Podcast appearances and mentions of fred hart

What will change in 2025 for packaging design and what concerns should brands have? Packaging design is evolving in 2025, listen to 20 top designers breakdown things you need to consider in 2025. Explore the evolving landscape of packaging in 2025 with industry experts like Al Gilbody, Anna Ison, and Dave from Print Design Academy. Discover themes including AI integration, cultural innovation in food packaging, and the rise of sustainable, regenerative, and soluble designs. Learn about the influence of Gen Z aesthetics from Fred Hart, evolving marketing strategies from Sarah Williams, and challenges posed by stringent regulations. With insights from voices like Guillermo Dufranc and Simon Forster, this episode delves into how packaging can transform consumer behavior and contribute positively to the environment, while maintaining creativity and brand storytelling. Designers in this episode include: Simon Forster of Robot-Food Anna Ison of Auros Design Gene Portnoy of Work & Company Al Gilbody of Slice Design Guillermo Dufranc of Tridimage Juan Campdera of Aktiva Fred Hart, Independent Design Consultant Chris Wilson of Stckmn Uwe Melichar of Touch Design Keenan Thompson of Phillip Morris International Matt Hanzly of Enlisted Design Dave Hopkins of Print Design Academy Sarah Williams of Beardwood & Co. Kirk Visola of Mind the Font Andy Kurts of Buttermilk Creative Chris Joscelyn of ButterflyCannon Lisa Cain of Surfit Westrock Vicki Strull, consultant and Evelio Mattos of IDP Direct

As 2024 wraps up, we're looking back at the top lessons, insights, and words of wisdom shared on the Deeply Graphic Designcast this year. From landing your dream job and building a standout portfolio to designing packaging that sells and mastering personal branding, we've covered it all—and now we're bringing the best of it to you in one episode. In this special year-end recap, we revisit the game-changing advice from our favorite episodes, featuring insights from incredible guests like Jess Goldsmith, Fred Hart, Tyler Pate, and more. Whether you're refining your process, preparing for your next big opportunity, or pushing your creativity further, this episode is packed with tips to help you level up in 2025. Grab your notepad—this one's a highlight reel of everything you need to grow, stand out, and succeed as a designer in the year ahead!

Why is selling creative ideas to clients often more difficult than creating them? In this episode, we explore the tough reality of pitching bold designs in an increasingly competitive and data-driven world. Join us as we sit down with branding expert Fred Hart, a brand strategist, to uncover why clients say “no” and how independent designers and branding professionals can turn rejection into buy-in. From overcoming pushback to navigating competitive analysis, Fred shares actionable strategies to help you bridge the gap between your creative vision and client approval. Whether you're an independent designer or a creative professional looking to level up your client communication, this episode is packed with insights to help you sell your ideas and build stronger relationships with your clients.

Send us a textKicking off Season 4 of the K+K show!!!In this episode we welcome Fred Hart, a dynamic designer, strategist, and sneaker aficionado who recently went on his own after nine years at the helm of Interact. Fresh off a major life transition and celebrating his child's first birthday, Fred sits down with Kirk and Andy K, to dive into a conversation packed with creativity, culture, and career reflections.Fred's journey into design started with a love for sneakers and basketball, growing up in Hawaii and inspired by the likes of Jordan, Garnett, and Iverson. From sneaker sketches in notebooks to studying architecture, visual communications, and eventually finding his niche in packaging design, Fred shares how his passion evolved into a flourishing career. The episode is peppered with sneaker talk, from favorite Reebok and Nike designs to the cultural impact of footwear on art and identity.The conversation also touches on the challenges and joys of navigating the creative world. Fred, with his wealth of experience, discusses how building strong relationships with clients can make all the difference in design projects. He reflects on the strategic side of design—understanding what clients need beyond just visuals—and how aligning design with business objectives is crucial for success. Kirk and Andy add their own perspectives on the design industry, from working with challenging clients to developing genuine business relationships built on mutual respect and trust.This episode is more than just design talk; it's about life, relationships, and how design connects to larger business challenges. Fred emphasizes the importance of staying authentic to oneself while understanding the client's world and how a strategy-led approach to design can be a game-changer.Listen in as Fred Hart drops insights on creativity, business strategy, and the journey from sneakers to brand strategy. Get ready for laughs, deep dives, and a refreshing take on what it means to truly love what you do.Connect with Fred here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredwhart/Support the showAbout Kirk and Andy. Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT™. He brings over 20 years of CPG experience to the packaging and branding design space, and understands how shelf aesthetics can make an impact for established and emerging brands. Check out their work http://www.mindthefont.com. Andy Kurts is the Creative Director and Founder of Buttermilk Creative. He loves a good coffee in the morning and a good bourbon at night. When he's not working on packaging design he's running in the backyard with his family. Check out Buttermilk's work http://www.buttermilkcreative.com.Music for Kirk & Kurtts intro & outro: Better by Super FantasticsShow a little love. Share the podcast with those who may benefit. Or, send us a coffee:Support the show

