Women In Design – Maira Kalman

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. Maira Kalman is a renowned artist and writer whose work has deeply impacted design as a whole.

Through a Lens: How Gen-Z Views Food

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“Gen-Z”. The generation under the scrutiny of marketers who want to understand their shopping preferences, their consumer habits, and TikTok. As this group of people gets older, their impact on all industries, including the food and restaurant industry, is becoming increasingly evident.

may 2020

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What retail and CPG companies can expect in a post-coronavirus world, how 5G will change marketing, the psychology of cosmetics, and more in our newsletter.

Looking Back to Move Forward: How Nostalgia Sells Brands

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Brands that focus on creating stronger emotional bonds between consumers and their products, especially in childhood and early adulthood, will find that those bonds are strong and lasting. As we weather our current circumstances, when the future is uncertain, we can all take some comfort in reminiscing in the way things used to be – because sometimes looking back is the best way to move forward.

How Businesses Can Be a #ForceforGood

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This May 5th, organizations around the world are coming together for #GivingTuesdayNow to celebrate generosity and unity in response to COVID-19.

Women In Design – Teresa Sdralevich

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry – women who have earned a Wikipedia page (or are likely to very soon). You might not know them by name, but definitely by their work and influence on the design world as a whole. This month, we’re featuring acclaimed […]

The Importance of Sustainability

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As the impact we have on the environment becomes increasingly apparent, people are discovering new ways to innovate towards a healthier future.

World Art Day 2020 – #HelpByDesign

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To celebrate World Art Day 2020, the Smith Design team participated in #HelpByDesign.

april 2020

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Permanently changed consumer habits, a new way to recycle, celebrity tequila brands, and more in this month’s newsletter.

Charitable Packaging Shows Brands’ Softer Side

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Charitable packaging is a powerful statement of support for important causes.

They/them in branding: How gender neutrality has impacted the world of packaging

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For those new to the conversation, gender neutrality is the concept that social institutions should not distinguish roles according to a person’s sex or gender.

#EN95

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Help our COVID-19 frontline get the protection they need SHARE the visual/ hashtag to get the word out. Copy and Paste the following message (or create your own personal message) that informs everyone of the shortages and how it affects us all. CONTACT Congressional representative & companies that make PPE. Sign the petition to help hospitals […]

Women in Design – Cipe Pineles

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry – women who have earned a Wikipedia page (or are likely to very soon). You might not know them by name, but definitely by their work and influence on the design world as a whole. For March, we’re highlighting the […]

march 2020

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Cleaning product makers race to their labs, the fight to save fresh food, the trend of cannabis-infused beverages and more in our March newsletter:

february 2020

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Burger King breaks every advertising rule to make a statement, dairy producers aim to pair milk and cookies to save the industry, and more in our latest newsletter

Women in Design: Gail Anderson

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry – women who have earned a Wikipedia page (or are likely to very soon). You might not know them by name, but definitely by their work and influence on the design world as a whole. This month, we’re highlighting NYC-based […]

Women In Design: Paula Scher

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry – women who have earned a Wikipedia page (or are likely to very soon). You might not know them by name, but definitely by their work and influence on the design world as a whole. We’re kicking off our Women […]

The Perfection of Blue for 2020

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According to their website, Pantone’s 2020 color of the year “19-4052 Classic Blue” was chosen to offer the “hope of honesty and the promise of protection”. The color is a dense, darker shade of blue than the word “classic” implies, but for me, it is sophisticated, calming, and much more serious than previous years (2019’s […]

The 4 Archetypes of the Holidays

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And that means, for a lot of us, the knowledge that we will be swept up in a whirlwind of cookie baking, socializing with friends & family, tree trimming, and yes – consuming in all its various forms. For brands, the holiday season is a time to […]

We made it! 40 Acts of Kindness

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We are so happy to share that the Smith Design team successfully reached 40 Acts of Kindness last week! It has been an honor to support so many incredible causes throughout the year, and we look forward to continuing giving back in the future. Here was our final act of 2019: This time of year […]

Feeling Grateful this Thanksgiving: 40 Acts of Kindness

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This time of year always inspires a deep gratitude for our lives and the people in it. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our team, our families, and our ability to give back to our community in a special way this year! Here’s how the Smith Design team gave back in November: We were honored […]

