Interact Brands

We've always had a pulse on the forefront of technological innovation. AI has quickly become a useful part of our creative process, but its integration comes with its own set of challenges. In this article, we will examine both successful and unsuccessful uses of AI by well-known brands. By analyzing these three cases, we hope to provide valuable insights for other brands considering taking a stance on AI. Dove's "Real Beauty" Stance. Dove’s stance on AI is an important one; they’ve managed to stay true to their brand values while still accepting that AI is becoming an essential tool in our society. Dove's commitment to "Real Beauty" has long been a cornerstone of its brand identity. Dove has become the first beauty brand to commit to never using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to represent women in its advertising. They took a bold stance against the rising tide of AI-generated content due to research confirming its potential to further distort beauty standards. “At Dove, we seek a future in which women get to decide and declare what real beauty looks like, not algorithms,” says Alessandro Manfredi, Chief Marketing Officer for Dove. Dove’s stance on AI included creating the "Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines," the brand aims to empower creators and users of generative AI programs to prioritize diversity and authenticity in their creations. This initiative serves as a blueprint for change, encouraging the development of AI models that reflect the true spectrum of female beauty. Dove's decision is not merely a marketing ploy but a proactive response to alarming statistics revealed in their research. With AI-generated content poised to dominate the online landscape, the brand recognized the urgent need to safeguard against the homogenization and unrealistic portrayals that AI can inadvertently perpetuate. Toys"R"Us: AI-Generated Video Campaign Toys “R” Us has sparked online backlash after releasing an ad created with OpenAI’s new video generation tool, Sora. The 66-second promo takes us on a journey back to the 1930s, following young Charles Lazarus, the visionary founder of Toys "R" Us.  AI-generated film has sparked diverse reactions on social media. Some viewers see it as an exciting glimpse into the future of content creation, where imagination is the only limit. Others, however, have expressed reservations. Some found the AI-generated characters "creepy," falling into the infamous "uncanny valley" where digital renderings of humans are close to realistic but just off enough to be unsettling. Others noticed inconsistencies in the AI-generated images, highlighting the current limitations of the technology. These mixed reactions underscore the ongoing challenges and opportunities in AI-generated content. As the technology continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how creators address these issues and refine their techniques. Read the full article on our website below: https://lnkd.in/g5jbFYM3

Expo East (sadly, no more) has pivoted to a new format - Newtopia in Denver, CO! There are a lot of unknowns about the format, and we're hearing that many in the industry are on the fence about attending and exhibiting. However, we do know that a lot of founders and investors will be present. We plan to attend in support of the community and New Hope, who have played a significant role in our success, from giving us our first Expo West speaking opportunity 10 years ago to continuing to be a venue where all our passions can be exhibited. Reach out if you'll be in town!

As an agency, our online presence showcases our work, but behind the scenes, we have an array of talent that inspires our culture and creativity. Interact Unfiltered is where our team shares what is inspiring them, what is entertaining them, newfound knowledge, and candid discussions amongst one another, without boundaries. In lieu of summer, much of our team has been enjoying time outside all over the country! One team member is enjoying the "empty" streets of NYC, biking from the Brooklyn Bridge to Harlem, while another is boating on Lake Ontario. A few of our team members have picked up gardening as a hobby. Pictured are some blueberries and squash blossoms. The squash will be cooked up with a little bit of mozzarella, Calabrian chili, and fried in olive oil, accompanied by a glass of white wine. Our friends in New York went to see "Oh, Mary!" and rated it a 10/10. We enjoyed discussing the "fits" worn to the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics, one of the favorites being Steven Spielberg's casual yet chic look. The uniforms for the Mongolian opening ceremony were also widely admired among our team. The game "Wingspan's" illustrations were admired among our design team. The game itself was reviewed as "a little bit complex, but still very fun." Maybe add it to your list of summer board games to try out!

The branded collaboration scene is bustling with activity—and for good reason. These dynamic partnerships have such powerful marketing benefits, including increased excitement among consumers, leveraging each other’s audiences, relevancy, and many others. Recently, there have been a multitude of notable collabs, some being: Sabrina Carpenter x Van Leeuwen Ice Cream  Hailey Bieber X Cosmic Bliss  Erewhon X Djerf Avenue Calvin Klein X Jeremy Allen White  Skims X Alex Cooper  818 X Chamberlain Coffee  But what does this increase in brand collaborations mean for brands, celebrities, and the future of collaborations? We predict the following trends: Continued Growth in Popularity: We’ve seen the trend steadily increase, with 2023 being a record year for retail collaborations and product drops. According to a report by Allied Market Research, the global retail sector has witnessed a substantial rise in collaborations and partnerships, particularly in fashion, beauty, and tech industries. The market dynamics are driven by the need for differentiation and consumer demand for exclusive and limited-edition products. Increased Diversity in Partnerships: We speculate we will start to see brands getting more creative with their partnerships across different industries. The more diverse the partnership, the more they’re able to create shock value, more innovative products, and cross-market appeal. It might be time for your brand to start thinking outside the box. Some examples of diverse partnerships we’ve seen: Nike x Tiffany & Co., Ikea x Lego, Oreo x Supreme, Issey Miyake x Dyson. Deep Celebrity/Influencer Involvement: We predict celebrities and influencers will begin to involve themselves more with the collaboration process. We see them getting involved with things like the product design, formula, personalized packaging, marketing materials, etc. We also predict that you will see more celebrities taking their audience through this process via social media platforms to make the consumer feel like they’re a part of the journey. Micro-Influencer Collaborations: Micro-influencers are a somewhat untapped space within brand collaborations. There are a couple of advantages to working with micro-influencers versus macro-influencers or celebrities, such as cost-effectiveness, higher engagement rates, trust with their audience, and niche reach. With the content creation space also getting more saturated and expensive for brands to participate in, we speculate that brands will want to start collaborating with micro-influencers more and more. In conclusion, the burgeoning landscape of branded collaborations is not just a passing trend but a pivotal shift in the marketing strategies of modern brands. For brands, embracing collaborations means more than just increased visibility; it signifies a move towards innovation, differentiation, and deepened consumer engagement. #CPG #Design #BrandCollaborations #PackagingDesign

