It’s easy to forget that branding and packaging will exist in meatspace beyond our screens and social media. Brand assets look great when reviewed from our desks and phones, and we might feel like we’ve landed on the next piece of great design that will take the CPG world by storm. Eventually, however, that same design will need to be applied to bags, boxes, T-shirts, signs, and other physical applications, and what we once thought was a home run might not be as successful in the market.

Better-for-you gummy brand Rotten was recently reminded of this when its candy started being stocked by Northern California stores. Brand assets and packaging looked fantastic, but once on the shelf, opportunities for improvement started to emerge.