Great post from Copyblogger: Never save a good idea. When I know I have many creative deadlines to meet, it is tempting to “save” a few good ideas for later. New ideas will always come so always give your best ideas.

Ideas really are everywhere. You’ll probably find that some of your best ideas come when you are doing something completely unrelated to the idea itself…so record your ideas on the go! Liz Strauss says “The art is in training your mind to see the ideas and pull them in before your thoughts pass by them–to make your mind into an idea magnet of sorts.”

Twitter today is as wide open and uncontrolled as TV panels are closed and controlled. No longer just a platform for friends to stay connected in real time, Twitter has evolved into an important component of brand marketing. Dave Morgan posts an interesting question: Is Twitter the new black when it comes to consumer marketing research?

As more and more marketing becomes real-time, so must the tools that enable it. Twitter is a focus group/survey tool on steroids. It lets you watch, interact and survey lots of different types of people very quickly and very efficiently. As this general-purpose tool becomes more widespread, lots of ways for business to use it are emerging.

All about map mashups and local content.
Geography is about everything that is (literally) close to consumers, and it’s a universally familiar method of organizing, finding and tracking relevant information on objects, events and people. We’re getting close to the “Local Wide Web“. Maps are an intrinsic part of local search.

Made-in-SF Laptop Messenger wrapped in a San Francisco street map. It doesn’t get more local than this.

Strong visibility and passion are the dictating themes in logo trends.
2009 trends usher in something new, something experimental, something outrageous.

‘09 is proving to be a very interesting year, design-wise with effective and strong concept based logos. We’re witnessing a fading out of minimalism, and this is paving the way for spectacular remixes to take over.

We’re also going to see a few designers becoming far more aware and sensitive to design history movements and styles than they were in previous years. They are discovering ways to make logos reflect their roots. To stand out, and be refreshingly different and bold– that’s the message we’re getting from today’s logos.

Here are some direction examples to serve as traction in moving you forward in identity design:

Words:

Type and text is clearly more critical. Words carry a more concise message. They convey specific rather than generic information. People are busy; money is tight. Logos must be interpreted, and interpretation takes time. Words deliver their message immediately.

Increased Chroma:

Logos have a vibrancy of color and energy that in past years might have not been considered proper corporate behavior. They are setting a very optimistic course. Everywhere, there is a bold use of hue, even in the most unexpected places, such as in the identities of very large and conservative clients.

Apps:

There’s a very small item on the horizon that may has gigantic effect on logo design. When Google introduced its new favicon at the start of 2009, it was a very visible reminder of how powerful that tiny piece of real estate really is. The favicon may turn out to be a measuring stick against which the success of any new logo design might be measured – as in, can this logo be made to fit in a 15 x 15-pixel square?

Speedy reflection and the blending of elements:

Economies, governments, and individuals continue to call for “greater transparency” in society. Though this is not a literal request for visual transparency, for several years, designers have taken liberties with the concept to deliver metaphoric solutions that consumers understand.

Depicting motion in sequential steps combined with transparency is the latest iteration to branch out from this trend family .The introduction of sequential color steps help to further define the concept by demonstrating movement: time passage through seasons, temperature shifts, or just a rainbow-colored transition that demonstrates order and harmony, not chaos.

Mosaic:

These logos look like a roomful of diverse pixels pushed together to make a visual shape.

Shaped:

The symbolic texture of these logos does not let consumer’s vision wander. Often illustrated with a unique visual message that gives context and dimension to the shape.

Typographic:

A logo seems to be incomplete without a good type face, the “Nike” logo is exceptional. An excellent logo emerges when text and icon are packed up in a strong way.

A particular style can’t emerge and expect to stay at the top indefinitely. Developments in logo design indicate that these trends have a short lifespan, going through a “now-you-see-it now-you-don’t” kind of roller coaster. Consumers react to the messages they hear via the media and then make “educated” decisions on how they should react which obviously effects how designers work and operate. As designers we must allow for these new considerations and this is where the so called trend comes in.
Inspiration Link
LogoLounge

The new green products are design driven, with as much visual appeal as their more traditional counterparts.

What about Online/Web Green?
Good green web design is a balancing act. As more designer labels promote the green benefits of their products, web designers will need to skillfully marry diverse marketing objectives for the new green market.
How can web design best meet the marketing needs of the new, design oriented green market? A few ideas…

Use Texture.

Web design can often feel sterile and harsh. Texture adds warmth and personality to the web design. It suggests a tactile quality and depth seen in recycled papers. The key is not going overboard with the use of this design element. The subtlety conveys just the right amount of texture without robbing the web pages of style.

Use Nature.

