fpm brief

The FPM Brief, a new series of articles on consumer CPG research and behavior, highlights how research insights fuel creative intelligence in packaging design, branding, and marketing. By analyzing consumer interactions and purchasing drivers, we reveal strategies that enable brands to connect authentically with their audience, empowering them to stand out in today’s competitive market.

Read one of our latest articles

Designing Tomorrow: Navigating the Frontiers of Intelligent Design in 2025

AI x CPG: How Smart Design Tools Are Reshaping the Process

AI is not replacing packaging designers—it’s supercharging them. From ideation to testing, AI is changing how we build packaging that performs.

01. speed to concept

AI-generated mockups and style prompts enable creative teams to accelerate their workflows. By providing rapid visualizations of concepts or finished products, these tools allow teams to review and refine designs more efficiently than if created manually.

02. versioning at scale

Versioning at scale empowers teams to efficiently test variations in copy, layout, color, and product claims across multiple markets or audience segments. This approach enables data-driven decision-making by allowing brands to quickly identify which combinations resonate best with specific demographics or regions. These AI-generated drafts are reviewed and refined by human designers, who bring emotional intelligence and nuanced understanding to the table. This iterative process ensures the continuous evolution of the design, balancing the strengths of both AI and human creativity.

03. intelligent design systems

Recent research has focused on developing intelligent design and visual creation systems using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). These systems mimic the human brain’s structure and functions, aiding graphic communication designers in achieving high-quality, efficient, and prolific results.

04. what we think

AI still isn’t perfect. It can be a great tool in the design process, but solely relying on it will cause problems and delays. The uncanny valley of AI images and ethics of sourcing are important risks to consider, so it is vital to have a capable human creative using these programs.

until next time,

Other research you might be interested in

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Helping Breakout Brands Break into the World

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The Art of Saying ‘Not That Blue’ Without Causing Tears

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New work, New Space & A New Special Offer

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Time for a Brand Refresh? Let’s Make It Happen This Fall

Whether your business has evolved, your audience has shifted, or your visuals just feel outdated, a strategic brand refresh can help you end the year strong and start the next one even stronger.

The Holiday Countdown is On! Here is Your Q4 Game Plan.

As Q4 approaches, it’s time to shift into high gear. Whether you're launching holiday campaigns, prepping end-of-year reports, or setting the stage for 2026, a strong finish starts with strategy. We’ve put together a comprehensive checklist to help you stay ahead of the curve.

What’s Inspiring FPM This Season?

At FPM, creativity is the heartbeat of everything we do. Lately, we’ve been inspired by some exciting sources that are shaping our vision and energizing our work. We wanted to share a little behind-the-scenes of what’s fueling our passion these days. From vibrant mood boards to the sounds and trends guiding our creative journey.

5 Packaging Worries Every Founder Has

If you're building a brand, packaging isn’t just part of the product — it is the product in the eyes of your customer. At FPM, we've worked with countless founders navigating the high-stakes world of packaging design. And no matter the category, five big questions always come up. Here’s what’s keeping founders up at night – and how FPM helps bring peace of mind.

Introducing Idaho’s Sleekest License Plate Yet

Crafted by the creative minds at FPM and proudly sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission, the new black license plate features a clean, minimalist look that complements any vehicle. With its sleek black background and crisp white lettering, this design exudes understated luxury while paying tribute to Idaho’s agricultural roots.

Trade Show Season is Coming. Is Your Booth Ready?

When it comes to making a lasting impression at trade shows, your booth is your brand’s stage. At FPM, we specialize in helping companies go from “just showing up” to “show-stopping success.”

No More Beige: The Bold Color Movement

Gone are the days of soft tones and safe neutrals. Consumers are hungry for bold, joyful packaging that feels energetic, expressive, and full of life—especially on crowded shelves or social feeds.

What Makes Gen Z Click, Share, and Buy?

Gen Z is redefining the rules of consumer packaging, and it’s more than just eye candy. From the thrill of unboxing to the nostalgic pull of Y2K aesthetics, today’s young consumers are drawn to packaging that’s fun, shareable, and full of personality. We’re breaking down four key trends shaping how Gen Z connects with brands.

Tight Budgets. High Expectations. Here’s How Smart Packaging Delivers Both.

When every dollar’s doing double duty, your packaging design better work. Packaging that pulls its weight doesn’t just sit pretty; it grabs attention, tells a story fast, and nudges that hand toward the cart. Smart choices in layout, hierarchy, and emotional spark can boost your brand’s vibe and value without dropping extra cash on ads. That’s the beauty of intelligent design: it saves money, sells better, and still turns heads on shelf.

Shelf Science: What Actually Gets Picked Up?

In today’s competitive retail landscape, the science behind what gets noticed and what gets purchased, extends far beyond attractive packaging. Shelf science combines elements of psychology, design, and consumer behavior to understand how shoppers make decisions in-store. From color placement to eye-level positioning, every detail is engineered to influence attention and, ultimately, drive conversion.

