr Pepper Snapple has engaged brand agency CBX to revamp its Sunkist logo and bring back its iconic sun ball graphic. D. Pepper Snapple felt that its current packaging lacked differentiation and lost connection with its \"California beach story.\" The company wants the brand revitalized for the younger demographic. With that said, it can use all the help it can get, considering that its carbonated soda volume fell flat in its most recent quarter.\r\n\r\nCoca-Cola invested in its first dairy cooperative, Fair Life, which owns Core Power, a high-protein shake. With the resources of Coca-Cola, Core Power executives want to sell the public on the \"sex appeal of vitality\" that comes from drinking the protein shake, according to Beverage Daily. Core Power executives utilized Coca-Cola\'s distributions system to take its brand national.\r\n\r\n<strong>Trends</strong>\r\nIn a recent article, Beverage World cited statistics that offer reassurance to the long-term shareholders of eco-friendly companies such as SodaStream. According to the article, over 75% of the 4,000 people polled increasingly consider environmental factors such as recyclability and environmental friendliness of packaging in their purchasing decisions. In an interesting contrast, another Beverage World article talks about the falling rate of recycling during the 10-year period from 2000 to 2010. The article cited a \"national wasting rate for 2010 at 63 percent\" versus 59% in 2000. The article suggests that if recycling became more convenient via the increased availability of recycling bins, then the rate of recycling might follow. If more consumers can incorporate an eco-friendly mentality, then companies like SodaStream may thrive even more.\r\n\r\n<strong>Foolish takeaway</strong>\r\nThese headlines point to the understanding on the part of the beverage industry that consumers increasingly want healthier drinks and eco-friendly packaging. As a result, companies are stepping up with new products either internally generated or through partnerships and acquisitions.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\" http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/11/26/the-latest-news-in-the-beverage-industry-coca-cola/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/11/26/the-latest-news-in-the-beverage-industry-coca-cola/</a>', 'The Latest News in the Beverage Industry: Coca-Cola, SodaStream, and Dr Pepper Snapple', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1900-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1900, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1900-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3090, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'By Peter Burgoyne:\r\nNow that the U.S. economy is recovering (albeit slowly) from the economic crash, there’s been lots of buzz about the rebound in luxury retail. Certainly, the sector has been outperforming other retail categories, with analysts pointing to luxury as a safe harbor amid disruptive factors like rising oil prices and the chaos in Libya. One CNNMoney story, in fact, referred to investors hopping on a “luxury bandwagon” and noted that Louis Vuitton’s London boutique has limited shoppers to a maximum of three purchases for fear of running out of inventory. The report also cited China’s thriving economy as a key driver of global demand for luxury goods.\r\n\r\nRead more:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/the-luxury-rebound\">http://vmsd.com/content/the-luxury-rebound</a>', 'The Luxury Rebound', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1553-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1553, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1553-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3091, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>Did the recession have a lasting impact on luxury?</strong>Peter Burgoyne\r\n\r\nNow that the U.S. economy is recovering (albeit slowly) from the economic crash, there’s been lots of buzz about the rebound in luxury retail. Certainly, the sector has been outperforming other retail categories, with analysts pointing to luxury as a safe harbor amid disruptive factors like rising oil prices and the chaos in Libya. One CNNMoney story, in fact, referred to investors hopping on a “luxury bandwagon” and noted that Louis Vuitton’s London boutique has limited shoppers to a maximum of three purchases for fear of running out of inventory. The report also cited China’s thriving economy as a key driver of global demand for luxury goods.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/the-luxury-rebound\" target=\"_blank\">http://vmsd.com/content/the-luxury-rebound</a>', 'The Luxury Rebound', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1837-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1837, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1837-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3092, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'C-stores are being forced to upgrade and drop the \'smokes and Cokes\' image as competition moves into their territory:\r\nThe big gulp you’re hearing these days is not from a 7-Eleven fountain drink. It’s from the management of 7-Eleven itself – and Wawa, Thorntons, Circle K, Cumberland Farms and all the other major convenience store players around the country.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/the-new-convenience?page=0%2C1\" target=\"_blank\">http://vmsd.com/content/the-new-convenience?page=0%2C1</a>', 'The New Convenience', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1738-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1738, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1738-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3093, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<strong>Retailers need to create an emotive connection, in store and out.</strong>By Peter Burgoyne\r\n\r\nUnlike design professionals, the left-brained coders who create today’s omni-channel tools have not spent their lives learning how to use the five senses to manipulate mood in three dimensions. And yet the pixelated experiences that emerge from all those ones and zeros can affect how people feel about brands. So even when the design team crafts an in-store environment that perfectly reflects the brand’s attributes, this could easily be undermined by unfortunate experiences with other channels outside of the store.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/omni-channel-challenge\" target=\"_blank\">http://vmsd.com/content/omni-channel-challenge</a>', 'The Omni-Channel Challenge', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1885-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1885, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1885-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3094, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2275-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2275, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2275-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3095, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'By Nancy Brown\r\nBrands need to explore new packaging strategies in the era of online delivery to keep consumers coming back for more.\r\n\r\nPackaging offers a way to establish brand identity and create personalized consumer experiences. But in the era of online delivery, shouldn’t brands do a lot more to give online shoppers more compelling and on brand packaging experiences—right on the consumer’s doorstep? In today’s economic environment, after all, brands are competing as much on the experiences they offer as the products they sell.\r\n\r\nWe all saw the numbers for the 2014 holiday season: more online purchases than ever. By 2018, nearly one-half of CPG growth—a total take of $35 billion in sales—will derive from online transactions, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association. And more and more as e-commerce sales continue to take over the market, that classic moment of truth when shoppers first see your brand as it hangs on a hook or perches on a shelf will never happen. Instead, it will begin when they open the front door or a mailbox to find the product they have ordered in a box.\r\n\r\nThink about that for a moment. Innumerable Ph.D. theses have been written about the art and science of the consumer-product encounter at shelf. But how much time and effort is going into the experience of receiving and opening products ordered online, from a branding and packaging standpoint?\r\n\r\nAs more consumers transition from brick-and-mortar stores to e-commerce, brands will need to find new ways to improve the packaging experience at the doorstep. The goal should be to thrill consumers and keep them coming back for more.\r\n\r\nOnline retailers like Birchbox, Mantry and One Kings Lane are already taking creative approaches to the aesthetic and tactile experience of opening their packages at home. They represent a potential source of ideas and inspiration for ways in which other brands could improve upon their experience\r\n\r\nStart with a subscription to Birchbox. Consumers sign up for monthly deliveries of sample-sized beauty, grooming and lifestyle products, tailored to a personalized style profile. The goal? To give people access to a variety of products—cult brands, up-and-coming lines and everything in between—and to gain loyal consumers through an inspirational monthly subscription service. The monthly deliveries arrive in brightly colored shipper boxes (see photo above), which function as a Pavlovian cue to make consumers say, “Fantastic! My Birchbox is here!” Every detail within the box is beautifully designed to feel like a gift. There are pouches within boxes, cleverly written letters to consumers and straight shooting product descriptions. Different themes every month add to the delight and surprise of the deliveries. Summer boxes come with sunscreen and tips for staying cool and fresh looking, while winter boxes share tips on skin hydration. Some boxes even come with promotional campaigns like this April’s tie in with the finale of Mad Men. Each month offers something unique while providing a cohesive brand experience. In turn, those charming monthly deliveries drive further sales for the company and breed loyal consumers.\r\n\r\nMantry bills itself as offering curated craft, artisan and small-batch food and beverages targeted to fit the modern man’s lifestyle. The company’s eye-catching packaging was inspired by prohibition-era liquor crates. The products are shipped in a literal crate, the tops of which are nailed shut, and consumers immediately feel like they’re about to make something with their own two hands. Each month, Mantry subscribers pry off the lids to unveil the surprise products within. “The core goal of the service is to help guys discover the undiscovered makers doing amazing things in food and drink,” the company says.\r\n\r\nLastly, One Kings Lane, a flash-sale home decor business that operates a furniture and home accessories sales website, redesigned its packaging with the goal of “taking the brown box and making it a little more special.”\r\n\r\nRather than opening a nondescript box, a One Kings Lane consumer might find a package with a hand-drawn elephant on the outside and a printed motif lining the inside, a ribbon-tied box filled with artisan soap bars wrapped in wax paper or even a “thank you” note as the first interaction with the brand once the box is opened. These unique details are reminiscent of the amount of love and attention that their consumers put into decorating their homes. The fact that each package is slightly unique encourages consumers to continue ordering from One Kings Lane, because each experience is sure to be surprising and delightful every time.\r\n\r\nAs marketers move forward with new approaches rooted in the reality of e-commerce, they should consider making the tactile joy of receiving and opening packages a fundamental consideration. The biggest trap that big brands can fall into is clinging to strategies that worked great offline but simply don’t hold up online.