Innovative Design Thinking

The Kellogg's Rebrand: Simplicity as a Strategy for Success Examining standout packaging redesigns is one of my greatest passions as a creative director at Ginger Storm. The recent Kellogg's transformation by Landor offers a masterclass in strategic simplicity that deserves our attention – particularly as the most significant update in the brand's century-plus history. Why the Rebrand? The trigger was strategic: Kellogg's needed to recapture its leadership position in an increasingly competitive cereal market. Consumer feedback revealed a desire for clearer, less cluttered packaging that communicated health benefits transparently. Rather than defensive positioning, Kellogg's saw an opportunity to strengthen brand recognition while addressing evolving consumer expectations. Design Change What strikes me most is how Landor elevated the Kellogg's logo to become the central design element – a trend I'm seeing numerous brands adopt with remarkable effectiveness. This strategic enlargement transforms the logo into a distinct brand asset, with colour and imagery taking supporting roles in a contemporary layout. The result is extremely clean, graphic, bold, and visually striking. Iconic characters like Tony the Tiger were thoughtfully refreshed while maintaining their beloved status. I'm particularly impressed by the vibrant, contemporary colour palette that brings excitement to store shelves and how the uncluttered product photography creates such visual impact. Most importantly, all brand extensions within the architecture follow identical structural principles, creating powerful brand continuity while still establishing unique category differentiation. Evolution, Not Revolution This rebrand exemplifies the power of thoughtful evolution. Unlike failed rebrands that discard established equity, Kellogg's retained core visual anchors while enhancing clarity and shelf presence. They recognized that successful transformation isn't about erasing the past but building upon it meaningfully. The Results The numbers validate this approach: nearly 70% of consumers reported easier product identification on shelves, purchase intent increased by approximately 50%, and sales rose by 6% following the redesign. The work has garnered over 30 industry awards in four years – a testament to its strategic excellence and creative execution. What fascinates me most is how this rebrand proves that sometimes the most powerful design strategy isn't adding complexity but thoughtfully subtracting it. By elevating the logo to hero status and embracing disciplined simplicity, Kellogg's has created a system that works brilliantly across physical and digital touchpoints while honouring its rich heritage. This is brand evolution at its finest.

Evolution takes time… But listening always pays off. A couple of years ago, we made one of the hardest, And smartest decisions in our journey. When we first launched Mid-Day Squares in 2018, the product worked. The excitement was real. The brand was growing. But as we scaled, we started listening to feedback, to the data, and to how people were actually enjoying the product. We learned something important: Many customers were eating one square at a time and putting the second back in the fridge. The problem? That second square wasn’t staying as fresh. At the same time, raw material and supply chain costs were skyrocketing. To survive as a business, we had to make a bold call: Move from two squares to one. And to raise the price of our product. And over time, we realized the change wasn’t just practical, it was right. The single square became the perfect amount for that midday moment we were built for, the pick-me-up between lunch and dinner. It was the right format for the use case our consumers wanted most. As the product evolved, so did how we presented it. We refined the flavour name to be clearer and instantly communicate what it tastes like. And the packaging evolved too. We went from having lots of words on the front to leading with what mattered most: Our brand identity, our logo, and the actual product image. Simple. Confident. Recognizable. At first, the transition wasn’t easy. Sales dipped. Feedback was mixed. But over time, everything started to click. The product stayed fresher. The brand looked cleaner. And then growth came back: First steady, then it started compounding fast. Today, most of our consumers love the change. It was hard, but one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Real evolution doesn’t happen overnight. But when you listen, adapt, and stay true to your purpose, it always pays off. #packaging #cpg #sales #retail #grocery Mid-Day Squares.

I learned Design Thinking on my first day as a data scientist at IBM, and it quietly became one of the most useful mindsets in my AI career. It taught me to slow down, understand the real problem, and build solutions that actually land with users. Here’s how I still use it today: → Solve the right problem Most AI teams jump into modeling too early. Design Thinking forces you to reframe, question assumptions, and check if the problem is even defined correctly. → Diverge before you converge Explore many possibilities, then narrow down. This prevents tunnel vision and leads to better architectures, better experiments, and better product decisions → Use the 2x2 grid Am I exploring or deciding? Am I thinking about the problem or the solution? This simple check saves me from going down the wrong path. → Observe behavior, not opinions The real insights come from watching users, not asking them. The same applies when evaluating agents, prototypes, or internal tools. → Prototype fast, assign ownership Ideas die when nobody owns them. Execution is where Design Thinking turns into impact. This mindset shaped how I build AI systems then, and it still shapes how I build them now. ♻️Share this with your network