Learn how to build a profitable career in design with Fred Hart. Fred Hart is an experienced designer and brand strategist who recently transitioned into a new venture after building and leading the design agency, Interact Brands, for nine years. Under his leadership, Interact Brands grew from a 3-person team to a thriving 30-person agency known for its work in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) space, collaborating with notable brands like Nestle and Dr. Squatch. Fred is recognized for his strategic approach to design and his ability to connect business challenges with creative solutions. In this episode, Evelio Mattos is joined by Fred Hart, an industry veteran who recently stepped away from his successful design agency, Interact Brands. Fred shares his journey from moving to Boulder to join a small agency to growing it into a significant player in the CPG branding space. He highlights the importance of learning on the job, the challenges and rewards of scaling an agency, and the nuances of integrating sustainability into brand strategy. Fred also talks about his new endeavors and the insights he's gathered from years of experience in the design industry. As Fred delves into the episode, he explains the dynamics of transitioning from student to professional, emphasizing the necessity of being "paid to learn." He discusses the critical moments that signal agency growth, the impact of COVID-19 on work culture, and the delicate balance of hiring for talent while managing workload. Fred offers practical advice on entering and thriving in the design industry, focusing on the need for strategic thinking and understanding the multifaceted nature of brand building. Building a Design Career: Fred Hart highlights the journey from learning on the job to becoming a proficient performer in the industry. Scaling an Agency: Key insights into growing a small design team into a 30-person agency, including the importance of hiring and embracing remote work. Strategic Brand Building: Fred discusses the role of strategic thinking in creating successful brands and navigating challenges like sustainability. Consumer-Centric Design: The need to understand consumer priorities and how to position brands effectively to meet their desires and needs. Industry Trends: Fred shares his thoughts on the future of design, the rise of freelance contractors, and the potential shift away from traditional agency models. "There are times in your career where you're paid to learn, and then there are other times where you're paid because you can perform." "If you're great at it, you will be paid." "We hire for character because everyone's going to learn skills on the job." "The more stable a business is or the more that it's found a product market fit, the more I love to work with them to help accelerate that growth." "The better you are at working with others, the more likely you are to succeed in your career long term." Fred Hart's Website: fredhart.com Tune into this insightful episode to gain in-depth knowledge about building a successful design career, scaling an agency, and the evolving landscape of the design industry. Stay tuned for more enlightening content from our podcast series! Episode Summary:Key Takeaways:Notable Quotes:Resources:

