Coley Porter Bell takes pride in constantly exploring consumer trends, and uses this knowledge to help build powerfully beautiful brands.
Each year, on top of the day-to-day; they identify a major trend that will have impact in the months ahead, a forward-looking project called V!sualFutures™.
The chosen trend for 2009 is bite-size.
Culture now 'snacks' on everything, be it food or information, and devours the world in the same way we enjoy chocolate or chips, in conveniently packaged, bite-size nuggets.
There was a time when bite-size meant “small enough to fit in the mouth, or to be consumed in one or two bites”, but the term has now gone beyond food and is relevant in every aspect of our lives. Bite-size products; bite-size information; bite-size entertainment; and bite-size living.
This trend is not just another 'digital opportunity', rather an exploration of how the snack culture is manifesting itself in the world of design and communication, and how brands are responding to it.
It’s important that in an increasingly complex world, we work out how to encourage people to not only snack on brands, but also to ensure they come back for more.
There is a new language out there, both verbal and visual, which originated in the digital realm, but brands are now harnessing that language.
Consumers want to live a bite-size lifestyle without any compromise on quality or comfort. Brands can make it easier for them with compact design, making the complex beautifully simple and compact.
Mobile phones have always had symbols to communicate their different features, but it was Apple that made an impact and influenced the creation of sophisticated App-like icons. Text like abbreviated language and the use of emoticons are making their way into our lives; our homes; and on the supermarket shelves, helping us to cut through the visual noise and speaking to consumers in a more direct, bite-sized way.
The entertainment industry is leading the way and responding to the shift to this bite-size way of life. The launch of iPod in 2001 revolutionised the way we listen to and buy music. As a result, artists are now reassessing the way they make music, in order to survive.
In TV, we have the Sony Ericsson Pocket TV, which allows digital savvy youth to receive 90-second bite-size show segments, providing the opportunity to snack on short bursts of entertainment, on the go.
Even literature has succumbed. Penguin Books has released Twitterature, 75 of the greatest works of western literature, each distilled down to its pithiest essence.
No time for church? Even the Bible has had the bite-size treatment, with app-like icons that aid navigation and help people dip in and out of the literature.
Within this bite-size trend we have seen a simplification in the way brands are communicating.
We are seeing brands use language; acronyms; symbols; icons; and illography (a combination of illustration and typography) to cut through the visual noise and clutter.
Certainly in packaging, we are seeing that 'less is more'. Iconic brands like Guinness; Coke; and Cadbury are stripping away all superfluous design clutter and messaging down to the core of what they stand for. Iconography needs to be clearer; simpler; have more standout; and be less of a mouthful!
Living spaces have assumed multi-purpose; flexible; intelligent roles. The Micro Home – developed by a team of London- and Munich-based designers is seen as a high quality, compact living space, which focuses on the essential – less is more. Quality of design; touch; and use are the key for 'short stay, smart living'.
Going full circle, let's go back to where bite-size originated – food. A great example is the new bite-size jelly and chocolate mousse treats in compact and convenient packaging. This suggests instant gratification that is small and guilt-free.
“Imagine your brand as a reel of film, made up of frames. These frames only really make sense when they are linked in a sequence and viewed as a whole. With so many ways to snack on a brand, brand owners need to ensure the brand story remains strong and that there remains a clear thread through all this fragmentation. According to Nielsen, the average time for a website visit in March 2009 was 56 seconds. That’s not very long and it’s even less for supermarket shelves. This means we need to be very focused on the efficiency and immediacy of design communication,” says Mathew Weiss, CPB Planning Director.
Whichever way you choose to embrace the trend, ensure it works for your brand. Don’t be tempted to jump on the bandwagon if it’s not right for the brand.
Be clever with design – use it for cut through; recognition; and immediacy.
And most importantly, never imagine that bite-size will be easy. To succeed, it’s all about brands doing all the hard work, so consumers don’t have to.
For further information about the study and to request a full presentation of the findings, please contact Tabatha King, Managing Director of Coley Porter Bell on
[email protected].