In our last Beeswax we were finally able to share our first round of work from the Innovation Lab. First quarter 2009 launched the newest wave of Willoughby-designed packages and products. We are excited to reveal:

CHALLENGE: How do you reposition a classic product to compete in today’s marketplace?

CLIENT: Dimensions Crafts
PRODUCT: Perler Beads
AVAILABLE AT: Michaels, Jo-Ann, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore and independent craft and toy stores

Remember ironing beads? You arranged them into bunnies or peace signs and then mom melted them together with the iron? They were probably Perler Beads, a quiet leader in the ironing bead niche for more than 30 years. Recently, vibrant and overtly playful versions of fusion bead products have started giving the craft a new toy-like twist.

With the competition heating up, Perler engaged our Innovation Lab to rethink the brand, packaging and way the product goes to market. Dialing up the fun was our mission. We discovered that the Perler Beads name had equity with current users, but little recognition with new crafters. So we created a descriptive new brand with a trusted endorsement: FunFusion by Perler Beads.

CHALLENGE: How do you merge two trusted brands to enter a new category?

CLIENT: EK Success
PRODUCT: Jolee’s Jewels
AVAILABLE AT: Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann, A.C. Moore

Jolee’s Boutique, a well-known premium sticker brand, and Swarovski, the crystals we all know and love, came together to introduce a new premium jewelry crafting product at retail. The result: Jolee’s Jewels, all packaged up to send a luxury message to jewelry crafters across the country.

CHALLENGE: How do you transform eco-friendly alternatives into a ”love it, can afford it, I can’t believe it’s recycled” decision?

CLIENT: New Leaf Paper
PRODUCT: Office and Stationery Paper Products
AVAILABLE AT: Target

As many of us try to infuse a little more environmental intention into our lives, we’re creating a new demand across the market. Brands like New Leaf Paper, founded on their commitment to inspiring a fundamental eco-shift in the paper industry, are shouting from the rooftops with joy.

For the past two years, the Willoughby Innovation Lab has been helping New Leaf carefully craft and launch their new retail brand. Starting with Whole Foods and Office Depot, where we go head to head with non-recycled mainstream brands, we have designed more than 100 product skus along with the brand, packaging and merchandising systems.

Fresh from the Innovation Lab: an extensive new line of New Leaf products launched nationwide in Target stores this month: social stationery, art paper, premium paper, back-to-school notebooks, journals, fashion notebooks, composition books and the found space line. More proof that you don’t have to sacrifice style and convenience to make responsible choices. That’s our favorite part.

CHALLENGE: How do you reenergize an iconic brand and pay tribute to the 80-year heritage of America’s favorite white bread?

CLIENT: Interstate Brands Corporation
PRODUCT: Everyday Bread
AVAILABLE AT: a grocery store near you

After working through the needs of a changing market place, it was time for Wonder to evolve again to meet the growing demands of an older and more nutrition-conscious audience. Aiming to recapture a #1 position in the market, Willoughby and Wonder Bread took a fresh look at the red, yellow and blue balloons, explored a more grown-up typeface and dialed up the sophistication.

The new, more contemporary packaging system has been extended to all existing products, 8 new products and has created a unified look and feel that extends across all consumer touch points. We're proud to be part of the evolution of this treasured brand and bring this tasty goodness to future generations. We love a good PB&J as much as the next kid.

Since its founding in 1968, Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center has provided high quality, compassionate healthcare for Kansas Citians from many ethnic backgrounds regardless of their ability to pay. And now, 40 years later with ten different clinics and access to more than 150 different language translators, the health center is in the process of building a new facility to match its state-of-the-art care. Willoughby is partnering with Raphael Architects to create a layered, multi-cultural visual design and way-finding system that can bridge language divides. An honor and a privilege. We can’t wait to share the unveil.

As a proud sponsor of downtown Kansas City’s first Earth Day Fest, Willoughby created the Green the Core campaign and identity. Come down over lunch and join the effort to make our city a greener place: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22 at KC Live! in the Power and Light District.

Please join us in supporting Forks & Corks (click for tickets) for the 13th year in a row. The gala food and wine sampling event benefitting Harversters, Kansas City’s community network, is on April 23 in the Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center, from 6-9 p.m. Each year, Ann creates an original piece of art work that we use in promo materials and then auction off at the event.

Want to know about the women shaping the future of design? Check out Women of Design by Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit. The book features the work of women designers, both industry veterans and influential newcomers. Our fearless leader, the one and only Ann Willoughby, is featured along with some of our best work. Ann says that she shouldn’t be in the spotlight, but we think the writers are spot on with their assessment of her influence in the design world.

Congratulations Ann!

The Kauffman Global Scholars Program fosters international entrepreneurship by immersing top young entrepreneurs from around the world in America’s entrepreneurial culture. For six months, Kauffman Global Scholars study, exchange ideas, and work with U.S. entrepreneurial experts from Harvard to Stanford. Willoughby is thrilled to have Franziska Conrad, a sustainable product designer from the U.K., in our midst. She's already jumped into a variety of our projects and we’re learning from each other every day.

Willoughby’s own Chris Jones and his lovely wife, Becca, recently put their creativity and enthusiasm to good use to win a contest promoting the U.S. debut of the Ford Fiesta. Becca did the talking and Chris handled the creative and editing. They shot the video over four weekends in Kansas City. Three weeks later, they got the call from Ford - they won! Chris and Becca picked out the “squeeze” green model and have it for 6 months (gas and insurance paid!). They’ll be making more videos documenting a road trip in the car. Have fun on your adventure, but don’t forget to come back home! Check out their winning video and profile on Ford’s website.

In addition to pitching the winning concept for this year’s ADDY awards (MADDYs) and designing the theme and collateral, we got to take home some gold! Thank you to Jamie O’Banion and team for partnering with us on the Organicare packaging and to Kevin Carroll for his stationery system. We also took golds for our 30th anniversary party campaign and our new Willoughby stationery system.