For decades, Cracker Barrel has been less of a restaurant and more of a ritual. The rocking chairs out front. The peg game on the table. The logo etched into memory like the smell of biscuits and gravy. Last week, Cracker Barrel unveiled a new logo after 55 years. What’s left is cleaner and simpler. But it also raises a $700M question about brand transformation. Logos aren’t just assets. They hold history, sentiment, identity. And when you alter them, you’re not just tweaking design, you’re touching memory. So the reactions came quickly: ↳ Supporters see necessary evolution. ↳ Critics see abandonment. Both are right. Because Cracker Barrel is attempting something nearly impossible: How do you modernize a brand where 43% of guests are 55+ while also appealing to the 23% who are under 34? That demographic gap shapes everything. From a design perspective, the move makes sense. Simpler. Scalable. Easy to deploy across thousands of touchpoints. And that’s why the logo is just the door opener. The real playbook lives elsewhere: → Burger King paired its retro rebrand with $400M in remodels. → McDonald’s invested $6B to modernize stores and operations. → Denny’s Heritage remodels are driving +6% sales lifts today. This suggests that not only logos move comps. Remodels do. Cracker Barrel knows this. They’re testing the largest menu overhaul in company history, with 19 remodels and 12 refreshes already complete. Field leaders are asking to be on the remodel list, which is an insider signal that carries significant weight. Success will be measured by four numbers: ↳ 6-12% comps in year one for remodeled stores. ↳ Dinner share up 200–400 basis points. ↳ Guest mix shifting 5–7 points toward 18–34. ↳ Retail attach rate climbing above today’s 19.5%. Relevance shows up in the P&L, not the PNG. The $600–700M transformation spans stores, ops, menu, and digital. If they nail it, they join Burger King and Denny’s in the winner’s circle. In 2025, branding isn’t just about being future-ready. Rebrands are about finding the balance between carrying the soul of the past and inviting the future in. The update might attract new curiosity, but what happens once people walk in the door? Are the in-store and digital experiences aligned with the new identity? Does the service, menu, and environment reflect the promise the brand is now projecting? The logo is just the beginning. Can brands honor the guests who built the brand while inviting a new generation to make it their own? Weigh in.

How can designers reshape the future through social innovation?   Imagine a community garden run by residents, schools, and small businesses, all working together to tackle food insecurity.   This isn't just a grassroots project—it's a prime example of social innovation in action.   But what does this have to do with design?   Designers are uniquely positioned to drive social change.   At the heart of social innovation lies the idea of reframing both the problems we face and the way we solve them.   It’s about shifting focus from quick fixes to more holistic, inclusive solutions. And designers, with their emphasis on empathy and experimentation, have the tools to make this happen.   In the 1960s, Horst Rittel coined the term “wicked problems” to describe challenges like poverty, inequality, and climate change.   These issues are complex, interconnected, and can’t be solved by one sector alone.   That’s where cross-sector collaborations—between governments, businesses, and non-profits—come in. But these collaborations require more than just good intentions.   They need design thinking.   Take human-centered design (HCD), a process championed by IDEO, which focuses on understanding the unique context of a problem, listening to the people affected, and then iterating solutions.   It’s not just about creating products or services—it’s about truly understanding and responding to human needs.   When designers apply this empathy-driven approach to social problems, they become key players in creating sustainable, long-lasting solutions.   We’re already seeing this shift.   According to a report by the World Economic Forum, businesses that incorporate social innovation into their strategies are 2.5 times more likely to lead industry transformation.   And design plays a huge role in this transformation.   So,   How can we as designers continue to push the boundaries of social innovation and create a sustainable future?   How can we make empathy and experimentation central to our problem-solving toolkit?   I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Our team analysed over 1 MILLION proposals and found something significant for sales leaders. We discovered that proposals with interactive elements had acceptance rates up to 2x higher than static ones. That’s a massive difference. Here’s why this didn’t surprise me. Interactivity helps your proposal deliver on things that actually move buyers forward. You can… - Make it easy for buyers to discover the right plan by adjusting user counts, toggling items, and exploring add-ons through interactive pricing - Stand out from the competition with dynamic content that blows static PDFs out of the water - Tailor the experience for every stakeholder by using expandable sections that reveal the right level of detail, without overwhelming anyone. - Reduce back-and-forth with self-serve exploration, letting buyers dive deeper into demos, feature breakdowns, timelines, and FAQs directly inside the proposal - Showcase value through interactive ROI calculators So while a 2X increase in acceptance rate FEELS huge, there’s so much value in interactivity that I’m frankly surprised this figure isn’t higher.