On today's episode, Kunle is joined by Fred Hart, Partner and Creative Director of Interact Brands, a branding agency scaling challenger brands up from digital into retail environments.  Fred got into design at a very young age after sketching shoe designs and sending them to Adidas. While young, turning down Adidas, this opportunity missed led him to a bigger one and building his own branding agency. Growing up in a place of a cultural melting pot, Fred developed his design philosophies by being exposed to different people. Interact Brands is breaking through conformity through their designs, and more than that, their regard for their partners as well as their consumers. They highly value research and have dedicated teams researching consumers' wants and needs. As Fred stated, “What isn't seen isn't sold.” In this episode, Kunle and Fred talk about designing and branding. You will get to hear about Fred's design philosophies that led their partner brands to increase in revenue as well as being sustainable. This is a great episode for business owners and marketers of CPG brands trying to go into retail.  ----------- SPONSORS: This episode is brought to you by: Wayflyer As you continue to grow your eCommerce business, access to growth capital will increasingly play a significant role in achieving and surpassing your financial and social goals. Why should you give up equity or pay high interest rates to grow your business? There is a new way to access growth capital that transforms eCommerce businesses.Wayflyer has shaken the way eCommerce operators access working capital. With a dedication to only DTC eCommerce businesses, Wayflyer will fund you on a fairer “fund as you grow” model, meaning if your sales slow down, so does the amount you transfer back.. There is just a simple fee and the funds you need to grow are deposited to your account instantly. It's worth checking out – Wayflyer.com Klaviyo  This episode is brought to you by Klaviyo – a growth marketing platform that powers over 25,000 online businesses. Direct-to-Consumer brands like ColourPop, Huckberry, and Custom Ink rely on Klaviyo.  Klaviyo helps you own customer experience and grow high-value customer relationships right from a shopper's first impression through to each subsequent purchase, Klaviyo understands every single customer interaction and empowers brands to create more personalized marketing moments.  Find out more on klaviyo.com/2x. Gorgias  This episode is brought to you by Gorgias, the leading helpdesk for Shopify, Magento and BigCommerce merchants. Gorgias combines all your communication channels including email, SMS, social media, live chat, and phone into one platform.  This saves your team hours per day & makes managing customer orders a breeze. It also integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack, so you can access customer information and even edit, return, refund, or create an order right from your helpdesk.  Go to Gorgias.com and mention 2x eCommerce Podcast for two months free. Recharge This episode is brought to you by Recharge, the leading subscriptions payment solution for Shopify merchants. Recharge helps eCommerce merchants of all sizes launch and scale subscription offerings. Recharge powers the growth of over 15,000 subscription merchants and their communities—turning one-time transactions into long-term customer relationships. Turn transactions into relationships and experience seamless subscription commerce with Recharge. Find out more on rechargepayments.com/2x.

Design is so much more than aesthetics; it's a tool for business. Today's guest, Fred Hart, is a Partner and the Creative Director at Interact, a branding and design agency similar in many ways to our own. Fred's passion for design began with sneakers and has since transitioned to food. Interact's approach is underpinned by the principles of “simplify to amplify” and “brave design” and, during this conversation, we discuss the work they do with small, niche brands, as well as larger, more mainstream ones (Fred might even change your perspective on “big food!”) We also zoom out and talk about trends in the CPG market right now and Fred's thoughts on the future of the space. As Fred says, the opposite of bravery is conformity. If you want to know how to stand out, this episode is a good place to start! Key Points From This Episode:Exploring Interact's ‘simplify to amplify' strategic principle. The power of design as a business tool.Why Interact isn't interested in design awards. What brave design is (and an example of what it looks like). A warning against putting every possible claim on your packaging. Working with small, niche brands versus bigger, more mainstream ones (and why “Big Food” doesn't wholly deserve its negative reputation).Work Interact has done with niche brands that Fred is most proud of.  Noteworthy design trends in the CPG market right now. Fred's thoughts on personalization as the future of CPG. Interact's approach to enhancing the sustainability of their company.Two brands Fred and his team at Interact began building when the pandemic hit.What Fred gained from the altMBA and AIGA Business Perspectives for Creative Leaders programs.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:InteractFred Hart on LinkedInCleanli on InstagramaltMBAAIGA Business Perspectives for Creative LeadersLift Economy: The Next Economy MBAThe Green Marketing AcademyModern Species Gage Mitchell on LinkedInEvolve CPGEvolve CPG CommunityEvolve CPG on YouTubeEvolve CPG Email

