Shelf Impactors Branding And Packaging Design

#S2E11 Shelf Impactors™ 'Sustainability and Brands in the New World' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings For most brands surviving through the Covid 19 crisis, it has meant many of their own values have had to be assessed and their communication around 'sustainability' has had to either be muted or dropped completely. Mark and Lisa discuss what brands are doing on the subject and how the focus on economical survival and regeneration might see a seismic shift across the board in the scale of communication around 'sustainability' in months to come post Pandemic! 1. Bold Pivots - Is it a wise choice to ‘pivot’ your brand and harness opportunities to address Covid and it's aftermath?
 - Some brands pivoting to score PR points, many are doing it out of sheer commercial necessity! 2. The Sustainability message pre and post Covid. - Has the ‘message’ changed or taken a back seat to many brands just fighting to survive? 3. Brands communicating the message of sustainability well right now! -------------------

#S2E10 Shelf Impactors™ 'Brand Thinking for the New Normal - Back to Basics' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings As a global economy we're creeping out of lockdown and looking to reopen and kickstart our economies. Mark and Lisa delve into the thinking behind brands and the ways in which brands should be approaching the 'new normal'. 1. Brands returning to market - Now is the opportunity to take the strategies back to basics 2. Core Values - Referencing Maslows 'hierarchy of needs' model, brands should be re-establishing their core values - taking themselves from 'reactive' to 'proactive' 3. Simplicity for consumers - Keep the offer simple but remain innovative. --------------------------------- Additional reference links: Mumbrella report: https://mumbrella.com.au/customers-want-australian-businesses-to-get-back-to-basics-during-covid-19-629840 Three Big Trends for Brands from the Shift to E-commerce: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/three-big-trends-for-brands-from-the-shift-to-e-commerce/4

#S2E09 Shelf Impactors™ 'Post Lockdown - The New Age of Brand Optimism' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings Markets have dramatically shifted in the last few months especially since the recording of #SE05 Shelf Impactors™ podcast(Pandemic and Consumer Trends related). Upon reflection Mark and Lisa revisit the subject of 'the role of brand' in these unprecedented times: 1. Whats happening - UK v AUS Differences - How the markets are taking differing approaches to combatting and guiding their nations to the 'new normal' 2. The Role of Brands - Age of Optimism - How are brands reacting and communicating. - Data Privacy - The fear of contact tracing and our thoughts on the Govts' approaches and data collection. 3. Creative Focus - What can the Creative Industries expect... - How can we lead and help nuture clients and brands through this uncertain yet innovative time --------------------------------- Additional reference links: Havas Report: https://www.cmo.com.au/article/678525/reports-brands-an-importan

#S2E08 Shelf Impactors™ Interview with Luke Sherriff, owner of PROVERB Skincare. This extremely insightful podcast conversation is with the super positive, highly driven owner and co-founder of PROVERB - the Life-Fuelled Skincare brand. Luke Sherriff. Luke is an Oxford grad with a degree in Epidermiology, who went on to play professional Rugby for the likes of Harlequins, and Nottingham rugby club gaining caps for England and Great Britain 7’ and Barbarian squads. All this before seamlessly moving into the health and skincare industry - he is now owner and co-founder of Proverb. Alongside his wife Kirstie, they both run two successful businesses Proverb and Pinks Boutique. In this podcast Luke and I discuss how and why Proverb was formed, and how Luke uses the skills he developed as a top flight sportsman and applies them the to growth strategy of the Proverb brand. As a team sports pro he believes in the importance of the his brand consumers feeling like they’re part of a team, being part of a brand that

#S2E07 Shelf Impactors™ 'Feeling the Pressure to be More Productive' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings Mark and Lisa again follow on from their previous podcast (Episode 6 -Resilience and Creative Grit) to discuss their latest 'lockdown' experiences and moreover delve into the feeling many of us are enduring right now: 1. Feeling the pressure to be more productive - Mark and Lisa discuss each of their attitudes to the subject of pressure? - They discuss the method of defining where the pressure many of us feel stems from. 2. Establishing our own source of motivation - Mark and Lisa talk through how each of them do this! - And offer advice on how they each define their own sense of purpose and motivation 3. Recent brand observations in the creative world… - Mark and Lisa talk through what has caught their attention in the last couple of weeks in the world of brands --------------------------------- Additional reference links: NY Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/style/productivity-cor

#S2E06 Shelf Impactors™ 'Resilience and Creative Grit' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings Mark and Lisa follow on from their previous podcast (Pandemic) and discuss in more detail how they are being affected by the 'lockdown'. Also delving into how creatives and the creative industry might be impacted: 1. Creative Grit & Resilience - Developing our ability be MORE brave - how can we do this? - Entering into the unknown - we are strategists at heart and this should be in our DNA - being able to build up our resilience 2. Growth Mindsets - Learning to Adapt & Survive - Strategies for success in chaos and developing coping mechanisms to see us through - What advice do we have for fellow creatives during this time 3. The New landscape… - No one can accurately predict how this looks but we can make ourselves ready for the possible outcomes… --------------------------------- Additional reference links: Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability | TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_po

