Planning for your holiday packaging should start early, but how can you start planning? Robert Catalano, Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) and Co-Founder of The Spearhead Group discusses how brands can start that planning and what trends we can hope to see in 2022.
When should brands start planning for the holidays?
That always depends on the quantity and how much customization you want to put into your project. Give yourself at least 6 months if you want to develop a custom product because you will need a few weeks just for R+D. Particularly right now, it might be best to buffer than even more due to the supply chain uncertainties in the current environment.
What are the top items The Spearhead Team recommends to keep in mind when planning for Holiday 2022?
- Good forecasting is a must. Brands need to try their best to start the project with a good understanding of budget, quantity, and timing. Not having this clearly defined from the start can result in the project going in wrong direction. Don’t be afraid to share your budgets with your partners.
- Focus on your brand demographic. Make sure that you partner with someone that listens and understands what your brand represents. I have seen so many examples of VAPs in the spirit space all start to look the same. Find ways to express the voice and heart of your brand and make sure you are working with people that embrace it!
What trends do you hope to see in 2022 for packaging and Physical Brand Enhancement™?
I am starting to see some change, but I think we should unfortunately expect to see a little bit more of the same. It takes a lot of time to change mindset – we are working hard on this to educate. However, we expect to see more of the same in 2022. Spearhead has put R+D in place to prove what we are creating with minimal packaging will succeed and while I would like to see these changes come sooner rather than later, I think it might take some time.
How can a brand get in touch with you to start planning?
If your company wants to take the first step to planning for your brand, please reach out to Pamela Wyatt Ashcraft.