​​​STRATEGIC DESIGN®+ Marketing services for the STRONGEST COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​STRATEGIC DESIGN®

THE FIRST YEARS, TOMY.

We are grateful for the opportunity to have worked with The First Years on the research and design of new products for infants, toddlers, and children. Services provided: Product Industrial Design Consulting, New Product Development, Strategy, Research, Marketing, and Innovation Consulting. Photo via The First Years, TOMY.

PROMAT.

The team is supporting client friends during the ProMat 2025 Show, March 17-20, 2025, in Chicago, IL. ProMat is where manufacturing and supply chain professionals help build the future of the supply chain with innovative material handling equipment products and technology. Services provided to 30 companies in the industry include strategy, research, branding, industrial design, human factors, new product development, packaging, and marketing communications. Benefits for client brands that work with Strategic Design Corp. include increased brand sales revenues and profits, improved brand market share and brand presence, and elevated and strengthened stockholders’ equity and brand market value. Photo via ProMat and Raymond.

PULLMAN & COMLEY.

Pullman & Comley: Strategy, Research, 20-page Marketing Brochure Design with Attorney Bios for a Leading Law Firm, Writing, Photography, Printing, and more. Successful Throwback Thursday. Photo by Anatoly Loshmanov for Charlie Merritt. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on making it to Super Bowl 58. We celebrate with the teams, advertisers, brand builders, and the best commercials.

TRACKER OFF-ROAD.

We are happy to have had the opportunity to work with TRACKER Off-Road brand, manufactured by Textron, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), Side by Sides, Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs) as a certified sales consultant via White River Marine Group/Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center/Tracker Boat Center. For more, visit https://www.trackeroffroad.com. Photo via TRACKER Off Road.

LOG CABIN SYRUP.

Log Cabin Syrup: Brand and Packaging Design Consulting. Throwback Thursday. Photo by Dorothée Ahrens for Charlie Merritt. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

OKEMO, VAIL RESORTS.

Think Snow! Think Snow Sports! OKEMO Mountain Resort, Vail Resorts: Strategy, Research, Design, Marketing, Destination Marketing for Tourism, Branding, Promotions, and Real Estate Investments. Merritt has invested in and owned 4 properties at Okemo Mountain Resort/Vail Resorts and 1 at Stratton Mountain/Alterra Mountain Co. Photo via Okemo/Vail Resorts.

TORO, EQUIP EXPO.

We are grateful and enjoyed supporting client brand friends during the Equip Exposition and Hardscape North America again this year, at the Louisville, Kentucky Exposition Center, Oct. 15-18, 2024. The team has worked with Toro to research and design Walk Power Lawn Mowers. Service provided: strategy, research, industrial design, human factors, new product development, management consulting, innovation, and UX. For more, visit https://www.equipexposition.com. Photo via The Toro Company.

National Retail Federation NRF, Retail’s Big Show.

Javits Center, New York City. Charlie Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. team have worked with more than 36 retailers in attendance including Ace, Amazon, Apple, Auto Zone, BNY Mellon, Bath & Body Works, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, BJ’s, Burger King, Costco Wholesale, CVS Health, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Do it Best, Hardee’s, H-E-B, JCPenney, Jeep, Kohl’s, Kroger, Lowe’s, Macy’s, The Met, Office Depot Office Max, Petco, PetSmart, Rite Aid, Sears, Shell, Target, The Home Depot, True Vale, Walgreens, Walmart, and Weis. Great interviews with Sara Eisen, Closing Bell Co-Anchor, CNBC. News, Events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt attended the 28th Annual Rooms With A View - Design for The Greater Good - at Southport Congregational Church. A Fundraiser That Benefits 19 Local & Regional Charities. Featuring the works of 12 talented designers and an art installation curated by TONK Gallery. Enjoyed presentations from Architect Charles Hilton, and Artists Jo Tonkovich, Jen Badalamenti, and Kathleen Palmeri. For more, please visit https://roomswithaview.org. Image via Rooms with A View. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

JEEP, NEW YORK AUTO SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, and team members are attending the New York International Auto Show April 7-16, 2023, for the 28th year, to research while supporting client/brand friends with Jeep, GMC, Ford, and more. Jeep: Automotive Specialty Tools & Kits, Research, Industrial Design, Component Supply, Design Consulting. Services provided: Strategy, research, industrial product design, human factors, user experience, new product development, component supply, design, and innovation consulting. Photo via Charlie Merritt/Jeep. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

Strategic Design Corp. Reports Better Than Expected Results.

NEW YORK, NY. Full Year Results were better than expected compared with the same period last year. Gross Sales increased. Thanks to our financial institution (JPMorgan Chase & Co.), our Certified Public Accountants (CliftonLarsonAllen), and our Vermont Realtors (Mary W. Davis Realtor & Associates). We express our sincere gratitude to our clients and their iconic global brands, full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. Special thanks to Peter Antipas, Matthew Birmingham, Robert Bruno, Doug Grambush, Pamela Kehlenbach, Scott Larsen, Michael Luzzi, Andre Menard, Charlie Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Robert Monro, Giovanni Pagnotta, Paul Ruscito, David Schweitzer, Lisa Scully, Michael Solomson, Juan Uribe, and Therese Williams. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization. News, Events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT.

HOME + HOUSEWARES.

Celebrating the 125th Home + Housewares Show! The team is supporting client brand friends again this year during the Inspired Home Show, March 2-4, 2025, in Chicago, IL. Client brands enjoy benefits from working with Strategic Design Corp. team members, including increased sales revenues and profits, increased market share and retail presence, improved stockholders’ equity, and brand market value. Select brands include Rubbermaid, Sunbeam, Oster, Mr. Coffee, Thermos, Stanley, CVS, Target, and Walmart. Photo via Inspired Home Show.

The Strategic Design Corp. team is attending the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).

International Builders’ Show during Design & Construction Week, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. Helping client friends with the latest product innovations/trends from their leading brands during the shows. News events, strategic design news, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULTS with flagship brands.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Reports Better Than Expected 3rd Quarter Results with Flagship Strategy Brands (July 1-Sept 30, 2022). Q3 results were better than expected compared with the same period last year. Busy Q3 supporting global client brands at the Newport International Boat Show, Industrial Designers Society of America, International Design Conference, IDSA Education Symposium, International Design Excellence Awards, Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 40 and Sunday in the Park, Strategic Design Corp. 28th Anniversary, FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix, follow up from the Summer Fancy Food Show, and continued Real Estate Investment Property Improvements and Research. Photo via Raymarine/FLIR Systems. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

THE QUEEN.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. A prayer on the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Gracious God, we give thanks for the life of your servant Queen Elizabeth, for her faith and her dedication to duty. Bless our nation as we mourn her death and may her example continue to inspire us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Photo/Image via The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, The Church of England.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES AT LIME ROCK PARK.

We are excited to attend and support the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Debut at Lime Rock Park. June 27-28, 2025. https://www.limerock.com Photo by Lime Rock Park. Charlie (Chas) Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. team have collaborated with the iconic CRAFTSMAN brand for over 31 years. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands. Through our Design & Marketing Consultancy and Design Agencies in Southport, CT; New York, NY; and our global network, we provide management consulting services, news, events, and Strategic Design® updates. #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding #managementconsulting

Season's greetings.

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for 2024 from the Charlie Merritt Family. We wish you a Happy Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas, and a New Year of Health, Happiness, and Prosperity.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Rams, Super Bowl LVI Champions!

Enjoyed experiencing & watching the game with winning brand messaging commercials, from our client friends and their advertising agencies: Chevrolet, Disney+, Gillette, General Motors, Hellmann’s/Unilever, Hologic, NBC, NFL, PepsiCo, Nissan, Toyota, Verizon, WeatherTech, and more...Photo via NBC. News, Events. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW.

We highly recommend attending the 29th Annual Rooms With A View - Design for The Greater Good - at Southport Congregational Church, Nov. 8-10, 2024. A Fundraiser That Benefits 19 Local & Regional Charities. Featuring the works of 12 talented designers/architects. For more, please visit https://roomswithaview.org. Image via Rooms with A View.

Hellmann's mayonnaise, Unilever.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Congratulations to our client friends with Hellmann’s Mayonnaise/Unilever for reaching the 2 billion Euro turnover mark in 2022 and the incredible track record of double-digit growth over the past three years. Our team members have worked with our advertising agency partners over the years, providing brand & marketing consulting, brand identity equity research, retail brand presence, packaging equity research, brand extensions, graphic design, and more. Photo via Hellmann’s. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

DIAGEO.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Cheers from our team and best wishes for the holiday season and the new year. Our team members have worked on 20 beverage brands with our client friends at Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Hiram Walker & Sons, Cadbury Schweppes, Mr. & Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix, Mott’s, Kirin Light Beer, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Corona, Brooklyn Bottling, and Best Health. Services provided include strategy, research, brand & marketing consulting, KPI charts, financial analysis, graphic design, packaging, written text editing, chart printing, and more. Photo via Diageo. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

WORLD OF CONCRETE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are attending and supporting client friends again this year at World of Concrete 2023, Jan. 17-19, Las Vegas Convention Center. World of Concrete: Design Services for Construction & Demolition Tools, Material Handling & Safety Equipment. Services provided include strategy, research, brand identity development, product industrial design, human factors, ergonomics, new product development, packaging design, marketing, and more. Our team members have designed products for Ingersoll Rand, ARO, 3M, Stanley Black & Decker, DeWalt, Bostitch, Craftsman, Honeywell, Doosan, Fiskars, John Deere, Mack, Caterpillar, Skil Bosch, Toro, Husqvarna/Jonsered Chain Saws, and more. Image via Charlie Merritt. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

Congratulations to the athletes from around the world competing in the Olympic Games.