#S2E05 Shelf Impactors™ 'COVID-19 and it's effect on the creative industries' with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings In this impromptu 5th episode Lisa and have a discussion on the immediate impact of the Corona Virus is having on us personally and professionally. We discuss the impact on our industry and how creatives might use the circumstances to their advantage: 1. New ideas 2. New ways of working 3. New products and services --------------------------------- Recorded only a couple of days ago, already since recording - the world is rapidly changing and responding with dramatic impact. Even since our chat alone, the UK government have demand all schools close from Friday 20th March 2020 indefinitely. They have also postponed the HMRC tax avoidance concerns with contractors/ freelancers with the changes to the the ir35 process (for at least for 12 months). --------------------------------- Lisa Hastings: LinkedIn - @lisahastings Twitter - @shoebox20 Instagram - @shoebox20 www.lisahastings.me/ Mark Grey:

#S2E04 Shelf Impactors™ Fintech with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings In the 4th episode of this season Lisa and I pick up on another subject area becoming a real game changer within brand marketing arena - the mind bending world of Fintech (Financial Technology) and how’s its helping brands become more consumer centric. The world of Fintech is vast but we chose 3 trend areas to zone in on: 1. Data - new currency. How the likes of Amazon, the data mining experts' are getting to know us even better than we know ourselves! 2. Easy Check out - how biometric payments may very well become the standard form of transaction. 3. The New Faces of Finance - the rise in using celebrity endorsers to market financial products and services --------------------------------- Lisa Hastings: LinkedIn - @lisahastings Twitter - @shoebox20 Instagram - @shoebox20 www.lisahastings.me/ Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Twitter - @bluenectar Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey

#S2E03 Shelf Impactors™ Whats Hot 2020 with Mark Grey and Lisa Hastings In the 3rd episode of this season Lisa Hastings and I catch up on chat about a few things we feel will be hot topics over the coming year for all things relating to brands and moreover the marketing of both luxury and FMCG products. Lisa still resides in Sydney and we chat about how Australia has been coping with the severity of the recent bush fire. We then tuck into the meat of the podcast which is a discussion on three key things that we know are big areas for brands to focus on this year. 1. Plant based diets - Are we at the start of a ‘meat free’ revolution? 2. Gender neutrality - Traditional assumptions about gender are being challenged… 3. The alcohol free movement - The sober-curious space is growing… We round of the podcast with a quick thought on whether Britishness will change post Brexit! --------------------------------- Podcast References: Consumer Trends - Let’s talk Consumer SHIFTS https://www.shots.net/news/vi

#S02E02 Shelf Impactors™ Interview with Matt Davies In this, the second episode of season 2, I talk with Matt Davies, an incredibly engaging and knowledgable design thinker. Not only is Matt a superb brand strategist, he is also a writer (author of the book Storyategy), he’s a design consultant, public speaker, motivator and all round great guy. I had heard of Matt and his former company Nottingham based Attitude Design some years ago. But more recently Matt has begun to carve himself a bright pathway in the world of brand thinking and more specifically story-based strategic branding. In a slightly longer podcast recording than normal, Matt and I cover all manner of things around brand strategy and brand thinking - exploring the challenges brands face in todays fast paced world of consumers and their ever changing requirements from brands. We touch upon many brand related topics in the podcast but a few of the key aspects of the conversation are pinned around, • The Commoditising of Design • Story Bas

#S02E01 Shelf Impactors™ Taking Time Out Entering into Season 2 of Shelf Impactors, in this episode Lisa and I discuss the important subject of taking tIme out and the benefits of doing so to creative minds. We begin the podcast with a quick update with what we’ve both been up to these last few months since we last recorded a podcast. We discuss Lisa’s recent return to Sydney, Australia, and what impact the changing nutritional habits that many people are adopting is having on the Australian retail market. We discuss in more detail about the impact of not taking time out and delve into our own personal strategies to getting some down time whilst leading busy personal and professional lives. Lisa Hastings: Twitter - @Shoebox20 WeChat - @Creativeshoebox LinkedIn - Lisa Hastings Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Behance - Behance.net/markgrey Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey

#009 Shelf Impactors™ Mindfulness TOP 5 TIPS TO A MORE ‘MINDFUL APPROACH TO YOUR LIFESTYLE TO IMPROVE YOUR CREATIVE OUTPUT… 1. SLEEP 2. NUTIRITION 3. DAILY ROUTINES 4. RESEARCH/ READING 5. MENTORS With this episode, and based around our 5 top tips, Lisa and I discuss the very topical subject of Mindfulness. To give you bit of a background, the purpose of me setting up this podcast originally was to serve as a vehicle for me to discuss subjects and areas around the areas of branding and packaging design, with the intended audience being those working within or alongside the industry, whether they be brand owners, brand developers, or creatives. This podcast opens up the arena even further to include anyone who has in interest in just improving their overall well being. Its not just a creative industry topic, its something that touches each and every one of us in one way or an other. Todays subject is something which I believe each an every one of us should invest time to learn more about. I’m relatively

