CREATIVE PARTNER SPOTLIGHTMeet Charlie Poulson, Founder of Americano
Before a label ever hits the press, there’s a bigger question: what is this product trying to become?
That’s where Americano starts. In this Creative Partner interview, we explore their reverse-engineered approach to design, the common pitfalls brands run into, and how aligning strategy, materials, and execution early leads to stronger results at every stage.
How did you get started in design, and what made you decide to start Americano?
1
Funny enough, when I was in elementary school, I would very carefully deconstruct McDonald's french fry holders, lay it flat, trace it, and make my own packaging. I also wrote my first contract (which I still have!) when I was 7, "employing" my younger brother to draw Pokémon at my "drawing studio" for $5/month lol. More professionally, I started in darkroom photography, then attended Iowa State and earned my BFA in Graphic Design. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, and as a 7th-generation entrepreneur, it just made sense to me to start Americano in 2013. At first, Americano was just me in NYC working for major brands, but I found it wasn't all it was hyped up to be. We really took a position in the craft liquor niche during the pandemic, and haven't looked back since.
How do you help customers understand the design process and what they need for their product labels?
2
Our process is backwards. We start with the end product to define what it is, who it is for, and what makes it unique. Although it might seem counterintuitive, I find it to be massively helpful in guiding the design process because it helps us develop three possible creative directions for the product, which we then get feedback or test against each other. Even in the very first round of design for a new label, we're planning and showing which papers and finishes make the most sense and where to use each one. We walk our members through each element so that it orchestrates this symphony of emotional design when the end consumer holds the product in their hands and connects the visual and the feeling of the brand. We use a lot of visual examples, send physical samples, and take the time to simply explain the printing process so that our members know how their labels are made; making operational and marketing conversations more efficient.
What are some common mistakes you see customers make?
3
The most common mistake I see is piecing out design work or picking an agency or creative partner that isn't in their niche AND doesn't have a similar or flexible aesthetic. I'll break these out:
Piecing out design work
A client of mine put it frankly once, quoting Ralf Speth, "If you think good design is expensive, you should see the cost of bad design." I've seen some brands come to us who hired a random person to do their logo, another person to do their label, another person to do their website, etc., which makes sense from a startup and cash flow perspective, but it takes a special kind of person and skill to get multiple people sharing a vision for a brand. The end result is usually a disjointed brand that either stays disjointed forever or gets cleaned up by a creative partner later. On the flip side, a creative partner is truly like having a partner—we know an insane level of details like your exact bottle measurements, storage space constraints, your preferences on cost, etc., all of which play a role in the entire brand we create.
Picking an agency or creative partner that isn't in their niche
Some industries have so many regulations and nuances that it really does take an expert just to make a label. Take craft liquor for example—every single label has to be approved by the TTB and they have a complicated list of things labels need at very specific sizes and worded in very specific ways. The secondary knowledge is invaluable because it could be the difference between one label submission to the TTB vs. multiple submissions and time lost to get a product to market.
Picking an agency or creative partner that doesn't have a similar or flexible aesthetic
Most founders have a vision for their product, and picking an agency or creative partner that doesn't match the aesthetic usually ends up in two things: 1) A founder not feeling heard and 2) too many rounds of revisions; both are not conducive to a strong partnership. In theory, good designers are taught to have a range of styles with the ultimate goal of creating something timeless. However, it doesn't always work out this way, so it's best to look at an agency or creative partner's past work to see if their aesthetic is similar to the founder's vision or if their aesthetic is flexible, meaning a majority of their work across different brands looks different, but great.
What are things customers should consider when looking for a designer/agency?
4
Aside from the above, I would encourage folks to think about their real end goal first—are you creating something for fun as a hobby, or is the end goal to sell your company for a big payday, or maybe something else? This is the first question I ask potential members because, as a self-taught entrepreneur, I want to guide folks in the right direction, even if a membership with Americano doesn't make sense at the moment. Another piece is to look at the company size and capabilities of a designer, agency or creative partner; you want someone who can grow and scale with you. For example, Americano didn't offer dry goods management as a membership initially, but it was a critical piece when designing labels, shipping boxes, caps, etc. and we evolved and scaled to offer something parallel to our core memberships of holistic branding and packaging design.
What are some things clients should be thinking about, or would help for them to be more prepared for, when coming to you for a label design, so you can do your best work?
5
Although we very rarely ever do one-off projects anymore, if we were to take a one-off label design, it would be helpful to come prepared with the exact bottle (or container) you'll be using and it's technical drawing from the factory, along with a conversation about the operational capabilities and limitations of your production facility. This helps us to think of the packaging as a whole, so that we're not proposing ideas that are out of reach or not feasible. On the bright side though, because Americano has a Dry Goods Management membership, this is something we can handle on our side as well.
What’s next for Americano? Any exciting projects you’re working on?
6
We've got a new single barrel label customization app close to launching that's been 3+ years in the making, but that's all I can say about it for now.
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Explore our Creative Partners
Our Creative Partners specialize in marketing, branding, and design with a focus on product packaging and labeling. We work closely with them to help bring you the best in label design, paired with our uncompromising dedication to customer service and quality.