Why brands should never ask their packaging design agency to pitch for free.

If you ask a design agency to pitch creative ideas for free, are you approaching the project in the right way and are you going to get the best agency work back?

To free pitch or not, is something each design agency needs to decide based on the return for their initial creative investment.

If the win for the agency is a continued relationship and more paid work with a client over a bigger portfolio of products, then obviously the initial free pitch may be well worth it. The same may not be true, however, for a free pitch on a ‘one-off’ project.

You can find our contact details below:

Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #freepitch #freepitching

Why Consumer Brands Should Consider Sonic Branding.

What Does Your Brand Sound Like?

In an era of visual overload and shrinking attention spans, brands are constantly searching for new ways to cut through the noise and clutter. While many have a brand logo, tone of voice and robust graphical design system, a powerful tool is often overlooked: sound.

Sonic branding, also known as audio branding is the strategic use of sound to express and reinforce brand identity. From Netflix’s unmistakable “ta-dum” to the Intel chime or the "beep-bop-beep-beep-bop" of the F1 notification (thats the best I could manage), these aren’t just sounds they are instantly recognisable memory anchors, emotional triggers, and trust builders.

When done well, sonic branding becomes as recognisable as a logo or tagline. It’s about creating an identity your audience can hear and feel, even when your design system and brand logo aren’t present.

Today’s media landscape is increasingly audio-driven. From podcasts and audiobooks to TikTok and app notifications, sound has become a dominant force in how people consume content and connect with brands.

Here’s what makes sonic branding so effective:

• Speed of recognition: Sound is processed faster than visuals, helping your brand become instantly recognisable.
• Emotional depth: Music and the human voice can evoke powerful emotions. Everyone recognises the Jaws theme! Quick recall is essential for building loyalty and trust.
• Cross-platform consistency: Whether it's a podcast intro or a TikTok clip, your sonic identity unifies your brand across formats, even when you can't see it.
• Future-proofing: As voice search and audio-first experiences grow, brands that don’t sound like anything risk being forgotten.

Sound has always been a shortcut for recognition. Think of the clatter of horse hooves, the ring of a church bell, or the buzzing of a wasp , your brain knows what these mean before you consciously think about it.

It’s the same in marketing. A distinct sound can tell your audience who you are, your values and what you stand for in miliseconds.

Research recently showed that nearly three quarters of Europeans recognise the Nokia ringtone and associate it directly with the brand, amazing eh? That’s the power of a well-designed sonic identity that makes the brand pop straight into the head of the consumer.

Visual branding will always be important. But in a world where people are listening just as much as they’re looking, your brand needs to sound as good as it looks.

Using these audio logos, the best marketers understand that audio is no longer optional, it’s a core part of storytelling and brand recall.

So, it’s time to ask, What does your brand sound like?

You can find our contact details below:

Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #sounddesign #sonicbranding

The importance of creating robust brand guidelines in packaging design.

In order to be consistent, a brand needs to have a precise set of rules in place that dictate how it should be realised in any eventuality. That is where brand guidelines come in.

Brands that can successfully manage consistency have been proven to perform better and have higher recall from consumers.

Consistency and repetition is key. Brand engagement needs to happen between five and seven times for consumers to remember you.

A company's brand is one of its most valuable assets. It represents the business's identity, personality and reputation. Effective brand management is crucial for success. One of the key tools for managing a brand is the brand guidelines document. These are the rulebook for your entire brand. They offer a wealth of information to ensure consistency across all consumer touch points.

You can find our contact details below:

Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #AI #brandguidelines

How AI can't replace the role of the packaging design agency.

This morning, on LinkedIn, I came across a post that genuinely made me pause.

It was from a reputable marketer, someone with significant industry clout and a track record of pretty solid thinking. They’d recently discovered a new AI-driven image creation platform and were clearly impressed. Fair enough, these tools are impressive. But the post ended with a rather sweeping statement questioning what value design agencies now added?!

Not just because it felt unnecessarily provocative, but because it came from someone who should understand the broader value of creative partnerships. For someone with that much experience to make such a public declaration was, frankly, surprising.