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 8 - The Free From Category in food packaging design It seems there are so many diets out there helping to sculpt the health food market landscape. With the massive growth in the Free-From category in the last 5 years or so, we have to wonder what is coming next to shake up the market in this area. Non packaged or reduced packaged foods are definitely becoming more prevalent but what next for the Free-From sector? In this episode, alongside my good friend Lisa Hastings, a fellow brand and packaging designer, we discuss the areas helping to craft this growing category in our grocery stores today and where it might be heading... Lisa Hastings: Twitter - @Shoebox20 WeChat - @Creativeshoebox LinkedIn - Lisa Hastings Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Pinterest - Pinterest/markgrey Behance - Behance.net/markgrey Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 7 - Measuring the True Value of Design In this short episode it's just me talking solo on a subject that I'm in touch with on a daily basis in both my creative work and the running of my business - measuring the success of design and moreover measuring design effectiveness. I discuss the paradigm of how measuring the impact of design has many challenges - and the process of measuring the success (in essence it's value) may indeed require different sources to arrive at the answer/ result. Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Pinterest - Pinterest/markgrey Behance - Behance.net/markgrey Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 6 - Lisa Hastings Interview Part 2 Following on from Episode No. 2, Lisa and I catch up on her latest work adventure, having recently returned from undertaking a Creative Director role in Shanghai China. We discuss; the challenges one faces when moving to a country and not being able to speak the language; working and motivating a team whose native language isn't English; translating design thinking; eating foods you're unsure of their original form; and Lisa offers some words of wisdom to anyone looking to work in China. Lisa Hastings: Twitter - @Shoebox20 WeChat - @Creativeshoebox LinkedIn - Lisa Hastings Lisa's recent blog posts: https://www.mumbrella.asia/2016/12/china-given-fresh-perspective-creative https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lost-transformation-lisa-hastings/

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 5 - Andy Pendlebury Interview. In this episode I interview Andy Pendlebury, a commercial photographer with huge levels of experience in food photography, much of which is used on the packaging for food and drinks. We dive into a few subject areas including; the importance of good studio space when shooting food products; the importance of a good photography brief; 'Instagramitis' in food styling; the role of the food stylist; tricks of the trade to achieve the best shot; photography retouching; clients attending the shoot; and advice for anyone looking to select a specialist food photographer for their project. Andy Pendlebury - Photographer: Website - www.pendleburystudios.com Instagram - @pendlebury Twitter - @_pendlebury LinkedIn - Andy Pendlebury

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 4 - Michael Duffy Interview. In this episode I interview Michael Duffy - Global Creative Director for Equator Design. Based in Chicago, Duffy has been instrumental in the fantastic growth that Equator Design has experienced over the last 10 years, becoming one of the world's top branding and packaging design agencies. We discuss how he transitioned from working in the UK to the US and the steep learning curve he endured getting to grips with a market that was somewhat different to the UK at the time. We discuss if there are any differences in the approaches he takes across his design teams when designing for both markets. We get Duffy's thoughts on what it takes to be a great designer and what valuable advice he would give to designers starting out on their careers in todays world. Michael Duffy - Global Creative Director - Equator Design: Website - www.equator-design.com Pinerest - Pinterest/equatordesign Twitter - EquatorDesignUS Facebook - weareequator Instagram - @equator

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 3 - Deciding Between being a Permanent Designer or a Freelancer Designer. In this episode its just me talking. Building on from an article I wrote on LinkedIn recently I thought I'd translate it to a podcast. In short I discuss the pros and cons of both types of designers. I touch on the options available to Freelancers for how they set themselves up and give my TOP 5 reasons why NOT to be Freelancer and my TOP 5 reasons why NOT to be a Full-Time designer. Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Pinterest - Pinterest/markgrey Behance - Behance.net/markgrey Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 2 - Lisa Hastings Interview Part 1 In this episode I interview Lisa Hastings - an experienced and well travelled senior creative thinker who lives in Sydney Australia. We discuss Lisa's background in design and how her career has developed over the years. We also delve into the key design and cultural differences within the design industry between Australia and the UK - looking at trends from both countries. Lisa Hastings: Twitter - @Shoebox20 WeChat - @Creativeshoebox LinkedIn - Lisa Hastings

Shelf Impactors™ Episode Number 1 - Introduction In the first episode I introduce the Shelf Impactors podcast explaining the purpose behind it, whilst also touching upon my background as a designer and the creative processes I use when working on branding and packaging. Mark Grey: Website - www.bluenectardesign.co.uk Pinterest - Pinterest/markgrey Behance - Behance.net/markgrey Instagram - @bluenectardesign LinkedIn - Mark Grey