\r\n\r\nSo, could other brands, including those with a more mass-market appeal—potentially the Amazons and Macy’s of the world—change their online packaging experience? Possibilities run the gamut: Try sending small assortments of samples or other free gifts related to the consumer’s purchase or designing a visually engaging shipping box. For multi-channel retailers, the point is to delight online shoppers just as much, if not more, as their brick-and-mortar consumers. Just because the shelf doesn’t play a role in the e-commerce equation does not mean that packaging loses its importance.\r\n\r\nWhen people shop online, they are rarely looking to duplicate the in-store experience. They expect something different. Let’s start giving it to them.', 'The Power of Packaging at the Doorstep', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2091-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2091, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2091-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3096, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'By Gregg S. Lipman\r\nThe running joke in the retail world is that the battle to entice shoppers with heavy discounts starts earlier each year. It\'s no longer a matter of deep discounting on Black Friday, or even Hurry-Up-and-Finish-Your-Turkey-So-We-Can-Start-Shopping Thursday. In fact, a recent Google survey finds that half of all shoppers start scouting for deals before Thanksgiving -- 26 percent of them even start before Halloween. Retailers are more and more extending Black Friday-like discounts through at least the entire month of November.\r\n\r\nWho doesn\'t love a deal? David Ogilvy wasn\'t a big fan, or at least he wasn\'t very keen on brands partaking in them. \"Any damn fool can put on a deal, but it takes genius, faith and perseverance to create a brand,\" the late advertising legend said at a New York City luncheon in 1986.\r\n\r\nBut here we are, already into the holiday season, a time of family gatherings, peppermint lattes and deliriously deep discounting. But beware marketers: From a brand equity perspective the implications of \"discount creep\" on brands should not be overlooked. Discounting will give retailers a short-term advantage over competitors, but it can come with perhaps unforeseen consequences.\r\n\r\nTruth: Leading with low prices cheapens your brand. Sure, people will rush out to buy your product, prompting a spike in sales. But at the same time, customers will be so focused on price they will lose sight of the intrinsic value in paying full retail price.\r\n\r\nThe biggest risk to relying on discounts to drive sales is that it becomes the definitive narrative in your brand story. \"On sale\": Are those the words you want instantly popping in heads when consumers think about your product? Maybe they\'ll think, \"I\'ll wait to buy, it\'ll be on sale again in two weeks\", or they\'ll wait for that time of year when your category is in discount land. And how \'bout everyone\'s favorite: \"BOGO\"?! As Entrepreneur\'s Dan Kennedy and Jason Marrs explain in the The Dark Side of Discounts: \"When you offer a discount, you are taking the focus from the value you provide and placing it squarely on your price. There is no way to escape that.\" And even after the sale ends, the customer will continue to evaluate your product in terms of price instead of centering his attention on a more enticing benefit.\r\n\r\nWhen selling on price, you\'re not selling on a product\'s unique attributes. Worse still, you\'re not selling on emotional benefit. The more scientists understand about human behavior, the more they understand that basic motivational forces, based on primal desires and fears, determine our actions. What makes branding a powerful tool is the way it uses the psychology of images, words, colors, fonts and patterns to fill a product with value that transcends rational calculations. Does the product add experience, create a memory, spark a wonderful feeling, enhance a moment, inspire personal growth? Does it foster feelings of belonging, worth and well-being? Engaging in a discount-focused strategy neglects the power of brand and is likely destined to fail over time.\r\n\r\nAs discounting has become more prevalent, many have forgotten that making a sale should not be about discounts and concessions that devalue your brand. Instead, it is a challenge to create more demand within your target audience to inspire purchase at the posted price. Ogilvy was a master at creating an insatiable demand for his client\'s products, making everything he sold a must-have, from Hathaway shirts to Rolls Royce.\r\n\r\nWhat consumers demand from brand is not unlike what they expect from a good friend -- to show empathy and kinship, to engage on a deeply personal level. A good friend plays an active role in your life. A good friend is fascinated by what you have to say, makes your moments better, your experiences more interesting and helps gear your creativity into overdrive. The guy who does none of these things but offers to pay for your beer -- that\'s an acquaintance. And at some point when the tides change you\'ll think, \"Hey, wasn\'t that the guy who used to buy me beers but now doesn\'t (a la JC Penney circa 2012)? Screw that guy!\"\r\n\r\nGranted, luxury brands (real or perceived) have a better shot at defending their price position. Let\'s give credit to a brand like Perrier, the French mineral water. The now iconic green teardrop-shaped bottle, the chic logo, their 24-year-old status as the \"official bubble\" of the French Open -- has all reinforced the brand\'s personality: Elegant, glamorous and oh so French.\r\n\r\nLike many brands, Perrier is looking to expand its consumer set. Perrier could of course entice new natural mineral water sippers through discounting. Perhaps a social media campaign that offers a taste of the elegant life through a buy two get one free deal. Now they could try addressing a new audience by putting on an ultra hip façade. Such a move would not jibe with Perrier\'s identity as a stalwart of class, unapologetically cool and timeless, and would come off like Charlie Rose eating tacos with Justin Bieber on the street in Brooklyn. Discounting and tactical pandering result in brand dilution, and losing your brand\'s identity is one-way ticket to irrelevancy.\r\n\r\nSo what does a brand like Perrier do? They go deep in their ethos and find fresh ways to elevate the brand and keep it relevant. Recently, Perrier teamed up with contemporary artists on limited-edition series of Perrier bottles, including Agnès B, Sophia Wood, Paul &amp; Joe and burlesque beauty Dita Von Teese. The stylish designs add to the Perrier narrative, with just the right amount of sex appeal and chic glamour without losing any of the sophistication. \"The newsprint pattern of the Paparazzi décor beautifully reveal Dita\'s vintage sensuality and underline the legendary pleasure experienced with each sip of Perrier,\" the water giant said in a press release. Newsprint pattern, paparazzi décor, right brain emotions -- and right on brand.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the limited-edition bottles, brand initiatives such as Societe Perrier, a series of high-end lifestyle sites devoted to \"what\'s hot around the world\" in nightlife and culture, reinforce the core identity of elegance while providing an added value -- being a fashionable, sexy and in-the-know friend. By focusing on elevating their brand through smart packaging, positive associations and high impact content, Perrier has experienced a resurgence, selling one billion units in 2013 in over 140 countries.\r\n\r\nIn a world where a CEO\'s life expectancy averages well under five years and brand marketers are measured by short-term financial results, the seductiveness of selling out to sell more is hard to resist. For a long-term strategy, consider striving for the things that create brand value. Otherwise it becomes a race to zero. And that\'s no way to spend the holidays.\r\n\r\nRead the full article <a href=\"%20http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/time-to-rethink-discount-mentality_b_6212232.html\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'The Race to Zero: Time to Rethink \'Discount\' Mentality', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2037-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2037, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2037-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3097, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Gregg_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4829\" /></a>By Gregg Lipman:\r\nThe summer TV season is already in full swing, as you may already know based on the plethora of posters and promotions for shows like Breaking Bad, Suits, Royal Pains, The Newsroom, and so on. The History Channel kicked off the summer craziness on Memorial Day, with its miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. My curiosity was piqued by this series\' commercials, and so I found myself watching it over a three-day period. But what was even more entertaining than the actual show were the commercials for other History Channel shows that ran during those three nights. The commercials -- for reality TV and pseudoscientific programming like Swamp People, Pawn Stars, Ice Road Truckers and Monsterquest -- drew me in for their sensational qualities, and from a brand perspective, my curiosity was equally piqued. What did these shows have to do with history?\r\n\r\nThe trend of jettisoning a brand\'s original DNA in favor of ratings is everywhere in cable right now -- and as a branding professional, I wonder how that will affect the overall branding of TV in the long haul. Back in the \'80s and \'90s, a slew of TV networks launched with names that clearly communicated the type of content viewers would find there. Animal Planet, Discovery, Bravo, A&E, The Learning Channel, The History Channel. They came at branding the traditional way: establishing a brand positioning, coming up with a name that is reflective of this goal, and then creating messaging and communications that convey the brand promise. But they could not hold onto this approach from a business proposition, and before long, networks were saying, \"Screw the brand; I need sales.\"\r\n\r\nWhich brings us to the sad state of cable TV offerings today. When I flip through the channels, I literally have ZERO idea which network I am watching. Mob Wives is on VH-1, Viral Video Show is coming out on the SyFy channel, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is on TLC (formerly The Learning Channel), Best Ink is on Oxygen. But couldn\'t any of these shows appear on ANY network?\r\n\r\nYes, and that\'s because networks have pretty much thrown brand discipline out the window for the dollar. Originally, they held true to their brands, with Bravo offering arts entertainment and the History Channel airing documentaries on World War II and fascist leaders. But the second the networks saw business going away, they sought out the content -- often sensational, reality-based programming -- that people wanted more. They chased the lowest common denominator instead of taking the time to cultivate their network offerings. In other words, they\'ve mortgaged the future by getting rid of the brand.\r\n\r\nPart of the problem is that these networks limited themselves from the get-go with their names, making what was once their strongest asset -- for example, cuddly animals on Animal Planet -- into their weakest links. They need to pander to audience tastes in order to get advertisers, instead of airing what they really want to show. Even when a network claims to want to change course by adding quality scripted programming -- MTV comes to mind -- they end up adding three different Jersey Shore spin-offs in order to get ratings (do we really care about Snooki\'s pregnancy?!).