Design will always invite opinions. Design-driven brand growth, however, requires a more objective approach.

“The greatest delusion men suffer from is their own opinions.” — Leonardo da Vinci

“Parity or better” is essentially a very expensive and time-consuming shrug. How did it become a measurement of success in design testing?

For decades, the accepted measure of success for traditional design validation testing has been “parity or better.” Many in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry assume this means a given design...

Festive illustrations rendered this premium chocolatier's holiday collection eminently giftable—with sweet results.

It's that time of year: The air turns crisp, holiday hits dominate the airwaves, ugly sweaters are fleetingly in fashion, and retailers deck the aisles with limited-edition, holiday packaging. Even...

Cheeky, unapologetic branding and strong taste appeal make this one smart cookie.

By the early 2000s, the health industry’s long-standing war on fat had begun to wane, replaced by a growing scrutiny of sugar and other refined carbohydrates. More than a decade later, fat is...

This classic plant-based player is still cream of the crop, despite fierce competition.

Plant-based meat made its debut in supermarkets as early as the 1970s, but was widely regarded as an uninspired substitute for real meat for years to come—consumed by those who eschewed animal...

This category leader conveyed heightened sensory experiences with new ingredient imagery, resulting in double-digit sales growth.

Consumers browsing the body wash aisle in recent years have likely noticed more exotic and sensory-stimulating offerings, many of which hail from new or smaller brands. Some product descriptions...

Congratulations to the 2021 Designalytics Effectiveness Award Winners!

The annual Designalytics Effectiveness Awards, launched in partnership with Dieline, recognize recent package redesigns that have been instrumental in driving brand growth. Unlike traditional design...

By employing bold colors and leaning into the brand's distinctive horse iconography, this wine giant grew sales by 15%.

When Dark Horse appeared on store shelves in 2015, there was no question that the brand had been aptly named; it took the wine industry by storm, generating tens of millions of dollars in sales...

We scoured our database for the 10 most effective designs for communication across beverage-alcohol categories.