Melissa Otis

I love this advice by Focus Lab Creative Director, Natalie Kent. From their Create First newsletter: Clients want to feel that their project is in capable hands, even if the journey involves navigating through inevitable uncertainties. By taking ownership, you not only set the tone but also ensure that your clients feel secure and supported. * Always make a recommendation of what you think is best. * Don’t let a lack of title prevent you from taking the reins. * Come prepared to meetings. Do your homework. * Focus less on saying the perfect thing, and focus more on facilitating and guiding conversation so the best outcome can be achieved. * Lead with courage. The world needs more courage. Embrace this approach and you’ll unlock a new level in your client relationships. https://lnkd.in/e7mCNgch

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Gen-Z is transforming the period care industry. As the most diverse and outspoken generation yet, they’re demanding more from brands in terms of inclusivity, transparency, and mental health support. We’ve compiled a snapshot that unpacks these trends and how they’re reshaping the future of period care. Click here to read the report: https://okt.to/k6Bcbo

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You've likely heard "pets are the new kids." But it's more nuanced than that, says Senior Creative Director Meredith Post: "We're noticing how pets are treated differently than children: they are an idyllic extension of a person's identity. We treat them better than we treat ourselves and use them as a signal of who we are and want to be.” It means pet CPG is extending into realms like personalized nutrition and luxurious self-care. For more insights from Meredith Post, Carina Sandoval and Kyle Schutte, head here: https://okt.to/fA9oNI #petbrands #petcpg #consumerstrategy #petcare

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What happens to all the Executive Creatives? Do they sail away with their 🦁🏆 to an island full of chunky acetate glasses and endless production budgets? It's a question I asked for most of my career. Where do you go after Creative Director? After CCO? Do you stay in that lane forever? It took a while for me to notice them: the creatives who didn't have 'Creative' in their title anymore. Because they became CEO. They started leading Growth, or Revenue, or People. 💡 Of course that's where they go. When you're solving complex business problems, you need someone to balance imagination and reality. Someone who will listen intently to what you're NOT saying, to what you're feeling. You need someone with insatiable curiosity — an opportunity truffle pig, rooting around to unearth the people on this earth who simply must have what you have to give. Creativity is the ultimate business and leadership skill.  So what's happening to this Executive Creative? 🙋‍♀️ No islands (yet). I'm going to keep straying from my lane: this time into a new race where Creative isn't in my title, but it's in my blood. (dramatic? Finally started GoT, sue me.) My new role is telling the story of Native Digital. This group of berserkers moonlighting as marketers, looking for brands who need an injection of perspective-tilting energy and quick wins that add up to long-term growth. I'll continue to pour into the creative powerhouses on the team, to convince every performance media team member that they are also creative, and to help our clients cut through the noise. I've been doing this for years. I won't start wearing power suits or stop getting tattoos. It's just a label change, but it comes with a request: TALK TO ME. Tell me what you need. Ask me anything. Dish out advice. I want to listen.

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🍭 Top 3 Takeaways from this week's Sweets & Snacks Expo: 1️⃣ Occasions are the NEW Seasonal While traditional seasonal products aren't going anywhere (pumpkin spice: you *ARE* safe), consumer demands are evolving FAST. Whether it's aligning an LTO with a Taylor Swift album drop or deciding what snack to buy for a Vanderpump Rules Reunion watch party with friends, brands and retailers that solve for occasions in culture will outpace their peers by a mile. A standout example was Jack Link's Protein Snacks Bloody Mary Mixes: "people were already putting beef sticks in their Bloody Marys, so it made sense that we show up at brunch!" 2️⃣ The Better-for-You vs. Indulgence Battle Continues NCA Sweet Insights reports that only 53% of consumers believe BFY confections exist, and just 1 in 10 purchase them frequently (predominantly Gen-Z). Experts confidently state: "Indulgence is not going anywhere," even as consumers cut back on snack purchases citing health concerns. The takeaway? Consumers will never give up indulgence—it will just look different in the future. There's a MASSIVE, untapped opportunity in this space. Standout brands already threading the needle beautifully include BEHAVE and NICKS, both of which highlight indulgence with drool-worthy flavor and texture, and an "oh-by-the-way this is actually better for you" twist. FFUPs also caught my eye with their unabashed "NOT HEALTHY" claims, embracing the pure joy and emotional benefits of snacking without any B.S. 3️⃣ Foodie Influence International flavors aren't new, but what stood out was the expressive brand storytelling in snacking. There were so many founders on the expo floor sharing the flavors of their culture with infectious joy. El Nacho was particularly memorable—their tortilla chips were not only delicious, but their packaging was a vehicle for storytelling with cheerfully rebellious characters. I am an immediate fan (especially of Ms. Mango). Nomad Snacks also drew me in with their journey of international flavors like chimichurri and ramen. Lastly...our team has a few more takeaways in our pocket too spicy to publish here 👀 DM if you want to hear more! #SweetsAndSnacks #ConsumerTrends #foodandbev LPK Emily Dominick Kyle

