Category Archives: Project Spotlight

Project Spotlight: Carnival Grapes – Branding & Packaging

December 6, 2018 Francesca Bruno

Have you ever tried grapes that are so surprisingly sweet you can’t believe they’re real grapes? If you have, consider yourself super lucky. That’s because until recently, one one variety has existed. And for those of us who have found these unicorn grapes, we will attest that they are seriously one of the best tasting…

Project Spotlight: Sakata Seed Veggie Guides

September 20, 2018 Ken Berry

There is something to be said for printed content in a day and age when so much of our information is sent only in digital form. So it’s always fun for us to get a project that is destined for print from the get-go. As a leading seed supplier to the agriculture industry, Sakata Seeds…

“Once our new packaging hit the stores, we saw an immediate improvement in sell-through—over 20%. The bright colors really catch shoppers’ attention, and McDill was able to hone in on the right messaging to convert the sale.”

— Tammy Pelstring, Co-Founder of Obentec

“McDill was integral to the success of the SnackWell's relaunch. Their work far exceeded our expectations from strategy and concept to working with our print vendors and supporting the roll out. Reception from both customers and consumers has been great, and we are confident that this relaunch is going to elevate the SnackWell's brand in the retail segments that we are focused on.”

— Mark Eisenacher, (former) Director of Marketing, Back to Nature Foods

“McDill did an amazing job bringing our marketing partners together, and then flawlessly executed our joint promotion in support of the release of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. We couldn't be happier with the results!”

— Jen Verdick, Executive Director, National Promotions, Sony Pictures

“Thanks to our fresh new look and the creative iceless promotion program McDill concepted and produced, we increased our iceless sales by 2 times our projected goal. McDill’s strategic planning and innovative marketing approach made all the difference for us.”

— John Killeen, VP of Sales, NewStar Fresh Foods LLC

“The resulting award-winning packaging designs have been readily accepted by the trade and are sure to illicit impulse consumer purchasing decisions too. McDill's broad expertise in everything from messaging and creative design to the intricacies of printing makes them a valuable extension of the Martinelli team.”

— John Martinelli, President, Martinelli’s

“With McDill’s help we successfully created an extendable, global brand platform for our food and other safety initiatives that has the requisite flexibility to grow with product and service offerings, and remain relevant through time to multiple constituencies. It’s a fresh, clean look with universal appeal that communicates at a glance.”

— Krista DiBerardino, Director, Global Brand Team, JohnsonDiversey, Inc.

“The look and feel that McDill created for our retail product line has been incredibly well received by our retailers and consumers. Their expertise in packaging -- from design to print management -- was invaluable to the launch. The new design is a fresh look but more importantly, it’s operationally efficient and allows us to better handle our large volume of product.”

— Eric Eddings, (former) CEO, Monterey Gourmet Foods

“McDill conceived the carrot chip product and recommended positioning it as a healthy alternative to salty snacks. Clearly, it resonated with consumers as sales exceeded projections by 500%, effectively launching Carrot Chips as an extension of the Grimmway brand while creating an entirely new product category. They are a great addition to any marketing team.”

— Bob Grimm, (former) President, Grimmway Farms

“McDill brought us the idea for Cool Cuts with the recommended positioning as the first produce item targeted at kids. It quickly became one of the most successful new product categories for Tanimura & Antle, to date, while winning two Awards of Excellence from the Produce Business Marketing Association, and a telly award for the supporting 30 second TV spot.”

— Dave Eldredge, (former) Vice President of Marketing, Tanimura & Antle, Inc.

“On behalf of our entire development team, I want to thank McDill for assisting in the successful launch of our Organic Opta Energy drink. We were able to bring this product to market very quickly, and their artful insights and technical abilities helped us create a product that is really outstanding. I highly recommend the McDill team to anybody looking for superior package design.”

— Greg Hill, (former) Private Label Project Manager for SunOpta

“The best news for Capurro Farms’ customers is that participating retailers have seen an average increase in dollar sales of 64%, with sell through improved by more than 25% on average, and overall operating profit increased by 50% on average.”

— Deanne Cagnacci, Director of Marketing, Capurro Farms (now a part of Green Giant Fresh)

“Big thanks for updating our website design to be much more vibrant, professional, clean and in-line with our SEO strategies.”

— Michael Foster

“With an ever-growing product line and multiple sub-segments, we have relied on McDill as an efficient resource. Their unique ability to present strategic thinking with design concepts in relation to how it all fits into our overall brand position is key for us. Plus, they bring a deep understanding of print and labeling requirements which adds significant value to our partnership.”

— Tracy Russell, Director of Marketing, Back to Nature

“Our value-added Brussels Sprouts were an innovative industry-first, and we wanted a compelling story that featured the product in a fun and visual way. When McDill presented the idea of an Excite video package to cover key messages for 4 target audiences, we knew it was the way to go. This type of digestible content is great for social media and very appealing in today’s market.”

— Jennifer Fancher, Vice President of Marketing, Growers Express - Green Giant™ Fresh

“McDill has been a longtime go-to strategic and creative team for my clients. Together we’ve worked on numerous successful projects. Their web development services have been key for growing companies that need efficient yet flexible sites that can evolve as their business does. Website and beyond, I would highly recommend McDill as a trusted marketing partner."

— Phil Gruszka, CEO, Gruszka Consulting

“It’s hard to stand out in a B2B setting and get noticed by busy prospects. McDill’s team crafted a campaign for us that was not business as usual. The integrated campaign and unique creative generated excitement in our sales force and engagement with prospects that we previously had trouble getting in front of.”

— JP Lake, Owner, Rain for Rent

“As a whole, the Celery Celebrations promotion definitely made an impact on our sales, with retail partners and in consumer engagement. Our trade show presence was critical to the impression we gave the industry—and the elements that McDill put in place really delivered."

— Nichole Towell, Director of Marketing, Duda Farm Fresh Foods

“From content to design concepts, McDill has brought consistently solid results that has elevated our marketing and helped set us apart. It’s great to know we can rely on a team that can seamlessly jump in to our business and generate effective strategies and materials.”

— Lindsey Roberts, Marketing Manager, Monterey Mushrooms/Amycel

“Our team was very impressed with the McDill team and their work as part of our rebranding campaign, and I highly recommend choosing McDill as a creative partner. Notably, we received strong praise for our new public brand and image from our investors, collaborators, and from Wall Street – we noted a 10% move in the stock price and significant number of shares traded in just the first 48 hours after brand launch.”

— Avanish Vellanki, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer, Aptose Bioscience

“The campaign that McDill developed for our SunPatiens flowers successfully elevated our presence in the industry at a time that was critical to maintain brand leadership. They helped us hone in our key messages, and effectively deliver them to our key customer base. We’ve had really positive feedback to the campaign—including an award from a major trade publication for the marketing efforts and product performance."

— Alecia Troy, Marketing Manager, Sakata Seeds