The Goldstein Group

Standing Out Amongst The Best

James McWilliams — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:44:15 +0000

When stacked up against today’s biggest brands, our new rebrand of Aqua Net Hairspray is no silent competitor. HBA Global’s competition for the best new package design has entered its last stage and we are proud to announce that our rebrand of Aqua Net is an IPDA finalist! Taking the design back to its roots, we were able to give the product a style that resonates with its loyal fans as well as with today’s generation, and it’s turning heads. Check out the link here to see how our design measures up to various prestigious brands, and if you would like to vote for us in the competition, click here and hit the “Like” button under our entry.

Satisfying a consumer itch

Dennise — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:00:34 +0000

Allegra Topical hits the market! Chattem extended the Allegra line into topical analgesics and we couldn’t be happier with the result. It was a satisfying task to extend the brand. To read more about our process, click here.

Spotlight on Aqua Net’s Redesign

kikisaxon — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:54:07 +0000

We are so honored to have Brand Packaging feature our redesign of iconic brand, Aqua Net. CLICK HERE to read our cover article and get the inside scoop in how our Informed Design Process fueled a successful strategic design…and a beautiful one too, if I may say so myself.

Terri Goldstein named Packaging Guru in AdAge

kikisaxon — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:50:19 +0000

Extra! Extra! Read all about Terri Goldstein, packaging guru, in the latest issue of Advertising Age. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the profile, taking us back to Terri’s roots in California and advertising, as well as her passion for her career shift to package design to create “tangible product[s] that the advertising was based on.” What’s important is that Terri’s success doesn’t just live in the beautiful packages she designs, the real sense of achievement comes from the ROI our clients realize. But don’t take our word for it, AdAge quotes Peter Mann of Yellow Wood Partners and Zan Guerry of Chattem, both execs provided quotes that made us swoon. Read the full article here.

Terri takes L.A.

Dennise — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:55:50 +0000

Terri a native Californian went back to her roots as she joined The Dieline Forum at LA on October 12th. Terri shared “What women want to see, feel & understand about brand packaging” with a very energetic West Coast audience. She explored WHO “she” is, and most importantly WHAT drives “her” purchasing habits. Terri enjoyed her time back in California so much, we almost had to go get her!

Terri Goldstein and Andrew Gibbs

Mind Control at Retail

Dennise — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:57:28 +0000

Terri hit a home run organizing and moderating this year’s CHPA (Consumer Healthcare Products Association) Market Exchange seminar, Mind Control at Retail. Bringing together expert colleagues for a unique workshop, Terri lead participants through the sensory drivers of their products, packaging design, advertising strategy, and retail environment to determine how their brand performs in consumers’ homes, daily lives, and in the OTC and Rx space. Brand sensory attributes, like color and scent, reach the emotional center of consumer’s brains to drive purchasing behavior. In this interactive and forward-thinking session, participants explored how these powerful sensory triggers target consumer emotions to determine brand preference. The panel included Jonathan Asher of Perception Research Services International, Jennifer Dublin of Scent Marketing Institute, and Leslie Harrington of The Color Association of the United States. The attendees left charged with a fresh perspective on their marketing tool box. For more information on the seminar or detailed bios of the speakers, click here

Color Me

Dennise — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:49:17 +0000

With a wide spectrum of colors to choose from, finding the perfect color to represent a company or a brand is a challenge. Color is the first thing an eye captures and the brain registers. Therefore, color is the most important and crucial communication vehicle of a company or brand. Selecting a color that effectively conveys your company or product’s identity is essential. Why? Higher distinctiveness and awareness drives brand equity. Ultimately, color creates an emotional bond and reputation that drives loyalty. Color can be represented psychologically or symbolically. Sometimes these functions can overlap in the brain. Choosing the right color requires factoring and evaluating both the psychological and symbolic association in a culture or consumer’s mind. Color can evoke emotions. Red excites, blue calms, black connotes serenity and yellow suggests happiness. Color can also be representative. Purple for royalty, red for romance, green for envy or nature, and white for purity. Colors subconsciously trigger our brains into actions. By choosing the right mix of hues, design can communicate the desired mental associations. How do you choose? Consumers want brands that inspire them and reflect their values and lifestyle. Examine the color choices of brands that have similar values. Consumers want to find it quickly. For your brand to be recognized, it needs to be different. Shelf audits will reveal category cues and opportunity. Understand who owns which core identifiers of colors symbols and shapes and create your own that may become ownable in the consumer’s mind. To build a relationship, people need to know your brands purpose and values. Once your brand’s purpose and values are defined, selection of core color identifiers becomes that much easier. Always know that color is first in the consumer’s Shelf Sight Sequence™. Color determinates a HIT or MISS. For this reason it is necessary to understand the psychological theory of color.