\r\n\r\nOn the flip-side, you have quality networks like Showtime and HBO (Home Box Office) that have names broad enough to accommodate a variety of programs, and a subscription-based model that means they don\'t have to answer to advertisers. This is what enables those networks to be a little riskier in their programming, renewing shows like the recently heralded Girls and Veep based on terrific reviews, instead of booming viewership. A few riskier, non-subscription based networks, like AMC and FX, have renewed cult-favorite shows like Mad Men and It\'s Always Sunny In Philadelphia simply because they enhance their reputations as quality programmers (did you know that Mad Men, for all the hype, actually doesn\'t get huge ratings?).\r\n\r\nPerhaps the most interesting of all network models today is not a network but a web site and subscription service. Hulu -- a joint venture between NBC-Universal, FOX and Disney-ABC -- builds on the notion that since audiences have very little network loyalty, why not give them all of the programs they want across all networks, for a \"pay as you watch\" fee? It\'s still unclear what Hulu stands for as a brand, but the model seems to work -- now.\r\n\r\nAnd while I\'m unsure as to where networks and channels will go with their businesses in the coming years, there\'s one thing I do know: Audiences want the simplicity of knowing what their programs are, where they can find them and -- best of all -- that they\'ll be able to connect with their content. Until the MTVs, A&Es and TLCs deliver on this, I\'ll be looking forward to seeing The Real Housewives of Pawn Stars on Cartoon Network.</p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/the-reality-of-cable-tv_b_1625881.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregg-s-lipman/the-reality-of-cable-tv_b_1625881.html</a>', 'The Reality of Cable TV', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1541-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1541, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1541-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3098, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', 'You’re not crazy. The words premium and snack really are popping up on chain-restaurant menus everywhere. Crazy is making some appearances too.Why are these the latest restaurant buzzwords? And why are they supposed to resonate with customers? Let’s take a look.</br>\n<strong>Crazy\n</strong>\n\nSensible food is boring. Fast-food fans — young ones especially — supposedly want something different, something a little, well, crazy. A Fortune post noted that crazy and similar terms have accordingly been showing up on chain-restaurant menus. Most obviously, there’s Pizza Hut’s new Crazy Cheesy Crust Pizza, which features 16 dough pockets stuffed with extra cheese around the pizza — a design that indeed seems pretty crazy.\nWhy has crazy become the menu term du jour? “What’s happening is that the American palate has moved from boring to bold,” Nancy Brown, a partner at branding firm CBX, told Fortune. “I think crazy is what extreme was because extreme has kind of run its course.”\n\nOne of the fast-food players known for being “extreme” a few years back was Pizza Hut’s sister at Yum Brands, Taco Bell. The chain began offering items like the Extreme Cheese and Beef Quesadilla in the late ’00s. It has since moved on to menu offerings that are “crazy,” or more precisely “loco,” with last year’s introduction of the highly successful Doritos Locos Taco.</br>\n<strong>Premium\n</strong>\n\nA 2011 Technomic report found that premium was the most persuasive menu term for getting customers to order an item with beef; 28% of surveyed consumers said they’d be more likely to order beef with the word premium, and they’d be willing to pay a 5% premium for their premium order. Well, surprise, surprise, a study conducted by Mintel for BurgerBusiness last year reported that usage of the word premium on restaurant-chain menus has soared. By its count, there were 138 “premium” offerings on chain menus last year, compared with just 69 in 2007.\nThe word premium “connotes high quality or high price without committing to being either,” BurgerBusiness noted. “Premium sounds upscale, special, with a sophistication that deluxe lacks.”\n\nToday’s fast-food “premium” selections go well beyond beef. In a recent count at the McDonald’s menu, there were 12 “premium” sandwiches and wraps, plus nine “premium” salads, as well as “premium” roast coffee and “premium” roast iced coffee. Burger King, meanwhile, boasts the Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich, and Sonic Drive-In has a lineup of “premium beef” hotdogs.</br>\n<strong>Snack\n</strong>\n\nSnack has been proliferating at restaurants for several years now, with usage of the word tripling from 2007 to 2010 on fast-food menus. McDonald’s now has 10 varieties of “snack wraps” and snack-size orders of items like Fish McBites. For that matter, bites, a word that signifies food that’s easy for snacking, is also popular on menus — Pretzelmaker Bites, KFC Original Recipe Bites and so on.\nWhy the rise in menu items that aren’t quite meals? One reason is that restaurants are trying to attract customers during the normally dead moments of the day that aren’t quite mealtimes — the in-between hours when diners aren’t up for a full meal, but could go for a quick snack. Snacks can also serve as up-sell items that customers add on in addition to their meal order. And, most of all, snack is spreading because the word is appealing to consumers on two key levels: it’s easy on the waistline and wallet alike. It’s “just a snack,” after all.\n\nNation’s Restaurant News reported that Arby’s is now testing the possibility of launching a “snack ’n’ save” menu as a replacement for its value menu — value being another buzzword that fast-food customers are well acquainted with.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://business.time.com/2013/04/11/latest-unavoidable-fast-food-buzz-words-the-rise-of-crazy-premium-snacks/\" target=\"_blank\">http://business.time.com/2013/04/11/latest-unavoidable-fast-food-buzz-words-the-rise-of-crazy-premium-snacks/</a>', 'The Rise of Crazy, Premium, Snacks', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1909-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 1909, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1909-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3099, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '<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', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2194-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '2018-09-27 17:58:49', '', 2194, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2194-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3100, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<em><strong>PE firms can maximize returns by focusing on the customer experience of retail chains</strong></em>\nBy Todd Maute\n\nSome observers apparently think that brick-and-mortar retail businesses are a bad bet for private equity.\n\nBut by paying close attention to the customer-facing side of the chains they invest in, private equity firms stand a much greater chance of maximizing returns - even in the face of the admittedly daunting challenges arising from e-commerce. After all, high-definition broadcasts haven\'t killed live sporting events, and TV evangelists haven\'t stopped people from going to church.\n\nWhen retailers emphasize the point of differentiation their brand offers, and enhance the customer experience and relationship, they give people a reason to come to their stores in precisely the same way. Brand loyalty is a huge factor in the value of any retailer, and Forrester Research has found that the customer experience is the driving factor in determining brand loyalty. \"This means companies can\'t expect to outperform competition on price while ignoring their customers\' experience,\" wrote senior analyst Maxie Schmidt-Subramanian in a May 2013 report.\n\nA report from earlier this year highlighted the particular struggles of specialty retail \"category killers\" like Toys \"R\" Us, Sports Authority, Petco, Burlington Coat Factory and Guitar Center, arguing that the private equity heavy hitters that had invested in these chains had, to date, come up short. With the likes of Amazon on a veritable tear, it is certainly valid to question investments in certain specialty retail formats. But because the $10 trillion U.S. economy is consumer-driven to a remarkable extent, retail is too huge a sector for private equity firms to ignore altogether.\n\nClearly, these firms will continue to sink billions of dollars into retail investments of various kinds. So asking whether retail amounts to a bad bet might be the wrong question. It is more productive to ask if private equity firms are playing their hand correctly in this arena, and if they are doing all they can to maximize retail returns. Many private equity firms have yet to focus on the creative, customer-facing side of retail. Are some brick-and-mortar chains too vulnerable to Amazon and its ilk? Certainly. But this hardly means all of retail amounts to a bad bet. Risk can never be eliminated, but by taking a holistic approach that includes the brand and its customers, private equity firms can boost their odds of walking away from the table as big winners.\n\nConsider another, very different, analysis: \"Vindicated,\" runs the headline of Mergers &amp; Acquisitions magazine\'s March 2011 cover story. \"Oak Hill Capital\'s sale of Duane Reade - the 2010 \'Deal of the Year\'- highlights the perseverance of the PE model.\" Here the reporter focuses on Walgreen Co.\'s 2010 acquisition of New York\'s largest drugstore chain, which gave Oak Hill a return of about 1.5 times its approximately $400 million investment in Duane Reade. In the context of the challenges Duane Reade had faced prior to Oak Hill\'s stewardship, this was an impressive result. CBX worked with Duane Reade on its private label, store design and other branding initiatives.\n\nIt was a move that took some courage. Oak Hill had initially invested $239.5 million in Duane Reade, followed by an additional $39.5 million. But it was in the late summer of 2009 when, heartened by a new strategy, Oak Hill risked another $125 million.\n\nWhat was so different about this new approach? It was customer-facing.\n\nTo back up for a moment, when most private equity firms invest in retailers, they typically focus on ramping up efficiencies and reaping the benefits of scale. These back-end changes, which are mostly invisible to the customer, hinge on taking a hard look at headcount, systems, real estate, warehouses, the supply chain - just about any process improvements that could make the company more profitable. This is part of the standard playbook because it mostly works.\n\nBut, as mentioned, the customer does not usually see or feel these changes directly. Realizing this, Oak Hill decided to go further. A critical part of its approach was to invest in the customer-facing side of the business to drive top-line growth. The chain\'s New York City stores were located on some fantastic corners, but the experience inside them was anything but inspiring, with excessively high gondolas, inaccessible pharmacy counters and dirty floors. Oak Hill\'s 2009 investment was geared toward reinvigorating the stores, as well as the Duane Reade brand.\n\nIn the company\'s press release announcing the acquisition, Walgreens CEO Greg Wasson lauded Duane Reade\'s recent initiatives in urban retailing, customer loyalty and private brand products. He noted that, in the prior fiscal year, Duane Reade had posted \"the highest sales per square foot in the retail drugstore industry nationwide.\"\n\nOak Hill had used consumer and market insights to make dramatic, customer-facing improvements at Duane Reade. As Walgreens noted in the announcement, these included new store designs with wide aisles and contemporary décor, a much improved pharmacy featuring lower service counters for more personalized patient interaction, introduction of \"Doctor on Premises\" walk-in health care and a store-within-a-store prestige beauty concept called \"Look Boutique.