📣 What can we learn from Campbell's bold move to rebrand itself? Campbell's recent decision to rebrand from Campbell Soup Company to The Campbell’s Company offers a masterclass in strategic brand evolution. As nearly 50% of its sales now come from snacks like Goldfish and Kettle chips, Campbell’s is taking a strategic step to ensure its name reflects its diversified business portfolio while maintaining its soup heritage. 🔑 Why the Change?  This rebranding showcases the company’s broader capabilities across multiple verticals. Campbell's is moving beyond its historic focus to spotlight its leadership in both the meals and snacks categories, bolstered by recent acquisitions like Rao’s pasta sauce. 💡 Key Strategies Behind the Rebrand: 👉🏼 #Diversification of Offerings Its new name ensures the brand communicates its full product portfolio to consumers and investors. 👉🏼 #Futureproof Identity Campbell’s is signaling that it’s a diverse food company poised for long-term growth. The rebrand positions the company to continue innovating and expanding into new food segments. 👉🏼 #Innovation-driven Growth Campbell has revamped its soup line with bold flavors and healthier options, targeting new demographics like younger consumers and health-conscious buyers. 👉🏼 Growth Through #Acquisition With its acquisition of Sovos Brands (parent company of Rao’s), Campbell strengthens its position in the meals and sauces market targeting premium segments, ensuring it remains competitive. 🌟 For Marketers Campbell’s rebrand reminds us that staying relevant requires constantly reevaluating your identity to reflect your full range of products and future ambitions. If your brand name no longer reflects the breadth of what you offer, it’s time to consider an evolution. Inspired by The Wall Street Journal article, "Campbell Drops Soup From Its Name, Not Its Plans." #leadership #marketing #vision #rebranding #innovation #ceo #coach #advisor #mg100 #thinkers50 #linkedinnews #bestadvice #jennyfernandez

🧩 What if leadership wasn’t about control but about creativity? Great leaders don’t just manage problems they redesign possibilities! 🚀 Can a Design Thinking Mindset Make You a Better Leader? The best leaders today think like designers ,they observe, question, experiment, and adapt to shape meaningful solutions. Instead of forcing outcomes, they co-create them. 💡 What if leadership was less about having answers and more about sparking ideas? That’s the power of a Design Thinking Mindset: ✅ Empathy – Leading by deeply understanding people’s needs. ✅ Curiosity – Challenging assumptions and exploring new ideas. ✅ Collaboration – Designing solutions with your team, not for them. ✅ Experimentation – Testing, learning, and improving along the way. ✅ Agility – Navigating uncertainty with confidence and creativity. 🎯 Why does this matter? 📌 To create a culture where innovation thrives 🌱 📌 To make leadership more human-centered 🤝 📌 To build adaptable, high-performing teams 💡 💭 So, here’s a challenge for you: How can YOU apply Design Thinking to transform the way you lead? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇🚀 #Leadership #DesignThinking #Innovation #MindsetMatters #HR #Coaching #experiment #facilitation

This is what a Figma Make prototype looks like with over 1000 prompts. 450: Designing interaction behaviour 350: Fixing bugs/Make errors 100: Making it functional 30: Pull and render data proof of concept I wanted to test pulling in data from Smartsheet's sheets API to see how we can get our teams closer to designing against real data. Through Make I was able to pull a file list, use an OpenAI assistant to interpret the data and generate a dashboard using chart.js rendering based on the sheet contents. Design is what takes this from "a grid with widgets" to a beautifully sophisticated interaction model. Every animation and interaction is designed with intention. This is something you simply can't do with static design screens. Because the design was happening in an interactive surface with real data, I could quickly identify an exhaustive list of interaction behaviours and implement changes within minutes. This is a part of the SDLC that takes weeks or even months. Waiting with anticipation to see how the product design industry evolves to design interaction-first.

Business work is never done: its very nature is to grow, expand, and evolve year after year. The same should apply to brand...However, many organisations fail to see that while their business progresses, their brand stays stuck in the past. I’ve seen it happen too many times: businesses move forward, but their brand doesn’t keep pace. That’s why strategic rebranding is not a one-time fix. It should be designed to grow, morph, and evolve alongside the business, maintaining relevance and supporting the company’s trajectory at every stage. When done right, a brand evolves with the business, helping it stand out and remain memorable, no matter how the landscape shifts. The 3 vital components for this are: - a strong brand strategy, - a fluid identity system, - and a dedicated team to activate it. We talk a lot about the marketing team, but rarely do I see a dedicated brand team. Don’t get me wrong, I love working with CMOs, they are my ideal customer but I believe if more businesses invested in pairing them with a brand-focused team, we would see far fewer rebranding projects down the line. It’s about building a brand that evolves at the speed of business. Day after day...