John’s latest travels saw him take in 14 cities in just 17 days, a whirlwind trip that was as productive as it was fast-paced. From Shanghai to London, Denmark to Sweden, each new destination saw John meeting with existing clients to discuss upcoming projects, as well as engaging with new clients, and researching and visiting printing suppliers.

The trip began with a 4-day stop at ProWine China and despite the initial hiccup of a missing plane ticket and an expired Visa, John says.

I had 4 solid days of quality meetings with clients, both existing and new, and all eager to get design work underway. The perfect way to start such a busy trip.

From ProWine it was off to Europe where, in addition to fostering client relationships, John took the opportunity to get out into the retail environment,

It’s imperative that I use these trips to study the shelves, see what designs are currently in the market in each location, and also take note of the way products are being displayed in-store. I filter all this back to the team and when I return we have a number of round-table discussions to identify new global trends.

It’s this process that ensures JJD is constantly at the cutting-edge of design. In addition to the market research, John says

I also get a buzz from seeing labels we’ve created out on shelves and performing successfully on the global stage. This is reinforcement not just for myself and the team that we are on-point, but it’s also reassurance for our new and existing clients.

During his travels, John was also looking to identify new technologies in printing and label application and was impressed by the calibre of suppliers he was able to unearth. If you’d like to take advantage of the knowledge John has acquired from his most recent travel, contact John Jewell Design.

Fast Five with John Jewell

What was your favourite show of 2014?

Without question, Prowein Dusseldorf. 10 years and still going strong, it’s one of the most powerful wine shows in the world thanks to the amount of trading that takes place and the professional manner in which it’s run.

Most beneficial show to attend?

I would have to say it’s a tie between Prowein and London Wine Show. We did some great business at both shows this year.

What did you take from your travelling this year?

It’s been interesting to see the current global trends in what people are drinking, as well as the evolving design styles in the different countries and how that will affect consumer attitudes and preferences in the future. I can’t say too much more – don’t want to give away all my secrets!

Why do you travel?

Quite simply, to build the John Jewell Design business. This occurs not only through face-to-face interaction with clients, but the market research undertaken on these trips is just as important to ensure the business can continue to grow and be relevant in the competitive design market.

What’s next for 2015?

I am planning shorter trips but more frequently throughout the year. This will allow us be more responsive in following up business opportunities, in turn, allowing us to better service our clients. We get such a great response from clients during these trips, but in a fast moving industry, these need to be followed up quickly or momentum is lost. This change to travel will really set the pace for the year.

To keep your label relevant in a fast moving market, John Jewell Design believes there are two options; rejuvenate or renovate. Both are equally important, and it takes the skill of the John Jewell Design team to read the market and understand which option is the best for your brand.

To rejuvenate your label, subtle tweaks are made to the existing design. This breathes new life without making drastic changes or straying too far from the existing look. This option is utilised when the current label is still performing well, however requires a boost to ensure it stays on course and doesn’t begin to decline in appeal. The rejuvenated label is instantly recognisable as the same brand, but with updates to keep it fresh.

Renovating a label sees the development of a totally new design, only keeping identified key elements crucial to ensuring existing consumers are able to recognise the label on the shelf. When renovating a label, often a bold new approach is taken to ensure that the new design is ahead of the curve. This strategy ensures that the new design will have relevancy for years rather than just months, and also enhances the design’s ability to jump-off the shelf in an otherwise cluttered marketplace. Renovating a label is often the best course of action when a brand has plateaued and needs a fresh new image to reenergise sales, and encourage growth and reengagement from consumers.

If you think your label could use a facelift, contact the team at John Jewell Design and let their expertise determine if it’s time to rejuvenate or renovate.

John recently visited the Wine Industry Outlook Conference in Adelaide. John found the conference very informative.

A great way to start the new year!

John Jewell design has kicked off 2014 with a brand new website that leads the way in both functionality and design.

With sharp lines and a crisp, clean aesthetic, the site is easy to navigate and provides the perfect setting for showcasing the best that John Jewell Design has to offer.

The new-look site boasts brand-new features such as the sophisticated “Design Selector”. It allows clients to search and filter label designs, get up close and personal with the easy-to-use zoom function, as well as reserve or store their favourite label designs.

Accompanying the release of the site, John Jewell Design has also launched two inspired new collections within their label catalogue. The “Promo Sale” collection is aimed at clients that have a tight budget and timeframe. It delivers premium, inexpensive design concepts ready for immediate use. The “Shrink Sleeve” collection is an innovative way to enhance any brand and achieve maximum shelf appeal.

All of these features work seamlessly across a range of different platforms, whether it be PC or Mac, phone or tablet, you can access the site from wherever you are.

We received this testimonial from Saskia A. Prum after John’s trip to Prowein.

“Dear Mr Jewell, It was very nice to meet you personally at Prowein. Thank you again very much for your great design for our new labels. Great job of your team!”Saskia A. Prum

John was also given fantastic feed back regarding our bespoke labels and the quality of work that has been produced recently.

John Jewell Design has won bronze at the 2011 LATMA Label Competition.

The striking, contemporary label design was entered in the Flexo – Colour Process category and was printed by Studio Labels, Adelaide. Graphic designer Kim Ratcliffe, from John Jewell Design, created the award winning ‘The Other Woman’ wine label.

Albury design firm, John Jewell Design has won silver at the 2010 LATMA Label Competition.

The striking, contemporary label design was entered in the Flexo – Colour Process category and was printed by Studio Labels, Adelaide. Graphic designer Megan McPherson, from John Jewell Design, created the award winning ‘Koi Selection’ Cabernet Sauvignon wine label for a client in Guangzhou, China.

John will once again be travelling to the USA for follow up discussions with potential clients in Phoenix and Sans Francisco.

John Jewell Design was announced the winner in the Professional Business Services category at the recent Gala Awards Dinner held at the Albury Entertainment Centre. The Chamber of Business Awards, run by the Albury Northside and Wodonga Chambers, attracted some 150 nominations from local business groups and organisations.

After progressing through the nomination and judging phases, the team at John Jewell Design won the Professional Business Services Award for the delivery of fast, professional and effective graphic design services to local, state and international clients. The award also recognised John Jewell Design as leading edge Internationally in the field. This business award is the third to be won by the firm since 2006.