Team USA, NBC Sports, clients/friends & brand partners/and our advertising agency partners: WPP plc, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Group of Companies, Dentsu, Accenture Interactive, Deloitte Digital, and PwC Digital Services. Photo via NBC.

TRANS AM.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are excited about attending and supporting the Lime Rock Park Trans Am Memorial Day Classic https://www.limerock.com May 26-29, 2023, in Lakeville, CT. Photo via Lime Rock Park. News events, Strategic Design news, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

TORO.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt provided Toro and other lawn and garden equipment manufacturers with Green Strategy, Research, Management Consulting, New Product Development, Industrial Design, and Innovation Process Consulting. Image via The Toro Company. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

RUBBERMAID, NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW.

Strategic Design Corp. has a long-standing and successful history, especially with its extensive work within the hardware industry. The designers look forward to attending their 29th National Hardware Show, March 26 to 28, 2024. Las Vegas, NV. The team has worked with over 60 hardware industry brands. Rubbermaid: Industrial Design, Product Development Consulting. Charlie Merritt’s group has designed over 120 products for Rubbermaid since 1994. Photo via Rubbermaid. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULTS.

Strategic Design Corp. Reports Better Than Expected 1st Quarter 2025 Results with Increased Activity. The team had a busy 1st Quarter with dozens of Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Supported client design and marketing needs for trade shows, including CES 2025 Consumer Technology Assoc, National Retail Federation (NRF), Davos, Switzerland World Economic Forum, World of Concrete, PGA Golf Merchandise Show, Inspired Home Show, OKEMO/Vail Resorts, KBIS Kitchen & Bath Show, ProMat 2025, National Hardware Show, and JLC Live. Photo via 575 Lexington Ave. News, events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

THERMOS.

Thermos: Product, Packaging, and Brand Design Consulting Experience. Photo via Thermos. Looking forward to the Inspired Home Show 2024, March 17 to 19, 2024. Chicago, IL. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

TRACKER BOATS.

We enjoyed working with TRACKER boats as a certified sales consultant via White River Marine Group/Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center/Tracker Boat Center. TRACKER boats are America’s #1 selling aluminum fishing boats. Also certified sales consultant for Mako, Nitro, Regency, Sun Tracker, Tahoe, and Ascend brands. For more, visit https://www.trackerboats.com. Photo via Tracker Boats.

ROCHE, HOFFMANN-LAROCHE.

Roche, Hoffmann-La Roche: Charlie Merritt’s team at Strategic Design Corp. was retained for two projects by Roche (Hoffmann-La Roche) for Pharmaceutical Structural Packaging Design, Drug Delivery Systems, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Human Factors, Innovation, and Prototypes. Services were provided by the team members in Southport, CT; New York, NY; Irvine, CA; and Atlanta, GA. Photo via Roche. News events, Strategic Design, news.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN DAY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are celebrating. March 5th is National Industrial Design Day. The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) https://www.idsa.org celebrates with the global design community on March 5th in recognition of National Industrial Design Day. Entered into U.S. Congressional Record in 2015. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

REALEMON, REALIME.

Supporting client friends at Natural Products Expo West, March 12-16, 2024, in Anaheim, CA. Charlie Merritt’s team has worked with 58 food and beverage brands/retailers including H-E-B Grocery, Mott’s, ReaLemon, Skippy, and Tetley. ReaLemon: Structural Packaging Design, Brand Consulting, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Models, Prototypes. Photo via ReaLemon. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

APEX USA.

Charlie Merritt and Merritt Strategic Design (Sister Company of Strategic Design Corp.) enjoyed attending APEX USA (American Property Exhibition) Sept. 3-5, 2024, at the Javits Center in New York City. The high-value interactive experience for local and international market players in the real estate community prominently highlights their industry-leading brands, properties, and services to global consumers. For more, visit https://www.usproperty.show. Photo via APEX USA.

STRATEGIC DESIGN CORP. CELEBRATES 31 YEARS!

On this day in 1994…Charlie (Chas) Merritt officially founded Strategic Design Corp. Since then, we have gained worldwide recognition for our exceptional client service. We thank our clients and their iconic global brands for the past 31 years, full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization.


Thanks to Ken Adolphson, Dorothee Ahrens, Bill Anderson, Peter Antipas, Jason Arena, Mark Baldyga, John Battiloro, Grant Bell, Eric Beyer, Matthew Birmingham III, Lucy Blagg, Jennifer Bowles, Cathy Breen, Keith Brightbill, Bob Bruno, Mark Bunger, Brian Caldwell, Debbie Caldwell Lake, Alisha D. Chaffin, Bill Chura, Monica Cianfrano, Greg Cook, Vince Cook, Seth Cooper, Steve Cooper, Kathe Couch, Jon Craine, Anne Crieger, Scott Davis, Brooke Davis, Shiva Dhanapal, Rich DeFilippo, Judi Denault, Carolyn Dennis, Walker DiCarlo, David Dombrowski, Zoltan Domoki, Russell Durand, Rich Edelman, Zoltan Eszlari, Wallace Forbes, Lawrence Frank, Al Fressola, Jamie Garcia, Bob Gautsch, Ed Gleason, Bonnie Gleason, Eric Glerum, Robert Goldberg, Christine Gonzalez, Doug Grambush, Tom Green, Elizabeth Gross, Shari Grossman, Kristine Grunsted, Sonnie Hall, Marty Hochstadt, Darren Horst, Andy Hughes, Mike Jacobs, Ali Johnson, Bob Jones, Steve Jones, Jefre Keeler,  Susie Keeler, Greg Keferl, Pamela Kehlenbach, Kathleen Kilkenny,  Wendy Knothe, Walter Koda, Suzanne Konstance, Scott Larsen, Mack Leask, Walter Leask, Nick Leddy, Mark Lee, Tony Lee, Denise Lefebvre, Norm Leferman, Janet Leonard, Alicia Lewis, Stuart Lewis, Anatoly Loshmanov, Chet Loveland, Steve Lurcott, Michael Luzzi, Fran MacGregor,  Samuel Masterson, Robert Maniscalco, Wendy Marciano, Art Martin, Agostinho Martins, Gregory Mauriello, Charlie Merritt, Doris Merritt, George Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Barbara Miller, Pamela Mohr, Bob Monro, Jeff Mullally, Dan Murphy, Matt Murray, David Nicholson, Ron Noren, Bob Norris, Michael Normyl, Fritz Ober, Lael Porcelli, Son Nguyen, Giovanni Pagnotta, Bob Pedros, John Philion, David Pitney, Phyllis Nickerson Power, Patti Jo Provenzale, William Restmeyer, Randall Rhinesmith, Karen Stults Richwine, Natalie Ruscito, Paul Ruscito, August Sarno, Jennifer Shaefer, Christina Rice, Michael Ridley, Michael Santoro, Rudy Schroeer, David Schweitzer, Donna Greco Scott, Ethan Segal, Lisa Scully, Linda Sheintop, John Sikes, Andy Smith, Michael Solomson, Bob Staubitz, Caitlyn Sprinkle, Kathy Sterling, Frank Stirna, John Stoner, Peter Tepper, Juan Uribe, Mike Vollero, James Wardlaw, Bob Ware, Matt Webb, Christopher Weedon, John Weiss, Steve Weiss, Jamie Weiss, Dr. Benkt Wennberg PhD., Dorothy Wennberg, Rick Whittey, Therese Williams, Amy Wilson, Michael Yang, Bob Zaragoza, and many more. Photo via 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022. STRATEGIC DESIGN® News.

 

GRAND PRIX.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting clients/brand friends/International Motor Sports Association again this year at The FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix. July 15-16, 2022. https://www.imsa.com at Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, CT. Photo via Lime Rock/IMSA. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

BATH & BODY WORKS.

Strategic Design Corp. worked with Bath & Body Works to design 25 products, including Structural Packaging for Home Fragrances & Air Fresheners, Body Care & Massage Products, and Gift Sets. Services provided: Strategy, Research, Structural Packaging Design, Forms, Closures, Models, Prototypes, Branding, and Industrial Design Consulting. Photo via Bath & Body Works.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL.

