In an era that prioritizes short-term gains and rapid change, food brand logos often undergo redesigns every few years to keep up with the latest trends. However, this constant evolution can unintentionally sacrifice long-term brand value and internal consistency.

As a century-old iconic brand, Coca-Cola embraces the "slow design" philosophy. While adapting to the times, it has retained its classic red-and-white color scheme, curvy bottle shape, and signature script font. These timeless elements form Coca-Cola's core brand assets, enabling it to maintain strong brand influence across generations.

As the health trend grows in importance, the gap between consumers' expectations for healthy ingredients and the "wordplay" on packaging is widening. Misleading or exaggerated health claims not only erode brand credibility but also significantly damage consumer trust. In the face of this trust crisis, how can brands return to delivering genuine value and break the "information bubble"? This discussion will delve into consumers' real demands for health information and analyze how successful brands win trust through transparent communication and accurate labeling.

Refreshing a brand logo isn't just a visual update, but a significant upgrade to the brand's overall strategy. Should more modern creative elements be incorporated, or should the original style be preserved? How can brands ensure that a refreshed logo reflects their core values while adapting to the ever-evolving market and consumer demands? This discussion will explore successful logo refresh strategies through various brand case studies, analyzing how visual innovation can ignite new life for brands in a highly competitive landscape.

When brands refresh their packaging design, it can either create a striking impact or lead to a decline in sales and blurred brand identity. Nielsen data shows that only 5% of packaging redesigns successfully boost sales, while as many as 13% experience a drop in sales due to packaging changes. How can brands retain their "soul" while injecting fresh appeal into classic products through innovative design? This topic will explore the key elements of successful packaging refreshes, revealing how to strike the perfect balance between innovation and tradition to invigorate the brand and unlock new growth opportunities.

For products displayed on shelves, the font on packaging is one of the most eye-catching elements of the overall visual appeal. In the wave of global expansion, multilingual typography is a necessity. Brands need fonts that support various languages—not only functional but also visually appealing and enduring. How can brands use typography to express their image effectively? How can they preserve brand identity while better adapting to local markets? This discussion will delve into how font design helps global brands achieve the best results and resonate across diverse markets.

Sound is often the unseen ingredient that elevates a brand experience, yet it remains one of the most overlooked aspects of branding. Sound has a unique ability to trigger emotions, deepen connections, and, when done right, evoke the very essence of a brand's flavor.

For food brands, sound shouldn't be an afterthought; it's an essential tool to create memorable moments, strengthen identity, and enhance connections with your audience. This time, we'll explore the intersection of music, sound, and flavor —and how brands can use sound to enhance consumer engagement and elevate their brand identities. We'll dive into:

- What is sonic branding – and why brands should consider it.

- The art and science behind a sonic strategy that feels uniquely "on-brand".

- How your brand can think about their sonic identity across various touch points.

In celebration of Japan Railway Group 150th anniversary, Dentsu Japan designed unique icons for each of JR's 900 stations, transforming daily commuting into an immersive brand experience that won the 2024 D&AD Black Pencil award. This approach highlights regional flavors while using symbols to connect consumers with brand culture in everyday moments.

In this discussion, we'll explore:

- How can symbolic design effectively convey brand culture, enhancing consumer engagement and a sense of belonging?

- How can brands use local elements and cultural symbols to create distinctive brand experiences, allowing consumers to experience the brand's story and values through the act of collecting?

In product packaging, unique bottle shapes are often employed by brands to capture consumers' attention, aiming for a memorable first impression. However, if lines and proportions are poorly balanced, unconventional shapes can lack aesthetic appeal, potentially impacting consumer comfort and purchase intent.

This discussion delves into the critical role of shape, line, and proportion in packaging design, exploring how to strike a balance between innovation and beauty. Through analyses of both successful and unsuccessful cases, we’ll uncover how to create packaging that is both distinctive and visually pleasing, enhancing the product's market competitiveness.

Topics we'll cover include:

- Applying Visual Psychology in Design: Techniques for using lines and proportions to create a visually comfortable experience.

