Tag: fancy food show

Two of our team members, Melissa Mullin Sadowski and Becki Murray had the opportunity to attend Adobe Max 2023 in Los Angeles this past month. They returned energized and inspired by the innovative advancements Adobe showcased, providing invaluable insights to enhance our workflow and unleash creative potential.

We were excited to hear about their learnings and experience when they returned.

“I was so grateful for the opportunity to experience first-hand all the incredible innovations Adobe has made, and is developing, in the products we use every day for our work. Each session I attended contained illuminating insights to help improve our workflow and allow us to spend more time focusing on creative ideas vs. execution. Some also featured inspiring designers and artists who shared their creative process and best practices. I came away from this conference energized, inspired and filled with new ideas and processes.” – Melissa Mullin Sadowski

“I had an amazing time at Adobe Max and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to go and experience it in person. It was so awesome to see first hand all the new initiatives and program updates they have made that we can begin to incorporate to our work to produce even better work, more efficiently than before. The sessions provided even further insights, which were taught by experienced and respected creatives who shared their knowledge of the adobe programs, as well as their personal creative processes. Overall, the conference was extremely inspiring, motivating and informative”. – Becki Murray

The first day opened with a Keynote that shared recent trends in our industry, highlighted the increasing presence of artificial intelligence (AI), and announced new and exciting updates to Adobe’s multiple software programs. The Keynote focused on how AI is a valuable ally in elevating the creative process, rather than replacing it. It also gave a sneak peek into some of the sessions available throughout the week.

Adobe is at the forefront of integrating AI into our workflow. Photoshop’s new Generative Fill tool, powered by AI and Firefly, creates fresh content within your images based on text prompts. Illustrator offers the Generative Text to Vector feature, where AI and Firefly generate live vector illustrations from text prompts. Additionally, Retype in Illustrator enables you to transform outlined type back into live copy, and find out what font is being used, even if it is outlined. For quick and versatile color options, there’s Generative Recolor. Adobe Premiere’s editing tools have also evolved, providing automatic transcription in 18 languages, enhanced speech enhancement for noise removal, and more.

Additionally, Adobe Express (a web application similar to Canva), offers pre-designed templates, firefly AI integration, and social management tools — including direct post to TikTok. These developments represent the harmonious marriage of AI and creative professionals, improving both efficiency and creativity.

Adobe Max’s Creative Park was a spacious area subdivided into distinct neighborhoods, each dedicated to specific creative practices. These neighborhoods encompassed Graphic Design, Photoshop, 3D Design, and Video Production, offering a diverse and immersive experience for attendees. Every neighborhood within Creative Park was thoughtfully color-coded and designed to foster community and connection. Each featured a central gathering spot where attendees could meet, network, and share ideas. They also hosted a range of speakers, vendors, and numerous engaging activities, like game shows, TikTok video uploads, Fresco portraits and even visits with puppies — providing a vibrant hub for creativity, learning, and inspiration.

Melissa and Becki attended the Inspirational keynote on the second day of the conference. The event opened with the privilege of listening to renowned designer Aaron Draplin set the stage with an engaging journey through his artwork and storied career. Karen X Cheng delved into the algorithm, sharing her strategies for staying motivated and preserving her creative spirit, even in the face of advancing technology. Walker Noble shared a selection of inspirational quotes and spoke about his personal career growth in art production, adding depth to the discussions. Finally, we had the opportunity to hear from producer Oak Felder, who provided a glimpse into the intricate process of dissecting and constructing songs, including his process of creating Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” hit song. These presentations offered a diverse and enriching range of motivational themes.

Melissa and Becki even had the chance to meet Aaron Draplin in the creative park. He originally had a session that Becki had signed up for, but it was pulled when he was added to the Inspirational keynote. Having the chance to meet Aaron Draplin in person allowed Becki to still get a more personalized experience with him. They also had the chance to shop at his extensive merch booth, which Becki took full advantage of.

Becki and Melissa also did some shopping in the Graphic Design section and picked up free pins commemorating how many years they have been using Adobe products (10 for Becki, and 30 for Melissa!). They were also able to select a design and color scheme and have a free t-shirt screen-printed on site with the help of Hit+Run Screen Printing.

Next up, they had the much-anticipated Adobe Sneaks, easily one of the highlights of the entire week. Hosted by the well-known Adam Devine, this segment unveiled sneak peeks into the exciting projects and programs Adobe is currently developing. To make the experience even more enjoyable, they were greeted with delicious drinks, popcorn, and candy before entering the theater, setting the stage for an immersive journey into the world of upcoming innovations. They were introduced to new features such as Project Fast Fill, Project Draw & Delight, Project Neo, Project Scene Change, Project Primrose (where they saw a dress change colors, patterns and even animate with just a tap!), Project Stardust and more!