This past week we visited the Are We On Air newsstand and LA Grocery & Café - two relatively new places catching the attention of our LA friends. The newsstand, known more formally as ‘Kiosk-o-Thèque,’ is a retail concept created by Arman Naféei, the self-proclaimed director of ambiance behind some of the greatest hospitality establishments and host of the "Are We On Air" podcast. The newsstand collectively provides a platform for various forms of creative expression, including music, print, art exhibits, and installations, making high culture more accessible and inviting. We also love the push for experimental retail in a newsstand setting. L.A. Grocery & Café (LAGC) recently opened in Melrose Hill, offering a unique shopping experience focused on local and high-quality produce from local farmers' market vendors. The store features an inverted floor plan, with fresh produce, meat, and dairy at the center and a café serving dishes that use unsold produce to reduce waste. The grocery provides a curated selection of items, balancing high-end and more affordable options. Thank you, Matt Newberg, for calling this one out.

Our Director of Sustainability, Valerie Hawks, was featured on the Sustainable Packaging Podcast with Cory Connors to speak on 'How to talk to Gen Z about Sustainability.' Her episode went live today! Listen below 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gKiahvTZ

A good question to ask yourself, when is the right time for your brand legacy or not to embark on a redesign? "Legacy brands need to apply a finer, more modern filter to their brand story or work to find new audiences with an extension — not a total overhaul that endangers equity.” – Marketing Dive Recently, we authored a thought piece on the pet food industry, highlighting the potential for legacy pet food brands to undergo a redesign. While these brands may lack modern aesthetics and messaging, they compensate with trusted scientific research. A rebrand offers them the opportunity to appeal to consumers whose identities are deeply connected to their pet-centric lifestyles, thus bridging the expanding market divide. For more insights, read the full article linked in our comments. The branding landscape is continually evolving and being disrupted by both new and established players. This applies to all industries - we recently completed a subtle yet impactful redesign for legacy brand Hot Pocket's. The redesign was made to target a new audience without alienating their existing consumer. #redesign #rebrand #cpg #packagedesign

AI Challenge: TEAM 5 // Sly™ This team brought Sly to life through interactive out-of-home advertising and branded collaborations using AI. Sly Swag — Gamers often use laptops for portability, space efficiency, and versatility. Beanies are a part of gamer culture as well. Aside from fashion, they provide extra cushion and comfort when over-ear headphones are worn. Gamer Convention Booth — Sly’s gaming convention pop-up offers a sleek design where video game convention attendees can taste Sly and challenge fellow gamers to a video game. OOH Advertisement: Capture the attention of city dwellers in Time Square with this eye-catching Sly sculpture in a unique approach to OOH. Sly x Fortnite Collaboration — Meet gamers where they are by collaborating with Fortnite to create a Sly branded skin. #AI #Design

AI Challenge: Team 4 // Koia 🍌 🍓 🍫 Team 4 created The Koia Smoothie Studio which is a multi-sensory immersion that transports you into the vibrant and flavorful world of Koia’s plant based protein shakes. The team included a brand partnership with HOKA creating running shoes in different color-ways that aligned with the Koia smoothie flavors. To embrace change and challenge our team members, we broke them up into four teams to tackle expanding brand identities for a brand of their choice, using ONLY AI. Each team’s final assets will be posted over the next four weeks. #AI #Branding #Design

🌟 Pack format nuances in CPG 🌟 One of the reasons I love working with Startup CPG to organize events is learning more about the challenges emerging CPG businesses face, and seeing how generous the community is in helping each other find potential solutions. At our meetup at BevNET.com last week, I had great conversations with several business owners about their pack formats. Working in packaging design at Interact Brands, we’re often working with an existing pack format that the client has selected, but sometimes we get to join in on the fun of picking what will work best for the product. Pack format is always a difficult decision with many factors. - What fits on a retail shelf? - Does the format communicate the use case? - Will it be easy to store and use for the consumer? - What cost can I afford to maintain my margins? - Do I have the scale needed to meet run minimums?  - Do I need a different format for retail vs food service? The owners I talked with are doing the right thing by prioritizing consumer needs when making these decisions. By chatting regularly with their consumers they avoid costly missteps and ensure their products meet real-world demands. Shout out to: 🍹 Elaina (Repucci) Holm with Simple Sips Fresh Cocktail Mix that needs packaging that appeals both on store shelves and in the hands of bartenders 🫖 Nancy Daniel with Madhrasi Chai concentrate that requires packaging that suits both home refrigerators and professional barista setups 🐝 Samantha Putošová with Bee Balm Co. benefits from using compostable packaging Can’t wait to see what we chat about at our next meetup! Stay tuned for details. #Packaging #ConsumerInsights #BusinessStrategy #Retail #FoodService #Entrepreneurship #CPG #FoodandBev Chloe Drumwright