Mike Jacobs, CEO (Client) at Multitech Medical Devices USA. “To any prospective partners with Strategic Design Corporation. I am pleased to provide this reference for Charlie (Chas) Merritt and his firm. I have worked with Chas as the CEO of a company, Multitech Medical Devices, for many years and observed his team’s ability to deliver exceptional work across a wide range of disciplines – from product design and packaging to branding, marketing strategy, and digital innovation. Their name, Strategic Design®, and their expertise across many fields ensure that their solutions are thoughtful, practical, and aligned with each client’s business goals. Chas is a leader of great integrity, creativity, and professionalism, and also a very enjoyable business partner on a personal level as well. He is deeply committed to his clients’ success and brings both strategic vision and a collaborative spirit to every engagement. I can recommend Chas Merritt and Strategic Design Corp. with complete confidence. They would be a valuable partner for any endeavor or new venture on many fronts.

BOSTON DESIGN WEEK.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client brands during Boston Design Week 2022 from our Boston client service office location. https://www.bostondesignweek.com Boston Design Week, April 26th – May 8th, seeks to increase public awareness and appreciation of all aspects of design, foster recognition of the vital role design plays in our lives, and bring new audiences to a wide array of design industries and organizations. Strategic Design news Southport, CT, New York, NY.

INGERSOLL RAND.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Congratulations to our client friends with Ingersoll Rand for successful new product introductions at the SEMA 2022 (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas. The W7152 ½” High-Torque 20V Cordless Impact Wrench is the most powerful ½” cordless impact wrench in its class. Photo via Ingersoll Rand Power Tools & Lifting. Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

GRATITUDE FOR THANKSGIVING.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Happy Thanksgiving from our Southport (Fairfield), Connecticut location. We express our sincere gratitude to our family, client/customer friends, and their iconic global brands, full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization. Strategic Design News, New York, NY.

SEASON'S GREETINGS.

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for 2025, from the Charlie Merritt Family and the Strategic Design Corp. Teams. We wish you a Happy Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas, and a New Year of Health, Happiness, and Prosperity. Please visit us when you are in New York City. Our New York office is only 3 blocks from Rockefeller Center - the Iconic Midtown Business Complex and Radio City Music Hall - the legendary theater, home of the Rockettes. Photo via Rockefeller Center.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: We are grateful for the opportunity to work with The Met on special design projects since 2008. Services provided: The Met Stores at Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center, Window Bays Panel Graphic Brand Development Design, Visual Merchandising, Decals, Gift Cards, Wayfinding to the Holiday Shop, and the Met Kids store. For more, visit https://www.metmuseum.org. Photo via The Met. News events, Strategic Design News, Southport, CT,  New York, NY.

Celebrating National Industrial Design Day!

The U.S. House of Representatives Recognized March 5 as National Industrial Design Day in 2015. Photo via Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

PACK EXPO EAST.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. is attending Pack Expo East https://www.packexpoeast.com March 21-23, 2022, Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Our teams are supporting client brands within Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage, Life Sciences, Cosmetic/Personal Care, Industrial/Household, and more. Innovation Within Reach. Strategy, Research, Design, Marketing, Innovation, branding. Photo via Pack Expo.

DESIGN CONFERENCE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt is supporting the 2023 IDSA Industrial Designers Society of America, International Design Conference & IDSA Education Symposium in New York City, August 23-25, 2023, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, 1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Just a few blocks from our New York office. Photo via Marriott. For more, visit idsa.org

NY COMIC CON.

We enjoyed attending the first day of the New York Comic Con (NYCC), at the Javits Center, New York City, Oct. 17-20, 2024. (NYCC) This annual pop culture convention celebrates comic books, publishing, television, films, anime, manga, video games, etc. For more, visit https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com. Cover art by Alessandro Cappuccio & Jesus Aburtov, MARVEL.

TRANS AM.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are excited about attending and supporting client/brand friends again this year at Lime Rock Park Trans Am Memorial Day Classic https://www.limerock.com May 27-30, 2022. The lush 300-acre hillside of Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, CT, will play host to a riveting mix of modern and vintage race cars, a craft beer festival, live music, and two curated car shows. BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Pirelli, Porsche, and more...Photo via Lime Rock Park.

SHELL CONVENIENCE STORES.

Charlie Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. team members completed a Retail Brand Strategy program for Shell and their Convenience Stores. Visited 400 stations and convenience stores, and interviewed 600 employees in 33 states. Presented strategic recommendations for C-Stores Merchandising. Photo via Shell.

NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending the impressive New York International Auto Show on April 15-24, 2022. http://www.autoshowny.com Supporting client friends and their Flagship Brands (Ford, GMC, Jeep, and more), while viewing the latest automotive trends displaying innovative design! The event is a unique combination of new automotive ideas, technological innovation, and exceptional concept cars. Photo via New York International Auto Show.

RUBBERMAID, CLIENT TESTIMONIAL.

Darren Horst, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Rubbermaid. “Charlie is an exceptional partner…who offers out-of-the-box creative thinking to every project we have worked on together. I appreciate his willingness to work and understand my business, and then develop creative solutions against the assignment to deliver results beyond expectation."

MEDEVICE BOSTON EXPO.

We are attending the MEDevice Boston Expo 2024 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Sept. 25-26, 2024. MEDevice is a meeting place for designers, engineers, and business leaders from MedTech, biotech, and pharma to inspire and collaborate on the next life-changing medical device innovation. For more, visit https://www.medeviceboston.com. Photo via BCEC.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK CITY.

Charlie Merritt attended the Syracuse University, Design Senior Portfolio Showcase - to meet the latest graduating seniors - at the Fisher Center, New York City, May 7-8, 2024, 5-8 pm, 19 East 31st Street, New York, NY 10016. https://lnkd.in/e8feXd8j The event featured amazing work by talented students from Communications Design, Design Studies, Design M.F.A., Interior and Environmental Design, and Industrial and Interaction Design. Thanks to Don Carr, Ralf Oliver Schneider, Emily Stokes-Rees, Ph.D., and David Major for hosting the event. We highly recommend that organizations hire these talented students - photo via Syracuse University.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULTS with flagship strategy brands.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Reports Better Than Expected 2nd Quarter Results with Flagship Strategy Brands (April 1-June 30, 2022). Q2 results were better than expected compared with the same period last year. Busy Q2 supporting our June Real Estate Research and Investment Property Purchase in Southport (Fairfield), CT; Summer Fancy Food Show; Hagerty | Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance; Lime Rock Park Trans Am Memorial Day Classic; New York City Design Week; Boston Design Week; New York International Auto Show, and The National Hardware Show. Photo via Strategic Design Corp. by Anatoly Loshmanov and Charlie Merritt.

waterpik, GREATER NEW YORK dental meeting.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt is supporting client brands while conducting Design Services Research during the 99th Greater New York Dental Meeting, November 26-29th, in New York City. The event highlights new, innovative oral care products by 3M, Colgate, Dentsply Sirona, Henry Schein, Invisalign, Philips Sonicare, Ritter, Waterpik, and more. The show is the largest and most popular convention for healthcare professionals, with exhibits that demonstrate the newest technology for the dental profession. Image via Waterpik.

I’m excited to share that my son, Robert Merritt, and my daughter-in-law, Lucy Blagg, are going into the studio tomorrow (April 17, 2024) to record their debut album! They created a fundraising page to help offset recording costs and are making great progress toward reaching their goal. If you’re interested in learning more, the page has more information about the project. Thanks for your support! https://www.gofundme.com/f/butterfly-musics-debut-album-and-tour?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=CP_SSS_variant 

MAKO BOATS.

We are grateful for having had the opportunity to work with MAKO Offshore & Inshore Saltwater Boats as a certified sales consultant via White River Marine Group/Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center/Tracker Boat Center. It is a great time to buy a new Mako. For more, visit https://www.makoboats.com. Photo via Mako Boats.

CES.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are supporting client friends during CES Jan. 9-12, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV, for our 29th year. The most influential tech event in the world is a platform for innovators of all sizes to build their brands. Our team members have worked with 30 brands at CES including Apple, AT&T, Bosch, Caterpillar, dbx, GM, Haier, Harman International, John Deere, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Panasonic, P&G, Philips, Royal, Sony, and more. Services provided include strategy, research, design, marketing, innovation consulting, new product development, industrial design, and brand packaging design. Photo via CES.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK CITY.

Enjoyed attending the Syracuse University Design Senior Spotlight in New York City on May 6th. Featuring work by seniors in communications design, environmental and interior design, design studies, fashion design, and industrial and interaction design, at Syracuse University’s Lubin House, 11 East 61st Street, New York, New York. Photo by Charlie Merritt.

SEASON'S GREETINGS.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Season’s Greetings & Best Wishes for the 2023 New Year. We wish you a happy holiday season, a merry Christmas, and a new year of health, happiness, and prosperity. Our New York office is just two blocks from the wonderful Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Photo via NBC Universal Media.

SCHICK QUATTRO RAZORS.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Schick Quattro: Titanium-Coated Four-Blade Razors, Strategy, New Product Development, Innovation Consulting. We have had the opportunity to provide new product development innovation consulting services to many brands within the personal care category, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), including Schick Quattro® Razors and Schick Xtreme® 3 Razors. Services provided include strategy, research, new product development, innovation consulting, naming, focus groups, with the advertising agency of record - to test positioning tagline statements and new product development for Schick Quattro® Razors and global packaging designs for Schick Xtreme® 3 Disposable Razors. Image via Charlie Merritt/Schick.