In this episode of the podcast, host Justin Prochnow and frequent co-host Michael Goodman sit down with Fred Hart, creative director and partner at Interact, a Boulder, CO-based branding and design agency. The trio revisit the recent Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Championship highlights before talking branding and food! Fred breaks down the mission of Interact in working with brands in the food and beverage industry and how he and Interact help companies bring their own unique voice to their products. They discuss how COVID affected the food and beverage industry and Fred talks about how Interact pivoted during the pandemic. Fred drops some Do's and Don'ts for developing new branding concepts and designs and the close out talking about some of their favorite current campaigns on the market and trends on the horizon.

Learn how Good Pops drove a 40% increase in sales from rebranding, design effectiveness, the re-naming checklist, and the rise of Adorkable design. I talk with Fred Hart, Creative Director and Partner at Interact Brands, arguably one of the best branding agencies in the CPG world right now, having designed for Koia, Fat Snax, Califlour, and more. This episode is filled with insanely valuable info, so check it out. Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

Fred Hart is a Partner and Creative Director at Interact, a world class branding and packaging design firm that specializes in consumer product goods. Their clients include FitVine, Boulder Canyon Chips, Fat Snax and Monster Energy. With over 20+ years in the creative space, Fred has become the go-to expert on helping brands differentiate themselves on shelves. Fred joins Justin to discuss all-thing product and package design and innovation.

In this episode, FreightWaves' Mike Baudendistel discusses CPG branding and packaging with Fred Hart, Partner and Creative Director of Interact, a branding agency based in Boulder, Colorado.Electric fleets are the future. Are you ready? Discover why ChargePoint is the right partner to take your operation electric to reduce fueling costs, eliminate emissions and help you turn e-mobility into a competitive advantage. Visit chargepoint.solutions/freightwavesFollow The Stockout on Apple PodcastsFollow The Stockout on SpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts

In this episode, FreightWaves' Mike Baudendistel discusses CPG branding and packaging with Fred Hart, Partner and Creative Director of Interact, a branding agency based in Boulder, Colorado.Follow The Stockout on Apple PodcastsFollow The Stockout on SpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts

In this week's episode SOFREP senior editor and SOFREP Radio host Steve Balestrieri talks with John Pomfret and Fred Hart about how Polish spies saved Operation Desert Storm. John is an award-winning journalist and author. Among other publications, he has worked for the Associated Press and Washington Post eventually becoming the editor of the Post's weekend opinion section. He has written and worked extensively on China. His latest book is the upcoming From Warsaw with Love: Polish Spies, the CIA, and the Forging of an Unlikely Alliance. The book tells the unlikely story of how Poland saved Operation Desert Storm and the first Gulf War.  As the U.S. was planning Operation Desert Storm, six American officers became trapped in Iraq. If the intelligence they carried were captured by the Iraqis the upcoming operation could be doomed. To rescue the officers the CIA turned to Poland, famous for its excellent spies. Fred Hart was one of the six trapped U.S. officers and he recounts to Steve the exciting events that led to their escape.   Join us for a gripping episode of SOFREP Radio with John Pomfret and Fred Hart and discover the unknown story that determined Operation Desert Storm. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

What does it take to make a great brand in Natural? From the studio that did Bobo's Naturals, Good Pop, Fat Snax, Boulder Canyon snacks and more, we talk packaging, design and ask the question, "What if a brand had NO copy?" Tune in!Support the show (http://ecoecho.substack.com)

In this episode we are speaking with Fred Hart, the Creative Director @ Interact Boulder. Fred and Interact Boulder work with brands such as Boulder Canyon, Noble Made, Dogfish Head Brewing and a ton more. We talk package design, audience centric design, the COVID direct to consumer fire, as well as Fred offering lots of great advice for startup brands in the natural health and supplement categories.