Nearing our year-long goal: 40 Acts of Kindness

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As we close in on our goal of 40 Acts of Kindness for 2019, we’re inspired with even more ways we can give back in the coming year. We have so many ideas! But before we get there, here are the organizations we gave back to during September and October: In the spirit of National […]

3 ways for your brand to cut through the holiday clutter

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The holidays are a saturated time of year for consumers, from parties and travel to cooking and shopping. Big brands start planting the seed for holiday shopping needs before the pumpkins, ghosts, and goblins have even come down, inundating consumers with ads and marketing campaigns. Most consumers begin searching for inspiration several months in advance […]

Importance of Social Media

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For brands, being on social media is no longer an option: it’s a necessity. What started out as a place for friends and family to stay connected and share updates has since evolved into a vital marketing channel with a deep impact on consumer behavior. As of 2019, 42% of the world’s population uses social […]

A Method to our Madness: Staying Organized at Smith Design

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One of the keys to a well functioning business is strong communication coupled with processes that work for each team member. I walked around the office to ask some of our team what tools they use to keep organized through all of their projects. Here’s one of my main takeaways: you don’t need an expensive […]

Is it the Pumpkin Spice… or Nostalgia?

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Autumn brings a beautiful change in leaves, cooler temps — and most importantly, to a few million of us, pumpkin spice everything. Annual sales of “pumpkin-flavored” products rose over 15% in 2018, setting an all-time high for the previous five years, according to Nielsen*. America’s love affair with pumpkin spice has truly reached new heights, […]

Importance of Understanding Your Consumer

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When working with a new client, one of the first questions we routinely ask is, “Who is your target consumer?” We work with small and large companies that have varying degrees of consumer understanding. Some brand owners have great consumer insights while others either honestly don’t know who to target or will say they are […]

Supporting students & their families: 40 Acts of Kindness

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July & August were busy months for Smith Design’s team, but our commitment to 40 Acts stayed top of mind. We teamed up with local and national organizations that support those in need, as well as hosted a local student for a mentorship. Read on to learn about the missions of these incredible organizations: We […]

Importance of Brand Planning

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When you think of successful entrepreneurs or brand teams what are the first things that come to mind for how they became successful? At first glance, you might attribute their success to things like smart, confident leadership, a great product, competitive drive, or a great marketing campaign. However, the unsung hero, the backbone of their […]

Are emojis a modern symbolic reflection of society?

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From early cave drawings to hieroglyphics to printing presses to today’s digital technology, symbols and pictures have always been central to how humans communicate, express their feelings, and deal with a constantly changing world. According to a paper co-authored by MIT linguist Shigeru Miyagawa, human language is considered to be over 100,000 years old, with […]

The Importance of Branding

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In the U.S., thousands of eager entrepreneurs start new businesses every year. According to the 2019 United States Small Business Report, there are currently over 30.7 million small businesses in the U.S. but only 50% of small businesses will survive 5 years or more. Entrepreneurs start out full of hope with a ton of passion […]

Simplify Your [Business] Week

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The first week of August is officially Simplify Your Life Week, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. (Raise your hand if just being on the internet lately is overwhelming to you.) On a more serious note, consumers are feeling overwhelmed by the constant connectivity the information age ushered in, which has driven […]

Small Businesses: Make Packaging A Priority

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Since we opened our doors in 1979, packaging has been at the core of Smith Design. The consumer experience with a brand’s product often begins with the packaging itself, and we understand how critical that first impression is.  In the coming months, we’ll be launching The Budd: a new offering for small businesses that are […]

GEN Z POV: A Socially Conscious Generation

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As a Gen Z’er, I’m part of the first truly digital native generation. Let’s talk about what that means: We grew up googling for information any time we needed answers to our questions. When something big happened in the world, it would go viral on social media, and conversation surrounding it would explode. We’ve grown […]

Smith Design turns up the heat on 40 Acts of Kindness

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The Smith Design team was fueled by the summer sun and committed to seven acts of kindness during the month of June. When families leave town for vacation during the summer months, it can mean fewer volunteers and less support for local organizations — so we were especially happy to be of service. Throughout the […]

Game on & on

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Nielsen recently confirmed what the millennial generation already lives and breathes: gaming is for life. Starting with Nintendo, the gaming industry evolved alongside millennials as they grew up, remaining a staple in daily life with increasingly innovative devices and games. To brands seeking to strengthen their targeting: don’t sleep on millennial gamers. These life-long gamers […]