It made me wonder, what must the marketing teams reporting to this individual think? If that’s what they’re willing to say in a public forum, what messages are being reinforced internally? That creativity is now a commodity? That speed and aesthetics are more important than strategy and cohesion?

Nah, surely not!

You can find our contact details below:

Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice #AI #artificialintelligence

How to not just be the best, but be the only brand for consumers.

Branding, is all about storytelling. It’s how you make an emotional connection with your consumer. Great stories, resonate and provide powerful recall that if crafted uniquely, can span generations.

Consumers will always buy a product because of how it makes them feel rather than based on simply what it does, or what it is.

"Don't aim to be the best, aim to be the only". Its a great quote I heard on a podcast recently by Kevin Kelly. It's a powerful statement that resonates, especially in the world of branding.

There are so many brands out there that claim to be the ‘best tasting’ or that use the 'best ingredients’ and my challenge back to these brands is that is not enough of a point of difference.

You can find our contact details below:Alan Gilbody on Linkedin:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slice Design Company website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice

How to brief your packaging design agency to get the best results.

We’ve all heard the stories of agencies and designers being briefed on the back of a fag packet or post-it notes. Briefings take many shapes and forms. Some are very thorough, others are very top line and need a lot of digging around work out the objectives.

You can only do a great piece of work if you get a great brief. By a great brief, what I mean is a very detailed explanation of what your key aims are along with any mandatories.

Now, whether you are designing a flavour extension to a product, or repositioning an entire range of FMCG products, the core principles of briefing remain the same. In order to make sure that you are happy with the deliverables, you need to pull together a ‘bobby-dazzler’ of a brief!

So, how do you go about doing this?

You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice

The role of the branding & packaging design agency is changing & agencies need to adapt.

This episode is an offshoot to the normal podcast. Instead of critiquing specific brands we going to look at more general advice for brand owners looking to make their brands stand out.

I plan to do one of these each month as an extension to the usual podcast.

In this episode we look at how the role of the packaging design agency is changing.

The design agency of the past was a creative powerhouse, revered for its artistry, craftsmanship, and ability to shape culture through eye-catching campaigns. But fast forward 10 to 20 years, and the role of the design agency is being challenged from all sides. In-house teams are growing, AI is accelerating processes, and clients’ expectations are shifting. It's no longer about creating the "prettiest" design—it's about impact, agility, and results. This transformation is redefining what it means to be a design agency in the modern era.

Gone are the days when a design agency’s core offering was limited to print ads, TV spots, and packaging. The traditional agency model revolved around proprietary processes, secret "big ideas," and long-winded pitches that dazzled clients with their creativity. Today, this model is being deconstructed.

The role of the agency has become more consultative, with a need for greater agility and hyper-specific expertise. It’s not about offering a “one-size-fits-all” process but rather tailoring every approach to fit the unique needs of the client. Agencies must now act as strategic partners, innovation hubs, and change agents—not just creators of beautiful imagery. Clients demand smarter, faster, and more impactful results, and agencies that cling to outdated models risk being left behind.

The role of the design agency is not dead, but it’s certainly different. Clients now demand more strategic thinking, faster turnaround, and greater accountability for commercial impact. AI is automating the labor-intensive parts of the process, while in-house teams are taking on more creative work themselves.

But here’s the sweet spot: Agencies such as here at Slice, operate as your external, in-house agency. We’re not bound by outdated agency models or rigid processes. We’re flexible, agile, and tailored to each client’s unique needs. We combine in-house efficiency with external perspective, ensuring that every solution is strategic, creative, and built to drive results.

You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice

This episode is an offshoot to the normal podcast. Instead of critiquing specific brands we going to look at more general advice for brand owners looking to make their brands stand out.

I plan to do one of these each month as an extension to the usual podcast.

In this episode we look at how to choose a packaging design agency to best suit your brand.

If you are responsible for a brand, you have probably found yourself in the situation where you either need to select a new packaging design agency or shortlist an agency from those available on the wider company roster.

With the wealth of offerings among agencies, how do you best decide which one is the right fit for your brand?

You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #design #agency #designagency #drink #food #advice