RUBBERMAID, NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL DESIGN DAY.

Happy National Industrial Design Day! March 5th. Thanks to the Industrial Designers for contributing to this Rubbermaid design program: Art Martin, Charlie Merritt, Rich DeFilippo, Bill Chura, Doug Grambush, Steve Jones, Jeff Mullaly, and Eric Beyer for the first model/prototype. Other team members: Janet Leonard and Kristine Grunsted. Rubbermaid/Carex Client: Darren Horst, Keith Brightbill, Shiva Dhanapal, and more. Rubbermaid: Overbed Tables, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Ergonomics, Human Factors, Engineering, New Product Development.

SUNBEAM MIXMASTER HAND & STAND ADAPTABLE, best-selling KITCHEN MIXERS.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. The Sunbeam Mixmaster Hand & Stand Adaptable kitchen mixers, with 6 speeds and 210 Watts of power, are some of the best-selling mixers of all time - a successful throwback Thursday - with millions of units sold to happy consumers. The primary Industrial Design team members include Charlie Merritt, Doug Grambush, and Art Martin. Sunbeam + Oster: Mixmaster Hand & Stand Adaptable Mixers, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Prototypes. Services provided: Strategy, research, industrial design, human factors, user experience, new product development, ten-year design language, and working prototype models. Team members supported client friends for the 28th year at The Inspired Home Show, March 4-7, 2023, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Design Services for Home + Housewares, Clean + Contain, Dine + Décor, and Wired + Well. Photo by Charlie Merritt.

USA flag, INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Happy Independence Day, 4th of July 2024. USA Flag Design: The Flag of the United States of America symbolizes freedom and liberty to which Americans pledge their allegiance. The flag design consists of 13 alternating red and white stripes representing the 13 original colonies (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia), and 50 white stars on a blue field, each representing a state. The colors of the flag represent Red: Valor and Bravery. White: Purity and Innocence. Blue: Vigilance, Perseverance, and Justice.

Newport International Boat Show.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt attended the 52nd Annual Newport International Boat Show while supporting client brands. Image via Newport International Boat Show.

Happy Lunar New Year, Year of the Dragon. Celebrating and bringing forth the luck and prosperity of the new year!

NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending their 27th National Hardware Show 2022. https://www.nationalhardwareshow.com April 5-7, 2022, Las Vegas Convention Center. Our teams are supporting 60 client brands. Discovering the newest, most diverse range of products and learning about trends shaping the future of the hardware & home improvement markets. Attendee Goals: 75% Discover new products; 67% Source new vendors; 58% Meet with existing vendors; 56% Browse latest lines and trends; 46% Network with colleagues; 17% Purchase/write orders; 10% Attend education sessions. Exhibitor Goals: Gain new customers/leads; Exposure/build overall brand perception & awareness; Relationship building with current customers; Launching a new product; Competitive evaluation; Write orders. Product Category Interest: Hardware & Tools; Lawn, Garden & Outdoor; Building Products; Electrical; Homewares; Tailgate, Backyard & BBQ; Paint & Accessories; Storage & Organization; Plumbing; Pet Products; Farm & Ranch; PPE (Personal Protective Equipment); Retail Service Solutions. Photo via Stanley Black & Decker.

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN CONFERENCE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are supporting the Industrial Designers Society of America, the International Design Conference, the IDSA Education Symposium, and the International Design Excellence Awards. https://www.internationaldesignconference.com Sept. 12-14, 2022, Seattle, WA. Photo via IDSA.

NEWPORT BOAT SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client brands at the 51st Newport International Boat Show, in Newport, Rhode Island. Sept. 15-18, 2022. https://newportboatshow.com The Newport International Boat Show (NIBS), one of the country's largest and most prestigious boat shows, spans over thirteen acres of historic downtown Newport. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands https://www.strategicdesigncorp.com that our team has experience with include Boston Whaler, Kenyon, Mercury, Motorola, OMC, Interlux Yacht Finishes, Raymarine, Sea Ray/Brunswick Corp., and more… Photo via Sea Ray. #strategy #research #design #marketing #Innovation #branding Walk the docks and view a spectacular display of shiny new sailboats and powerboats. On the land side, you will find hundreds of marine products, services, and accessories to enhance the boating lifestyle.

NEWPORT international BOAT SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt enjoyed attending and supporting client brands at the 51st Newport International Boat Show in Newport, Rhode Island. Sept. 15-18, 2022. https://newportboatshow.com The Newport International Boat Show (NIBS), one of the country's largest and most prestigious boat shows, spans over thirteen acres of historic downtown Newport. Charlie Merritt and Strategic Design Corp. have experience working this September with Marine Fish Finders & Marine Navigation products, Marine Sonar Accessories, Marine Radios & Marine Stereos, Marine Mounts, Marine Handheld GPS, Marine Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) & Marine Cameras. Also have experience with Boston Whaler, Kenyon, Mercury, Motorola, OMC, Interlux Yacht Finishes, Raymarine, Sea Ray/Brunswick Corp., and more.

EARTH DAY.

Celebrating Earth Day 2024 today and this week from The Pavilions at Penfield Beach (Penfield Pavilion), Fairfield, CT, USA, on Long Island Sound. An annual celebration honoring the achievements of the environmental movement and raising awareness of the importance of long-term ecological sustainability. Photo via Charlie Merritt.

FANCY FOOD SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. is supporting the food and beverage industry again this year during the summer specialty food show in New York City.

LIQUID NAILS, jlc live.

We enjoyed attending the JLC Live 30th Anniversary Show on March 28 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI. The show focused on residential construction and remodeling, showcasing over 250 brands, including Anderson Windows & Doors, AZEK, Brosco, DAP, OSI, Loctite, GE Silicones, Marvin, Panasonic, Pella, Simpson, Sherwin-Williams, Trex, and Tyvek. Photo via Liquid Nails.

News, strategic design news, events, Southport, CT, New York, NY.

GRATITUDE FOR 28 YEARS.

News, Events. On this day, July 25th in 1994…Strategic Design Corporation was officially incorporated. Since then, we have grown to become recognized worldwide for our exceptional client service. We express our sincere gratitude for the past 28 years to our clients and their iconic global brands, full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization. Thanks to Ken Adolphson, Dorothee Ahrens, Peter Antipas, Mark Baldyga, John Battiloro, Eric Beyer, Matthew Birmingham III, Jennifer Bowles, Bob Bruno, Mark Bunger, Brian Caldwell, Debbie Caldwell Lake, Alisha D. Chaffin, Bill Chura, Greg Cook, Vince Cook, Seth Cooper, Steve Cooper, Monica Cianfrano, Kathe Couch, Jon Craine, Shiva Dhanapal, Rich DeFilippo, Judy Denault, Carolyn Dennis, Walker DiCarlo, Russell Durand, Zoltan Eszlari, Lawrence Frank, Al Fressola, Jamie Garcia, Ed Gleason, Bonnie Gleason, Christine Gonzalez, Doug Grambush, Tom Green, Elizabeth Gross, Shari Grossman, Kristine Grunsted, Sonnie Hall, Marty Hochstadt, Darren Horst, Ali Johnson, Bob Jones, Steve Jones, Jefre Keeler,  Susie Keeler, Pamela Kehlenbach, Kathleen Kilkenny,  Wendy Knothe, Scott Larsen, Mack Leask, Walter Leask, Tony Lee, Norm Leferman, Janet Leonard, Alicia Lewis, Stuart Lewis, Anatoly Loshmanov, Michael Luzzi, Robert Maniscalco, Wendy Marciano, Art Martin, Agostinho Martins, Gregory Mauriello, Charlie Merritt, Doris Merritt, George Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Barbara Miller, Bob Monro, Jeff Mullally, Dan Murphy, Matt Murray, Ron Noren, Bob Norris, Michael Normyl, Fritz Ober, Lael Porcelli, Son Nguyen, Giovanni Pagnotta, Bob Pedros, John Philion, David Pitney, Phyllis Nickerson Power, Patti Jo Provenzale, Natalie Ruscito, Paul Ruscito, August Sarno, Jennifer Shaefer, Christina Rice, Michael Santoro, Rudy Schroeer, David Schweitzer, Lisa Scully, Linda Sheintop, John Sikes, Andy Smith, Michael Solomson, Caitlyn Sprinkle, Kathy Sterling, Frank Stirna, Peter Tepper, Juan David Uribe, Bob Ware, Matt Webb, John Weiss, Dr. Benkt Wennberg PhD., Dorothy Wennberg, Rick Whittey, Therese Williams, Amy Wilson, Michael Yang, and many more. Photo via Tower 49® 12 East 49th Street, New York, NY 10017.

