Most CPG brands treat packaging like a label. Gaston Martinez de Hoz thinks that's exactly why they're losing.

Gaston is the founder of Bloom Brand Accelerator and someone who's spent years inside the packaging trenches at P&G; across categories, across continents, and across some seriously high-stakes shelf moments. 

Our host, Shreshta Joy, is in conversation with Gaston to talk about what packaging really does (and doesn't do) for a brand, why so much of what looks good today will age badly, and what founders keep getting wrong before they even hit a Walmart shelf.

There's a lot of honest, uncomfortable stuff in here, including why AI is raising the bar to "average," what happens when every brand in a category picks white, and the one question C-suite leaders almost never ask their teams but absolutely should.

In this episode:

(00:00) Trailer

(00:57) Introduction

(02:34) Welcome Greetings (Gaston Martinez de Hoz)

(02:52)  How Packaging Strategy has Changed Since COVID

(05:31)  Traditional vs. Trend-Driven Design Insights

(07:00)  Common Misconceptions about Packaging Effectiveness

(09:28)  MetricsCart for Digital Shelf Analytics (Ad)

(10:39)  Psychological Principles for Shrinking Attention Spans

(11:45)  Elements that Matter Most in Online Retail

(13:20)  Regional and Cultural Nuances in Packaging

(14:23)  Effective Packaging Across Different Categories

(16:25)  How to Stand Out in a Physical Shopping Aisle

(20:47)  What C-Suite Leaders Should Ask Their Teams

(23:08) The Role of AI in Packaging Strategy

(25:14) Top 3 Packaging "Must-Dos" for New Brands

(27:59)  Outro

If you work in CPG, run a brand, or just care about why some products grab you, and others don't, this one's worth your full attention.

📢 This is Episode 49, and yes, we're almost at the finish line of Season 1! This is the second-to-last episode before we wrap up the season, and trust us, we're saving the best for last. The season finale is going to be something truly special. Stay tuned, you won't want to miss it.