AI, Speed to Market, and the Future of Packaging Design
- Philip Congello, EVP of Client Partnerships at Mod Op
- AI and Automation, Customer Experience (CX), Digital Transformation, Other Martech, Strategy and Trends
Packaging has always been a critical moment of truth between brands and consumers—a decision point where the product communicates its brand story, quality, and value. At shelf, online, and across an expanding range of digital touchpoints, it is where brand strategy meets consumer reality. Today, AI-enhanced design tools are reshaping how fast brands get their creative work to market.
In a recent conversation with Martechify, Philip Congello, EVP of Client Partnerships at Mod Op shared how AI-enabled tools are transforming creative design workflows—and why human creative oversight remains the non-negotiable piece of that equation.
In a recent conversation with Martechify, Philip Congello, EVP of Client Partnerships at Mod Op shared how AI-enabled tools are transforming creative design workflows—and why human creative oversight remains the non-negotiable piece of that equation.
Watch the full interview with Philip Congello of Mod Op where he shares how you can leverage AI to amplify the speed of your packaging design to increase revenue. If you want the opportunity to get to market ahead of your competitors, this is the interview for you!
Leveraging packaging design for an unfair advantage
Philip’s path into marketing began in film, before transitioning into advertising and packaging design, a field where he has built most of his professional life. Mod Op’s packaging practice grew out of the 2024 acquisition of LAM Design, a strategic design and packaging firm. The acquisition integrated packaging design into a broader end-to-end portfolio of services.
Today, Mod Op combines technology and human creativity to give clients an unfair advantage. “What makes us different is the ability to strengthen packaging solutions by bringing together brand strategy, research, advertising, and digital content as one integrated offer,” Philip explained. “That combination of data, human creativity, and technology is what today’s marketing demands across every consumer touchpoint and channel.”
Today, Mod Op combines technology and human creativity to give clients an unfair advantage. “What makes us different is the ability to strengthen packaging solutions by bringing together brand strategy, research, advertising, and digital content as one integrated offer,” Philip explained. “That combination of data, human creativity, and technology is what today’s marketing demands across every consumer touchpoint and channel.”
AI’s role in creative design: Speed and scale
Artificial intelligence has already transformed data analysis, consumer research, and content generation. Creative design and production are now seeing a meaningful shift—particularly in the design adaptation workflows that bridge creative development and market delivery.
According to Philip, the most immediate advantage of AI lies in speed to market. Brand design programs typically move through several phases—beginning with consumer insights, strategy, and creative development. Following research validation and final approvals, design systems are adapted across the brand’s full marketing mix: consumer touchpoints, packaging variants, sizes, languages, and regional requirements. From there, final artwork is completed and assets are prepared for each specific touchpoint and its requirements.
AI is accelerating the design adaptation phases specifically.
“We lean heavily on research data and consumer insights to inform our strategic design concepts,” Philip says. “But once we have an approved creative direction, we’re beginning to work with clients using AI-enhanced tools to optimize and accelerate that middle-stage design work—the adaptations, the mechanical production across all consumer touchpoints, from in-store to online and digital activation. Packaging is enjoying the benefit of that speed too, as AI enables adaptation across a product’s full lineup, variants, and for global brands, each market’s language requirements.”
The result: weeks, sometimes months, recovered in production timelines.
According to Philip, the most immediate advantage of AI lies in speed to market. Brand design programs typically move through several phases—beginning with consumer insights, strategy, and creative development. Following research validation and final approvals, design systems are adapted across the brand’s full marketing mix: consumer touchpoints, packaging variants, sizes, languages, and regional requirements. From there, final artwork is completed and assets are prepared for each specific touchpoint and its requirements.
AI is accelerating the design adaptation phases specifically.
“We lean heavily on research data and consumer insights to inform our strategic design concepts,” Philip says. “But once we have an approved creative direction, we’re beginning to work with clients using AI-enhanced tools to optimize and accelerate that middle-stage design work—the adaptations, the mechanical production across all consumer touchpoints, from in-store to online and digital activation. Packaging is enjoying the benefit of that speed too, as AI enables adaptation across a product’s full lineup, variants, and for global brands, each market’s language requirements.”
The result: weeks, sometimes months, recovered in production timelines.
Competitive advantage through speed-to-market
In consumer-packaged goods, speed and timing are especially critical. Being first to market directly shapes retail placement, shelf visibility, and revenue—advantages that are difficult to recover once a competitor claims them.
Philip noted that speed translates directly into measurable financial impact. “Speed to market is a revenue driver—full stop,” he said. “Research has shown that in some categories, getting to market months ahead of a competitor can translate to a million-dollar-plus advantage. Retail placement, promotional windows, consumer attention—all of it favors who shows up first.”