GEN Z POV: The Next Generation of Consumers

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In a time when you can search for anything you desire in the blink of an eye, consumer trends can change just as fast. What makes us scroll through and pick one brand over another? How do we decide?  Consumerism will soon be dominated by the up-and-coming Generation Z. With a generation even more tech-savvy […]

Back to our roots on Father’s Day

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Being part of a family-owned business means Father’s Day is about more than just our own families; it’s about the team’s roots, too. James Smith, co-founder of Smith Design, started the business with his wife, Laraine, in 1979 after being let go from his previous position as an art director and studio manager. Starting a […]

Crossing The Halfway Mark: 40 Acts Of Kindness

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We’ve officially crossed the halfway point in our commitment to 40 Acts of Kindness and have more energy than ever to keep the good deeds rolling!  Celebrating 40 years has never felt better. With a desire to pay it forward and make a positive impact in our community, thus far Smith Design has donated items […]

The Plant-Based Movements Influence on IDDBA

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This year’s IDDBA conference showcased a variety of plant-based products that meet the increasing demand from consumers. While I don’t eat a wholly plant-based diet, over the past year I’ve incorporated more and more options into my diet. After reviewing this year’s exhibitor list, I looked forward to sampling the wide variety of these products. […]

40 Acts of Kindness Initiative Stays Strong in April

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With the halfway point of the year coming up fast, Smith Design remained committed to its 40 Acts of Kindness initiative, working with several outstanding organizations to give back to our community. With #trashtag exploding on all social media platforms, Smith Design wanted to do our part helping out an environmental cause, and saw two […]

Seeing the big in small

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BIC Flex Razors

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Challenged by traditional and subscription-based competition… BIC needed to upgrade the Men’s Premium shaver packaging range to stand out at shelf with a distinct and ownable look while maintaining shoppability. BEFOREWe set out to change consumer perception of the brand to represent both value and quality (in research, BIC was most often associated with value). […]

40 ACTS OF KINDNESS ROLLS ON IN MARCH

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Smith Design moved closer to our goal of completing 40 Acts of Kindness to celebrate our 40 years in business, as we partnered with several exceptional organizations to help those in need.   On March 21st, we welcomed design students from Kean University to our studio to learn real life applications of the skills they were […]

A First Timer’s View of the Natural Products Expo

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Coming from an over-20-year career in the alcoholic beverage industry, I never had opportunity or cause to attend Natural Products Expo West. In my current role as Director of Brand Strategy at Smith Design, I have been diving deep into the natural products category and learning about the various trade shows that service the industry […]

Smith Design’s 40 Acts of Kindness: February 2019

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Smith Design’s 40 Acts of Kindness picked up steam in February, supporting Night to Shine, Market Street Mission, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, and Pinups for Pitbulls. The Tim Tebow Foundation first launched Night to Shine in 2015 as a way to give an unforgettable prom night experience to people with special needs, taking place across 26 […]

Celebrating International Women’s Day

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pictured: Jenna Smith For over 100 years, International Women’s Day has been celebrated as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and promote the idea of a gender-balanced world. As a certified Women’s Owned Business, Smith Design is delighted to celebrate this significant day and recognize the progress that has been made so far, as well […]

The “Heart” of Giving

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Cupid still strikes for retailers and brands, even with fewer people celebrating Valentine’s Day. Dramatic changes in spending and the emergence of an ‘anti-Valentine’s Day’ sentiment have motivated retailers to find innovative ways to keep Valentine’s Day meaningful and relevant. While there are fewer adults celebrating the holiday, those that are celebrating are spending more […]

Smith Design Officially Kicks Off 40 Acts of Kindness Initiative

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It’s been a busy few weeks for the team at Smith Design- and not just during business hours! Our 40 Acts of Kindness initiative (celebrating Smith Design’s 40 years in business with 40 volunteer efforts) got off to a great start, coordinating with local and global organizations to pay it forward and make a positive […]

1/40 The Fresh Air Fund

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We share Thoreau’s love of nature and the lived experience which is why we’re kicking off our year of giving with a generous donation to the Fresh Air Fund, including weatherproof blankets – a little something to help our youth create great escapes outside of their urban communities.   Since founded in 1877, the Fresh […]