On the show today, we have Fred Hart, partner and creative director at Interact. Fred is a Food Marketing Nerds regular - he’s been on the podcast a handful of times, and he always brings new knowledge and a fresh perspective – which is why we keep inviting him back on.  Interact, is a world class branding and packaging design firm that specializes in CPG. They recently launched a really informative series called SprintToSuccess, which explains the branding and packaging design process. The content dives into the research, strategy, and creative work that goes into identifying and capitalizing on the white space in a given category.  In today’s episode, Fred talks us through the process of developing a winning brand strategy, and applying it through all facets of the brand. While Interact specializes in CPG, and the deliverable of the process we discuss is ultimately new packaging design, the knowledge  Fred shares around brand strategy and how to apply it in the real world is universal across a spectrum of different industries within food & beverage.  Whether or not you have a rebrand in the pipeline, there are plenty of valuable takeaways in this episode for all of you brand marketers out there.  Additional Resources: Interact Boulder Sprint to Success Content Series SuperFrau For full interview transcripts and other valuable resources, check out FoodMarketingNerds.com. Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the Social Media Agency for CPG and Restaurants.

We talk CPG packaging and design, some of our favorite brands, and what founders should look for when making design decisions.

ABOUT THE WINELANDS welcomes Fred Hart, Wine Influencer and Founder of Uncork SA. Uncork was birthed in 2017 by Fred Hart. What started as a personal memory bank quickly snowballed and became a passion-project. Craftsmanship is the central element around which all content is created for Uncork SA. Highlighting and promoting the amazing wine and spirits industry, and some of the characters behind the "liquid art". Over time this evolved to include Luxury accommodation, fine glassware and cigars which naturally fit. READ MORE HERE - https://bitmedia24.com/an-interview-with-fred-hart,-wine-influencer-and-founder-of-uncork-sa/

There’s an old saying that if Henry Ford would’ve asked people what they wanted, they would’ve said, “A faster horse.” Being a challenger brand in an established food category means you need to be willing to shake up the status quo and take the risks that bigger brands won’t. Today on the Real Food Brands Podcast, host and Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva talks with Fred Hart, Creative Director and Partner at Interact Boulder, an entrepreneurial branding and packaging design agency obsessed with the food and beverage industry. We talk about what you can do to stand out as a small to mid-sized food brand, and the three design tips Fred has to differentiate yourself on shelves as well as examples of brands that have done it. In This Episode: Why brands need to think about more than just branding and packaging from the get-go. How to challenge the category, not the consumer. What BOOMCHICKAPOP did to stand out in a crowded category. The dangers of being different for difference’s sake. Why people don’t read, they recognize. How Boxed Water used packaging to differentiate themselves. How to take advantage of color to stand out. Why imagery is key to recognition. Resources: Interact Boulder Fred’s LinkedIn Profile “The restaurant owner who asked for 1-star Yelp reviews” BevNet Nosh The Edible-Alpha Podcast Katie’s LinkedIn profile Real Food Brands Marketing Roundtable Facebook Group Real Food Brands website (download your Brand Checkup Scorecard here)

Your branding needs to be an extension of your product. It must be memorable and install trust and confidence. It should stand out on a store shelf, be recognizable from a distance and be able to sell itself even in the absence of good copy

Fredrik är inte på banan med Tom Magee vs Bret Hart hypen. Kommer Aleister Black tillbaka som revisor och är Asuka och Kairi Sanes nya tag team namne med Silver Fangs antagonist? Som vanligt -veckans wrestling och lite till. /Rob Magee & Fred Hart

Fred Hart of Interact Boulder on the Packaging Rebrand for Dogfish Head Find Interact Website: interactboulder.com During my planning process for the Brand Forward design seminar at CBC, I had the pleasure of connecting with Fred Hart of Interact.  Fred and his team do some great work, including the Dogfish Head packaging rebrand. After some insightful conversations, I thought Fred would be a wonderful guest to have on this show. There’s a lot that goes into a rebrand, and it was definitely fun to hear some inside details on this one. Dogfish Head, in all of its great history, had never worked with an agency. Looking back at their existing packaging, things were all over the place and did not have much of any consistent structure. Interact worked with Dogfish to dig deep into some core brand elements and brought those to life in an entirely new packaging system. The end result? 20% increase in year-over-year sales. Something that is pretty much unheard of for a brewery the size of Dogfish. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Join in with Fred Hart of Interact on this episode of Branding Brews.

