Packaging Design Episodes

Everything you need to consider when thinking of deigning sustainable packaging. Materials, processes, questions, and what sustainability even means. Great way to get started.

Jeremy Etchison & Ben Blanchard are the dynamic duo behind SONOS' Roam packaging. Their team of designers and engineers executed what can be called the future of sustainable tech packaging. A completely recyclable product pack that uses custom paper wrapped corrugated board and molded fiber inserts to cradle and present the ROAM speaker. We discuss how sustainability was the Northstar that led to Sonos' packaging design for the ROAM and all future Sonos products. We learn about custom papers,...

Learn what it takes to design, buy, and launch packaging for a start-up. we discuss numbers, concepts, and next steps.

In our conversation about packaging design for Pride month with Zipeng Zhu, why men's body wash has grip, and why it's important to share your work to build your network. You'll also get, How Zipeng Zhu selects colors when designing packaging, fashion, or digital? Here's a secret his current favorite color is yolk :) Harry's razors hired Zipeng Zhu to develop the packaging for the recent Pride packaging as well as developing all of the merchandise. Understand why design matters and how cre...

Packaging design powerhouse Enlisted Design has designed packaging for brands like All Birds, Fridababy, Linksys, and so many other brands. Beau Oyler CEO of Enlisted shares their approach to designing product and packaging under the same roof. Enlisted isn't just a packaging design agency, they develop and engineer products and establish the branding, delivering the complete turn key product. We also learn about the power of Enlisted Design's tools for capturing user data from e-commerce int...

Why did McDonald's need a packaging redesign, what was being solved, or how long ago did this project kick-off? we get into the details with Matt Sia, Creative Director at Pearlfisher. We discuss Matt's sketching, the pitch meeting, how the designers are presented, and really what it feels like to overhaul one of the biggest brands on earth. The good and the bad. In this episode you get to here it straight from the Creative Director behind the McDonald's packaging redesign, so tune in and gra...

Have you ever wondered how packaging designs and brands navigate timelines And manage all of the moving parts of the complex packaging industry? Have you ever tried to manage your own packaging project from design to manufacturing? Well then you know why project managers are the superstars of the packaging industry. Today we speak with the Project Executioner herself, Megan Gamble a packaging project manager based in Atlanta with clients around the globe. We discuss all of the uns...

A big part in packaging design is selecting materials. Are the materials strong enough, flexible enough, do they produce the right amount of cushion? But beyond the protective properties of packaging, we need packaging to connect with consumers and the fastest way to do that is through touch. Selecting paper is an artform. Selecting paper for its printability, scuff reduction, and texture that can communicate emotion is critical. In Episode #40 of Package Design Unboxd, we speak to Sabine ...

When it comes to packaging design education there are many paths to take and many times we're unclear with where those paths can take you. In this episode we discuss packaging education and the program Gerardo Herrera has built at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena California. Art Center focuses on establishing a solid foundation of design, process, and critical thinking in it's to packaging design. Staffed by professional designers the packaging program walks students through the ba...

How does packaging impact transportation, warehousing, inventory, finance, IT, Automation, even systems management? Learn how fill-rate, box size, and distribution can make or break your business. We talk to Joe Fernandez, Senior Packaging Engineer @ Vera Bradley about how his team focuses on the business of packaging before making critical decisions. Check out IDPdirect.com for factory direct packaging manufacturing. Connect with Joe Fernandez on LinkedIn Learn more about Vera Bradley ...

Interested in sustainable packaging? Learn how to source materials, designers, and manufacturers with Guacamole Airplane's Packaging Supplier's Guide.

Dr. Andrew Hurley offers the answer to "Will your packaging design changes deliver a measurable ROI?" His platform Package Insight offers an eye into consumer thoughts, emotions, and how they actually interact with your packaging in a real world environment before you go to market. Do design trends really drive consumer purchasing patterns or are packaging designers allowing their own preferences and biases dictate the results? Thanks to International Direct Packaging for their sponsorship: ID...

Today’s Guests are Chris Cook & Audra Nebolini, ACDs at CBX. Here's what we discuss and what you can learn more about: Packaging design strategy, what it's like in a major brand strategy session Setting benchmarks for success How brands can communicate purpose using design cues on shelf We discuss how you can take a brand like Clorox who previously was seen as an under the sink product with skull and crossbones for its ability to kill everything and creating a 180 degree turn in the consumer...