\" Walgreens also lauded the launch of a family of exciting new private brands, including food and beverage brand DR Delish and a much expanded customer loyalty program called FlexRewards.\n\nThe Duane Reade nameplate had been transformed into an asset, and so had its private label line - a novel change for a retailer. Now, Walgreens is leveraging many of these brighter, more relevant brands across its portfolio.\n\nDollar General is another example of a private equity firm using customer-facing changes with a powerful effect. When Kohlberg Kravis Roberts &amp; Co. (NYSE: KKR) acquired Dollar General in 2007 for $7.3 billion, the chain was hardly a dog. But KKR was not content to focus on back-end efficiencies alone.\n\nInstead, the firm took an aggressive approach to the customer-facing side of Dollar General\'s business. It elevated the look and feel of the stores, seeking to make them fresh, bright and clean, and launched a rebranding initiative with shiny yellow carts and baskets. It updated signage with messaging trumpeting \"the new Dollar General,\" and launched customer-centric store formats with smarter merchandise adjacencies, wider aisles and more convenient checkout.\n\nDollar General also expanded its consumables presentation, ramping up its emphasis on packaged foods, snacks, beverages, beauty aids and more. In its 2009 annual report, the chain noted that its new crop of private-label brands in particular had gone a long way toward boosting gross profits.\n\nBuoyed by these changes, Dollar General went public in November 2009 - the largest retail IPO in nearly 14 years. Today, Dollar General continues to build sales per square foot and generate solid same-store sales on top of one prior-year gain after another. And of course, the chain continues to show enviable earnings growth and profit margins: In fiscal 2012, net income climbed 24.3 percent to $973.1 million on an 8.2 percent increase in sales to $16.02 billion. With that, net margin expanded to 6 percent of sales from 5.2 percent in fiscal 2011 and 4.8 percent in 2010. This attests to Dollar General\'s ability to engage customers with the right product mix and pricing.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.themiddlemarket.com/maj/2011_61/the-secret-to-success-in-retail-pe-backed-retail-243989-1.html\" target=\"_blank\">\nhttp://www.themiddlemarket.com/maj/2011_61/the-secret-to-success-in-retail-pe-backed-retail-243989-1.html\n</a>', 'The Secret to Success in Retail', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1867-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1867, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1867-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3101, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Gregg_web\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4829\" /></a>By Gregg Lipman:\r\nBy now, just about everyone in the Western world (or at least those reached by TMZ) knows about the John Galliano scandal of early March. As one who is Jewish (and just as a human being), I was outraged by his anti-Semitic rants in a Paris restaurant. But as a brand person, I also thought: \"No John Galliano at Dior? He is Dior!\"\r\n\r\nThe trend of chief creative officer or CEO as brand ambassador has been going on for a while now. In fact, several of these individuals have such a hand in the shaping of the brand that their names are virtually synonymous with the brand. Whereas the head of a company used to remain somewhat anonymous, today\'s brand gatekeepers are front-and-center. They even go so far as reaching out directly to customers -- through corporate communications, blogs and tweets -- to forge relationships.\r\n\r\nTake Millard \"Mickey\" Drexler, for example. As the head of J. Crew, he and his Executive Creative Director, Jenna Lyons, have turned the company around, making it a brand worthy of a $3 billion buyout. Last time my wife bought something online from the brand, she got a \"personal\" note from Mickey, printed on thick cardstock, reassuring her of J. Crew\'s high standards of quality. And then a few weeks later, she received a similar note from the CEO of Garnet Hill, in yet another attempt to foster return sales.\r\n\r\nJetBlue CEO David Barger has been known to mingle with fellow passengers on his flight, introducing himself and greeting them as they disembark the plane. Reed Krakoff, who as chief creative officer of Coach, has turned that brand around in the last decade and has garnered such a fan base that he recently launched his own, eponymous, non-Coach brand (seen on no less than Michelle Obama). And the gregarious Tony Hsieh of Zappos is gunning for brand ambassadorship through his bestselling book, Delivering Happiness, a freshly launched consulting firm of the same name and a Twitter account featuring both personal and professional tidbits.\r\n\r\nBut it\'s not always a positive for a brand to be so strongly associated with the person running the show. Seemingly bulletproof brand Apple has had to figure out the best way to cope with the health issues of its brand ambassador, CEO and co-founder, Steve Jobs. As Jobs\' appearance has worsened and he has taken several prolonged leaves-of-absence (the most recent one being this past January), many investors have worried about what might happen if Apple lost its visionary and first-in-command. In light of this, Apple has appointed Tim Cook as acting CEO, and he has started to appear at more public events, such as the launch of iPad 2 in early March.\r\n\r\nI bet Dior wishes that Galliano had a well-known second-in-command. Instead, the label made the brilliant decision to bring the designer\'s seamstresses right onto the runway after the most recent (and last Galliano) collection for the fashion house. This salute to craftsmanship proved the lesson that Apple already knows: at the end of the day, no matter what the circumstances, the show must go on.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/148501/\" target=\"_blank\">Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/148501/#ixzz271faUkqW</a>', 'The Show Must Go On', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1552-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1552, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1552-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3102, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', 'By Peter Burgoyne\r\nU.S. Vice President Joe Biden raised some hackles in early February by likening New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to that of “some third-world country.” But few could dispute Biden’s overall point – namely, that too many U.S. airports are in desperate need of modernization. And yet this is not just a stateside phenomenon: Aging airports around the globe are begging to be brought into the 21st Century.\r\n\r\nRead more: <a href=\"www.vmsd.com/content/truth-hurts\" target=\"_blank\">www.vmsd.com/content/truth-hurts</a>', 'The Truth Hurts', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1941-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1941, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1941-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3103, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', 'To start off the New Year and lead up to the judging of the first annual Vertex Awards International Private Brand Design Competition I sat down with each of the judges and asked them five questions about Private Brands, package design and differentiation – their answers present a unique global perspective and depth of knowledge of the retail brand space.\r\nToday’s conversation is with Rick Barrack, Chief Creative Officer &amp; Managing Partner, CBX of the U.S.\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What do you look for in great Brand design?</strong>\r\nBreaking through the obvious.\r\nDesign that communicates a clear and concise message with a point of difference. Something that differentiates in the marketplace and from the competition. Don’t just push product with basic product shots, benefit statements and a cheaper price. Look to make a paradigm shift in a category, celebrate your brand’s unique difference in the marketplace.\r\n\r\n<strong>2.How can Design help retailers and their brands differentiate?</strong>\r\nRetailers all have some attributes that are unique to them — whether that be the way the arrange their goods, the way they make their goods, their service, etc. Design shows how to put those unique attributes on a pedestal — make those unique elements the hero and thus create a lasting image in consumers’ minds as to why they can get something from that retailer that they can’t get from anyone else — and that’s the most important piece of retail today because if they can get it someplace else, it’s a price game.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. How do you help retailers select great design instead of obvious or easy design?</strong>\r\nReminding our clients the value of good brand design is not just about being a national brand equivalent, but standing for something more than that and building brand equity and loyalty.\r\n\r\nDesign is about solving a particular puzzle (all the variables: physical, merchandising needs, space constraints, consumer desires, etc.) in an elegant way where the end solution makes a total impact greater than the sum of all the parts. Design is about creating more for less. Design puts together a puzzle of needs in a way that creates more impact with less resources. Great design has to solve for certain challenges within certain constraints. If it does that well, in a way where the investment is less than the net experience, then you have great design. However, great design doesn’t have to mean design that’s never been done before. Great design takes the core idea of “obvious” and makes it special, unique, nuanced and desired.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What advice do you have for retailers working with design consultancies/branding agencies?</strong>\r\n\r\nTrust them. Partner with them. Trust in the process and recognize that the creative process is iterative.\r\n\r\nTake the time upfront to work with the team to understand what all the possible opportunities are. Only then will you be able to make decisions confidently along the way because you’ve explored the alternative paths and know why you did or didn’t pursue them. If you dive right into design, thinking you know what you want, in the short term you may have less confidence in all the decisions that must be made along the way, and in the long run you might regret not stretching your ideas further because retail design is a long term investment.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. How can retailers avoid the mistakes of the past and the missteps of national brands?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe biggest mistake national brands make is not “sticking with it”. Whether that be good values, advertising, their customer base, their long-term equities or any other unique-ness. Particularly in public companies where the pressure to grow is constant, too many brands and retailers will try anything new to light sales. But, creating consumer awareness of what you’re doing is quite expensive and is likely to wipe out the margin that might have been gained in increased sales. When brands “Stick with it,” they build on the momentum that has been banked over the long-term.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://mypbrand.com/2014/01/07/5-questions-the-vertex-judges-rick-barrack/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mypbrand+%28Myprivatebrand%27s+Blog%29\" target=\"_blank\">http://mypbrand.com/2014/01/07/5-questions-the-vertex-judges-rick-barrack/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mypbrand+%28Myprivatebrand%27s+Blog%29</a>', 'The Vertex Judges: Rick Barrack', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1898-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1898, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1898-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3104, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<strong>Fine-tuning a luxe mall in Manila—with the help of a homegrown genius.</strong>\r\nBy Peter Burgoyne\r\n\r\nIf you’ve ever spent time in Manila, you know how its broiling streets can make you want to duck into a climate-controlled mall—and stay there. Little wonder the likes of Power Plant Mall at Rockwell Center draw such crowds. But this isn’t value shopping: At Manila’s malls, shoppers tend to be either privileged members of the local moneyed class or jet-setting tourists and businesspeople from around the globe; building a box and filling it with brands like Starbucks or North Face is simply not enough.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://vmsd.com/content/virtuoso-rattan\" target=\"_blank\">\r\nhttp://vmsd.com/content/virtuoso-rattan</a>', 'The Virtuoso of Rattan', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1838-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1838, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1838-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` (`ID`, `post_author`, `post_date`, `post_date_gmt`, `post_content`, `post_title`, `post_excerpt`, `post_status`, `comment_status`, `ping_status`, `post_password`, `post_name`, `to_ping`, `pinged`, `post_modified`, `post_modified_gmt`, `post_content_filtered`, `post_parent`, `guid`, `menu_order`, `post_type`, `post_mime_type`, `comment_count`) VALUES