You Can Serve Your God While Serving You Country

You Can Serve Your God While Serving You Country

You Can Serve Your God While Serving You Country

Fred Hart contacted me after listening to my interview with Hugh Thomas and was so inspired by it, he contacted me to be on the show. Fred’s pretty legit, he’s been a speaker for Expo West, has an awesomely inspiring team, and the dude just oozes passion. We talk a lot about the power of branding, and the nuances it really takes to make a brand stand out. We don’t only say the power of say, words, but the power of color, the power of being different, and small design tweaks to make it stand out. Other big topics are about my favorite topic, how to be more creative, why Boulder has such a powerful natural food community and the beauty of being obsessed with your work. Fred also was generous to share his expo west experience. Attached is his team's massive photo collection of the expo.  And his article about it! Sponsor - BAKERpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. Nicole is offering free job postings in the next two months and I highly suggest taking this offer. Email nicole@foodgrads.com and she'll give you instructions. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods Unless you have been living under a rock you can not get away from Halo Top Ice Cream’s amazing success with their under 300 calories per pint ice cream. What’s a frozen dessert manufacturer to do to compete? Pick up the phone and call Icon Foods at 310-455-9876 or find them on the web at www.iconfoods.com that’s what. They have a new HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix that delivers amazing mouthfeel and sumptuous flavor all under 300 calories per pint. But, here’s the best part; you simply add the HiPro dry mix to any milk type, add glycerin and inclusions and you are off to the races with an amazing finished product lickity split. Icon Foods HiPro Ice Cream Dry Mix comes in hard ice cream mix, soft serve, vegan and wait for it… Keto. Call my friends at Icon and let them ReformulateU. 310-455-9876. Show Notes How did you meet Hugh Thomas: Through BevNet. How did you meet Alex Oesterle: I’m in Boulder and he’s in Denver How did we all meet each other?: We’re obsessed When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you tell them?: I build food brands. I work at a creative agency, with 16 people, We work exclusively with the food and beverage company and work on packaging and brand consulting How do you prepare to brand?: Holy trinity: Client, Category, Consumer Client: Who’s the client? Category: For example, water is a commodity but can be branded to anything go to 14 food and beverage trade shows If it doesn’t resonate with the consumer Scenario, what’s more important, more claims or fewer claims?: If I throw you 6 tennis ball at once, you’ll probably not catch any of them. But throwing one is easy to catch. We want you to catch one. However, claims can be used abundantly People don’t read, but they recognize. Romancing the brand: Sprite: Hip hop Artists are like Sprites. Cool, icy or crisp. Bobo’s Oat Bars: Beyond being an oat bar, what makes this product unique?: The bar is named after her own daughter. Coffee shops exude this too so we sell Bobo’s at coffee shop Creativity is so subjective that there’s only variying degrees of wrong Is creativity a muscle?: I do, and I think that as kids we’re the most creative and we lose creativity though most people can build it up How do you train creativity: I break down creative pieces like documentaries and see how I can make it How Adam gets creative: I argue with different people and that’s a good thing. How do you Do people come to you or you go to them?: Clients come to us either through referrals or trade shows. Entrepreneurs who talk to us just get it and want to go forward. At the end of the day, it’s about sharing a vision. If you don’t want to have a beer with them, you shouldn’t be working with them. Did you join Interact in the beginning?: I left San Francisco 2.5 years ago to grow Interact from 3 people to 16 people. We went to their own branding Describe the steps it took to get to where you are today: In college, I didn’t party too much, but I loved the design. For design, do what you love, and the money will follow if you work hard enough. Food and Beverage Industry: Food and beverage is probably