Design Contours is growing!

Design plays a pivotal role in our success at Berry, from the design and decoration of the products we offer, to our ability to message the advantages of these products (and Berry!) through sales collateral, samples, and our website. Future editions will continue to highlight what’s happening here in Blue Clover, alongside news and accomplishments across Berry’s network of design teams. The end goals are to expand knowledge of our creative capabilities, stay current on design community news and trends, and promote an interdisciplinary network of creative professionals. If you’d like to share an upcoming design event or recognize a creative success story, please email me at melissafehsenfeld@berryglobal.com!

Innovation + Design at Berry

Upcoming Webinar: Child-resistance in Cannabis Packaging

Join Berry’s VP of Marketing, Lauren Piekos, and Product Development Director John Vassallo to learn how safety plays a role in cannabis packaging, along with key features and benefits including freshness, portability, and sustainability. To explore the journey of innovating new packaging for a new market, register here and save the invite to your calendar!

Good Packaging Design, Defined

Scott Fisher, Director of Blue Clover Studios, explains in his latest blog post how our design process connects product protection and user emotion in sustainable and innovative ways. In it, you’ll learn the hallmarks of great packaging design, including:

• Considerations when designing for sustainability
• Innovation through function
• The significance of form

But don’t take my word for it – check out the post here!

2020 Packaging Inspiration Challenge

Deadline Extended to July 31st!  The Blue Clover team is challenging YOU to join us in the exciting field of innovation by bringing recognition to unique and inspirational packaging out in the markets! Some examples might include (but aren’t limited to) products with cool dispensing features, premium aesthetics, or an improved or new user experience. Post your product to Yammer with the tag #inspirationchallenge2020, then challenge a coworker. Entries received by July 31 will be entered to win a $50, $25, or $10 giftcard for a cool summer treats or merchandise at Starbucks.  Ideas and inspiration are everywhere – please share!

Perspectives from the Field

The Value of Constructive Conflict

Ray Dalio, CIO of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, recently posted “Two people who collaborate well will be about three times as effective as each of them operating independently, because each will see what the other might miss—plus they can leverage each other’s strengths while holding each other accountable to higher standards.” By using a solutions-oriented approach to conflicting ideas, we’re able to combine our diverse perspectives, and strengths to exponentially increase creativity and innovative power! To learn more:

• Check out Tracy York and Heather Mayfield’s summer development course on Constructive Conflict
• Sign up for this IDEO webinar to learn how to harness tension to drive change and innovation

Calculating the ROI of Design

Companies need to be profitable to survive, so at some point you will likely need to make a business case for a design project. Here’s a pretty simple approach to quantify the value of design by defining a business lever (such as increasing profit or decreasing costs), estimating the financial impact, and communicating with hypotheses.

You Don’t Know Your (End) Customer Anymore

In this piece from Fast Company, author Todd Rovak offers four steps to keep up as consumer needs and preferences evolve at light speeds during and following the pandemic. (Leading off with “Put your segmentation in a drawer, then lock the drawer.”)

1. New Research. People are already in their homes, where many of our products are used! Prioritize research, consumer insights, and product testing.
2. New Products. Accommodate changing consumer patterns through rapid innovation, resulting in relevant products for emerging needs.
3. Play Offense. Design for the near-term “messy middle,” characterized by a mix of in-person, remote, and low-touch experiences, to win market share.
4. Prioritize Safety. Changes in consumer behavior will tie back to heightened disease prevention practices to mitigate the increased risk posed by the pandemic. Within consumer packaged goods markets, we’re seeing that via trends in e-commerce, grocery and foodservice delivery, skyrocketing household penetration in cleaning/disinfecting products, and a boost in products that provide wellness or immunity benefits (to name a few).

Creativity at Work

• The NBA is partnering with Oura to provide smart rings to players as a means to help detect early symptoms of COVID-19 within the Walt Disney NBA Campus “bubble.”
• Become a Google power user by deploying the tips and shortcuts in this infographic.
• Watch this “Women in Design” webcast recap for a candid discussion of insights, tips, and workplace challenges for women in the fields of design and innovation.
• Interested in learning how to combat racial inequality, but don’t know where to start? Check out this conversation between Brene Brown and Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of “How to be an Antiracist“.

Be well,

– Melissa Fehsenfeld