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for the design of the human environment, but in recent years this relationship has grown even more intense.”Nature as model” has influenced the most diverse possible concepts and developmental processes and is revealed in a large spectrum of forms and functions. Nature Design brings together projects and objects from design, architecture, landscape architecture, photography, and art that have been inspired by nature to develop complex and innovative works.
Typical web design color palettes are often over saturated and cold. Chose colors that mimic what is seen in nature. And monochromatic colors that fade into the background, providing an elegant and quiet backdrop for the product. Warm colors that engage the eye and heart.
Some fresh examples:

Trend observations and analysis by industry, demographic and theme. The changes you want to know about!
Are you looking for inspiration for your business? A dynamic source of creative stimulation?
We have a unique combination of market expertise and trend literacy, designed to provide you with an informed view of the implications of change for your customer or brand.


Understand the trends impacting behavior, culture and society.
No matter what your business need – product innovation, strategic planning, brand and category management, or simply new creative idea generation.
Maverick Dean Creative – What’s Next inspiration, ideas and application.

Having a plan of attack to address multiple consumer touch points.

In researching and planning a PR strategy, designing or promoting a new product, consider input and exposure from multiple viewpoints.

There’s no room in the marketplace for all things and all people, so you need to figure out how to be something to somebody.  At the get-go in planning, narrow your audience and be unique, you need to embrace the niche and the out of the ordinary.

It is important to have a plan of attack and address each touch point, whether it’s gender, generation or geography.

Understanding people’s desire so you can intersect it.
Understanding people’s influence so you can leverage it.
Consumers are far more sophisticated now and they are looking for something they can relate to. Recently, a few marketers have begun to realize that they will lose the consumer’s attention if they continue attempts to “shout” over competing brands. Today’s consumers are savvier than ever. They can see right through yesterday’s marketing keywords such as “new” and “improved,” and they are searching for meaningful brand connections.

In this economy, it’s about toning down the “noise” in today’s crowded retail space and standing for value in the consumer’s mind. It’s about understanding that the complete package with a sensory experience, will contribute to a brand identity that stands out in a crowded marketplace.

Value isn’t just about price. In fact, battling competitors in a price war to achieve the lowest price is the road to eroding brand value with consumers. Other brand assets should be leveraged to create value. For example packaging that is so well-designed, consumers want to interact with the brand it represents over and over again.  Rather than containing mundane products they need to use, consumer packaging can deliver something so extraordinary, it adds enjoyment and pleasure—thus a value-added perception–to everyday items.
Is your company packaging experience?
Rethinking package design can lead to an all-important second moment of truth (SMOT) with consumers. Adding a new aesthetic to functionality can accomplish that.

-This creamer package embodies function, pleasure and style. Consumers say they often are performing another task simultaneously while preparing coffee, but many creamer packages make it difficult for them to multi-task. Product Ventures collaborated with WhiteWave on the research and created a more European-like, ergonomic new bottle with flip-top cap design, while also retaining the brand’s message of continued pleasurable and enjoyable brand experience, making consumers feel pampered during the coffee making ritual.
Effective design communication can “trigger” a bundle of emotions and positive attitudes that increase the likelihood of consumer purchases. Some examples:

-New product from a SONIC and Microsoft collaboration.
Computer mice are typically packaged in a clear shell following the contour of the product like a second skin, allowing user not only to visually inspect the product from multiple angles, but also to check if the ergonomics of a particular mouse shape works for them. There are many advantages making a product accessible to our five senses. It is part of human nature not only to look at objects of interest, but also to hear, touch, smell, and eventually to taste them.
To experience something untouchable on the other hand leaves room for our imagination; it triggers curiosity and desire. Out of reach, it can elevate the value perception and emphasizes on the emotional and inspirational benefits of a product. SONIC developed a package that intentionally separates the merchandise from the outside world. Unlike any other product in this category, the mouse is placed sideways highlighting the innovative folding mechanism and beautiful product profile. Positioned as a lifestyle product and catered to a hip and fashion conscious target audience the mouse is featured completely intangibly in a clear-folded plastic box to convey the premium nature of the product.
-This Shiseido bottle may look like a beauty product or a sophisticated skin cosmetic, but a closer look at the inside proves you wrong.
Those are hexagonal pills! The bottle refers to water and earth, with the green and blue colors. The underlying concept behind this new brand of supplementary health tablets from the Japanese cosmetics company is the belief that from good health and well being flows true beauty. The product is made using grasses found growing on high cliff-tops by the sea in eastern Japan. The designer refrains from plastering the design with obvious health-evoking imagery and instead attempts to subtly point to the water, temperatures and environment.

Identify Touch-Points and Emotional-Triggers. It’s tempting to jump right into its aesthetics. What should first be considered, however, is how you can cultivate the creation of moments of engagement between the consumer and the brand, and the emotions and associations these moments foster.

With the shift in consumer and market behavior that will drive packaging trends, what can we expect to see in 2010 and beyond?

-Multiple-Solutions Design:
Companies are turning to design to address the economic reality as well as new consumer sensibilities. Innovative packaging is one means of combating the high cost of resources and delivering products more efficiently. (For example Walmart’s redesigned milk container has reduced shipping labor by 50 percent and water usage by 60 to 70 percent. The new packaging enables Walmart to stock 224 containers in a space that used to hold 80!)

