Epoch goes to London Packaging Week

Last week our Strategy Director, Alex Murrell, and our Marketing Manager, Ricardo Martins, headed to London to attend this year’s London Packaging Week.

The event brings together luxury, beauty, drinks and FMCG brands with the suppliers, materials, and ideas shaping the future of packaging. The talks programme included leaders from luxury and FMCG brands discussing design, sustainability, storytelling and product experiences.

Jo Smith, Diageo’s Design & Visual Identity Leader, took to the Luxury Stage to share her thoughts on Why ideas need design leaders including her Five Principles for Design Bravery.

1. Start with empathy

Place yourself in your costumer’s shoes and design for them, not you.

2. Creativity loves constraints

Setting boundaries before a creative project can be the reason why a project succeeds.

3. Speak two languages

Understand design but also understand consumer behaviour.

4. Build trust early

Involve senior stakeholders early in the process and ensure they trust your strategy and vision.

5. Champion bravery

Don’t be afraid of going for the most complex or unconventional idea – be brave.

To round off the day, they attended the panel The art of enduring luxury: building distinctive brands through craft, heritage & design with Cathal Gillen from Distinctive Bat; Clara Kelleher from William Grant & Sons; Nick Williamson from House of Bricks; and Steve Honour from Diageo.

The discussion touched on the emotional bonds that can be found in the archives of a brand, how mascots and characters can be a great distinctive asset, how chasing trends can get in the way of who you are as a brand, and also how heritage is a gift for a brand if used correctly.

But the point that stuck with us the most came from Steve Honour when asked what’s the key to creating a successful DBA.

Shout out to the team at Pentawards for getting us involved – see you next year!