(3105, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<strong>CBX reveals real-estate trends that will spark retail creativity in 2015</strong>\r\nAs retailers try to squeeze more sales-per-square-foot out of smaller spaces over the next year, they will be forced to get more creative--even partnering with each other to make their stores more compelling, said Dave Weinberger, vice president and director of engagement for CBX, the brand agency and retail design consultancy, according to a report by Chain Store Age.\r\n\r\nReal-estate pressures will drive four trends in the year ahead, all of which are related to better understanding and catering to today\'s shoppers.\r\n\r\n\"Consumers are shopping more often and making smaller trips,\" Weinberger said. \"Because of this, retailers are not just shifting to smaller formats; they are also taking increased note of how people shop and why their habits are changing.\"\r\n\r\nHe described:\r\n\r\nTheme Parkifying. A way to give shoppers an exciting experience that happens to be convenient as well. He cited the Chicago and New York locations of Eataly as a possible source of inspiration for chains seeking to innovate in this way.\r\n\r\n\"Sometimes likened to a grocery store with tasting rooms, the Italian food and wine emporium offers a compelling mix of retail, restaurants, food and beverage stations, a bakery and cooking schools, all under one roof,\" said Weinberger. \"Such themed and curated shopping experiences are precisely the types of brick-and-mortar concepts that can inspire people to close their MacBook Pros, get off the couch and drive to the mall.\"\r\n\r\nCorner Grabbing. Refers to the likelihood that convenience concepts will snap up premium corner locations, which are among the most convenient in any marketplace but are frequently owned by banks that no longer need this real estate.\r\n\r\n\"In 2015, as the major convenience players jockey for position, look for c-store companies such as Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven or CST Brands to make big real-estate deals with banks as they seek to seize such coveted real estate,\" he said.\r\n\r\nSide Selling. A trend toward looking for alternative channels in which to sell retail goods. Retail is currently popping up in parks and other public spaces, and it will continue to branch out in the year ahead.\r\n\r\n\"We will start to see colleges and universities, which have the demos and traffic flow retailers crave, sign more exclusive partnership agreements with retailers,\" Weinberger predicts. \"More businesses, too, will open up their extra space for retail.\" Gyms, for example, could boost productivity by offering vitamin shops, apparel stores and juice bars, he said.\r\n\r\n\"I firmly believe retailers will have to get creative to compete in the marketplace and get the most out of their real estate in 2015,\" Weinberger concluded. \"Channel lines will continue to blur as retailers invite not only more consumer brands and tech vendors, but also other retailers into their stores. It should be an exciting year.\"\r\n\r\nNew York City-based CBX specializes in creative marketing services, including branding, retail design, packaging and promotional programming. Clients have included Dr Pepper Snapple Group, General Mills, Kimberly-Clark, A&amp;P, Pathmark, Walgreens and Wawa and more.\r\n\r\nThe full article is available <a href=\"http://www.cspnet.com/industry-news-analysis/marketing-strategies/articles/theme-parkifying-corner-grabbing-side-selling?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20News%2001-16-2015%20%281%29&amp;utm_content=&amp;spMailingID=47822664&amp;spUserID=Mj\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Theme Parkifying, Corner Grabbing & Side Selling', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2059-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 2059, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2059-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3106, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p>The winning packages in our first-ever Store Brand Packaging Awards competition not only are great-looking and functional, but also effectively communicate the product message to consumers.\r\nPackaging can do much more than just hold and protect a product. It can draw a shopper\'s eye, communicate a product\'s message, and even boost a product\'s convenience quotient. Great packaging accomplishes all of those things – and more. In our first-ever Store Brand Packaging Awards, Progressive Grocer\'s Store Brands is pleased to honor new store brand packaging that deserves that \"great\" qualifier.\r\n\r\nOur call for entries netted approximately 100 submissions representing hundreds of SKUs. To avoid the potential for bias, we looked outside the packaging design industry to put our panel of judges together. Our judges, packaging editors from UBM Canon\'s Packaging Digest, collectively boast almost a century of packaging experience. They include John Kalkowski, the publication\'s editorial director; Lisa Pierce, the publication\'s editor; and Jack Mans, the publication\'s plant operations editor.\r\n\r\nWe divided the entries into four categories: Refrigerated and Frozen Foods, Shelf-Stable Foods, Beverages and Non-Foods. When a line included products under more than one category, we selected the category in which the majority of products fell.\r\n\r\nWe then instructed the judges to evaluate each entry within a category on three criteria: overall appearance, functionality and communication of the product message. They were told to weigh each criterion equally.\r\n\r\nIn the end, the judges selected a Gold, Silver and Bronze Award winner within each category. They also honored one overall standout across the categories with the \"Best of the Bunch\" Award.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the judges gave Batavia, Ill.-based ALDI Inc., which submitted a number of SKUs for consideration, an honorable mention for placing bar codes on multiple sides of its packaging. The design, the judges say, should work to enhance speed of checkout in ALDI\'s unique operating environment.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong>Shelf-Stable Foods (Gold Award):\r\n</strong>\r\nNice! line \r\nRetail company: Walgreen Co., Deerfield, Ill.\r\nPackaging design company: CBX, New York\r\n\r\nThe judges weigh in:\r\n\"I know that Walgreens is using this on a whole bunch of different SKUs, and this shows a very small part of the entire product line. But one thing I like is the way they use the product itself in some type of illustration on every one of the packages,\" Kalkowski offers. \"Even though they are using a white background that\'s popular with so many brands right now, I think they do it in a way that is not quite as plain Jane as some of the other ones that are out there right now.\"\r\n\r\nIt\'s a clean design,\" Pierce says. \"The color coding is helpful from a shopability point of view. They are using nice, contemporary colors and a clean design.\"\r\n\r\n\"I like the continuity of the brand – the way they carry it out throughout the whole range of products,\" Mans adds.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PGSB_62012_12c.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PGSB_62012_12c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"PGSB_62012_12c\" width=\"250\" height=\"84\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4796\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.plstorebrands.com/article-they_ve_got_it_all-2903.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.plstorebrands.com/article-they_ve_got_it_all-2903.html</a></p>', 'They\'ve Got it All', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1677-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1677, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1677-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3107, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<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...', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2283-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 2283, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2283-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3108, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', 'By Todd Maute\nCompetition has always been heavy in retail. But, for a variety of reason, it has turned into a veritable slugfest over the past few years. Amid such trends as consolidation, Internet retailing and product commoditization, retailers have just a few ways in which to set themselves apart. Virtually all of these differentiators hinge on one thing: brand.\n\nThis is why pharmacies have been working so hard to make progress in brand development and private label branding in particular. The goal is twofold: First, drug chains aim to strengthen consumer impressions in ways that have more to do with emotions and psychology than mechanistic, tactical approaches along the lines of, \"Can we have the lowest price on the street?” Second, they want to capture incremental share from other trade classes, and even health services companies.\n\nAnd so, certain chains are now being far more precise about private label branding in the pharmacy context. Walmart, for one, uses its catchall Equate brand for generalized, over-the counter products such as medicine, vitamins and personal care items. But the discounter doesn’t just segment by category: Its ReliOn brand speaks to a specific customer segment -people with diabetes.\n\nOther chains have created multiple tiers of attractive, high-quality brands, from value all the way up to premium. In June, for example, CVS/ pharmacy announced that it had added a premium tier to its redesign Gold Emblem consumables brand. The company also offers more than 100 beauty products via Nuance Salma Hayek. Duane Reade\'s DeLish is another example of a private label brand carefully tiered to the preferences and needs of specific consumers.\n\nAll of this is taking place, of course, amid a revolution in private label that has evolved over the past 20 years or so. Thanks to this revolution, the product and packaging quality of private label brands has risen dramatically.\nLittle wonder the consumer perception of these products is so favorable. Studies have shown that most shoppers now believe private label brands are every bit as good as the nationals. Research also shows that companies with the strongest private label brands also tend to have the highest customer loyalty. And isn\'t that what everyone is shooting for?