The future of CPG and how to stand out on the shelf

It’s not enough to just be “clean” or “premium” anymore. We’ve hit peak minimalism, and that aisle is starting to blur. If you're building a consumer brand (especially one that lives in a grocery store, boutique, or digital shelf), you need more than a good product.

You need to demand attention without begging for it.

That’s where brand comes in. And this is where we do our best work.

WE’VE WATCHED THE SHELVES GROW AND GET SMARTER

In CPG, first impressions happen in seconds. On a shelf. In a split-second scroll. In that fleeting moment between grabbing a fun drink to go and checking your phone.

That’s not enough time to explain your mission, walk someone through your sustainability practices, or unpack the founder story you spent four hours writing. That moment on the shelf or in a digital ad is not a conversation, it’s a gut reaction.

And that gut reaction is not rational. It’s emotional. Immediate. Visceral.

That means your brand doesn’t need to explain everything. It needs to make someone feel something (curiosity, recognition, delight, maybe even a little silly?) in those couple moments.

This is where so many CPG brands get it wrong. They try to squeeze in too much. Too many features, too much copy, too much explaining.

But we’ve seen it again and again: the brands that win attention are the ones that spark emotion before logic.

You’re not just selling a protein bar. You’re selling the feeling of being that person who snacks with intention and style. You’re not just pitching an adaptogenic drink. You’re selling the relief of finally finding something that fits your rituals and your taste buds.

If your packaging makes people pause (even just for a beat) you’ve bought yourself the time to make that sale.

MEMORABLE ISN’T OPTIONAL ANYMORE

Being “memorable” used to feel like a bonus.

But in 2025 and beyond, it’s survival.

The average retail buyer is scanning thousands of SKUs. Your consumer is choosing between five other drinks with near-identical claims. And if your visual identity doesn’t click immediately (or if your messaging sounds like it came from a boardroom instead of a real human) it’s game over.

Standing out isn’t about being louder. It’s about being stickier.

That could mean an unexpected type treatment, a bold character-driven brand voice, or a label that makes someone notice just enough to turn it over.

Because the truth is, most people aren’t making purchasing decisions based on features. They’re choosing based on vibe.

So if your brand doesn’t give them a clear one to latch onto... they’ll reach for something else.

We design for that moment.

The moment between oat milk and impulse chocolate. The moment when someone strolls (or scrolls) past a new product, then scrolls back because wait—what was that?

Our job is to make sure your brand earns that pause.

Then makes it worth it.

Let’s make you unforgettable: