Episode 37: Blend In and Die: The Truth About FMCG Design

Most marketers obsess over campaigns, but forget about the battleground of the shelf. In this episode Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy sit down with Matt Grantham, Creative Director at OnFire Design, to unpack why packaging is often doing more heavy lifting than your entire media budget. From supermarket psychology to category-breaking brands, Matt brings global experience across FMCG, challenger brands, and retail design. Matt breaks down the game of retail -  survival, perception, and sales in a brutally competitive environment where you’ve got seconds to win. What You’ll Learn in This Episode• Why packaging often becomes the last lever before delisting and what that reveals about brand health • How category codes shape consumer behaviour and when its okay to break them  • What drives real ROI in packaging beyond short-term sales spikes and into long-term loyalty • Why most packaging briefs often try to do too much and how to focus on what matters • How challenger brands win by owning one distinctive idea and sticking to itBonus Nuggets • The “husband test” for packaging clarity and why it’s brutally effective • How peanut butter went from commodity to premium through packaging and positioningCall to ActionIf your packaging had to win the sale without your marketing, would it even stand a chance?Resources mentioned• Stickybeak – https://www.stickybeak.co.nz • OnFire Design – https://www.onfiredesign.co.nzConnect with the creators, and hosts mentioned:• Matt Grantham – https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-grantham/ • Ben van Rooy – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benvanrooy/ • Stephanie Quantrill – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-quantrill/Explore more from Canned:• Canned the Marketing Podcast: www.cannedmarketing.com • Cue Marketing: www.cuemarketing.co.nz • Human Digital: www.humandigital.comTimestamps00:00 Intro to packaging as a marketing channel 03:30 Small budgets, big creative thinking from marketing panel 05:00 Supermarket behaviour and unfamiliar category cues 07:00 Meet Matt Grantham and design background 14:00 Why brands come to designers when sales drop 16:00 Product vs packaging and the reality of performance 18:30 Category codes vs breaking the rules 21:00 The ROI of packaging and loyalty effects 23:00 The 3–5 second shelf decision 25:00 Distinctiveness and “ugly but effective” design 27:00 What makes a strong packaging brief 30:00 Brand assets and visual shortcuts for consumers 32:00 The husband test and clarity in design 34:00 Design trends and the rise of maximalism 36:00 Food trends shaping packaging decisions 38:00 What marketers need to bring to the table 41:00 Why packaging can’t do everything 43:00 Format, structure, and physical design constraints 45:00 FMCG vs premium packaging realities 46:00 Closing thoughts on complexity and craftThis episode is basically a reality check for marketers. You can pour millions into media, but if the pack doesn’t earn the pick-up, you’re just funding awareness for your competitor.www.cannedmarketing.com Stephanie Quantrill - LinkedinBen Van Rooy - Linkedin