Bite size is the trend

This trend is not just another “digital opportunity,” but rather an exploration of how the snack culture is manifesting itself in the world of design and communication and how brands are responding to it.

According to the report, we are a culture that now “snacks” on everything, be it food or information, we devour our world in the same way we enjoy chocolate or chips, in conveniently packaged Bite-size nuggets. There was a time when Bite-size meant “small enough to fit in the mouth or to be consumed in one or two bites,” but the term has now gone beyond food and is relevant in every aspect of our lives. Bite-size products, Bite-size information, Bite-size entertainment and Bite-size living.

It is important that in an increasingly complex world, we work out how to encourage people to not only snack on our brands, but also ensure they come back for a second, third and fourth helping.

There is a new language out there, both verbal and visual, which originated in the digital realm, but which brands can harness as a language. Consumers want to live a bite-size lifestyle but without any compromise on quality or comfort. Brands can make it easier for them with compact design, making the complex, simple and compact.

In TV, we have the Sony Ericsson Pocket TV, which allows a digital savvy youth to be sent 90-second bite-size show segments, providing the opportunity to snack on short bursts of entertainment, on the go.

Even literature has succumbed. Penguin Books has released Twitterature, 75 of the greatest works of western literature, each distilled to its pithiest essence. Even the bible has had the bite-size treatment with app like icons that aid navigation and help people dip in and out as need be.

Simplification of brands

Within this bite-size trend, we have seen a simplification in the way brands are communicating. We are seeing brands use language, acronyms, symbols, icons, illography (a combination of illustration and typography) to cut through the visual noise and clutter.

In packaging, we are seeing that “less is more.” Iconic brands like Guinness, Coke & Cadbury are stripping away all superfluous design clutter and messaging down to the core of who they are. Iconography needs to be clearer, simpler, have more standout and be less of a mouthful!

Living spaces have assumed multi-purpose, flexible, intelligent roles. The Micro Home, developed by a team of London and Munich based designers, is seen as a high quality compact living space, which focuses on the essential - less is more. Quality of design, touch and use are the key for “short stay, smart living”.

Bringing us back to where bite-size originated - food. Great examples are the bite-size jelly and chocolate mousse treats in compact and convenient packaging. Jellies “Quick” suggest instant gratification that is small and guilt-free.

Freeze frame

“Imagine your brand as a reel of film made up of frames. These frames only make sense when they are linked in a sequence and viewed as a whole. With so many ways to snack on a brand, brand owners need to ensure the brand story remains strong and that there remains a clear thread through all this fragmentation. According to Nielsen, the average time for a website visit in March 2009 was 56 seconds. That's not very long and it's even less for supermarket shelves. This means we need to be very focused on the efficiency and immediacy of design communication,” says Mathew Weiss - CPB Planning Director.

Whichever way you chose to embrace the trend, ensure it works for your brand. Don't be tempted to jump on the bandwagon if it's not right for the brand. Be clever with design - use it for cut through, recognition and immediacy. Most importantly, never imagine that bite-size will be easy. To succeed it's all about brands doing all the hard work, so consumers don't have to.

For further information, contact Tabatha King MD Coley Porter Bell .