FOUNDER/PRINCIPAL + VICE PRESIDENT
SEEDHOUSE, CHICAGO IL
Sibling duo, Bryan and Krissy, have been in brand identity and packaging design (and Chicago-style hot dog enthusiasts) for 20+ years. They grew up in a Chicago advertising family where big ideas, creative solutions and entrepreneurism were prized.
Bryan has been on both client and agency sides, and brings a varied set of skills in operations, management & marketing while Krissy brings a storytelling and theater background to all engagements. Both were former Planners (consumer insights/research) working with large, multinational CPG brands prior to Seedhouse and leverage that experience to help brands better compete in the marketplace.
Started in 2010, Seedhouse is an independent brand & packaging design firm that delivers big agency results, an all-star ‘A-team’ and full access to clients. The majority of its clients, and many of the prospects that were pitched but not won, come back to Seedhouse again for additional work/opportunities.
As we pivot into a post-pandemic era marked by societal challenge and change, are you optimistic about the future of Graphic Design in supporting and shaping commerce, culture and causes? Why do you feel the way you do? Are you optimistic about the future of your own design career or business?
It’s human nature to believe that we are at the precipice of the end of the world. Fortunately, as designers, we somehow summon enough optimism (or ego) to believe that we can make it all work a little better in the meantime. We are very optimistic about the business of design and how we participate in that because we get to tell awesome stories that help people connect with things or services they need or want. Understanding how people make decisions and the context in which those decisions are made is a crucial part in designing a better future. Solving creative challenges and giving back to the planet makes work feel like play (Seedhouse is a member of 1% for the Planet). Ultimately, we are optimists – about the future, our abilities to solve problems & create opportunities, the economy, the way consumers interact with our designs, our clients’ intelligence & trust, the ability to see change and the effect that good design can have on almost anything. Seriously.
We are seeing an increased focus on Package Design to advance the brand, tell the story, amplify the experience, forge an emotional connection. Do you agree with this observation and, if so, what advantages does packaging have over other graphic communications?
Packaging is crucial in creating an emotional connection to the brand. It’s a brand’s silent salesperson and one of the few mediums that your customer will see 100% of the time, gets in their hand and goes home with them. In an increasingly noisy and digital world, packaging has a weight, a reality, a haptic sensibility that can cut through. Brands need to stay attuned, adjust accordingly and fend off competitive pressures. Evolution is hungry, and good design champions margins, positions and goals. We’re most excited these days by the challenge of a DTC brand moving to retail. A retail package has to do much heavier lifting while not crushing the soul and spirit that the DTC brand built their business on.
