Recently, I had the chance to sit down with both Panzoni and Messina to explore why trends matter, how they shape their work, and what they reveal about the world around us.

The post Shelf Life 088: Trend Forecasting, and How It’s Done appeared first on DIELINE.

After a decade of digital dominance, the unassuming catalog is now making a comeback on coffee tables. Talk to designers and brand leads, and you'll hear a shared diagnosis: the digital feed has become homogenous and hyper-templated, while the inbox is numb with promos.

The post Why Brands Are Betting on Catalogs in a Scrolly World appeared first on DIELINE.

Interestingly, Coca-Cola’s latest earnings report landed with a surprise. The mini can, the petite, perfectly proportioned, seven-and-a-half-ounce aluminum can, is part of the reason for the brand's increase in third-quarter earnings.

The post Shelf Life 086: ‘This Is Just Enough’ Is The New ‘Treat Yourself’ appeared first on DIELINE.

At its best, "modern heritage" can help a brand honor its past while staying attuned to the present. But, right now, we're seeing it overused as shorthand, a strategic security blanket that signals taste without real thought

The post Shelf Life 85: When Did the Past Became the Future of Branding? appeared first on DIELINE.

Olive oil brands are making potato chips, and butter brands are collaborating on tinned fish. What might have once felt like novelty now reads as a more common strategy for brands to reach new consumers, expand relevance, and test new ideas without losing their core identity.

The post Shelf Life 084: Brands are Aisle-Hopping And Rethinking Category Boundaries appeared first on DIELINE.

Most CPG updates are evolutionary: a new color here, some kerning there, a press release calling it "iconic" and "inspired by the brand's heritage." So I do appreciate the bold update.

The post Shelf Life 083: Gigantic’s Redesign Wants You To Chainsmoke Candy Bars appeared first on DIELINE.

Authenticity is about whether the final work connects with...humans. J.Crew tried to pass off artificial as authentic and lost. Coca-Cola's AI Christmas campaign abandoned the humanistic magic of the holidays. ChatGPT leaned on human authenticity as a brand strategy and won.

The post Shelf Life 082: ChatGPT’s New Commercials Aren’t About AI, They’re About You appeared first on DIELINE.

If the last decade was about making the kitchen an aesthetically pleasing place, the next one may be about turning it into a high-performance space where design, craft, and culture intersect.

The post Shelf Life 081:Counter Culture in the Era of Professional-Grade Tools appeared first on DIELINE.

It's rare to find a celebrity, influencer, or athlete who doesn't have a brand (sometimes several) or some spokesperson deal. We often celebrate it, and in many cases, root for their success.

The post Shelf Life 080: From Sell Out To Expected, The Evolution of Celebrity Brands appeared first on DIELINE.

Whatever you're filling that pack of smokes with, they're subverting the past to propose new rituals, and it's become a design language that says as much about our desires as it does about what's inside the box.

The post Shelf Life 079: Cigarette-Inspired Packaging Is Trending Thanks To Smoking’s Cultural Cache appeared first on DIELINE.