NEW YORK BOAT SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, attended the New York Boat Show, January 24-28, 2024, while supporting client brands. It was great seeing an incredible lineup of new boats, motors, and marine equipment from Beneteau, Boston Whaler, Chris Craft, Cigarette, Garmin, Grady-White, Honda, Jeanneau, Lowrance, Mercury, Raymarine, Robalo, Sea-Doo, Sea Ray, Yamaha, and more. Photo via New York Boat Show.

CES.

Congratulations to our client friends for another successful CES 2025 show experience! Jan. 7-10, 2025, | in Las Vegas, NV. CES is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. Image via the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

MICROLIFE.

The Strategic Design Corp. team has worked with Microlife on Bluetooth blood pressure monitors, thermometers, and respiratory care products. Services provided: strategy, research, new product development, models and prototypes, human factors, ergonomics, user interface, branding, packaging, and design consulting.

CVS PHARMACY, CVS HEALTH.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Congratulations to CVS Pharmacy/CVS Health™ and our global client teams on the continuous and successful sales of the New CVS Health™ Soothing Heat Wraps. Comforting warmth to relax & unwind. CVS Health™ Soothing Heat Wrap is ideal to surround yourself with warmth and comfort where you need it most. Relax and select one of four settings for the perfect amount of evenly distributed heat. •Delivers warmth to any part of the body, •Ultrasoft fabric, •Heats in 30 seconds, • 4 Accu-Heat® settings with LED indicators, •2 Hour auto-off feature, •Detachable connector allows for machine washing. Easy-to-use, Ergonomic Controller Industrial Design, Design Engineering, Rapid Prototyping, and Production Tooling CAD.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Happy New Year! Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

DAVOS, Switzerland.

Strategic Design Corp. supports Davos, Switzerland 2025, World Economic Forum, 55th Annual Meeting, Jan. 20-24, 2025, Davos, Switzerland. This year’s meeting theme is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” The World Economic Forum connects communities of leaders around global issues through high-level meetings, research, initiatives, and digital networks. They believe dialogue and cooperation between businesses, governments, and society can improve the state of the world. Photo via World Economic Forum.

TRANS AM.

We are excited about attending and supporting the Lime Rock Park Trans Am Memorial Day Classic https://www.limerock.com May 24-27, 2024, in Lakeville, CT. Photo via Lime Rock Park.

EQUIP EXPO.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt and the design team are supporting client brands during the 40th Equip Exposition, the international landscape, outdoor living, and equipment exposition, October 17-20, in Louisville, Kentucky. Electric riding mower photo via Craftsman/Stanley Black & Decker.

DISCOVER BOATING.

We enjoyed attending the Discover Boating Norwalk Boat Show from September 19-22, 2024. It was nice to experience exciting new products from Beneteau, Boston Whaler, Chris Craft, Garmin, Grady-White, Jeanneau, Mercury, Sea Ray, and more. Photo via Norwalk Boat Show.

Happy Thanksgiving!

NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are attending and supporting client friends again this year at the National Hardware Show 2023, January 31-February 2, 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center. National Hardware Show: Design Services for Tools, PPE, Hardware, Storage & Organization, Lawn & Garden, and Building Products. Services provided include strategy, research, product industrial design, human factors, design engineering, new product development, packaging design, brand identity design, and marketing. Charlie Merritt and our team members have designed products for 60 brands within the hardware industry including Ingersoll Rand, ARO, 3M, Stanley Black & Decker, DeWalt, Bostitch, Craftsman, Rubbermaid, Liquid Nails, Toro, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Endeavor Tool, Honeywell, Hunter Fan, Syroco, Ames True Temper, Ace, The Home Depot, Elmer’s, Fiskars, John Deere, Caterpillar, Skil Bosch, Husqvarna/Jonsered Chain Saws, X-Acto, and more. Image via Charlie Merritt.

ge appliances, haier, KBIS.

Congratulations to client friends for another successful Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS)! The KBIS show took place in Las Vegas, Feb 25-27, and it is the ultimate destination for industry professionals and design enthusiasts, offering an unparalleled experience in innovation and inspiration. Benefits for Strategic Design Corp. Client brands have included increased brand sales and brand profits, improved brand market share and retail presence, and elevated and strengthened stockholders’ equity and brand market value. Photo via GE Appliances, A Haier Company.

INGERSOLL RAND, WORLD OF CONCRETE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Charlie Merritt supported client friends at World of Concrete 2024, Jan. 22-25, Las Vegas Convention Center. Design Services for Construction and Demolition Tools, Material Handling, and Safety Equipment. Our team members have designed products over the past 40 years for Ingersoll Rand, ARO, 3M, Stanley Black & Decker, DeWalt, Bostitch, Craftsman, Honeywell, Doosan, Fiskars, John Deere, Mack, Caterpillar, SKIL Bosch, Toro, Husqvarna/Jonsered Chain Saws, and more. Image via Charlie Merritt.

BETTER than expected RESULTS.

STRATEGIC DESIGN CORP. REPORTS BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED SECOND-QUARTER RESULTS 2024. July 31, 2024, NEW YORK, NY. Q2 Results (April 1 - June 30, 2024) were better than expected. Gross Sales increased 100% over the same period last year. The teams in New York, NY; Southport, CT; Irvine, CA; Long Island, NY; Morrisville, NC; Maple Plain, MN; and Taiwan saw an Increase in Requests For Proposals and delivered profitable design consulting services. Services provided: Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Human Factors/Ergonomics, Design Engineering, Rapid Prototyping, Brand Identity, Graphic Design, User Interface Design, and Innovation Consulting. The focus was on medical devices and other products with new printed circuit boards utilizing advanced microchips/integrated circuits. Charlie Merritt also recently worked with NITRO Boats as a certified sales consultant via White River Marine Group/Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center/Tracker Boat Center. NITRO Boats are performance fishing boats (Bass Boats, Multi-Species, Fish and Ski). Also certified sales consultant for Mako, Tracker, Regency, Sun Tracker, Tahoe, and Ascend brands. For more, visit https://www.nitro.com. Photo via NITRO Boats.

JEEP, NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW.

New York International Auto Show: March 29 - April 7, 2024. Design Services for the Automotive Industry, Strategy, Research, Trends Analysis, Industrial Design Consulting, Brand & Graphic Design, Marketing Consulting, Innovation, and User Experience. Photo via NYIAS. For more about the show, visit https://www.autoshowny.com. Charlie Merritt’s team is at the show this week, and he has provided design services for GM, GMC, Jeep, Shell, and more.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULTS.

Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Reports Better Than Expected 1st Quarter Results with Flagship Strategy Brands (Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2022). Apr. 13, 2022, NEW YORK, NY. Q1 Flagship Strategy Brand Results were better than expected compared with the same period last year. Busy Q1 researching and supporting client brands at CES Show/Consumer Technology, National Retail Federation (NRF)/Retail’s Big Show, World of Concrete Show, Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS)/International Builder’s Show (NAHB), Winter Fancy Food Show, Super Bowl LVI Brands, Olympic Games, The Inspired Home Show, Pack Expo East, Global Pet Expo, MODEX Show, National Hardware Show, Real Estate Research and Investments, and International Auto Show starting on April 15-24th. Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World Photo via National Park Service.

MTI FOR CVS HEALTH.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Enjoyable project with MTI for CVS Health + CVS Pharmacy: Portable Relief e-Patch™ Kits, Powerful Heated Pain Relief, Brand, Packaging, App Screens. Services provided include strategy, research, brand identity design, packaging design, app screens/user interface design, new product idea consulting, and more. Our team members have worked with 65 brands in the healthcare, medical, and pharmaceutical segments, including CVS Health, HCA Healthcare, Pfizer, Roche, and Walgreens.

HAIER, KITCHEN & BATH INDUSTRY SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt and the team are celebrating the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), Co-located with the (NAHB IBS) International Builders Show, on February 27-29, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV. Client brands: Haier/GE, American Standard, Delta, and more. The show is North America’s largest trade show dedicated to kitchen and bath design. Photo via Haier.

architectural DESIGN AND BUILD.

Southport, CT. Design and Build. Our expertise extends beyond design into real estate. We have successfully managed comprehensive investment and improvement projects for 35 luxury residential and commercial properties across Connecticut (CT), Massachusetts (MA), New York (NY), and Vermont (VT). The strategic architectural designs and interior renovations have delivered a high financial Return on Investment (ROI). In 2022, this 4,266-square-foot, 6-bedroom home sold for $1,525,000. Merritt’s multifaceted contributions demonstrate his commitment to excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction. Photo by Charlie Merritt.

NRF RETAIL'S BIG SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are cheering for client friends again this year at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show, Jan. 14-16, Javits Center, New York, NY. NRF National Retail Federation: Design Services for Food & Drug Stores, General Merchandisers, and Specialty Retailers. Services provided include strategy, research, brand identity development, product industrial design, packaging design, graphic design, retail merchandising design, and more. Our team members have worked with 40 retail brands in the food & drug stores, general merchandisers, and specialty retailer segments, including Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s/Tracker Boat Center, Bath & Body Works, CVS, H-E-B, Nordstrom, Shell, Target, The Home Depot, Walgreens, and Walmart. Image via NRF.