the most stimulating and captivating industry because it’s competitive design. No other industry competes with each other for the “share of stomach”. I have to interrupt a consumer’s shopping behavior. Interview with Alex Oesterle What catches your eye in grocery store?: People don’t read, they recognize. For example, Coke is red, Tiffany is teal. Color is huge. Brand identity is huge. For example, Monster Energy Monster claw. Shape too. For example, Voss water bottle. Method cleaning. The tear drop bottle. A lot of natural categories are switching to bright color. You should always challenge your catrgory, but not your consumer. We’d have to find different ways to see if the color is different, but effective Goodbelly – did not want to do white. They owned black and black is the color of efficacy. Color Psychology: We don’t adhere to it a lot because if everyone did it, everything would be red. You have to keep in mind the context of the brand How do you become more innovative?: It takes a willingness and a confidentness to take a leap of faith. Tension leads to attention. If I describe a cookie, it can’t be just any cookie. It has to be unique. Do you guys use small tests to show tension?: Depends. Small brands trust their gut. Big brands is a bit harder. For big brands, you have to maintain equity and give a breathe of fresh air. On buyouts: You have the chobani’s and KINDs of the word where they maintain their independence. The small companies can innovate, the big food has the power of scale. As long as big food leaves their acquisition alone, then it becomes beneficial. Annie’s Foods RX Bar Justin’s Nut Butter Independence is something that big food recognizes is really important. What kind of food trends and tech is really exciting you right now?: Cannabinoids. We’re in the heart of it in Colorado. Adaptogens are popping up too. Rebel Coffee is doing something. Ashwagandha Holy Basil About Cannabis and CBD: No market leader just yet. No one has necessarily been adding it directly to food. Is it legal?: It’s in this weird gray space. The biggest challenge the food industry has to face?: Better defining sustainability. It could be privatized, not heavily regulated, but it can be. Rotten documentary: It exposes the darker side. Boulder Colorado: Has a history of natural food. For example, White Wave Foods. Celestial Seasonings was founded here, a lot of outdoors Naturally Boulder Naturally San Francisco/Naturally Bay Area What is the one thing in the food industry you’d like to know more about?: The supply chain. How does it all work. Saffron Brands Chobani Was there a brand that inspired you to get into food?: Monster Energy Drinks. You can add so much to improve a food brand. Most people think that logos are word-based, but they are actually pictoral. Alex Oesterle’s interview with Brandon Roten and Wendy’s Some brands don’t want to be the best and use it as their advantage CEO of Taco Bell moves to Chipotle Even though Chipotle is taking a beating, it still has a strong brand integrity. If this CEO can activate that, it will work Missy Schaaphok Episode Kardashians tweet about Snapchat Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go into your industry?: The creative industry is very blue collar. You need to let your obsession drive what you do. What’s your favorite interview question to ask?: If they were a crayon what would you be? Adam’s answer: Dark Blue Describe it to a blind person: Right before the sunset, that is dark blue. What do you think colleges should teach more of?: Soft skills Do you have any advice for speaking gigs?: Having something to say. Don’t talk about yourself but just share knowledge Keep doing some work. Post and talk on forums and blogposts. That’s how you build rapport John Kraven Where can we find you for advice?: Interact boulder Instagram. Fred@interactboulder.com

Show Notes: On this episode of The Gifted Life a remarkable story about one person's passion to give the gift of life. Deputy Andre Ardeneaux is our guest and you'll hear why his pursuit to help others saved another deputy's life through living donation. How does the process of living donation work? Ochsner social worker, Amy Ronnenburg joins us in studio to outline the steps of living donation. Plus we honor hero, Fred Hart, and answer a listener's question about living donation right here on The Gifted Life Podcast.