What do professional designers do when they want to learn something new? They can’t always run off to the fanciest packaging design schools. They look for what fits into their busy lives. Online design education, from YouTube to skill share we search for anything to fill those gaps. But what do you do when it’s something as technical as packaging science? You seek out PackagingSchool.com, an online packaging science educational platform that is licensed through Clemson University. Today’s gue...

Michael Keplinger joins us to discuss the packaging design and brand building strategies it takes to launch a Smashbrand. We'll talk about testing, substrates, print processes, and how to view packaging as a start-up or an established brand. Michael has also launched several of his pwn products bringing that experience to the table when we talk about start-up packaging design and the research you should do before anyone launches a product. Connect with: Michael Keplinger on LinkedIn Smashbra...

Markus Joutsela is a Visual Communications lecturer at Finland's famous Aalto University. Markus also founded the Pack-Age program which takes students from every discipline and combines them to create packaging innovation machines that work with some of the world's biggest brands. Markus and Evelio discuss the types of projects the students collaborate on and how they interact with the brands they work with. We also discuss why there is so much innovation coming from the Nordic region of the wo...

With over 35 years of experience in design and print, we only scratch the surface of Lisa’s experience. But lucky for all of us, Lisa has also launched a print production class online to teach you how to design to print and how to successfully translate package design for printing. We discuss the production process, questions every designer should ask, and how to short cut experience by learning production as part of your design education. Lisa's Print Production class at https://mas...

In episode 26, we discuss everything you need to know in order to begin designing cannabis packaging. Our guest Jared Mirsky is one of the most well-known cannabis brand agents in the game today. He's shared his story about growing cannabis brands with his team all over the world and has worked with some of the most notable names in the game. Whether you're a seasoned packaging designer or just cutting your first box, cannabis if a whole new ballgame. You need to understand the industry and stra...

We speak with Logan Steinfeld, Staples' Manager of Product Design who oversees product development and packaging design to understand not only what packaging guidelines are for, but what they entail. Logan's team recently launched a 300+ page set of packaging guidelines for Coastwide, a facilities solutions company under the Staples umbrella of brands. Learn what's included in these 300 pages, why they are so important and why a brand would invest this much time and effort into such an in-depth ...

1) What is the product and how many skus will there be to start? For example if the product is a pair of sun glasses and it comes in 10 colors, those are 10 SKUs you will be designing packaging for. 2) How Much? What will the product retail for? The retail price is an indicator to how much the brand may invest in the packaging. It also allows you to analyze the appropriate competitive landscape. Having a baseline for retail pricing can help to begin determining materials, processes, and product...

Deon Mixon, like so many other designers of color have experienced being the the only African American designer in a design class, a design agency, and in front of the client. Deon developed DesignEye | The Graphic Design Education Game to introduce youth of color to design as a way to communicate concepts, ideas, and introduce them to the possibilities design creates for your future. Deon: "But one thing I never failed to notice was: (1) I'm one of a very few Black American graphic designers in...

Understanding how Prop 67 impacts your business's packaging design and manufacturing. What it means, and what you need to do including these four things: The name of the manufacturer: 1) The manufacturer, not the reseller, the broker, or the agency that designed it, but the name of the actual manufacturer. This is not an opportunity for your broker to market their brand it’s to provide legal documentation as to where the bag was made. Check your bags, and make sure it’s not promoting a reseller ...

How do you design packaging while working from home? After watching the most recent Underdogs video about Apple's project Pandora I thought it was a good time to share how working from home has changed the package design process. Watch the underdogs video here if you haven't already seen it: https://youtu.be/6_pru8U2RmM We discuss project management, packaging prototypes, and 3D renders for packaging presentations. I share what's worked for me to become more efficient in workin...

We speak to Mike Cessario about the packaging design for Liquid Death and how they've taken social media haters and made them their biggest source of online marketing featuring Liquid Death's packaging design. We discuss everything from packaging to why so few designers launch their own brands. Designers looking to launch their own brand need to understand the value they bring to the table, where they need help, and how to find it. Mike shares how he launched this brand with Photoshop, a $150...