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Mountain Dew just rolled out a shiny new logo, and they’re going full throttle with a nostalgic, outdoorsy vibe. They’ve swapped “Mtn Dew” for the full “Mountain Dew” name, brought back retro fonts, and tossed in some topography to remind us all they’re literally all about the mountains now. 🌄🍋 While we’re not exactly guzzling it ourselves (I mean, we’re more of a kombucha crowd), you’ve got to love a brand makeover that leans into its roots. But here’s my hot take: will this rebrand really resonate it's loyal fanbase, or gain new customers with their more health concious, sleek rebrand and rollout? Either way, it’s bold. It’s bright. It’s got storytelling potential written all over it. What do you think—hit or miss? (Psst… If your brand needs a visual glow-up, give us a shout! We specialize in makeovers that don’t just look good but turn heads. 💥)

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Oooh. Landor does it again. That peeling T-lid treatment is so elegant, and somehow doesn't interfere with legibility at all (no small feat). That's gonna make a gorgeously effective little icon for small use applications. Me likey. A lot. #branding #logodesign #consumergoods #icondesign #typography #marketing #productdesign #homegoods

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3D + AI collab for an LA brand. CPG brands using or aspiring to use 3D in your content: If you’re not using AI to enhance your content Then you’re playing football with no cleats. Doing ballet with no toe shoes. And the discrepancy will only get bigger. Start familiarizing yourself (and your team) with the flows to achieve quality and time. “Do you want speed or quality?” I used to ask my clients. That divide is quickly being narrowed. Excited for what’s to come. 

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Brand Identity concept for a new CPG/DTC product. Can't share too much yet but it's coming along nicely! #cpgbranding #dtcbranding #brandidentity #branddesign #logodesign

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“I work in this industry because I love it, but it’s brutal”. Yet another person I had a coffee chat with told me the same thing. This is especially true for creatives. The way they process things often allows more self-doubt and anxiety to creep in. They want to do their best, yet their efforts often are under the radar. They don’t respond well to “shaming and blaming” when things don’t go as planned. But, oddly enough, a “bossy” attitude isn't welcome either. Straight shooters suffer in highly political office environments too. No matter their job level, years of experience, and background. Now, I’ve been extremely lucky in my company. I’ve always had understanding and support when I needed it. Not all of us are that lucky. So I want to ask you: Would it be such a bad idea if we made it a daily practice to notice the things we do that are unique to us? And then took time to notice the things that others do that are unique to them? Accepting and appreciating these differences would take us a long way. The more you focus on becoming more aware of the uniqueness of each person in your company, the more energetic, impactful and influential you become as a leader. You won’t waste your energy being frustrated that others don’t understand you or don’t see things your way. Instead, you’ll have a profound impact on others as they begin to see you as the person who “gets it.”

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The Modern Renaissance. Today, we’re diving into what it meant to be an artist during the Renaissance and exploring how artists and designers are shaping what I like to call the Modern Renaissance. How are we, as creatives, impacting the world and influencing culture? What is our role in crafting cross-disciplinary ideas, driving communication, and storytelling, all while solving complex problems and balancing aesthetics? Let’s also take a moment to uplift and celebrate those who strive to push culture forward and embrace the journey of becoming an artist. Together, we can honor the power of creativity and its ability to transform society. #podcast #design #modernrenissance

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70% choose comfort. Shiny objects rarely sell. Footwear design isn’t just about creativity. It’s about comfort + strategy. Take Crocs as an example: • Mocked at launch • Now worth $7.5B • Built on comfort and practicality Comfort solves real problems. Shiny designs? They’re often a gamble. The lesson: Don’t just design to impress. Design to move both people and sales. Do you prioritize comfort or trends? ----------------- I’m Erin Bornstein, senior footwear designer blending art, science, and strategy to create products people love to live in. ♻️ Found this insightful? Share it!