\n\nIn general, though, pharmacies still have a way to go on private label. Some chains are weak in certain categories and strong in others, but the improvements in private label image have to do with the bigger picture.\n\nAll too often, pharmacies rely on what might be described as product-led strategies. In a product-led approach, somebody else develops the product and it\'s the retailer\'s job to determine what brand it might fit in (often driven purely by the quality level of the product itself) and then roll out the line. In a brand-led strategy, by contrast, the pharmacy relies on market and customer research to develop a long-term branding initiative specifically matched to its core customers, the consumers it wants to woo moving forward, as well as the overall brand image it wants to promote.\n\nWhen Walgreens wanted to cultivate health and wellness as a platform, for example, it looked first at research demonstrating the big population of health conscious and environmentally aware people who shopped the store. Only after creating and developing Ology, its green-and healthy private brand, did Walgreens go looking for products.\n\nSuch brand-led strategies can yield a host of benefits. A few years ago, A&amp;P started a health-and-wellness program called Live Better! It was more a marketing platform than a true brand, but Live Better! proved a big hit with shoppers. This persuaded A&amp;P to transform it into a private label brand by bringing Live Better! to the 0-T-C drug arena. And so now, instead of generic aspirin, consumers shop for Live Better! Aspirin. They have grown accustomed to a lifestyle brand that speaks to their needs. A&amp;P has continued this initiative by expanding Live Better! to the perimeter fresh department and even perish able produce items. And why not? Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is part and parcel of a healthier lifestyle, and that makes it a natural extension of Live Better!\n\nAnother example is Duane Reade\'s Good &amp; DeLish. Created in partnership with CBX, this brand demonstrates how customer insights and desired positioning can drive brand development. Here, the New York City chain took a close look at its affluent customer base and saw an opportunity to sell more premium food. Duane Reade had a deep understanding of its customers and their preferences. DeLish as a brand name offers a touch of urban slang that you would hear in the city. For Duane Reade, this positioning is all about the tag line \"New York living made easy.\" By offering a premium brand of food that New Yorkers could relate to, Duane Reade saw a surefire way to connect with its core customers. With each product addition to this brand – premium cookies, candies, pastas - Duane Reade has been able to make this brand\'s story come to life in its customers\' minds.\n\nThis is an approach to private label in which brands are literally regarded as assets. A few short years ago Duane Reade was a different chain. Its New York City stores were located on some fantastic corners, but the experience inside them was anything but inspiring. Then its owners made a serious investment in customer-facing improvements geared toward reinvigorating the stores. A key part of this strategy was a brand-led approach to private label.\n\nIn creating DeLish, Duane Reade knew it had a target customer who would buy premium- type products. It then sourced products for the brand rather than going the other way around. When Walgreens acquired Duane Reade in 2010, CEO Greg Wasson lauded this brand-led strategy, citing Duane Reade\'s \"recent initiatives in urban retailing, customer loyalty and private brand products.\" The Duane Reade nameplate had been transformed into an asset, and private label had a lot to do with it.\n\nBy thinking about private label a bit differently - namely, as a marketing tool versus a margin enhancer- pharmacies can set themselves apart, bolster shopper loyalty, improve price perception and, at the same time, boost their bottom lines through the higher gross margins private label products deliver. But they can\'t do this alone. Operationally, it is critical to partner with the right set of manufacturers and to rely on best-in-class consumer metrics. The best pharmacies think of their private label vendors as partners, not as mere procurement sources. They work together to create a reason for customers to believe in a brand. They also merchandise with pride, and promote their brands as though they were national leaders - not lower-tier alternatives.\n\nIn reality, the statistics for private label are positive, but should retail pharmacies be satisfied with the considerable progress they have made thus far? Clearly there is more work to be done. By taking a step back and working with brand-led approaches, pharmacies can push private label to the next level.\n\nChain Drug Review, August 19th 2013', 'Time is now for pharmacies to ramp up private label', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1852-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1852, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1852-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3109, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', 'By Nancy Brown<em>\r\nFind creative new ways to celebrate holidays, seasons, and special occasions through your product and packaging to keep your brand top-of-mind all year long.</em>\r\n\r\nBrands have long capitalized on those holidays for which their products are well suited, such as candy for Halloween, Easter, and Valentine’s Day, snacks and beverages for the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four, and stationery products for Back-To-School.\r\n\r\nBut with every brand in a category providing a seasonal offering, how can you avoid simply being just another “me too”? How can your brand leverage holidays and other relevant opportunities to break through at shelf and drive incremental sales?\r\n\r\nThere are several approaches brands can use to move beyond the obvious—and limited—seasonal merchandising strategies they’ve been using, and instead keep their brands fresh, relevant, and top-of-mind throughout the year.\r\n\r\n<strong>Capitalize on your season</strong>\r\n\r\nThanksgiving is a natural promotional fit for every food brand out there, which is why it’s exciting to see brands thinking out-of-the-box when it comes to this holiday. One of the best examples of this kind of creativity is the holiday-themed packs put out by Jones Soda a few years ago. Thanksgiving flavors included Tofurky &amp; Gravy Soda (a vegan-friendly, sugar-free flavor), Green Bean Casserole, and Mashed Potato &amp; Butter…and believe it or not, Tofurkey wasn’t that awful.\r\n\r\nThe offerings were so successful that Jones followed them up with a Christmas edition, including Christmas Tree, Egg Nog, and Sugar Plum sodas, and a Chanukah package with Latke, Apple Sauce, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut sodas. Other special occasion series include Halloween flavors, a Valentine’s Pack, Easter flavors, and a Dessert Pack. The package designs all play into the look of the holiday, and are completely on brand with Jones’ typically fun spin.\r\n\r\n<strong>Make it your season too</strong>\r\nBrands have figured out that you don’t necessarily need to be an obvious fit with a holiday/season in order to “own it.” Certain unexpected partnerships use promotions as a way to capitalize on special occasions. For example, a Kraft string cheese/Crayola crayon promo for “back-to-school” that makes the string cheese look as if it were packaged in a Crayola crayon box, comes to mind, while others simply do this through packaging (see pwgo.to/316).\r\n\r\nOne of the best back to school promotions is the Bath &amp; Body Works “lunch box bundle” of hand sanitizers. In scents including Marshmallow Treat, PB&amp;J, Honey Pretzel, Juice Box, and Bag of Grapes, these sanitizers were a huge hit with young girls (and their moms) everywhere.\r\n\r\nAnother brand that has figured out ways to “own” certain holidays and seasons is Lego. For example, Lego has gotten in on the Easter action by creating a product and special packaging for a bunny with his Easter basket made out of Legos. Kleenex “slice” boxes—made to look like watermelon, lime, and orange wedges—were created exclusively for Target to sell during the summer months, and injected new life into the brand in the off-season, making them mouthwatering in more ways than one. Kleenex followed up the designs the next year with equally adorable boxes that featured scoops of ice cream.\r\n\r\n<strong>Create (and leverage) seasonal assets</strong>\r\nSome people bemoan the commercialization of the holidays—especially Christmas. But it’s interesting to note that one of the most cherished icons of that holiday, Santa Claus, was actually a marketing creation of the Coca-Cola Company in the 1930s. By promoting Santa—who up until that point had been visually portrayed in many different ways—as a big, jolly man in a red suit with a white beard, Coca-Cola not only created an emotional link with one of the world’s most recognized holidays and created brand associations in its “off-season,” but it also commercialized the gift-bearing folklore with an accessible personification. This visual was so strong that it could have become a brand character, but instead, it transcended that role to be much more universal. Years later, Coca-Cola did for polar bears what it had done for Santa:\r\nmade them synonymous with Christmas.\r\n\r\nIn the same vein, M&amp;Ms has leveraged its personified M&amp;Ms characters and placed them into holiday and seasonal situations (such as a yellow M&amp;M getting frisky with holiday lighting) to take ownership of these holidays in a way that seems honest and innovative.\r\n\r\n<strong>Create new holidays</strong>\r\nThese days, special events can be created, or novel ways of promoting less mainstream events established, to connect with consumers. For example, Solo cups posts ideas on Facebook for how to use its products to honor unexpected events like National Boss’ Day and National Hamburger Day.\r\n\r\nMany brands show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month by creating some form of pink packaging in October, but Danish bread manufacturer Kohberg went one step further by packaging their Rye Bread Buns in a pink bag that made the buns look like breasts in a bra. While understandably controversial, it did get noticed and created attention for the cause as well as the company.\r\n\r\nNo matter what holiday, season, or occasion you choose for your brand, there are options for forging authentic connections on-pack. Here are five guidelines that will help you get noticed on shelf at all times of the year:\r\n\r\n1. <strong>Engage your audience:</strong> Create something that shoppers will not only notice, but will also talk about, laugh about, and best of all, care about enough to want to buy.\r\n\r\n2. <strong>Stay true to your brand:</strong> Build long-term equity, not just short-term sales boosts, by figuring out a connection that seems authentic, not hokey.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>Be controversial</strong>: Whether it’s the holiday you select for your brand or what you do with that holiday tie-in, go for it and push the envelope. A little controversy can go a long way.\r\n\r\n4. <strong>Create an idea with longevity</strong>: Get consumers excited about your season, create buzz around your brand, and make them look forward to and anticipate next year’s offering.\r\n\r\n5. <strong>Spare no expense</strong>: Graphics and structure matter, so dream big with a unique structural package and proprietary graphics that take your package to the next level.