DESIGN WEEK.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting NYCxDesign Week, The Festival. NYC’s Official Celebration of Design. May 18-25, 2023, New York City. Image via NYCxDesign.

LIME ROCK PARK TRANS AM 2025 Memorial Day Classic.

We are excited about auto racing and attending/supporting brands at the Lime Rock Park Trans Am 2025 Memorial Day Classic again this year. https://www.limerock.com May 23-26, 2025, in Lakeville, CT. Services provided: Strategy, research, design, marketing, innovation, branding, communications, management consulting, design thinking, and creative. Photo via Lime Rock Park. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding

JONSERED CHAIN SAWS AND HUSQVARNA.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. The team is helping to prepare the firewood for the winter holiday. We have designed chainsaws and other power tools with our client friends at Husqvarna, Ingersoll Rand, Jonsered, Skil, Stanley, DeWalt, Bostitch, ARO, Black & Decker, Craftsman, Hilti, Sears, and Toro. Services provided include strategy, research, industrial design, human factors, ergonomics, new product development, branding, exhibit design, and more. Photo via Husqvarna.

Footjoy, PGA GOLF MERCHANDISE SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, and the team supported the PGA Golf Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, January 23-25, 2024. The team has provided research and design services for golf brands like FootJoy, Spalding, Top-Flite, Toro, and more since 1994. Photo via FootJoy.

NRF.

Congratulations to our client friends for another successful NRF 2025! National Retail Federation, Retail’s Big Show, Jan. 12-14, 2025. Javits Center, New York, NY. NRF is the central hub for industry professionals and thought leaders to look at the future of retail. Image via NRF.

Happy Chinese New Year/Lunar New.

Year of the Tiger to our strategic alliance client partners. We join the 1.5 billion people worldwide to celebrate and bring forth the luck and prosperity of the New Year. News, Events.

SUNBEAM heating pad CONTROLLERs SOLD OVER 34 MILLION UNITS.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Form and Function: The Sunbeam Health at Home Moist Heating Pad Controllers – with advanced technology, smart, auto-off controls with four temperature settings, fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, and enjoyed the majority of market share – selling over 34 million units - successful throwback Thursday success series. The primary Industrial Design team members included Charlie Merritt, Doug Grambush, Steve Jones, Rich DeFilippo, and Bill Chura. Sunbeam: Digital Heating Pad Controllers, Industrial Design, Ergonomics, Prototyping. Services provided: Strategy, research, industrial design, new product development, ergonomics/human factors, three different appearance models, and rapid prototyping. Patented wire technology by John W. Weiss and produced by MTI, Michael Yang, and his team. Photo by Charlie Merritt.

SNOWBOUND EXPO BOSTON.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt attended Snowbound Expo Boston 2023 (Snowsports Industries America) on November 5th to conduct research and support client partner brands. Merritt has invested in and owned 4 properties at Okemo Mountain and 1 at Stratton Mountain. Brands represented at the show include Alterra, Atomic, Bern, Burton, Deuter, Dynafit, Dynastar, Elan, Fischer, Head, Helly Hansen, Hestra, Lange, Marker, National Ski Patrol, Nordica, Oakley, Obermeyer, Okemo, Peloton, Rollerblade, Rossignol, Salomon, Smith, Stio, Stockli, Subaru, Swany, Tecnica, Teton, Thule, Tyrolia, and Volkl. Photo via Okemo Mountain Resort.

GRAND PRIX.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Join us at Lime Rock Park as we support and watch some of the most exciting sports cars on the planet battle for victory at the FCP Euro Northeast Grand Prix presented by LIQUI MOLY. https://www.limerock.com July 21-23, 2023, in Lakeville, CT. Image via Lime Rock Park.

EARTH DAY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are celebrating Earth Day 2023 this week from The Pavilions at Penfield Beach (Penfield Pavilion), Fairfield, CT, USA, on Long Island Sound. An annual celebration honoring the achievements of the environmental movement and raising awareness of the importance of long-term ecological sustainability. Photo via Charlie Merritt.

WORLD OF CONCRETE SHOW.

News, Events. Another enjoyable World of Concrete Show, Las Vegas Convention Center. Great to see so many innovative products within the New Product Zone from our client friends at DeWalt and more. WOC is an international event dedicated to the commercial concrete/construction industries, displaying innovative products, construction machinery/equipment, safety training courses, and modern technologies. Charlie Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. Teams have Researched & Designed tools, and equipment to help 3M, Bobcat, Bosch, Caterpillar, DeWalt, Doosan, Fiskars, GMC, Hilti, Honeywell, Husqvarna, Ingersoll Rand, John Deere, Mack, Makita, Milwaukee, SKIL, Stanley, Stihl, and Volvo.

Thank You to All Veterans-on-Veterans Day.

INSPIRED HOME SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, and team members are supporting client friends for the 28th year at The Inspired Home Show, March 4-7, 2023, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Design Services for Home + Housewares, Clean + Contain, Dine + Décor, and Wired + Well. Services provided: Strategy, research, brand identity, industrial design, human factors, new product development, packaging, merchandising, and innovation consulting. Photo via Charlie Merritt/Inspired Home Show.

TAHOE BOATS.

Fun working with TAHOE Boats as a certified sales consultant via White River Marine Group/Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Boating Center/Tracker Boat Center. TAHOE Boats are (Family Fishing, Sport Runabouts, Deck Boats with Mercury Motors). Also certified sales consultant for Mako, Tracker, Regency, Sun Tracker, Nitro, and Ascend brands. For more, visit https://www.tahoeboats.com. Photo via TAHOE Boats.

GREENWICH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE, HAGERTY 2025.

We are very excited to support the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, HAGERTY 2025 again this year, celebrating Sport, Style, Innovation, and Elegance. https://www.greenwichconcours.com May 30-June 1, 2025, in Greenwich, CT. Photo by Charlie Merritt. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands. Through our Design Consultancy and Design Agencies in Southport, CT, and New York, NY, we provide news, events, and Strategic Design® updates. #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding

BOSTON DESIGN WEEK.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting brands during Boston Design Week 2023 - from our Boston client service office location, on April 25-May 7, 2023. Boston Design Week seeks to increase public awareness and appreciation of all aspects of design, foster recognition of the vital role design plays in our lives, and bring new audiences to a wide array of design industries and organizations. Photo via Charlie Merritt/Boston Design Week.

LIME ROCK HISTORIC FESTIVAL.

Charlie Merritt and team members are attending and financially supporting the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 42, featuring amazing racing and sports cars. August 30-September 2, 2024, Lakeville, CT. For more, visit https://www.limerock.com. Photo via Lime Rock.

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET, Central Life Sciences.

Central Garden & Pet, Central Life Sciences, Client Testimonial: Chet Loveland, Brand Manager. “Charlie is an outstanding professional. While providing packaging design consulting services, he managed the process superbly. An innovative packaging option dramatically improved our shelf presence, consumer appeal, and competitive advantage. A strong lift in year-over-year sales demonstrates the effectiveness of the packaging. Charlie was highly flexible and understanding of our needs as a manufacturer and made the project a fantastic experience.” Services provided: Strategy, research, structural packaging design, innovation, improved shelf presence & consumer appeal, increased sales. Photo via Charlie Merritt.

INSPIRED HOME SHOW.

Happy First Day of Spring! Cheering for client friends exhibiting at The Inspired Home Show, March 17-19, 2024, in Chicago, IL. Photo via Inspired Home Show.

WORLD OF CONCRETE.

Congratulations to our client friends for another successful World of Concrete (WOC) 2025! Jan. 21-23, 2025. Las Vegas, NV. Services provided: Design & Marketing Services for Construction/Demolition Tools, Material Handling & Safety Equipment. Strategy, research, branding, industrial design, human factors, new product development, packaging, marketing communications, and innovation consulting. WOC is an annual international trade show dedicated to commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Image via WOC.

NEW YORK International Auto Show.

Please join us in celebrating the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) 2025. April 18-27, 2025, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY. Visit https://www.autoshowny.com. Photo via NYIAS.

HAGERTY | GREENWICH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client/brand friends again this year at Hagerty |Greenwich Concours d’Elegance 2022. https://www.greenwichconcours.com June 3-5, 2022, Greenwich, Connecticut. Congratulations to the 2022 Best of Show Winner: 1948 Packard Convertible Victoria Eight by Vignale. Thanks to Sponsors: Hagerty, Miller Motor Cars, Chopard, Griot’s Garage, JPMorgan Private Bank, McLaren, Yeti, Lamborghini Greenwich, Putnam Leasing, Jet It, Lincoln, North American Motor Car, American Metal, Broad Arrow Group, Lucid, Jaguar, Land Rover, Petersen Automotive Museum, Delamar, Stringo, Greenwich Teen Center, TAG, and more...Photo via Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance/Hagerty.

LUXE PACK.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client brands while conducting packaging design trend research at Luxe Pack New York. The premier trade show for creative packaging. May 10-11, 2023, Javits Center, New York City. The trade show platform is the sought-after B-to-B event for the largest U.S. luxury brands within all sectors (cosmetics, fragrance, wine & spirits, gourmet food, and tech) to explore and source new packaging suppliers, materials, and products. Image via Luxe Pack.