Trouble on the Shelf? 8 (Fixable) Packaging Fails.

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Summer’s Here — Time for a Brand Refresh!

Packaging that Pops, Strategy that Sells.

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Your Branding and Packaging Experts

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Augmented Reality (AR) Packaging

Augmented Reality (AR) is revolutionizing packaging design in 2024, offering consumers futuristic and immersive experiences that captivate and engage. This week, we explore how AR is transforming consumer interactions with products, particularly in the technology sector.

Smart Packaging

As we move further into the digital age, the role of packaging is expanding beyond traditional functions. The integration of IoT (Internet of Things) elements into packaging is not just an innovation; it is a fundamental shift in how we perceive and interact with products. We live in an age where packaging designs can be intelligent, sustainable, and aesthetically advanced.

AI-Enhanced Packaging Design Processes

In today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape, the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping every industry. In packaging design, AI is emerging as a game-changer, enhancing creativity, optimizing workflows, and generating design variations based on consumer insights and preferences. This synergy between AI and human intelligence is setting the stage for a new era of design innovation.

The Art and Science of Packaging — Interactive Packaging Design

Packaging design is evolving rapidly, shifting from a static form to an interactive experience. In our fast-paced, media-driven society, consumers are no longer passive recipients; they are active participants who influence and are influenced by the products they use. This paradigm shift has led to the rise of interactive packaging design, a cutting-edge approach that prioritizes user experience and fosters a reciprocal relationship between consumers and products.

Designing an Anthropomorphic Chatbot with Its Personality — Choosing Between Male and Female Traits

In today's technologically advanced landscape, chatbots are transforming how businesses interact with their customers. These electronic conversational agents leverage natural language processing and machine learning to automate interactions, providing users with an engaging and efficient way to access corporate services.

Intelligent Packaging and Blockchain

In today's market, consumers demand more transparency and accountability from the brands they trust. Intelligent packaging, augmented with QR codes, meets this demand by providing detailed narratives about a product's journey, sourcing, authenticity, and environmental impact. This innovation turns packaging into an interactive gateway, enhancing consumer engagement and trust.

Minimalist vs. Maximalist Packaging Design

In the ever-evolving world of design, the dichotomy between minimalist and maximalist packaging design offers a fascinating contrast, much like two sides of a finely crafted coin. These distinct aesthetic approaches, though seemingly opposed, each have their own merits and ideal applications, showcasing their true potential in different contexts.

Color Saturation and Consumer Perception of Product Sustainability

In today's eco-conscious market, companies are leveraging color to convey sustainability messages effectively. Natural hues, particularly green, have become synonymous with eco-friendliness. However, recent research reveals that the saturation of these colors significantly impacts consumer perceptions of a product's sustainability.

Nostalgic Packaging Design

Nostalgia, that bittersweet longing for the past, has become a powerful tool in marketing, particularly in packaging design. It serves as a visual time machine, transporting consumers to earlier eras and creating immediate connections with their personal histories. Whether it’s the vibrant and psychedelic aesthetics of the 1960s or the bold, neon-soaked styles of the 1980s, retro-inspired packaging resonates deeply with consumers. For older demographics, this connection is even more poignant, allowing them to relive cherished memories from their youth.

How Visual Crowding in Packaging Sparks Consumer Desire to Buy

In the realm of packaging aesthetics, a fascinating phenomenon known as white space plays a crucial role in how design elements interact with their surroundings. White space refers to the amount of empty space around a message or design element. Some packaging designs, like Apple's iconic approach, embrace generous white space to evoke simplicity and elegance. In contrast, other designs, such as Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese packaging, venture into reduced white space, creating a vibrant and visually intense tapestry where images and text closely intertwine.

Crossmodal Correspondences — How Visual Shapes Influence Taste Perceptions

The association between visual shapes and taste perceptions has long captivated sensory psychologists and packaging designers. One particularly intriguing observation is that individuals often associate curved and symmetrical shapes with sweetness, while angular and asymmetrical shapes are more commonly linked to other basic tastes such as sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami. This phenomenon, known as crossmodal correspondence, highlights the intricate interplay between visual and gustatory stimuli.

Creative Design Process — It’s All About Intuition

Graphic designers seamlessly blend images, typography, and interactive media to craft compelling messages and user experiences. But where do their ideas originate, and how do they transform them into designs? While intuition is often cited as a crucial element, the specifics of how graphic designers harness it remain somewhat mysterious.

Exploring the Emotional Connection Between Product Shapes and Nostalgia

Marketing research highlights the intricate relationship between nostalgia, consumer preferences for product shapes, and the underlying mechanism of social connectedness. Understanding how nostalgia influences these preferences is crucial for designers aiming to create appealing and effective products.

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