\r\n\r\nRead More: <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/promotional-package/every-brand-there-season\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.packworld.com/package-design/promotional-package/every-brand-there-season</a>', 'To every brand, there is a season', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1893-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1893, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1893-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3110, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p>LAS VEGAS, NV, Oct 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Well-executed branding strategies for private label products can help convenience stores set themselves apart, bolster shopper loyalty, improve price perception and, ultimately, boost their bottom lines. And yet the industry still has a long way to go when it comes to taking full advantage of private label\'s powerful potential, said Todd Maute, a partner in the global branding firm CBX, during a panel discussion Sunday at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) annual expo and convention.\r\n\"Private label is a hot commodity and is in the news a lot these days,\" Maute told the audience during \"Private Label Profit Puzzle,\" a panel discussion featuring c-store and branding experts from four national firms. \"But much of its recent growth has been driven by the sluggish economy and is the result of consumers \'trading down\' in search of better price values.\"\r\n\r\nDuring the panel discussion, Maute underscored the need for the industry to adopt a new attitude about private label -- one in which companies see private label products, not as lower-tier alternatives to the national brands, but as powerful marketing and branding vehicles in their own right.\r\n\r\n\"If economic weakness is driving much of the growth in private label, this says to me that companies have not done a good job of repositioning their private label brands in the customer\'s mind,\" he said. \"But c-stores can remedy this by standing behind their brands, marketing them with confidence and educating customers that their private label brands really are worth buying.\"\r\n\r\nIn the grocery and big-box discount sectors, Maute explained, smart retailers like Safeway, HEB, Target and Walmart are making much more of their private label brands. But while c-stores certainly have more limited shelf space and shallower offerings in various product categories, their \"captive audiences\" ought to translate directly into stronger private label market share, Maute asserted.\r\n\r\n\"Let\'s say you\'re in a hurry, go into a convenience store and cannot find the national brand version of a product you happen to need,\" Maute said. \"You\'ll be perfectly willing to try the c-store\'s private label brand, rather than walk out empty-handed. If it happens to be an attractive package, well merchandised, with a high-quality product inside, you\'ll buy it again. C-stores are missing out on an opportunity here with products that tend to deliver higher profits for retailers.\"\r\n\r\nThe private label branding veteran drew a sharp-distinction between product-led and brand-led strategies. All too often, c-stores\' private label strategies are product-led, he explained, which means the attributes of the product itself -- whether it is potato chips, soda or motor oil or is a \"premium\" product versus a \"national brand equivalent\" -- drive the way it is packaged, merchandised and marketed. In a brand-led strategy, by contrast, smart retailers create coherent and appealing private label brands that become instantly recognizable to consumers. \"If the strategy is brand-led, you will innovate and differentiate,\" Maute said.\r\n\r\nRetailers with the highest private label market share maintain a laser-like focus on smart advertising and promotion for those brands, up to and including social media, Maute said. They understand that every private label purchase carries with it three distinct impressions on the consumer, he added. \"The first is when they see the product on the shelf. The second is when they buy it, and the third is when they actually consume or use it,\" he explained. \"If you sell 50 million units per year, that translates into 150 million consumer impressions per year. And so the way you package and merchandise your private label products, the way you price them and place them on the shelf can be more powerful than a Super Bowl ad when it comes to shaping customer loyalty and building your overall brand.\"\r\n\r\nHow should c-stores go about reorienting their private label strategies? \"Start with the fundamentals of good retailing,\" Maute advised. \"It is all about knowing the customer and understanding the dynamics of your store and your categories. Think of your vendors as partners, not as a mere procurement sources. Merchandise the product like you\'re proud of it, which you should be. Promote it and treat it like a national brand, not like a brand alternative.\"\r\n\r\nThe NACS Show, held Oct. 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, highlights products and services for the convenience and fuel retailing industry and is one of the top 50 trade shows in the United States, according to the Trade Show News Network.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.marketwatch.com/story/expert-urges-c-stores-to-take-a-savvier-approach-to-private-label-2012-10-10\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/expert-urges-c-stores-to-take-a-savvier-approach-to-private-label-2012-10-10</a>', 'Todd Maute from NACS Show Panel Urges C-Stores to Take a Savvier Approach to Private Label', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1713-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1713, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1713-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3111, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', 'Tonya Garrett has joined brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX as Vice President, Client Services Group Director.\r\nIn her position, Garrett will be responsible for directing the firm\'s client services team, including the advisement of clients, growth of relationships and management of projects. She reports to Satoru Wakeshima, Senior VP, General Manager.\r\n\r\nGarrett comes to CBX with more than 18 years of digital marketing, management consulting and P&amp;L experience, most recently as Managing Director/NY Market Lead at Proof Integrated Communications/Burson-Marsteller Company. In that position, she was responsible for leading the New York office\'s P&amp;L and operations to deliver digital campaigns from research, creative and technical execution.\r\n\r\nFrom 2010 to 2013, Garrett was a Managing Director at JWT, a global full-service employee relationship marketing agency focused on recruitment advertising, employer branding, strategy and internal communications. Prior positions included Client Engagement Director at global digital marketing agency Razorfish; Director of Project Management/Account Director and Director of Operations and Delivery at Omnicom\'s Agency.com; and a Senior Consultant at Accenture, where she began her career in 1996.\r\n\r\n\"Tonya\'s diverse experience and outstanding track record position her as exceptionally qualified to lead teams across our organization,\" said Wakeshima. \"I\'m confident that her passion, vision and comprehensive thinking will help us continue to drive cohesive branding solutions for our clients, with measurable results. Additionally, our clients and teams will really enjoy working with Tonya -- she\'s a great cultural fit for CBX. I\'m very excited to have her join our senior leadership and look forward to an exciting future together.\"\r\n\r\nGregg Lipman, the firm\'s CEO/Managing Partner, added: \"Tonya\'s addition to the team underscores CBX\'s commitment to a rapidly changing marketplace in which clients with thinner resources rely on firms like us to offer the breadth and depth of services to fulfill their unique needs, and be proactive business partners in the process. With her vast experience, Tonya Garrett will be a catalyst to ensure CBX is at the forefront of that change.\"\r\n\r\nGarrett, a resident of New York City, earned an M.B.A. from Duke University\'s Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance and Accounting, from the University of Oklahoma.\r\n\r\nAlso seen in:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/potmsearch/detail/submission/4620531/Tonya_Garrett?l=&amp;time=&amp;ind=&amp;type=&amp;ro=6\" target=\"_blank\">New York Business Journal</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.nacsonline.com/News/Member_News/Documents/CBXPR050515.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">NACS Online</a>', 'Tonya Garrett Joins CBX as VP, Client Services Group Director', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2097-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 2097, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2097-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3112, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p> See where CBX comes in at on Inc.com\'s list of the \"Top Companies in New York 2011.\" \r\n<a href=\"http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2011/state/ny/300/state/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2011/state/ny/300/state/</a></p>', 'Top Companies in New York on the 2011 Inc. 5000', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1709-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1709, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1709-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3113, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p>Consumers love their brands, especially ones that begin with the letter “A” for Apple. In honor of Valentine’s Day, CBX, the New York-based brand agency, conducted a quantitative online survey of 1,000 consumers nationwide and asked, “What brand do you love the most?” and “Why?”\r\nThe top ten brands that are consumers’ Valentines:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/brands_people_love_2012.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/brands_people_love_2012.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"brands_people_love_2012\" width=\"203\" height=\"237\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4867\" /></a>\r\n\r\nBrand Love by the Ages:\r\n\r\n<ol>Those hard-to-please younger consumers (ages 18-24)) professed their love of Nike (54%). But, no one over 55 said they wanted Nike to “be mine” in the survey.</ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n<ol>27% of consumers, ages 18-24 said they loved Sony, helping to land the brand in the number two spot.</ol>\r\n\r\n<ol>Consumers aged 35-44 and 55-64 named Coca-Cola as their number one love (26%).</ol>\r\n\r\nExplaining their love for these brands, consumers most frequently said, Apple is “innovative,” “high-end”, “love/like products” and “good quality”. While Sony soaked up the love because of “good quality,” “reliable/dependable,” “love/like products” and “innovative/high-end.” Those who chose Coca-Cola overwhelmingly did so by describing the brand as, “great/good taste” and “delicious.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://popsop.com/53700\" target=\"_blank\">http://popsop.com/53700</a>', 'Top Ten Brands Consumer\'s Love Most', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1688-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1688, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1688-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3114, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<p>A state of the art service station in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, which was only opened by Topaz four months ago, has won a leading international retailer award.\r\nThe Cashel site, at Junction 8 on the M8, was awarded the Insight NACS 2011 International Convenience Retailer of the Year Award at a gala ceremony in London last week attended by delegates from 20 countries.\r\n\r\nNACS is the Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailers and represents retailers and suppliers worldwide.\r\n\r\nThe award is seen as particularly significant because of the quality of those competing and the fact it is voted on by suppliers and industry peers. Topaz beat off stiff competition from a short list which included Morrisons M-local from the UK, LS travel retail from France and Shell/7-Eleven from Norway.