Fred Hart is joining us on the show today. We had Fred on the podcast back at episode #30, and if you haven’t listened to that interview yet, we talked all about honing brand strategy, and I’d definitely recommend checking that one out. Fred is a Partner and Creative Director of Interact, one of the most sought after packaging design firms in the industry. Part of Fred’s job as creative director is keeping a pulse on industry trends and how to leverage that knowledge to set brands up for the future. Fred and his team recently returned from the Fancy Foods show in New York, and on the show today, we talk about: Interesting categories and trends popping up in the Natural Products industry How Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods could have a huge impact on packaging design What steps you can take to get your brand strategy buttoned up And plenty more… Fred is a rock star in the industry and has plenty to teach us all in his approach to keying in on trends, branding, and design. Resources:  Pics of Notable Trends at the Fancy Foods Show Check Interact Out on Instagram

For those of you looking to lock down your brand strategy, differentiating yourself in a crowded market, this episode is a gold mine for creative inspiration and how to get your marketing together.  On the show, we’ve got Fred Hart, Creative Director of Interact, which is one of top branding and packaging design firms in the food and beverage industry, and they’re based in our home state of Colorado - so bonus points in my book. Fred is a thought leader on design thinking, especially in the food and beverage industry, and you’d have to pay a pretty penny for the advice he gives away for free in this interview. In this episode, you’ll learn Why great design might actually be the worst thing that can happen to a new company How you should approach branding if you don’t have a clear cut strategy What new trends are starting to gain traction in the food and beverage industry And plenty more. For show notes, visit FoodMarketingNerds.com.  

The following podcast features a captivating discussion with Fred Hart, the creative director at Interact, a Boulder-based branding and design firm. Hart offers his take on cutting edge design trends and spoke about a recent visit to Mexico City where he found inspiration for new methods of design and storytelling. He also shares an engrossing account of Interact’s work and packaging and label refresh for Dogfish Head Brewery.

From the radio show devised by Johnny Robinson and Jelmer Lelieveld. Presented by Jelmer Lelieveld, Johnny Robinson, Robin Smith, Fred Hart. Executive Producer: Matt Belt, Producer: Ben Deacon, Social media: Nichole Burnette, Tech: Dan Ayshford, Content producer: Emma Teear. Find out what happened when we got the band back together and covered The Arctic Monkeys song "Why'd you only call me when your high" #band #arcticmonkeys #whydyouonlycallmewhenyourhigh #badcover

This week in the supermarkets dead rotting bats will be repacked as 'special pork bits' and some ET finger-sized queues are causing Run DMC concerts. The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair. #comedy #theshippingforecast #podcast #funny #radio #aldi #lidl #morrisons #sainsburys #waitrose #tesco

Whooooooo Whooooo, it's the Halloween Shopping Forecast with some aisles dripped in blood and be aware of the zombie shopping assistants. The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair. #comedy #theshippingforecast #podcast #funny #radio #aldi #lidl #morrisons #sainsburys #waitrose #tesco #Halloween

This week there are some unusually long queues around stores and Fred is into some singing. The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair. #comedy #theshippingforecast #podcast #funny #radio #aldi #lidl #morrisons #sainsburys #waitrose #tesco

Unfortunately some products are not in stock today due to the naughty monkeys. Mr. Spongie is his regular self again and there are some ice-skating rinks for ice-skating enthusiasts. The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair. #comedy #theshippingforecast #podcast #funny #radio

Today there are some odd things happening to the check-out assistants and some dirty queues are expected. The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair. Contains some strong language. #comedy #theshippingforecast #podcast #funny #radio

What is the milk-opacity this week? Where can I find the best looking checkout assistants? What is the floor slidyness? And what is it Mister Sponge loves this week? It is The Shopping Forecast, Issued by Ofshop, narrated by Fred Hart and presented to you by Sound Gorillas. Previously broadcast on In The Dark and The Johnny Robinson Affair.