In Stoke Sessions Episode 6, the design team at Magnetic reviews their recent Figma design challenge - Hot Sauce Brand Design. The team presents their brand design concepts creative take on hot sauce brands. The design challenge allows the team to push each other, learn new skills without the pressure of client work, and explore tools without restraint. The hot sauce designs range from a brand concept inspired by Hawaiian folklore to a digital look and feel with a focus on simplicity. The team discusses their inspirations, design choices, and the use of AI and prototyping in their work. The conversation covered topics such as the origin of Sriracha sauce, the importance of hand sketching in design, and the presentation of design work for a hot sauce brand. Watch till the end to see what next months design challenge will cover!

• The Figma design challenge allows the team to explore their creativity and learn new skills without the pressure of client work.
• Each team member presents their unique concept and design, showcasing their individual style and approach.
• The designs range from brand concepts inspired by Hawaiian folklore to digital designs with a focus on simplicity.
• AI and prototyping are used to enhance the designs and create interactive user experiences.
• The team discusses their inspirations, design choices, and the importance of pushing boundaries in their work. Sriracha sauce is actually a Thai sauce, but the founder is a Vietnamese Chinese man.
• Hand sketching is important in the design process as it opens up creativity.
• The participants shared their design concepts for a hot sauce brand, focusing on the use of color, AI imagery, and catchy branding.
• The next design challenge will involve creating an app for Whole Foods.
• The participants shared personal highlights and things they were looking forward to, such as spending time with family and attending music festivals.

"I thought it'd be a cool concept of a brand sort of a spin-off liquid death you know how playful it is of just saying hey let's put some fire in your belly."

"Heat waves. I've been really, really listening to the song heat waves by Glass Animals a lot. When I made this, and I just thought it'd be a really cool hot sauce name."

"With mine, I kind of went with this theme of like death to dullness. Another headline is Sleigh Blandness."

"I thought it was Thai, and it's not, but I still don't know what it says."

"Starting a sketch by hand can take you far in design and open up your creativity."

"I wanted to challenge myself with this design and make the product stick as we scroll."

• The fundamentals of brand strategy have remained consistent over time, as human truths and motivations have not drastically changed.
• Building a brand on solid foundations, such as relevance, differentiation, and ownability, is crucial for long-term success.
• Purpose is a key element in branding, as it humanizes a brand and creates a connection with consumers.
• Understanding the psychological mechanics behind purpose and finding a purpose that resonates with the target audience is essential.
• Brands that meet the various needs of consumers, from basic survival to self-actualization, create a strong connection and loyalty. Align brand strategy with purpose and differentiate from competitors
• Use brand archetypes to define a brand's personality
• Building a brand is crucial for business success
• A brand creates loyalty, opens up new opportunities, and reduces risk
• Upcoming masterclass on brand strategy

"A lot hasn't changed. Actually, who we are as consumers, what moves us, what motivates us, that stuff hasn't changed drastically over the last several years."

"You need to take branding a lot more seriously than what you've ever done before. Because you're no longer competing just to the people in your region. You're now competing against the whole world."

"You need to be able to actually build it into your culture of your brand. Brand strategy extends so much further than it's no longer just marketing. It has to be infused into your business making decisions for it to be real."

"Use the data, use everything at your disposal to position it the proper way to that market, then you win, 100% win."

"You need to break the brand strategy down so granularly that you can actually start thinking about it as a person."

"When you figure out what your why is or this true north or your purpose in life, we have to define that personality that they have as well."

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

08:22 Relevance, Differentiation, and Ownability: The Key Elements of Brand Strategy

24:20 Aligning Brand Strategy with Purpose and Differentiation

31:17 The Impact of Brand Development on Business Success

Learn more about MAGNETIC at https://mag.cr

All Stoke Session episodes available at https://mag.cr/stoked

In this episode of Stoke Sessions, Matt, DK, and Brad discuss recent trade show experiences at Expo West and the Annual Meat Conference. We highlight some standout brands and products we encountered like The Jolly Llama, Eat Coyotas, Evergreen, and Wanderlish. We review some of the good branding, packaging, and product taste in attracting consumers and mention the rising trend of mushrooms being featured in various products. We touch on the changing preferences of younger generations when it comes to meat consumption and cooking methods, with a surprising rise in popularity of the air fryer. The conversation discussed the experience at a trade show and highlighted the importance of creativity and innovation in attracting customers. It was noted that smaller brands are putting in extra effort to stand out and connect with retailers. The conversation also mentioned specific brands that stood out for their visual presentation and engaging booth staff. However, there was also a mention of a brand that missed the mark with their product and booth experience. The importance of human interaction and the personality of a brand was emphasized. The conversation concluded with a discussion about upcoming trade shows and the excitement around innovation in the food and beverage branding space.

• Good branding, packaging, and product taste are crucial in attracting consumers at trade shows.
• Mushrooms were a prominent trend at Expo West, appearing in various products.
• Having enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff at trade show booths makes a significant difference.
• Younger generations have different preferences when it comes to meat consumption and cooking methods.
• Smaller brands are putting in extra effort to stand out and connect with retailers at trade shows.
• Visual presentation and engaging booth staff can make a brand stand out.
• The personality and human interaction of a brand are crucial for its success.
• Researching and understanding consumer trends is important for brands at trade shows.

View All Stoke Sessions at mag.cr/stoked

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