\r\n\r\nTopaz, the fully Irish owned and managed company only came into existence as a brand in February 2008. The Cashel site is the first of up to 15 motorway sites which the Company plans to build close to the motorway network. Services on offer at the site include a hot food buffet and café, children’s play area, wi-fi internet access, toilets and showers. The site also has a McDonald’s restaurant, which is also a first motorway location for that company.\r\n\r\nEddie O’Brien, Chief Executive of Topaz, said the award was a huge boost for the company generally and Cashel in particular.\r\n\r\n‘This is an acknowledgement by our industry peers from across Europe that the range of services on offer at Cashel, transform the customer experience. This site is our template for future sites close to the motorway network and it is extremely encouraging that our ‘first-born’ has won such a prestigious award. Our aim is to provide five star rest and refueling stops for motorists and winning this award re-enforces our belief that we are on the right track. The judges were impressed with our commitment to our customers, our staff and the community as a whole and that was especially pleasing’ O’Brien said.\r\n\r\nOne of the judges Joe Bona, President Retail Division at CBX a New York based strategic branding company said; ‘Through the integration and use of technology across multiple platforms, from pay at the pump to social media and smart phone apps, Topaz appears to be an innovation leader for the convenience channel’.\r\n\r\nLast year Topaz was crowned Irish Retail Company of the Year at the Retail Excellence Ireland Awards in Galway, while in May it was recognised as one of the Best Large Workplaces in Europe.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.hgvireland.com/09/27/topaz-cashel-crowned-world-champion/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.hgvireland.com/09/27/topaz-cashel-crowned-world-champion/</a>', 'Topaz Cashel crowned world champion', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '1736-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 1736, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/1736-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(3115, 1, '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '<strong>To create holiday packaging that will enchant consumers, you need to move beyond seasonal clichés and embrace quality design that brings a bit of the unexpected.</strong>\r\nWith the holidays upon us, celebrations beginning, and an influx of plastic Santas on rooftops, I can’t help but pine for more sophisticated creative this season. It goes without saying that much of the holiday packaging we see is, let’s face it, pretty tacky. It’s as if someone said, “Just slap a reindeer, Santa, or snowflake on the package and call it a day. Oh, and make sure it’s gaudy!” I believe that brands that use cheap tactics are underestimating the public’s ability—and desire—to embrace quality design. Let’s look at some great examples that haven’t used tacky gimmicks to convey “holiday.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Tissue boxes conjure classic holiday settings</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/kleenex-christmas-designs_497x295.png\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9507 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/kleenex-christmas-designs_497x295.png\" alt=\"kleenex-christmas-designs_497x295\" width=\"497\" height=\"295\" /></a>\r\nThere’s corny Christmas humor—ugly sweater contest anyone?—and then there’s keen Christmas wit. Kleenex opted for the latter when it launched its <a href=\"http://www.kimberly-clark.com.au/en/news/2013/newsbox/kleenex-launches-festive-new-designs?utm_medium=Print&amp;utm_source=pwgoto\" target=\"_blank\">limited-edition tissue box holiday collection in 2013</a>. Festive enough to leave out on the mantel alongside your stockings for those emotional holiday moments, the holiday tissue boxes were made to resemble quintessential settings like a gingerbread house and garland-draped fireplace. Best of all, the structure of the box was made to look like a roof, with the Kleenex logo at the top. These were tissues you wanted to show off around the house, rather than hide under the Christmas tree.\r\n\r\n<strong>Socks in a jar reflect handcrafted heritage</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/levis_project048_tp31.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9508 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/levis_project048_tp31.jpg\" alt=\"levis_project048_tp31\" width=\"695\" height=\"382\" /></a>\r\n\'Tis the season for cozy socks, as Levi’s knows better than anyone. To its credit, the brand figured out a way to make this classy holiday product more than just a stocking stuffer when it introduced Mr. Strauss’ Rediscovered Long Socks just in time for the 2014 holiday season. The socks are modeled after those worn by the founder of the brand, and claim to be “woven on a traditional 48 needle machine just as it would have been in 1853.” Packaged in a glass jar, with a handmade-style label printed on weathered, antique-style paper, there’s a homegrown feel to the packaging that supports Levi’s handcrafted heritage. As far as the connection to holiday, well, these cozy socks tell the whole story—imagine wearing those red, woolen socks while sitting in front of the fireplace sipping a hot toddy. What’s more holiday than that?\r\n\r\n<strong>Festive champagne bottle graphics get the party started</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/le-set-sq-crop.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9509 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/le-set-sq-crop.jpg\" alt=\"le-set-sq-crop\" width=\"750\" height=\"750\" /></a>\r\nSpeaking of color, winery Chandon made big news in the libations world in 2014 when it introduced its white-and-gold Limited Edition Party Bottle. No red and green pairings here; Chandon had the confidence to wrap its bottle in all white—reminiscent of a white Christmas—and use a festive gold script that implies celebration and makes the brand really pop (pun intended). Various playful copy lines convey the festivity of the season. The nicely designed, themed bottles make a great holiday gift, and a bottle worth bringing to any party.\r\n\r\n<strong>Clever copy alludes to season’s treats</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/butlers-pantry.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9510 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/butlers-pantry.jpeg\" alt=\"butlers pantry\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" /></a></strong>\r\nFor its line of holiday food products, Irish brand Butler’s Pantry veered away from conventional holiday clichés, and piqued their consumers’ curiosity. A neutral background pattern, made up of mini-snowflakes that hint at the season without overtly referencing it, sets the stage for the festive quotes. Copy such as “You’ve Got Beautiful Mince Pies” and “Delicious Piece of Hand Made Heaven Inside” cleverly alludes to the deliciousness that awaits.\r\n\r\n<strong>Beer gets gift-wrapped, including a bow</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/12_5_11_stella1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9506 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/12_5_11_stella1.jpg\" alt=\"12_5_11_stella1\" width=\"700\" height=\"350\" /></a></strong>\r\nIt’s no surprise that Stella Artois—a brand that was actually named for the Christmas star—really embraces the holiday season. Each year, Stella Artois turns out packaging that, while not quite revolutionary, is as understated as it is clever. A few years ago, <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2011/12/6/stella-artois-limited-edition-holiday-packaging.html?utm_medium=Print&amp;utm_source=pwgoto\" target=\"_blank\">a festive box was introduced</a> leveraging Stella’s most significant brand assets, the star and the crimson color, staged in a repetitive pattern made to look like gift-wrap. The design covered cases of beer and was tied up with a bow. The perfect gift for any beer drinker on your holiday list—no wrapping required.\r\n\r\n<strong>Coffee-pack characters celebrate holiday moments</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/12_04_12_-holidaySB_5.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9511 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/12_04_12_-holidaySB_5.jpg\" alt=\"12_04_12_ holidaySB_5\" width=\"700\" height=\"553\" /></a></strong>\r\nIn 2012, Starbucks’ spirited holiday packaging portrayed an unexpected approach to the holiday season. Instead of the usual chubby Santa and happy snowmen, Starbucks opted to illustrate holiday moments with such characters as a Christmas caroler and an ice dancer, which were applied to each of its holiday blends and coffee to-go cups. It made every cup of coffee bring a smile to my face that season.\r\n\r\n<strong>Faceted glass vodka bottle helps holidays shine brighter</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/RTEmagicC_B_AB007_06.jpg.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-9512 size-full\" src=\"http://cbx-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/RTEmagicC_B_AB007_06.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"RTEmagicC_B_AB007_06.jpg\" width=\"271\" height=\"600\" /></a></strong>\r\nLeave it to Absolut to create the best holiday bottle ever! Reminiscent of a sparkling diamond, the limited edition 2010 Absolut Glimmer bottle made for a shimmering Christmas gift and bar accessory you’d be proud to display at your holiday party. As opposed to other recent holiday bottles such as Absolut Bling Bling, Absolut Disco, and Absolut Rock Edition, Absolut Glimmer marks the first time that the bottle structure was altered, rather than just the graphics. The perfect excuse to shine a little brighter for the holiday.\r\n\r\nAs all of the examples here prove, beautiful design is indeed always in season. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:\r\n\r\n- Build on your heritage.\r\n- Look for the unexpected.\r\n- Pique your consumer’s curiosity.\r\n- Deliver an engaging experience.\r\n- Emphasize the craft.\r\n\r\nSo this year I urge you to go beyond the expected clichés of plastic Santas, Rudolphs, and Frostys. Instead, embrace holiday cheer with concepts that engage, entice and remind everyone to be joyful. After all, that’s what this time of year is all about.\r\n\r\nOriginally published in <a href=\"http://www.packworld.com/package-design/promotional-package/toss-tacky-and-other-strategies-inspiring-holiday-packaging\" target=\"_blank\">Packaging World</a>.\r\nPhotos courtesy of <a href=\"http://www.kimberly-clark.com.au/en/news/2013/newsbox/kleenex-launches-festive-new-designs/\" target=\"_blank\">Kimberly-Clark</a>, <a href=\"http://www.mailmovement.com/levis-puts-on-sale-mr-strausss-socks/\" target=\"_blank\">Mail Movement</a>, <a href=\"http://chandonusa.tumblr.com/payton-turner-flat-vernacular\" target=\"_blank\">Chandon</a>, <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2014/12/5/the-butlers-pantry\" target=\"_blank\">The Dieline</a> 1, <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2011/12/6/stella-artois-limited-edition-holiday-packaging.html?utm_medium=Print&amp;utm_source=pwgoto\" target=\"_blank\">The Dieline</a> 2, <a href=\"http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2012/12/10/starbucks-holiday-2012.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Dieline</a> 3, and <a href=\"http://www.ricard.fr/en/brands/_absolut-glimmer-dazzling-purity\" target=\"_blank\">Societ Ricard</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Toss the Tacky, and Other Strategies For Inspiring Holiday Packaging', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', '2149-revision-v1', '', '', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '2018-09-27 17:58:50', '', 2149, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/2149-revision-v1', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