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Multimedia Man… As the senior design director at Anthem/SF, I was tasked with the challenge of improving the brand recognition and overall sales of Safeway's snack foods private brand, The Snack Artist. The original "TSA" system, which was comprised of salty snacks, chips, pretzels, peanuts, popcorn, and frozen appetizers, was built around the concept of a "quick sketch" artist who liked to create funny "one-liner" sketches involving his favorite snacks. As Safeway continued to rapidly add new products and categories to The Snack Artist brand, it soon became apparent that despite the success of the current design system, we needed a way to flex and delineate the product categories so they could better perform within their respective competitive shelf sets. So, we were faced with a challenge for a very successful brand that had outgrown its retail strategy and design system. How do we revitalize the design system and segment the categories for increased performance without losing the original essence of the TSA brand? The solution came about through an epiphany that the "artist” could work in other types of artistic media beyond simple gestural sketches. He could broaden his skill set to create artwork that fits each product category individually and uniquely. In every case, we took the competitive sets, shelf placement, and store environment into consideration in determining the type of art that would be appropriate for each category. This overall "loosening" of the TSA design system revitalized the entire brand and enabled the individual product lines to perform at a much more successful level within their respective competitive shelf sets. For more on The Snack Artist design as a whole, a case study can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/g6hspPPg I’m currently available to help on design projects of any scale and phase, from initial creative concepting to revitalizing entire branding & packaging design systems. How can I help? 🧠✋🔥 P.S. The multitalented & fabulous illustrator (and human being) John Worthen did the illustration, product photography, compositing, and retouching work…all of it. #CPGdesigner #branddesigner #packagingdesigner #artdirector #designdirector #creativedirector #cpgindustry #gamesindustry #adaptivedesigner #freelancedesigner

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Specialty toy and gift stores: what kind of digital assets are most helpful for you? Here’s a little video I did for a lovely independent store that’s trying out my birthday cards. It’s my first attempt at creating this kind of content, and I’d appreciate your feedback so I can be the best biz partner I can bee 😊🐝 #birthdaycards #howcanihelp #digitalassets

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This past weekend, my little family & I celebrated Día de los Muertos in our own unique way. We embraced the spirit of the holiday but put our own twist on it. Traditionally, this time of year calls for beloved foods like tamales and pan de muerto—comforting, nostalgic flavors that hold so much history. But instead of a big pot of tamales, our table was filled with… vegan burgers, fries, and, of course, pan de muerto. Why? Because it’s what we were craving, and the most important part of Día de los Muertos is gathering with family and honoring our ancestors—not necessarily what’s on the menu. Plus, let’s be honest: I wasn’t about to spend my entire Saturday figuring out how to make one of the trickiest Mexican dishes in a vegan way! Instead, we made the tradition our own. We sat down together for a simple, device-free meal, sharing stories, and creating a moment that felt just right for us. Sometimes, traditions can make us hold on to rituals that don’t fully resonate or fit our lives anymore, and it’s easy to forget what’s truly meaningful in the process. But traditions can evolve—they can grow with us. It’s about cherishing what does matter, and letting go of the rest. The same applies to our strategies in business. Are we following old habits and processes simply because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”? Or are we intentionally choosing what serves us and our goals right now? As we move into the holiday season, I encourage you to find the things that truly serve you—those rituals, habits, and practices that fill you up or move you forward. Do more of that. And feel free to release the things that are holding you back. Happy Día de los Muertos, from my family to yours. 🖤 #Traditions #HolidaySeason #Family #Ofrenda #DiaDeLosMuertos #businessStrategy #BrandStrategy #BrandStrategist   

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This will be a fun little series where we answer some of the questions we get. The first is about how closely connected campaign sub-brands can be with organizational or institutional brands.

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Just in time for your weekend listening enjoyment, Kirk Visola (he/him) and I had a blast chatting with Craig Steckbeck, a creative director and brand strategist who’s been a major force in the design world for almost two decades. Craig's journey is one I deeply resonate with—like many of us, he found his passion for design early on and has been on an incredible path ever since. We bonded over our shared experiences in the industry, from working on scrappy CPG brands to mentoring with the amazing SKU on cohorts. In this episode, we dive into: - The role of empathy in design—a value that Craig considers essential to creating meaningful work. - The vibrant and ever-growing creative community in #Austin, and how programs like SKU are helping startup brands thrive. - Personal stories about how mentors and unexpected connections have shaped our careers—Craig and I share a laugh about some of the quirky encounters that led us to where we are today. One thing that really stood out to me was how much we all agreed on the importance of building relationships and staying true to your creative vision, even when the going gets tough. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e9D6u4Nr #DesignThinking #Creativity #Podcast #EmpathyInDesign #BrandStrategy #KirkAndKurttsPodcast #CreativeProcess #betterwithbuttermilk

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