CONTOUR PRODUCTS CPAP COOLFLEX PILLOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Congratulations to our client friends at Contour Products on the success of the new innovative Contour CPAP CoolFlex Pillow. The pillow features a revolutionary FlexZone and provides users with therapeutic cooling & soothing comfort. Services provided: strategy, research, industrial design innovation, human factors, ergonomics, brand language inspiration, and new product development CAD. Thanks to the Strategic Design Corp. team members who have worked on the account, including Charlie Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Scott Larsen, David Schweitzer, Doug Grambush, Bob Monro, Peter Antipas, and Pamela Kehlenbach. Photo via Contour Products Inc.

Happy International Women’s Day! A global day celebrating the achievements of women. Special recognition to Margaret Merritt, Associate Director, Dove Global at Unilever.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY to the USA 2025.

Strategic Design Corp., Merritt Strategic Design, and Merritt Strategic Design Investments wish Happy Birthday to the USA! Independence Day is celebrated on July 4, 2025. USA Flag Design: The Flag of the United States of America symbolizes freedom and liberty to which Americans pledge their allegiance. The flag design consists of 13 alternating red and white stripes representing the 13 original colonies (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia), and 50 white stars on a blue field, each representing a state. The colors of the flag represent Red: Valor and Bravery. White: Purity and Innocence. Blue: Vigilance, Perseverance, and Justice. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands, STRATEGIC DESIGN® News. #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding #managementconsulting 

DOVE, UNILEVER.

Congratulations to Dove for Winning My/Our Vote for the Best Super Bowl Commercial Messaging. We celebrate and support all women, “Keep Her Confident,” Body Confidence in Sports, and the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. Image via Dove/Unilever.

FANCY FOOD SHOW.

We are attending and supporting clients and brand friends again this year at The Summer Fancy Food Show, June 23-25, 2024. Javits Center, New York, New York.

INNOVATION AWARDS.

News, Events. Congratulations to the Global Innovation Awards (GIA) Finalist for Excellence in Product Design - Announced during The Inspired Home Show, Formerly the International Home + Housewares Show, The World’s Leading Home + Housewares Show, March 5-7, 2022, | McCormick Place | Chicago, IL USA. https://www.theinspiredhomeshow.com Photo via International Housewares Association.

HAGERTY | GREENWICH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are very enthusiastic about attending and supporting the Hagerty | Greenwich Concours d’Elegance 2023. https://www.greenwichconcours.com June 2-4, 2023, Greenwich, Connecticut. Photo via Hagerty.

PRODUCE SHOW AND CONFERENCE.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. enjoyed supporting our client friends (Del Monte, Dole, Grocery Retail, Mott’s, Sunkist) this week during The New York Produce Show & Conference - the second largest produce trade show in North America. Mott’s: Apple Juice & Apple Sauce Discovery focus groups, design ideation, packaging innovation, consumer/user purchase priorities, positioning statements, bottle shapes, and more.

NRF National Retail Federation.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are attending and supporting client friends again this year at NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show | The #1 Retail Show, Jan. 14-17, Javits Center, New York, NY. NRF National Retail Federation: Design Services for Food & Drug Stores, General Merchandisers, and Specialty Retailers. Services provided include strategy, research, brand identity development, product industrial design, packaging design, graphic design, retail merchandising design, and more. Our team members have worked with 40 retail brands in the food & drug stores, general merchandisers, and specialty retailer segments, including Bath & Body Works, CVS, H-E-B, Shell, Target, The Home Depot, Walgreens, and Walmart. Image via Charlie Merritt.

nycxDESIGN FESTIVAL week.

Design is all around us. We are supporting and participating in the NYCxDESIGN Festival Week. May 16-23, 2024. For more, visit https://nycxdesign.org. Image via NYCxDESIGN.

CES.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are attending and supporting client friends during CES Jan. 5-8, 2023, in Las Vegas, NV & Digital for our 28th year. The most influential tech event in the world is a platform for innovators of all sizes to build their brands. Our team members have worked with 30 brands at CES including Apple, AT&T, Bosch, Caterpillar, dbx, GM, Haier, Harman International, John Deere, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Panasonic, P&G, Philips, Royal, Sony, and more. Image via Consumer Technology Association.

PROFITS OF THE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.

Congratulations to Fortune 500 Client Brands for another profitable year. Image via Fortune Magazine. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands. Through our Design Consultancy and Design Agencies in Southport, CT, New York, NY, and our global network, we provide news, events, and Strategic Design® updates. #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding #managementconsulting

LUXE PACK.

We are attending and supporting client brands while conducting packaging design trend research at Luxe Pack New York. The premier trade show for creative packaging. May 8-9, 2024, Javits Center, New York City. The trade show platform is the sought-after B-to-B event for the largest U.S. luxury brands within all sectors (cosmetics, fragrance, wine & spirits, gourmet food, and tech) to explore and source new packaging suppliers, materials, and products. Image via Luxe Pack.

MULTITECH MEDICAL DEVICES patent.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We are very pleased to celebrate that a new patent number D974928 has been granted on January 10, 2023, and assigned to our client friends. Multitech Medical Devices USA LLC: Quick Thermometers, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Ergonomics, Human Factors, Design Engineering, Rapid Prototyping. The inventors on the patent are Charles F.T. Merritt (Southport, CT), Douglas H. Grambush (Corona Del Mar, CA), and Scott W. Larsen (Newtown, CT). Key team member Robert J. T. Merritt (Providence, RI) played a significant role while conducting professional thermometer market research and writing a superior 30-page report with photos/images to guide the teams. We have had the opportunity to provide new product development innovation consulting services to many brands within the healthcare and medical devices categories for over 28 years including CVS Health + CVS Pharmacy, HCA Healthcare, Medtronic, Microlife, Mobile Heartbeat, Johnson & Johnson, Nova Biomedical, Pfizer, Rite Aid, Roche, Rubbermaid Healthcare, Carex, Sunbeam Health at Home, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, Yale New Haven Health. Image via Charlie “Chas” Merritt.

BURGER KING.

Happy National Cheeseburger Day on September 18th! Charlie Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. team members enjoy eating cheeseburgers while helping client friends like Burger King, Hardee's, and more. Photo via Burger King.

Keeping You Warm.

The Strategic Design Corp. Teams have been working with Biddeford Blankets, Cannon, CVS Health, Pillowtex, Ralph Lauren, Sunbeam, Walgreens, Walmart, and more since 1994. Experience the adjustable warmth of a therapeutic blanket. Snuggle up under the warmth of a soft and cozy throw. Enjoy the comforting warmth of a heated mattress pad. The controllers have the latest innovations in technology.

toro, HARDWARE SHOW.

Happy Spring! Congratulations to our client friends on another successful National Hardware Show held from March 18-20, 2025, in Las Vegas. The services offered include design and marketing for home improvement and lawn and garden tools. Photo courtesy of The Toro Company.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. is celebrating and supporting International Women’s Day! https://www.internationalwomensday.com (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Thank you to all the amazing women who have helped Strategic Design Corp. and our client brands. Including Margaret Merritt, the daughter of Strategic Design Corp. President & CEO, Margaret is currently the Senior Global Brand Manager at Dove for Unilever, focusing on Upstream design of innovations and communications for global markets. Thanks to Dorothee Ahrens, Jennifer Bowles, Debbie Caldwell Lake, Alisha D. Chaffin, Monica Cianfrano, Kathe Couch, Judy Denault, Carolyn Dennis, Bonnie Gleason, Christine Gonzalez, Elizabeth Gross, Kristine Grunsted, Sonnie  Hall, Ali Johnson, Susie Keeler, Pamela Kehlenbach, Kathleen Kilkenny,  Wendy Knothe, Janet Leonard, Wendy Marciano, Doris Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Signe Merritt, Barbara Miller, Lael Porcelli, Phyllis Nickerson Power, Patti Jo Provenzale, Jennifer Shaefer, Christina Rice, Lisa Scully, Linda Sheintop, Caitlyn Sprinkle, Kathy Sterling, Dorothy Wennberg, Therese Williams, and Amy Wilson.

HISTORIC FESTIVAL.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client friends and their brands during the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 40 and Sunday in the Park. https://www.limerock.com Sept 1-5, 2022, Lakeville, CT. This year, we are commemorating the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Corvette with an extensive and unprecedented display of Corvette concept cars, sponsored by Corvette, together with a display of significant competition Corvettes. Photo via Lime Rock Park.

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS of excellent client service.

