Journal

In the current issue 01/2024 of creativ verpacken, our Managing Director Nadine uses the example of the medium-sized family business Schaebens to explain how important it is to constantly develop your brand and adapt it to new market conditions and target groups. As part of the 2023 packaging relaunch, the existing appearance was to be modernized, the brand-defining elements retained or gently developed further, and previous weaknesses eliminated.

You can find the whole article here

Established brands currently have it anything but easy. They are increasingly disappearing from supermarket shelves and being replaced by private labels. Inflation and ongoing price wars have already caused major losses for top global brands and there seems to be no end in sight. Their disappearance is increasing the importance of private labels, not least as a result of changing consumer perceptions. They were once seen as inferior alternatives to the big players. In the meantime, this image has changed. Today, private labels often offer high-quality products at fair prices - certified by good marks from Stiftung Warentest. The gap between own brands and premium brands is therefore becoming smaller and smaller.

The German drugstore chain Müller is one company that has taken the bold step of paying more attention to its own brands. Müller made a powerful statement last year with the launch of two own brands: a new technology brand and a natural cosmetics brand, “ON&ON” and “echt. by Terra Naturi”, were added to the range. And Müller's facial care brand “CV (Cadea Vera)” was also given a new, higher-quality look. As an agency, we were entrusted with the task of developing designs for these brands that deliberately stand out from the conventional own-brand aesthetic in order to compete with the established brands.

A trend for the future?

The year is ringing in its final round and we would like to use this reflective time to thank our customers for their successful cooperation over the past twelve months. We would like to say “thank you” for the trust and loyalty that has helped us to continue to grow. It has been an exciting year for us, full of creative challenges, exciting projects and valuable encounters. Together, we have designed great brands and created inspiring messages that will be remembered.

Hooray.

There was a lot to celebrate in 2023! With our redesign and the optimization of the brand communication for the zero-waste beer Knärzje, we were able to convince two more top-class juries. In addition to the German Design Award, we also won the German Brand Award and the Red Dot Design Award this year. We couldn't be happier about this recognition of our work.

New work.

The year once again held many exciting projects in store for us. For example, we were able to create a new packaging appearance for the medium-sized beauty company Schaebens. We supported our client Müller with the launch of two new own brands in the areas of technology (ON&ON) and natural cosmetics (echt. by TerraNaturi). And next year is also starting with a bang, so we are looking forward to the relaunch of a very special traditional German brand. Visible on the shelves from spring 2024 - stay tuned!

Our agency.

In echd's second year, there was also reason to celebrate on a human level. In addition to three weddings and an engagement, we welcomed the first echd baby to our team. Two new colleagues joined us, Maxi and Nils, which means that we now have a much broader base. And the third free Friday of the month not only ensures a better work-life balance, but also a good atmosphere throughout the team.

What about 2024?

In the coming year, we want to implement the latest technical developments in our work. And this is even worth a new department: Future Media. This development was triggered by the artificial intelligence revolution, which is becoming increasingly important for the packaging industry. With this step, we will make the brand experience even more exciting for our customers.

With this in mind: Happy holidays and cheers to the new year!

How do you convince consumers to spend more money on a zero-waste beer? In the current issue 07/2023 of creativ verpacken, our Creative Director Paul Valentiner describes the strategy behind the new communication campaign for Knärzje, the first ecologically certified zero-waste beer available throughout Germany, brewed from leftover bread.

You can find the whole article here

At echd, every 3rd Friday of the month means: FREI-YAY!

A good corporate culture is the most important factor for long-term, consistent success and satisfaction. Our employees are the essence of all ideas, designs and data that leave our creative forge and therefore a positive environment, personal development potential and sufficient space for regeneration are a must for us as an employer.

As Managing Director and Partner, I therefore not only have to think about the next design concept, but also about how our team can continue to deliver exceptional ideas. Work-life balance and the four-day week have long been a topic on social media and during our restructuring process from khdesign to echd two years ago, this topic kept coming back to me.

Introducing a complete 4-day week from one day to the next? At first glance, that's quite a psychological and financial blow for a company. So why not start a little smaller and give it a chance? For example, with a day off every 3rd Friday of the month. So 12 free days for all of us. Hooray!

Our concerns:

• What will customers say if we are suddenly no longer available on Fridays?
  
• How much order volume will we lose by taking this step?
  
• Will we manage to complete all our projects in less time?

Our goals:

• To give our employees the opportunity to relax better and FINALLY get things done that would otherwise be left undone during the week.
  
• Make our employees happy and be happy about it too.
  
• To create an even more attractive workplace for our employees.
  
• Not higher, faster, further, but mindful, better, nicer!
  
• Being a pioneer and actively shaping the movement towards better working.

Our conclusion after 2 years of FREI-YAY:

An employment relationship is like a good relationship based on the fact that both parties trust each other and are happy to give. The joy of Free Friday is and remains great and it is very nice to see how well it is used and celebrated by all echdies. Free Friday is an investment in the health, performance and happiness of our employees and part of the gratitude we can show them as an employer.

One thing is clear - Fridays off are here to stay and we as an employer are not standing still. =)

Once again this year, Anuga in Cologne, the leading trade fair for food and drink, brought together countries and eating habits from all over the world. Living cultural diversity gathered in one exhibition hall - great and inspiring at the same time! In no other product category is it so important to showcase the taste appeal in order to optimally appeal to consumers at the shelf. We were all the more curious to discover the latest trends on the market, to visit our Food & Beverage customers at their stands and, of course, to meet interesting new companies.

Our learnings from Anuga 2023:

- Plant-based products are no longer purely an alternative product, but are convincing with great recipes, few additives and delicious taste

- Protein products are still on the rise and are conquering more and more new product groups

- High quality is in demand: whether jams, sweets or savory snacks - the range of products for the daily “little luxury” is still large

- Aesthetic design is also becoming increasingly important for everyday products

Pharma is different. And so are we. From our more than 40 years of experience in working with pharmaceutical companies, we know that relaunch projects in this sector require a particularly sure instinct. We were able to observe this again during our visit to expopharm 2023 in Düsseldorf, the largest pharmaceutical trade fair in Europe. Consistency and modernity - it's all about the right mix. In no other industry does recognition play such an important role as it does here. Nevertheless, it is important to gently adapt pharmaceutical products to the times, because target groups - regardless of age - continue to evolve and so do their expectations of the products they consume.

These are our three success factors for a successful pharmaceutical relaunch:

1. gentle modernization of all packaging components, from key visuals to typography

2. strengthening competence and highlighting the product USPs

3. keeping regular users in mind and ensuring recognition