- Blending Aesthetics and Functionality: Ensuring the packaging remains both attractive and practical for consumers.

- Consumer Perception and Brand Identity: How packaging design shapes brand perception and influences consumer choices.

This topic is designed to provide practical guidance for product managers and designers, helping them achieve both innovation and aesthetic appeal in product packaging.

Global brand expansion isn't just about entering new markets – it's about creating cultural resonance. For foreign brands in China, success hinges on understanding local values and consumer expectations. At the same time, Chinese brands looking to scale globally must recognize how their own cultural identity shapes perceptions abroad. Without strategic adaptation, both face barriers that limit their reach and impact.

This discussion will explore how brands can navigate cultural differences, maintain authenticity, and build deeper connections in foreign markets. Key questions include:

- How can brands adapt their identity to resonate with Chinese consumers?

- What cultural blind spots hold Chinese brands back from greater success abroad?

- How can companies balance authenticity with market-driven adaptation?

Join us as we examine the strategic challenges of global branding and the role of culture in shaping brand success across borders.

From Southeast Asia to Russia, the "taste of China" is going global at speed. In 2023, China-Russia trade hit a record $240 billion, while Russia's cross-border e-commerce has been growing over 60% annually—creating huge opportunities for Chinese food brands.

With strong policy tailwinds and geographic proximity, Russia is a natural next step for Chinese brands going global. In this session, we’ll unpack real-world cases of Asian brands entering Russia—how they research the market, collaborate with local retailers, and adapt through packaging, localization, and brand storytelling to win over Russian consumers and drive growth.

According to Grand View Research, the global functional food market is projected to reach $275.77 billion by 2025. However, creating effective packaging for functional foods poses a challenge. Should the focus be on natural ingredients and low calories, or should it highlight functional components and their benefits? Overloading consumers with information can lead to confusion, diminishing a brand’s appeal. Only by carefully selecting and emphasizing the most compelling selling points can brands stand out in a highly competitive market.

This requires a clear understanding of consumer priorities—whether they value health claims, ingredient transparency, or specific benefits like energy-boosting or immune support. The key is finding the right balance between simplicity and substance to create a message that resonates and drives purchase decisions.

In recent years, China's private label market has experienced rapid growth. From 2022 to 2024, the share of innovative private label products surged from 11% to 26%, making it the fastest-growing market globally. While a low-price strategy has helped private labels attract consumers, relying solely on affordability is no longer enough for sustainable growth. Building a strong brand identity and a sense of quality is now the key to long-term success. As the first point of interaction between a brand and its consumers, packaging design must strike a balance between cost-efficiency and perceived quality. This discussion will focus on the following key questions:

- How can private labels establish a distinctive and recognizable visual identity to break away from a generic image?

- How can design innovation—through style, structure, and materials—help overcome the perception of being "cheap" and instead convey a sense of quality?

- How can packaging enhance functionality and convenience, using thoughtful details to win over consumers?

In 2024, the highest honor of the Pentawards, the Diamond Award, was presented to the OGT protein bar packaging designed by This Way Up. And the most surprising reason for its win? It has no packaging at all! Instead of conventional wrapping, This Way Up developed an edible film and rice paper label, creating packaging that you can literally eat. This innovation not only eliminates litter concerns when enjoying OGT protein bars outdoors but also enhances the overall user experience.

Beyond edible packaging, more and more brands are exploring circular solutions, biodegradable materials, and alternative sustainable approaches. As packaging design adapts to this wave of sustainability, how can designers break away from tradition and find a fresh balance between environmental responsibility, functionality, and user experience?

The AI wave is sweeping through the creative industry. Some say it will revolutionize how designers work, enabling rapid creation of high-quality outputs. Others believe that truly moving ideas can only come from human inspiration and lived experience.

In this debate on the future of creativity, two top designers will go head-to-head in a battle over creative ownership: AI or Human? Will AI reign supreme in the future of design, or will human ingenuity remain unbeatable? Do you trust the precision of algorithms—or the intuition of people?

The showdown is about to begin. Whose side are you on?