Our Thinking
The World Through our Lens
Kaleidoscope is a CPG packaging design and prototyping agency headquartered in Chicago. We’re makers, thinkers, and opinionated observers of everything packaging. Here’s what’s on our minds — from design trends and sustainability to the forces reshaping consumer goods. For a deeper look at our capabilities, visit: strategy, packaging design, and prototyping.
Latest Perspectives
August 25, 2026
Packaging redesigns are one of the most debated topics in CPG. But the argument most people are having misses the more important question: what does it actually take to do it well?
This is heavy! Nike Unveil's Marty McFly's Shoe from Back to the Future II
If you are a fan of the Back to the Future series, you will recall the space age and futuristic kicks adorned by Marty McFly in part II of the trilogy. Sometimes fiction doesn't always stay fiction. Nike has just stepped back in time, or is it forward in time? The...
Budweiser’s New Bowtie: Will the brand still be the Clydesdale or become the goat?
Thoughts by Guy Gangi, Director of Brand Strategy, Planning and Design Budweiser this week unveiled a new can design, which has only been modified 12 times since it first hit the market in 1936. The new face of the brand is causing shockwaves through the design...
Iterative Design and Prototyping Illustrated Through Paper Air Plane
Kaleidoscope welcomes two new hires!
Kaleidoscope welcomes Matt Clemens as Design Director to the design department and Adara Ralston as Account Strategy and Planning to the account team! Full name: Matt Clemens Job title and department: Design Director, Design Where were you born? Rockford, IL....
All together now: Iterative design thinking and client co-creation
The scenario is all-too familiar among marketers. After all the planning, competitive intelligence gathering, revenue projections, pricing, channel requirements, inventory management and consumer research are completed a Request for Proposal is issued. A packaging...
Kaleidoscope at The Dieline Conference
Kaleidoscope at The Dieline Conference Kaleidoscope will be learning, teaching, exploring, exhibiting and recruiting at The Dieline Conference in Chicago today through Friday, June 24th! We are looking forward to a great conference with our fellow creatives in the...
The New Faces at Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope has two new faces wandering our lofty studio. Afton Aurand joins the Kaleidoscope Production Team as a Project Coordinator and Matt Dean is working as a Structural Designer in the Structural Packaging Design Department. Meet Afton and Matt. Name: Afton...
Kaleidoscope invests half million dollars in its innovation lab and doubles its packaging prototyping capabilities.
Chicago, IL. - June 13, 2011 - As part of a five year investment strategy, Kaleidoscope (www.thinkkaleidoscope) has invested nearly $500,000 to increase capabilities within their innovation lab. The new investment is not only in people and processes, but new equipment...
Keson Wins NRHA’s Top Packaging Award for Long-Run Measuring Wheel
Keson Industries, a leading supplier and manufacturer of innovative, high-quality, measuring and marking tools, announced that its new Long-Run Measuring Wheel received the North American Retail Hardware Association’s (NRHA) Gold award for outstanding product packaging.
The packaging for the RRT12 long distance wheel, which was introduced to the market in March, was judged on the following criteria: overall shelf and sales appeal, graphic design, innovation, packaging efficiency, shelf life and selling features.
Trade show booth WIP…take a gander.
The Kaleidoscope team has been strategizing the design for our upcoming trade shows at The Dieline Conference and Store Brands Decisions Marketing & Innovation Summit. As always, the process started in ideation with drawings and sketches and is now moving onto 3D...
Showcasing Brand Packaging; Creating Brand Awareness in Retail Locations
Gary Chiappetta, president and managing partner of Kaleidoscope, offers insights into large scale package replicas to showcase brand packaging and create brand awareness in retail locations. Versatile new packaging innovation can be defined as evolution in packaging...
GCI Magazine – Interview with Guy Gangi on From Sample to Brand Fan
From Sample to Brand Fan: Guy Gangi, Director of Brand Strategy, Planning and Design GCI: Is it a reasonable or feasible goal to create a sale through samples? Yes, it is reasonable and feasible to create sales through samples. The most effective way to create a sale...