Too much category packaging looks similar, so how about investing in structural packaging? Structural packaging is a standout; new innovations and unique package structures become easy brand identifiers over time, and strong differentiators on the retail shelf. A structurally distinguished package also can refer back to the brand in a decisive manner.

-Lotus Splendour Lancome’s extraordinary launch this February. The lotus head packaging splits open to reveal three petals containing lip and eye products and a mini mirror, each leaf hinges & clicks back neatly and seamlessly into the weighted base by using hidden magnetic closures.
-Estuche Grand Class, best carton award/confectionery.

-Heightened Point of Difference:
Eye-popping new graphics and visuals also might be considered. Some of the world’s most visible and celebrated brands benefit from new graphic architecture. Remember Pepsi-Cola’s pop art bottles last year? And Coca-Cola’s this year? Established brands can become tired, and nothing generates new excitement for products like engaging, daring new packaging that plays into today’s cultural values.
Employ bold design to showcase valuable differentiation and communicate a proactive message to the marketplace. Now is the time to take a deep breath, be brave and unleash hi-visible design with a clear point of difference.

Green With A Twist:
Approach sustainability with a healthy dose of perspective. Many companies are asking if sustainability will lose relevance in the current economic climate. Research says that it is more important than ever before. With all things being equal – price, efficacy, quality – a green benefit can be the tiebreaker. Consumers reveal that consciousness may also be inspired by a sense of hope for the future, and a desire to do and to feel good.
Most Americans don’t understand companies’ green claims. Even though consumer desire is increasing to live more sustainably, they are confused and looking to companies to provide a laser-focused direction on how their products and services will help them do that.
The food and beverage category is central to perceptions of sustainability. Consumers view the category as salient to all zones of sustainability and make direct connections between food and the earth.

Consumers are also looking for personal benefits in green products. Think about green where design, lifestyle and packaging meet.

-Pangea Organics, glueless carton packaging innovation.
-New eco-friendly mascara from Physician’s Formula.
-Trek Wine Karafe, reusable aluminum bottle.

-Treepac, a new design concept for solving the problem of single use shipping and mailing packages as a reusable container intended to replace cardboard boxes.
-Xooma X20, water enhancement product in packets, with BPA-Free reusable water bottles.

Being green is becoming a key factor in the way consumers view companies and each other. Even consumers who aren’t green or still confused, are getting pressure from their children, parents, friends and peers at work…green is a huge power.

There is a need for a company to be legitimate with its green claims. Consumers are asking for green, but the reality is that even with a lot of misinformation, these very connected consumers will call you out on false claims.

Stampede Garb Looking Urban And Sexy. Designers are pumping out this new redefined, cowboy rock’n'roll-meets flamboyant bohemian mix.

Hermes champions ‘cowboy-hippie-boho chic’. Wearing a black Stetson, she walks straight out from the desert, scantily clad in black wide-cleavage dress, tightened at the waist by sturdy superimposed belts and adorned with studded leather bracelets.
As we all know, fashion goes full circle and reinvents itself in various trends that can be seen on the catwalks of London, Paris and Milan and followed vigorously by the fast-fashion boom on our urban streets. This upcoming season sees a continuation of the Boho look that’s been prevalent for quite a few years now, and made famous by the likes of Sienna Miller and various other celebrities. This time around bohemia goes south of the border, adding rock-cowboy edge to the ethnic/folksy feel.

Style that both edgy and sexy. Texas boots, skull-and-crossbone, hats, and sexy, fringed tops. Clothing and jewelry to the likes of Madonna and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.


Fabrics are luxurious and rich and the colors tend to have a dark base with highlights in red, purple, yellow and pink. Patterns can be found in the shape of blanket stripes, Mexican icons, paisley prints, roses, beading and western motifs. Floaty tunics with bracelet sleeves are teamed with large, statement necklaces, patterned tights, over the top embellished boots, which together, is truly individualistic.
The new muse is a study in self-assured indifference. Her style fuses rock’n'roll cool, Talitha Getty’s deluxe, bohemian glamour, the innocent nonchalance of Marianne Faithful, Kate Moss’s effortless chic, Lou Doillon’s bejeweled eclecticism and Francoise Hardy’s leather obsession.

Differentiate from competition on an intuitive level.
New packages are perhaps most successful when they use unique shapes or structures to differentiate on an intuitive and visual level. Even from several feet away, they  simply look more compelling than the competition, which helps them break through  shelf clutter and connect with shoppers on an emotional level.

First impressions count. So do second, third and beyond.
Packaging enhances the brand, makes a statement and plays a crucial role in the purchase decision process. More than that, packaging can help create a product’s unique personality or can refresh and reinvigorate longstanding brands. At the point of purchase, packaging is the first thing your audience sees. And that the law of attraction is absolute.