Link to watch Sneaks and for more info:

Sneaks: https://www.adobe.com/max/2023/sessions/max-sneaks-gs3.html

Inspiration Keynote: https://www.adobe.com/max/2023/sessions/inspiration-keynote-gs2.html

Opening Keynote: https://www.adobe.com/max/2023/sessions/opening-keynote-gs1.html

To wrap up this exciting evening, immediately following Sneaks, attendees were directed to the Max Bash – a massive party that celebrated all the latest announcements. The bash was a fusion of creative installations and an array of delicious foods and drinks from various companies and food trucks, including ‘Cherlatto’, Cher’s play on Gelato, and a large installation of Honey Bears. Rev Run from Run DMC took the stage, getting the crowd pumped up with a stellar performance. The night was infused with interactive activities, such as a themed car wash experience, adding an extra layer of excitement and creativity to the festivities.

All throughout the week, Melissa and Becki attended lots of inspiring and educational sessions. They were able to select and fill their day with specific learnings and practices they wanted to expand their knowledge on. The sessions ranged from what’s new in each Adobe program, how to tips to improve workflow and creative processes, and inspirational stories from other creatives. They divided and conquered these sessions to be able to maximize the information they would be bringing back to share with the team at Smith.

Melissa and Becki’s experience at Adobe Max 2023 was nothing short of extraordinary. From inspirational keynote speakers to immersive sessions, sneak peeks into innovative tools, and creative neighborhoods at the Creative Park, it was a week filled with knowledge, creativity, and inspiration. The event not only showcased Adobe’s commitment to enhancing the creative process but also the endless possibilities for creative professionals in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape. The Max Bash, interactive activities, and the chance to meet like-minded creatives made it an unforgettable experience. As they returned to share their newfound insights, it was evident that the Adobe Max journey had left them invigorated and ready to push creative boundaries in their work. The knowledge they brought back from this transformative event is sure to have a lasting impact on our team’s creative endeavors and best practices.

Summer is finally here, which means the Fancy Food Show has once again returned to New York! Director of Account Management, Dave Bolton, and our summer intern, John, had an amazing time at the show, identifying and analyzing design trends across all types of food and drink. 

Upon stepping foot on the show floor, Dave and John were immediately intrigued and amazed by some of the products on display – and not because of their designs. The Fancy Food Show does pride itself in highlighting the newest innovations in all things food, so in reality, bold ideas like sprayable soy sauce and edible birthday candles felt right at home. If anything, it was a great reminder for Dave and John to expect the unexpected as they explored the rest of the convention. 

Speaking of the unexpected, some up-and-coming brands found common ground through a traditionally uncommon concept — exploding heads! Utilizing black-and-white imagery alongside handmade elements, these brands could easily show that their snacks were bursting with flavor — literally. As Dave put it, “The creative energy and excitement spills over into form and flavor – and compelling design. A feast for your tastebuds, a feast for your eyes, a feast for your mind.”  

In contrast, we observed that most brands had latched onto minimalism, which is arguably the most prominent standing design trend over the last decade in both new and established brands alike. In trading excess for simplification, many companies had chosen to utilize a single pop of color on a white background to differentiate flavors, in some cases, to give complete focus to their flavorful food photography. 

Alongside this, we also noticed an uptick in flavored products — that is to say, base “ingredients” such as olive oil and siracha that were given a unique additive that one might have previously mixed into it on their own.

Confectioneries tended to follow a similarly simplistic path, opting to utilize that same color-to-flavor connection, but with the smart inclusion of unique textural elements to give their treats a refreshing edge amongst the competition. 

While some detractors of minimalism might argue that it’s been stretched thin by overuse, there’s still plenty of fun to be had with the style. At first glance, these packages may seem to be for some kind of luxury soap, but upon closer inspection, you’ll be quick to learn that something really fishy is going on. It’s difficult to position tinned fish as an item of grandeur, but seafood company La Narval has successfully done so through beautifully bold color schemes and simplified nautical shapes. “In some cases,” John remarked, “smaller brands held the biggest presence at the show thanks to their innovative design work,” and this is no better example of that at play. 

Out of all the food categories featured throughout the show, cheese absolutely had the most floor presence, and some brands also heavily associated their identity with animal imagery to increasingly memorable degrees. From the expected cow to the unorthodox crocodile, it was a gouda showing from all.

Calabro also acts as an excellent example of an established brand moving away from their expected packaging in order to turn heads in a crowded market, a trend witnessed in ways both big and small. Dave sees such a move as a way to “celebrate (a brand’s) heritage and earned respect, while transforming who they are to a modern marketplace.” In this instance, the usage of a solid color backdrop and striking illustrated buffalo ensures they maintain modern interest without forgoing their brand identity.  

Of course, big design changes aren’t truly necessary to impress, as it’s often the smallest attention to detail that combine to make a memorable design. Therefore, these companies have chosen to define themselves via an oft-neglected aspect of their packaging – the lid. Not only do these textured tops help them stand out against the competition, but they open the possibility for these jars to be reused in a craftier context.

We were also fortunate enough to run into a few familiar faces, including Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis and two of our long-time clients, Aiya Matcha and Friesland Campina (in the aptly nicknamed Lower Cheese Side).

At the end of the show, Dave and John left with a bountiful supply of new insights and ideas — and also a bountiful supply of tasty samples. John felt that it was “truly an incredible opportunity to step foot into so many realms of design,” and we look forward to seeing how these brands continue to innovate in the future.