Duracell is a strong example of where AI-enabled adaptation delivers real competitive value. The brand maintains a consistent creative platform across an expanding range of consumer touchpoints—from e-commerce and social to in-store displays and point-of-sale. Keeping that creative consistent, current, and on-brand across every channel and promotional period is exactly the kind of high-volume adaptation work where AI delivers measurable speed and efficiency gains.
Philip noted that speed translates directly into measurable financial impact. “Speed to market is a revenue driver—full stop,” he said. “Research has shown that in some categories, getting to market months ahead of a competitor can translate to a million-dollar-plus advantage. Retail placement, promotional windows, consumer attention—all of it favors who shows up first.”
Duracell is a strong example of where AI-enabled adaptation delivers real competitive value. The brand maintains a consistent creative platform across an expanding range of consumer touchpoints—from e-commerce and social to in-store displays and point-of-sale. Keeping that creative consistent, current, and on-brand across every channel and promotional period is exactly the kind of high-volume adaptation work where AI delivers measurable speed and efficiency gains.
“Being first in market is a competitive advantage on multiple levels,” Philip said. “First to reach the shelf, first to stake out a new segment, and first to respond when market conditions shift. AI is what makes that kind of speed operationally possible. Brands that move fast and move well are the ones winning at retail right now.”
Custom packaging and activation for retail channels
Retail partnerships introduce another layer of complexity. Major retailers require exclusive packaging formats and in-store displays tailored specifically to their channel and shopper base—and they require them on tight timelines.
Philip pointed to work with Air Wick, a brand owned by Vestacy, as a prime example. Mod Op’s packaging team develops packaging and marketing activation programs specifically for the North American market, including channel-specific solutions for major club retailer partners. “Club channels require product offerings and packaging solutions specifically designed to their business needs and shopper—something unique and exclusive to the retailer,” said Philip.
This requires packaging variations and specialized displays tailored to each retailer’s strategy. Retail timelines are compressed and the stakes are high—miss the window and you lose the placement. AI-supported workflows will allow design teams to develop customized designs efficiently while holding brand consistency across every execution.
Philip pointed to work with Air Wick, a brand owned by Vestacy, as a prime example. Mod Op’s packaging team develops packaging and marketing activation programs specifically for the North American market, including channel-specific solutions for major club retailer partners. “Club channels require product offerings and packaging solutions specifically designed to their business needs and shopper—something unique and exclusive to the retailer,” said Philip.
This requires packaging variations and specialized displays tailored to each retailer’s strategy. Retail timelines are compressed and the stakes are high—miss the window and you lose the placement. AI-supported workflows will allow design teams to develop customized designs efficiently while holding brand consistency across every execution.
Human creativity as the guardrail
Despite the efficiency gains, Philip was clear that AI is not replacing human creativity, it is enabling it—freeing creative teams from repetitive production tasks to focus on strategy and concept work that requires human taste and judgment.
At Mod Op, every project begins with research, data, and human creativity. The creative team develops brand strategy, design systems, and guidelines—and those rules are being embedded directly into the AI tools used for design adaptation.
“The creative team is the guardrail,” Philip said. “We embed the brand rules, the visual standards, the strategic intent—and then we use AI to execute at speed. There are checkpoints throughout. While the speed is enhanced, it’s the oversight and quality control that makes us unique in the marketplace.”
At Mod Op, every project begins with research, data, and human creativity. The creative team develops brand strategy, design systems, and guidelines—and those rules are being embedded directly into the AI tools used for design adaptation.
“The creative team is the guardrail,” Philip said. “We embed the brand rules, the visual standards, the strategic intent—and then we use AI to execute at speed. There are checkpoints throughout. While the speed is enhanced, it’s the oversight and quality control that makes us unique in the marketplace.”
The future of packaging innovation
As AI continues to evolve, its role in creative design will expand well beyond production efficiency. New tools are already beginning to introduce time savings earlier in the process, accelerating design testing and research turnaround in ways that sharpen decisions before a dollar is spent on production.
For now, the most immediate transformation is in operational speed and scalability—and the competitive edge that comes with it.
By pairing AI-enabled workflows with experienced creative teams, Mod Op helps brands respond faster to market conditions, launch more efficiently, and maintain visual consistency across every touchpoint, all without sacrificing the strategic thinking and creative quality that makes packaging work.
In a retail environment where timing, shelf visibility, and brand clarity all converge, the brands that move fast without compromising quality will have a real edge. And that is exactly where this work is headed.
For now, the most immediate transformation is in operational speed and scalability—and the competitive edge that comes with it.
By pairing AI-enabled workflows with experienced creative teams, Mod Op helps brands respond faster to market conditions, launch more efficiently, and maintain visual consistency across every touchpoint, all without sacrificing the strategic thinking and creative quality that makes packaging work.
In a retail environment where timing, shelf visibility, and brand clarity all converge, the brands that move fast without compromising quality will have a real edge. And that is exactly where this work is headed.
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