Archives: Blog

2020: Giving Back & Looking Forward

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At Smith Design, giving back is at the heart of our actions. In 2020, it was an honor to be a part of incredible causes and campaigns that provide support to those in need and advocate for progress on important issues.

Women In Design – Ray Eames

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. Ray Eames had a prolific career that left a lasting legacy, with innovations in furniture design and architecture to filmmaking, textiles, toys, graphics, exhibition design and much more.

december 2020

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Protein blends create new beverage opportunities, Pantone’s 2021 Colors of the Year, holiday ads from the heart, and more in our December newsletter.

Women In Design – Mary Blair

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. Mary Blair was an impactful artist and animator who brought fairytales to life through dreamy concept art and color styling. She introduced Modernism to Disney’s animation studio, helping to create the artistic style for many beloved films.

november 2020

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Sustainability in a world impacted by COVID-19, a surge in produce snacking, lessons learned from DTC brands, and more in our November newsletter.

Branding in the Nonprofit Sector

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Nonprofit organizations face a unique challenge when it comes to branding. Nonprofits are inherently rooted in emotions, and capturing that essence in a brand can be difficult. Through insight-driven strategy, a unique and ownable positioning can inspire meaningful communications across all touchpoints.

Women In Design – Susan Kare

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. This month, we’re celebrating Susan Kare, a founding mother of modern design and the creative genius behind some of the most recognizable icons, typefaces, and graphic elements in the world.

october 2020

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The impact of inclusivity in advertising, an exploration of clean beauty, tech in the food and beverage industry, and more in our October newsletter.

Women in Design – Indi Maverick

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. This month, we’re highlighting Mexican graphic design and illustrator, Indi Maverick, an emerging talent whose creative journey is one to pay attention to.

COVID Resources

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How you can support organizations that are working to help those affected by COVID-19

Back to School, Reimagined

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Back-to-school shopping is one of the biggest retail holidays of the year. In 2019, consumers spent more than $26 billion in their shopping to stock up for the school year. Like so many traditions impacted in 2020, the usual back-to-school scramble felt different this year.

september 2020

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How DTC companies succeed, redesigning the chocolate chip, the growth of the pet industry, and more in our September newsletter.

Women In Design – Jessica Walsh

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. This month, we’re highlighting Jessica Walsh, a bright star in the design field and an all-around creative who unapologetically commits to the big idea.

august 2020

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2020 consumer types, the fate of Halloween candy, the growing impact of plant-based proteins, and more in our August newsletter.

The Growing Impact of Plant-Based Proteins

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The demand for plant-based protein sources has already had a powerful impact on product innovation, and its growth won’t be slowing down anytime soon. The plant-based market is predicted to grow to $85 billion over the next 10 years.

Women In Design – Zaha Hadid

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. This month, we’re celebrating architect Zaha Hadid. “A planet in her own orbit”, she stayed true to her unique vision throughout her career and continuously moved architectural design forward, becoming the first woman to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize.

july 2020

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Disruption in the seafood supply chain, the future of influencer marketing, large manufacturers embracing paper bottles, and more in our July newsletter.

Women In Design – Yesenia Perez-Cruz

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In this blog series, we shine a light on women trailblazers in the design industry. This month, we’re highlighting Yesenia Perez-Cruz, a strong leader and an accomplished designer.

The Future of Influencer Marketing

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As brands impacted by COVID-19 strategize for the future and marketing teams are facing changing consumer preferences, influencer marketing shouldn’t be dismissed. With adaptation in content and strategy, influencer marketing can still be effective in the new digital landscape.

june 2020

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Costco’s rise to a popular beauty destination, opportunities in the food & beverage industry, the future of branding, and more in this month’s newsletter.

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 […]

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