A Slice Of - Packaging Design

Slice Design

Packaging design can make or break how consumers see and understand your brand. On average, a medium-sized UK supermarket may stock around 30,000 to 40,000 individual products. That a lot of choice! So what is it that makes us pick up the products up and part with our hard earned cash? In each episode, ‘A Slice Of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the packaging design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Website - https://slicedesign.co.uk LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/

  1. A Slice Of... What does sustainability actually mean? (No. 42)

    May 15

    A Slice Of... What does sustainability actually mean? (No. 42)

    When it comes to packaging design, what does sustainability or being sustainable actually mean? So, what exactly does 'sustainability' or to 'be sustainable' actually mean when it comes to packaging for consumer goods? Is it about the carbon footprint? Is it about the energy consumed at manufacture? Is it about how the products are packaging, recycled and disposed of, or is a mixture of all? If you asked most consumers, or even experts in the industry what it means to 'be sustainable', they’d be hard-pressed to answer. The simple truth is, if you pin down a consumer on actual carbon data and overall 'carbon saved' on one packaging format versus another they would have no idea whether this was a significant or moderate improvement. I suppose this comes down to brands and especially manufacturers to educate consumers and explain exactly what some of these figures mean in real terms and also some of the trade-offs when it comes to trying to achieve them. This conundrum was brought to light recently when the curiosity got the better of me and I decided to open up one of those snazzy paper wine bottles. The truth I found out is that its not strictly a 'paper bottle' but a clam shell covering a pouch. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #sustainability

    10 min
  2. A Slice Of... Why is it important to establish a brand, rather than solely focusing on aesthetically pleasing packaging (No. 40)

    Mar 6

    A Slice Of... Why is it important to establish a brand, rather than solely focusing on aesthetically pleasing packaging (No. 40)

    Why is it important to establish a brand, rather than just solely focusing on aesthetically pleasing packaging? Why do I need a brand? This is something we get asked a lot, especially from Startups who don’t fully understand the benefit of having one. A brand isn’t a logo, it’s not the colours you decide to use, it’s not what you call a product, it’s not how the product looks, it’s how your product is understood in the mind of the consumer. In today's competitive marketplace, having a strong and well-defined brand is crucial for the success of any product or business. A brand is not just a logo or a catchy name; it's the way your product or service is perceived by your target audience. A well-designed brand can help you stand out from the competition, build customer loyalty, and ultimately drive sales. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #colour

    6 min
  3. A Slice Of... The importance of creating a robust pack architecture (No. 39)

    Jan 22

    A Slice Of... The importance of creating a robust pack architecture (No. 39)

    The importance of creating a robust pack architecture in branding & packaging design Getting your hierarchy right on pack can be the difference between standing out or disappearing on shelf. Implementing a clear, cohesive brand architecture across core and extended products is imperative both for shelf standout and to aid consumer navigation. This architecture provides familiarity while introducing cues that differentiate offerings. Done correctly, it helps consumers navigate the range in an efficient way. A solid architecture creates consistency. Customers appreciate it when a business has a consistent brand. In fact, consistent presentation of a brand has seen to increase revenue by 33 percent (Lucidpress, 2019). So why is this important? It takes between 5-7 impressions to even start creating brand awareness. When creating packaging design, especially on large ranges or ranges with multiple offerings, brands should make sure they repeatedly emphasise the brand uniform and assets in a consistent way, as this will help recall. Simply put, architecture defines were all the important bits should go. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #colour

    7 min
  4. A Slice Of... Why Consumer Brands Should Consider Sonic Branding (No. 35)

    08/19/2025

    A Slice Of... Why Consumer Brands Should Consider Sonic Branding (No. 35)

    Why Consumer Brands Should Consider Sonic Branding. What Does Your Brand Sound Like? In an era of visual overload and shrinking attention spans, brands are constantly searching for new ways to cut through the noise and clutter. While many have a brand logo, tone of voice and robust graphical design system, a powerful tool is often overlooked: sound. Sonic branding, also known as audio branding is the strategic use of sound to express and reinforce brand identity. From Netflix’s unmistakable “ta-dum” to the Intel chime or the "beep-bop-beep-beep-bop" of the F1 notification (thats the best I could manage), these aren’t just sounds they are instantly recognisable memory anchors, emotional triggers, and trust builders. When done well, sonic branding becomes as recognisable as a logo or tagline. It’s about creating an identity your audience can hear and feel, even when your design system and brand logo aren’t present. Today’s media landscape is increasingly audio-driven. From podcasts and audiobooks to TikTok and app notifications, sound has become a dominant force in how people consume content and connect with brands. Here’s what makes sonic branding so effective: Speed of recognition: Sound is processed faster than visuals, helping your brand become instantly recognisable.Emotional depth: Music and the human voice can evoke powerful emotions. Everyone recognises the Jaws theme! Quick recall is essential for building loyalty and trust. Cross-platform consistency: Whether it's a podcast intro or a TikTok clip, your sonic identity unifies your brand across formats, even when you can't see it.Future-proofing: As voice search and audio-first experiences grow, brands that don’t sound like anything risk being forgotten. Sound has always been a shortcut for recognition. Think of the clatter of horse hooves, the ring of a church bell, or the buzzing of a wasp , your brain knows what these mean before you consciously think about it. It’s the same in marketing. A distinct sound can tell your audience who you are, your values and what you stand for in miliseconds. Research recently showed that nearly three quarters of Europeans recognise the Nokia ringtone and associate it directly with the brand, amazing eh? That’s the power of a well-designed sonic identity that makes the brand pop straight into the head of the consumer. Visual branding will always be important. But in a world where people are listening just as much as they’re looking, your brand needs to sound as good as it looks. Using these audio logos, the best marketers understand that audio is no longer optional, it’s a core part of storytelling and brand recall. So, it’s time to ask, What does your brand sound like? You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #sounddesign #sonicbranding

    5 min

About

Packaging design can make or break how consumers see and understand your brand. On average, a medium-sized UK supermarket may stock around 30,000 to 40,000 individual products. That a lot of choice! So what is it that makes us pick up the products up and part with our hard earned cash? In each episode, ‘A Slice Of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the packaging design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Website - https://slicedesign.co.uk LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/