Annika Carroll

The Role of Social Commerce in CPG: Designing for the Scroll, Click, and Buy Journey

A new aisle for CPG brands has fragmented the path to purchase. As the line between social media and e-commerce gradually blurs, platforms like TikTok and Instagram aren’t just influencing buying decisions they’re becoming the shelf. With 34% of consumers shopping online at least once a week and 70% of online purchases influenced by social […]

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How Can Design Help Retailers Reduce Theft?

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

Concerns about theft in retail have been mounting since the pandemic. What’s behind the shifting dynamics of shrink and how can brands address it? Design is only one element of loss prevention, but it’s a key component. Before we get into how design can help, let’s take a look at how theft in retail stores

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How To Turn Around Poor Customer Service In Retail

Digital Experiences / Annika Carroll

The Decline of Customer Service According to Forrester’s CI Index, customer service is the worst it’s been since they first started collecting data in 2016. Other reports from Cavell, Customer Contact Week Digital and the National Rage Survey confirm the findings: around half of consumers feel service has gotten worse in the past few years.

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Exploring Open Banking Branch Experience Opportunities

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

The State of Open Banking As we enter the next decade, Open Banking will accelerate from the regulatory to the implementation stages in North America. Look no further than Europe for positive clues of the impact on consumer banking with now more than 63 million Open Banking users led by the UK, followed by Germany,

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Package Design In 2025 – What’s Hot and What’s Not

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

In 2024 brands continued to push for personalization, sustainable materials, and big shelf impact with their package design. What trends can we expect in 2025 and what will lose momentum? Here are our predictions for the coming year. Front-Of-Package Nutritional Warnings – What’s Coming In Canada, the final push to comply with new nutritional Front

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The Best New Retail Stores of 2024

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

2024 was somewhat subdued when it came to new store openings, likely a result of economic uncertainty. However, many notable retail experiences launched around the globe, ranging from high-end luxury to highly accessible. Here is a selection of some of our favorite new stores from 2024. 1. Best Use Of Color Trinny London is one

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Think Ahead for 2025: What Undercurrents Beyond Trends Brands Need to Know

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

“Predicting the future” is not as daunting as it might sound. If you’re paying attention, the future is already here. For the past ten years, we’ve shared potential future scenarios brands and marketers should note as they consider new initiatives. Many of these potential futures have become reality: for example, in 2018 we explored a

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Website Design and The Blink Factor

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

In the digital world, you have less time to form a lasting brand impression on a potential customer than it takes to blink. On average, a customer will form an impression about your brand in about 50 milliseconds. This makes having a good website design more than just a nice to have but an imperative.

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The Power of Nostalgia: Designing for Instant Emotional Impact

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Emotional connection is critical for a brand because it creates a deeper connection with consumers, influencing loyalty, purchase behavior, and overall brand perception. By evoking fond associations with a particular era, product, or cultural moment, brands can establish a bond with consumers, through a sense of comfort and trust. Human decision-making is greatly driven by

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The Top Trends in Brand Strategy and Positioning

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Brand strategy and positioning are like a compass and a spotlight for your business. A compass guides decision-making and operational actions, keeping you on track toward your goals. A spotlight highlights your unique strengths and values, helping you clearly stand out in a crowded market. This blog explores the top trends shaping brand strategy in

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Novelty Retail Experiences: Trends and Predictions

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Trends in novelty retail experiences are redefining how brands connect with consumers. These immersive and unexpected spaces offer a sense of discovery, tapping into customers’ desires and behaviors. In this blog, we introduce some of the latest trends in novelty retail experiences and explore how they may be shaping the future of retail. Multi-sensory Retail

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Future Of Cash in Retail Banking: Notes From Cash in USA Conference October 2024

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

The Cash in the USA conference, held on October 22nd in Nashville, explored cash’s current and future role in retail banking. The conference was well attended, and presenters reflected the diversity of the industry sectors that manage cash within the banking industry. SLD shared insights on how cash and its management are no longer a

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What Not To Automate: A retailer’s guide to smarter service experiences

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Technology as part of the customer experience is everywhere. That isn’t always a good thing. Although there are many ways in which automation and digital experiences have enhanced, expanded, and sped up service, not every touch point is ideally served through tech. In this blog we’ll explore key aspects of the customer experience where a

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How the Huberman Podcast is Influencing Retail

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

The wellness industry has been growing rapidly, with technology solutions such as wearables, personalized products such as 3D printed vitamins, and in-home gym and workout equipment. In the retail sector, hot trends in healthy lifestyles are changing certain categories and creating new ones. In today’s blog, we’ll explore how trends in wellness are reshaping health-focussed

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The Impact of Exterior Signage on Customer Connection

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Exterior signage is your brand’s calling card to the world. It’s a simple element with a massive impact, a visual cue that tells people who you are, what you stand for, and what they can expect inside. In this blog, we dive into why exterior signage matters and how it works. A-Pillar of Brand Identity

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Elevating The Banking Customer Experience: Notes from the 2024 ICX/BCX Summit

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

At the 2024 Networld Media Group Banking Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte, experts gathered to discuss how AI, sustainability, and evolving consumer behaviors are reshaping the customer journey across industries. From retail banking to tech-driven customer experiences, the summit highlighted the importance of aligning business strategies with customer needs in today’s digital age. Sustainability and

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How Dentists Are Leading The Way in Healthcare Clinic Design

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

Dentistry is one of the most aesthetic of the medical professions, so it’s no surprise they lead the way when it comes to clinic design. Modern dental practices have moved away from the sterile, often tired-looking office spaces towards bolder and brighter settings that merge function, hospitality, and style. Ultimately, dentists have proven that interior

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Apple AI, Let’s Get Personal

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

No topic has been more buzzy over the last year than advanced AI such as ChatGPT and Dall-E. Apple’s recent announcement of the launch of Apple Intelligence adds another opportunity for marketers to explore how AI could support better customer experiences. Apple’s devices and user experience have always accelerated shifts in customer behaviors – will

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Annika Carroll

The Role of Social Commerce in CPG: Designing for the Scroll, Click, and Buy Journey

How Can Design Help Retailers Reduce Theft?

How To Turn Around Poor Customer Service In Retail

Exploring Open Banking Branch Experience Opportunities

Package Design In 2025 – What’s Hot and What’s Not

The Best New Retail Stores of 2024

Think Ahead for 2025: What Undercurrents Beyond Trends Brands Need to Know

Website Design and The Blink Factor

The Power of Nostalgia: Designing for Instant Emotional Impact

The Top Trends in Brand Strategy and Positioning

Novelty Retail Experiences: Trends and Predictions

Future Of Cash in Retail Banking: Notes From Cash in USA Conference October 2024

What Not To Automate: A retailer’s guide to smarter service experiences

How the Huberman Podcast is Influencing Retail

The Impact of Exterior Signage on Customer Connection

Elevating The Banking Customer Experience: Notes from the 2024 ICX/BCX Summit

How Dentists Are Leading The Way in Healthcare Clinic Design

Apple AI, Let’s Get Personal

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