Something that drew me to the Blue Clover team on a personal level is the field of User-Centered Design. The UCD process requires that designers intentionally take steps to understand the end users of a product or service, including how their unique contexts influence the existing range of needs. It’s empathy that empowers us to set clear goals and strategically use our tools and training to shape better outcomes together.

In life, we are all designers. It’s more important than ever that we lead with empathy.

Here’s what’s coming up in today’s newsletter:

• Anna + Coffee = team announcements we’re really excited about
• Dscout’s COVID Diaries: Part III
• The importance of agility and flexibility for CPG companies in 2020

INNOVATION & DESIGN

Welcome Anna Stock, our BCS summer intern!

Anna is a junior from the University of Cincinnati pursuing a B.S. degree in Industrial Design. Anna will be tasked with helping develop a repository of packaging concepts that can be used by our commercial leaders to increase customer engagement and drive more opportunities to Blue Clover resulting in business wins. Anna is originally from Southern Indiana.

“Prototyping + Coffee” on YouTube

Check out this video to watch Scott Fisher, Andrew Bunner, and Connor Gates provide an inside look at Blue Clover’s model shop capabilities. Learn where rapid prototyping fits in our design process and watch our aerosol hand sanitizer concept go from art to part. Great job to BCS marketing lead Jake Freimiller, who filmed and edited the final video!

COVID Diaries Part III: The Products of COVID

From early March, dscout has been conducting quick qualitative studies to understand how the pandemic is impacting Americans. In Part III, results showed participants have been busy finding new ways to navigate old habits. Two key areas of experimentation included:

• setting up new household supply chains (think e-commerce, home delivery, and curbside pick-up)
• maintaining virtual connections (Zoom, Peloton, Teams, Netflix Party)

It’s important to note that a majority of respondents (82%/60%, respectively) answered they were “very likely” to continue using these new services once life is “back to normal”.

Perspectives from the Field

MARKET UPDATES

Keys to CPG Success in 2020: Agility and Flexibility

Consumer goods companies are working overtime to determine what buying patterns are temporary vs. long-term changes in consumer behavior. This week’s excellent recap contains observations from leading CPG companies and Berry customers like P&G, Unilever, and Nestlé. Bank on these categories for sustained growth:

• E-everything – particularly as people discover the convenience of online grocery shopping. (In a separate story, Target’s CEO reported 1000% growth in the use of their curbside pickup program in the month of April)
• Health & hygiene – COVID-19 has only accelerated the trend toward products supporting health, wellbeing, and immunity
• “Cocooning” at home – more time, more meals, more cleaning at home as people opt to stay in over going out
• Value & trust – evaluating private label vs established name brands

CREATIVITY AT WORK

• JK Rowling has published the first two chapters of a new children’s story, the Ickabog, online.
• Wondering how to make the most of summer in 2020? NPR provides expert guidance and evaluates the risk of 14 popular summer activities.
• May 30 marked the first astronaut space launch from US soil since 2011. Watch the rocket lift off at 4:23:25 in NASA’s coverage of the event.

Take care of yourself, & look out for others.

– Melissa Fehsenfeld