Packaging Unboxd with Evelio Mattos

The Real Process Behind High-Impact Design for Startups

What does it really take to design packaging that connects, converts, and stands out... especially for a scrappy startup?In this episode of Packaging Unboxd, Evelio Mattos sits down with Monika Cascone, the designer behind the hilariously effective Anything Butt packaging. Learn more about Monika Cascone: https://www.monikacascone.comFrom working with tight budgets to building bold packaging strategies for taboo products, Monika shares the full behind-the-scenes process every young designer needs to hear.If you’re just starting your career in packaging or trying to figure out how to land your first freelance client, this episode is a blueprint. We cover what schools don’t teach you: managing clients, structuring your process, presenting multiple concepts, and staying flexible without compromising your creative value.Need to order custom retail packaging?Work with Evelio: https://idpdirect.com

2026 Packaging Design Trends You Should Know | Ep 209

Walk through the top 7 Packaging Design Trends You Need to Know for 2026!Work with Evelio, https:www.IDPdirect.comPackaging design is changing fast and most trend reports are already behind.In this episode, I break down the real packaging design trends for 2026 based on what’s actually showing up on shelves around the world, conversations with agency leaders, manufacturers, and global brands. If you’re a packaging designer, graphic designer, brand founder, or marketer, this video will help you understand how to design packaging that survives manufacturing, regulation, cost pressure, and real consumer behavior.These trends aren’t about copying looks. They’re about understanding why packaging is changing and how to use that knowledge to build stronger brands.What You’ll Learn in This Video• The top packaging design trends for 2026• How inflation, GLP-1 drugs, and regulation are reshaping package size and format• Why plastic is coming back (and how to design it without making it feel cheap)• How designers are fighting AI sameness with human chaos• Why structure matters more than graphics in premium packaging• How to use color to stop shoppers at six feet, not two• Why regulation-ready packaging is becoming a competitive advantage• When to use trends and when to ignore them entirely

How Daise Beauty Designed Packaging Built for Influencer Content | Ep 208

In this episode of Packaging Unboxd, host Evelio Mattos tears down the influencer packaging that made Daise Beauty a must-watch unboxing moment across social media.Discover how smart brands design packaging not for the shelf, but for the camera, building FOMO, shareability, and lasting brand awareness through structure and storytelling. Evelio breaks down what Daise Beauty did right, what every influencer box needs, and how to design packaging that becomes content.You’ll learn:The structural secrets behind influencer kits that go viralHow to layer unboxing moments for maximum retentionWhy print finishes, materials, and afterlife design matterHow to turn a PR box into a media campaignPerfect for packaging designers, brand managers, and creative directors who want to make their next unboxing unforgettable.🎧 Listen now on Packaging Unboxd with Evelio Mattos.Work with EVELIO MATTOS www.IDPdirect.com

Shutting down a 30-Year Creative Studio to Start Over With AI Design | Ep 207

After 30 years running a successful studio shooting global brands, Terri did the unthinkable, he shut it all down. Why? Because AI changed everything.In this episode, we explore how one veteran creative reinvented his entire career, turning decades of experience in photography and design into an AI-powered workflow that’s faster, sharper, and creatively free.Learn what it really takes to pivot from traditional design to AI-driven creation, and why the next generation of designers might not pick up a camera ever again.You’ll Learn:Why AI became the turning point after 30 years in businessHow photography skills transfer to AI image generationThe real creative value behind “prompting”How brands are responding to AI-made visualsThe future of design studios in the age of AI

Packaging Design Mistakes to Avoid | Ep 206

DM Evelio to design your packaging: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eveliomattos/Are you making these packaging design mistakes?In this episode of Packaging Unboxd, 13 of the world’s top packaging designers from New York, London, Melbourne, and beyond share the worst packaging design mistakes they still see and exactly how to avoid them.If you're a young packaging designer, a freelance creative, or a startup founder designing your first product, this episode is your playbook to avoid common (and costly) design errors. From bad color contrast to category code overkill, to Pantone and Adobe color licensing fails, these are the real mistakes killing shelf impact and brand success.