How Heard Creative makes an impact on their clients with retail display renderings from Outshinery

Introduction

Heard Creative is an independent, woman-owned creative agency that stands out for its innovative approach to seamlessly blending storytelling with brand activation. Specializing in creating compelling content that resonates with audiences, Heard Creative leverages creative strategies that are proven to elevate brands within their respective industries.

With a keen focus on results-driven campaigns, they work closely with clients to ensure their vision is brought to life in a way that not only captures attention but also fosters lasting engagement with their target audience. At the heart of Heard Creative's success is a commitment to understanding the unique story of each brand they work with, crafting tailor-made solutions that amplify their market presence.

How Heard Creative and Outshinery connected

The relationship between Heard Creative and Outshinery began because both firms were serving mutual clients. Jen Rampe, Heard Creative's vice president of creative describes it as "co-existing in a small world." This connection was willfully expanded, as both companies began to recommend one another to various customers over time.

Heard Creative and Outshinery's collaboration embodies the synergy between innovative marketing strategies and groundbreaking visual content creation. Outshinery, with its specialty in crafting lifelike digital imagery for the alcohol industry, provides Heard Creative with high-quality visuals that perfectly complement its storytelling and brand activation campaigns.

Custom-branded shipping trays offer an excellent opportunity to amplify brand presence in retail settings by providing additional surface area for branding applications.

The power of a compelling digital portfolio

This partnership enhances Heard Creative's visually appealing and narrative-driven approach to showcasing products, with a particular focus on point-of-sale visuals. Together, they create a compelling digital portfolio that highlights the uniqueness of each campaign to drive engagement and sales by connecting the product with the consumer in a meaningful and memorable way.

The demand for retail display renderings uncovers fresh opportunities

While Heard Creative has certainly worked with Outshinery for Product Shots and other core imagery, the team also needed renderings of point-of-sale materials in their designs. "I think it comes down to how you convey these displays in a best-of-class way," says Rampe.

Previous design

New design

Introducing a packaging refresh is vital for any brand, requiring designers to ensure a smooth and seamless transition in the eyes of consumers.

For example, bottle neckers, case sleeves, pole toppers, case cards, and other items that people see when they are shopping in the store. Outshinery was able to create visual assets depicting Heard Creative's concepts, enabling them to wow clients and give them a full picture of the final outcome.

“The addition of Outshinery to the mix is giving a much more consistent rendering and being able to add all the touches.
Jen Rampe

Using the 19 Crimes campaign of a dynamic, real-life client example that stands out for its incredible sense of eye-catching detail.

Enhancing visual appeal with accessories, such as strings of lights, significantly boosts shopper interest. Convincingly presenting this strategy to retailers is key.

All of the elements come together not only to help consumers understand the product and get excited about it but also to equip employees on the sales floor with reliable information. The Heard Creative team needed its wine brand clients to understand that they'd designed all of that, and Outshinery renderings are positioned to capture the depth of their ideation.

"And all of these pieces working together is important," says Rampe. "Things like sell sheets and sales tools are so important, because otherwise you're giving salespeople the stack of bottles at the point of sale, which is like saying do whatever you want."

It is crucial to effectively communicate the scale and footprint of a POS display to grasp its impact.

Getting through to gatekeepers and in front of consumers

Rampe says there's a lot of competition for wine brands these days. "There's a lot of amazing wines," she offers. She compares wine shopping to the experience of walking into Sephora, where beauty products are abundant. "It's very overwhelming," says Rampe. "So I do feel there's a certain amount of this idea that consumers want to be like, tell me what I should get."

She points out that everything in that display is talking to the consumer. But there are plenty of steps before that can happen. Heard Creative and Outshinery are proposing ideas to sales teams at retailers and distributors. "We're talking to gatekeepers, essentially," says Rampe. "Because if the brand doesn't get on the floor, the consumer never has a chance to even buy it.

Many people want to head to the store to shop, but they also expect ecommerce options. "They want those experiences to meld and complement each other," says Rampe. "When you look at the demographics, you look at the numbers, and the younger you go, the more people want both experiences."

Securing partner buy-in for custom display cases is more effectively accomplished through the use of 3D renders.

The precision of 3D rendering yields significant rewards

Rampe says that she appreciates that Outshinery's 3D rendering process is what she calls an exact science. Outshinery can craft several bottles—even those from different brands into a single scene—and "they look like they were shot together, and they don't look rundown."

Point-of-sale displays are comprised of several components, usually including shipper stacks with a stadium cut at the top, case cards, and neckers attached to bottles. Utilizing 3D technology enables the assembly and visualization of the final design without the necessity of physical production, allowing for a seamless preview of the end result.

Rampe says that one of her favorite things about working with Outshinery is when she emails the team with a request that's kind of a "weird" one.

"It's always a yes," she says. "And we appreciate that so much because the Outshinery team is always working with us trying to figure out how to do things the best way." She adds that when Heard Creative's designers request to alter the lighting or tilt an angle, it's easily done.

“The changes are so fast, and we just really love working with Outshinery, It's always so seamless.
Jen Rampe

Transforming creative visions into tangible realities: Digital renders offer a more vivid and concrete representation than traditional 2D PDFs or CAD drawings.

How is this going to help me sell more product?

Rampe says that Outshinery assets have been able to help clients understand the creative proposal:  "And it really is important because you can give people a lot of credit for imagination that they don't have—they have to be able to see it." She says that Outshinery visuals help retailers see the brand beyond the bottle, helping them realize how this product will improve their store's sales. "How is this going to look good? How is this going to sell? How is it going to make customers feel?" posits Rampe. "So Outshinery visuals create that first-person avatar situation."

This concept leads back to the idea that many people want to shop in-store. Rampe says that shoppers relish the feeling of "discovery and serendipity" of walking into a wine store, touching a wine bottle, and looking at the front and back labels. "Displays kind of corral you around to the next special experience," she says. "It kind of adds to that feeling of discovery."

Securing a spot on the end-of-aisle displays is a coveted achievement for any brand, given these prime merchandising locations are crucial for visibility and sales.

When Heard Creative designs the display, and Outshinery creates the renders, wine brands can show retailers and distributors exactly how these assets will influence consumers. "Because they're following the money," says Rampe. "Consumers spend the money, but the people on the other side, they're following the money, asking how is this going to make my goals? How is this going to help me sell more product."
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Attention to the customer's journey and the sales dialogue reflects a sophisticated understanding of marketing dynamics and the critical role of visual storytelling in selling products effectively.

Customized displays offer an excellent chance to showcase exclusive incentives or promotions.

Conclusion

Rampe says Outshinery supports the planning of a quality experience, hand to hand, through the sales process. She says it's easy for a lot of people in various parts of the wine industry to forget the journey of any of these pieces that go to retail or go on-premise. "They forget all the front stuff before the consumer ever gets there—before the wine bottle gets picked up by a shopper—which is the last step in a very long plan."

Interested in working with Heard Creative? Discover the team behind the creativity.