Early Impressions

Dennise — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:56:00 +0000

“That’s a cheetah, a cheetah, a cheetah…”

Have you seen this video about this 5 year-old girl named Faith describing to her father what she sees in different logos?

According to the father (who is himself a designer), it all started with her daughter’s interest on the BP colorful and flowery logo. Being a designer himself, he wanted to know what her daughter thought about other logos, making it into a game. He later recorder his daughter’s thoughts on different types of logos. The result was an adorable yet insightful video that has gone viral. (The Huffington Post)

Here at TGG, we found this really interesting and also a learning experience. It proves that the right use of color, shapes, symbols, and words can resonate in consumer’s minds and, if brands are able to do so with a 5 year old, then someone is doing something right.

One thing that caught my interest was Faith’s perception of the McDonald’s “M”, which for her were made out of French fries put together. I am not sure about this but I don’t think if the designers had this in mind when they designed this brand mark. Imagine all of the hidden interpretations many brand marks may have around the world; some negative, others positive, all influencing individual perceptions. It may best to recall Marty Neumeir’s definition of a brand, “It’s not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.”

The beauty of this video lies not only on the cuteness of the girl but essentially on how, what we know as brand marks are for children simple drawings… Pictures that remind them of things. Children are becoming more and more brand aware and this could be a big payoff for companies in the future. It is simple yet astounding. In the future, maybe we will hire a boy or a girl to let us know what they see when they look at the designs and its possible we could uncover new, deeper meanings.

Proceed at your own risk….

Peter — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:29:33 +0000

Mike Esterl of The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Coca-Cola is switching back to the classic Red cans after only one month in the limited holiday edition White can. Why? Because consumers are having confusion over what’s in the can!

Consumers are confusing it with Diet Coke, especially in retail environments where single cans are sold. The team at Coca-Cola did use the classic red equity color for their secondary packaging in the supermarket and other on pack communications.

A smaller minority is upset over the change, calling it “blasphemy”, others adding that “you can’t change something that is a classic”.

Color equity is a powerful tool. It is the first and most powerful force in The Goldstein Groups pioneering branding approach, ShelfSightSequence™. Color is the most important element in a brand’s equity toolbox, driving consumer brand recognition and ultimately, brand purchase. Carefully consider the implications of changing this equity element.

Innovation definitely delights consumers and spurs water cooler conversation but dramatically changing a primary equity and product selection element at shelf is asking for consumer confusion, which results in dissatisfaction and brand switching.

Understand your equities, their value and use them wisely. Dramatically alter them and risk losing your consumer at shelf, where the ultimate decisions are made.
Full Story Here…

We Need More Humanity!

Peter — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:10:11 +0000

Doughnuts provide humanity in an ever-increasing digital world. I watched Dov Siedman on Charlie Rose last night. He spoke about how hope is at the center of all growth and change. That hope is an essential part of humanity. He observed that hope is what is missing from our digital communications in business today.

Mr. Siedman told a story about 2 competing Doughnut shops. The only meaningful difference between the 2 shops was that one had offered the customers the option of self-service including paying for the doughnuts and making their own change from a tray of cash left out. In the open. Unguarded. This shop with its unconventional service model quickly outpaced the competition 3 to 1.

Why?

Mr. Siedman advocated that because this doughnut shop re-established the social contract of trusting his consumers, he gave these consumers hope and they told their friends about this trusting doughnut shop and their friends wanted to feel that trust and the underling hope that is at the foundation of this social contract.

How are you re-establishing your social contracts? How are you building trusts with your customers? How are you selling hope?

At TGG, we love to revitalize brands. We are always looking to re-establish the social contracts. Bring our collective humanity into the mix. Re-establish the trust. Give hope.