Strategic Design Corp. Celebrates 30 Years! On this day in 1994…Charlie (Chas) Merritt officially founded Strategic Design Corporation. Since then, we have become recognized worldwide for our excellent client service. We thank our clients and their iconic global brands for the past 30 years, full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization. Thanks to Ken Adolphson, Dorothee Ahrens, Bill Anderson, Peter Antipas, Jason Arena, Mark Baldyga, John Battiloro, Grant Bell, Eric Beyer, Matthew Birmingham III, Lucy Blagg, Jennifer Bowles, Cathy Breen, Keith Brightbill, Bob Bruno, Mark Bunger, Brian Caldwell, Debbie Caldwell Lake, Alisha D. Chaffin, Bill Chura, Monica Cianfrano, Greg Cook, Vince Cook, Seth Cooper, Steve Cooper, Kathe Couch, Jon Craine, Anne Crieger, Scott Davis, Brooke Davis, Shiva Dhanapal, Rich DeFilippo, Judi Denault, Carolyn Dennis, Walker DiCarlo, David Dombrowski, Russell Durand, Rich Edelman, Zoltan Eszlari, Wallace Forbes, Lawrence Frank, Al Fressola, Jamie Garcia, Bob Gautsch, Ed Gleason, Bonnie Gleason, Eric Glerum, Robert Goldberg, Christine Gonzalez, Doug Grambush, Tom Green, Elizabeth Gross, Shari Grossman, Kristine Grunsted, Sonnie Hall, Marty Hochstadt, Darren Horst, Andy Hughes, Mike Jacobs, Ali Johnson, Bob Jones, Steve Jones, Jefre Keeler,  Susie Keeler, Greg Keferl, Pamela Kehlenbach, Kathleen Kilkenny,  Wendy Knothe, Walter Koda, Suzanne Konstance, Scott Larsen, Mack Leask, Walter Leask, Nick Leddy, Mark Lee, Tony Lee, Denise Lefebvre, Norm Leferman, Janet Leonard, Alicia Lewis, Stuart Lewis, Anatoly Loshmanov, Chat Loveland, Steve Lurcott, Michael Luzzi, Fran MacGregor,  Samuel Masterson, Robert Maniscalco, Wendy Marciano, Art Martin, Agostinho Martins, Gregory Mauriello, Charlie Merritt, Doris Merritt, George Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Barbara Miller, Pamela Mohr, Bob Monro, Jeff Mullally, Dan Murphy, Matt Murray, David Nicholson, Ron Noren, Bob Norris, Michael Normyl, Fritz Ober, Lael Porcelli, Son Nguyen, Giovanni Pagnotta, Bob Pedros, John Philion, David Pitney, Phyllis Nickerson Power, Patti Jo Provenzale, William Restmeyer, Randall Rhinesmith, Karen Stults Richwine, Natalie Ruscito, Paul Ruscito, August Sarno, Jennifer Shaefer, Christina Rice, Michael Ridley, Michael Santoro, Rudy Schroeer, David Schweitzer, Donn Greco Scott, Ethan Segal, Lisa Scully, Linda Sheintop, John Sikes, Andy Smith, Michael Solomson, Bob Staubitz, Caitlyn Sprinkle, Kathy Sterling, Frank Stirna, John Stoner, Peter Tepper, Juan Uribe, Mike Vollero, James Wardlaw, Bob Ware, Matt Webb, Christopher Weedon, John Weiss, Dr. Benkt Wennberg PhD., Dorothy Wennberg, Rick Whittey, Therese Williams, Amy Wilson, Michael Yang, Bob Zaragoza, and many more. Photo via Tower 49® 12 East 49th Street, New York, NY 10017.

Ashcroft, AHR SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, and the team supported the AHR Show in Chicago, Illinois, January 22-24, 2024. For Ashcroft, we created, printed, produced, and delivered 20,000 brand-building rulers for hiring events and trade shows. The team has provided research and design services for precision instrument brands like Ashcroft, Honeywell, Microlife, Weiss Instruments, and more since 1994. Photo via Charlie Merritt.

BERNZOMATIC.

BernzOmatic: Hand Torches, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Innovation, 20 Gas Match Concepts, Child Safety Mechanism, New Product Development, Human Factors. Photo via BernzOmatic. Charlie Merritt’s group specializes in the design of hand-held tools.

SHELL RETAIL BRAND STRATEGY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp., Charlie Merritt, and team members completed a Retail Brand Strategy program for Shell: Retail Strategy, Research, and Strategic Brand Marketing Recommendations for Merchandising. Services provided include strategy, research, visiting 390 Shell stations, 17 competitors, interviewing 565 employees in 33 states, documented with 12,000 photographs: Architecture, brand presence, merchandising materials, canopy, glass windows, building/booth structures, cash registers/counters, people/uniforms, the user interface at pumps, hanging signs/freestanding signage, and more. 1. Conducted strategic research/assessed retail brand environment. 2. Developed strategic retail brand plan recommendations. 3. Created strategic national brand implementation next steps. 4. Performed strategic qualitative brand research. Photo via Charlie Merritt/Shell.

GLOBAL PET EXPO.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Charlie Merritt and team members love our pets, and we are supporting client brands at Global Pet Expo https://www.globalpetexpo.org March 23-25, 2022, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. Global Pet Expo, presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA), is the pet industry’s premier event featuring the newest, most innovative pet products on the market today. Highlighting all types of pet products including items for: Dogs, Cats, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Small animals, Horses, and more. 1,000 exhibiting companies, 3,000 product launches. The Strategic Design Corp. Team has been remarkably busy in 2019/2020/2021 researching and designing new innovative Pet Products, including: Dog Collars, Leashes, Harnesses, and more. Helping clients with: Market Analysis, User/Consumer Research; Marketing Strategy: New Product Industrial Design Concept Development; Brand, Product & Business Strategy; Graphics: Brand Packaging/Merchandising; Structural Packaging Innovation; Design Engineering Services.

FANCY FOOD SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client/brand friends again this year at The Summer Fancy Food Show, June 12-14, 2022. https://www.specialtyfood.com Javits Center, New York, New York.

News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. is cheering for friends at, Fancy Food Show.

Our teams have worked in the Food & Beverage Industries for over 27 years. Team members have consulted with 60 global beverage & food brands (Brooklyn Bottling, General Mills, H-E-B Grocery, Hellmann’s, Kraft Heinz, LU Biscuits, Mondelēz, Mott’s, PepsiCo, and more), providing award-winning packaging design, brand identity design, graphic design, structural packaging design, innovation, merchandising, strategy, and research excellence.

ISC EAST AND ASSA ABLOY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Congratulations to our client friends with ASSA ABLOY for successful product presentations at the ISC East 2022 in New York City (International Security Conference & Exposition). The ISC East is the Northeast’s leading security & public safety event. Photo via ASSA ABLOY.

MODEX.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending MODEX 2022, The Premier Supply Chain Event. https://www.modexshow.com March 28-31, 2022, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA, USA. Our teams are supporting client brands like Ingersoll Rand, Raymond, Toyota Materials Handling, and more. We have worked on a wide variety of 2D and 3D Materials Handling Solutions assignments, ranging from Product Industrial Design to Brochure Design to Website Development for Tools & Hoists, Reach-Fork Trucks, and Swing-Reach Trucks. Strategy, Research, Design, Marketing, Innovation. Photo via Modex.

PGA GOLF MERCHANDISE SHOW.

Thanks to our client friends for a successful PGA Golf Merchandise Show 2025! Jan. 21-25, 2025. Orlando, FL. Design & Marketing Services provided: Strategy, research, branding, brand identity design, product design, packaging design, merchandising design, marketing, and consulting for brands like FootJoy, Spalding, Top-Flite, Textron, and Toro. Image via PGA.

Happy New Year 2025!

CHATHAM, CAPE COD, MA. real estate investments.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt completed a successful redesign project located in Chatham, Cape Cod, MA: Cape Cod Real Estate Investments, Luxurious Interior Design Renovations, and Home Improvements. Services provided: Strategy, research, real estate investments, interior design, home improvements, rental income returns on investments (ROI). Chatham is a seaside town at the southeastern tip of Cape Cod, in the state of Massachusetts. Charlie Merritt has extensive experience with comprehensive real estate investment & improvement projects using architectural design, and interior design renovation, architectural conservation, preservation, and rehabilitation of historic, luxury residential homes and buildings located in CT, MA, NY, and VT for 35 luxury residential and commercial properties delivering a high financial Return on Investment (ROI).

FANCY FOOD SHOW 2025, NEW YORK CITY at Javits Center.

We enjoy supporting food and beverage brands at the Summer Fancy Food Show. June 29-July 1, 2025, in New York City. The Fancy Food Show is the most popular food event in North America. Image via Specialty Food Association. Charlie (Chas) Merritt and his Strategic Design Corp. team have experience with over 60 food and beverage brands, including Best Health Gourmet Soda, Brooklyn Bottling, Bimbo Bakeries, Borden Foods, Burger King, Cadbury Schweppes, Cheerios cereal, Chips Ahoy cookies, Constellation Brands, Country Time lemonade, Crystal Light, Corona, and Corona Light beer, Country Kitchen bread, Diageo brands, Diet Pepsi, Droste chocolate, Fairfield Wine Co., Hardee’s, General Mills, H-E-B Grocery brands, Heinz, Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Hiram Walker, KFC, Kirin Beer Brewery, Kool Aid, Kool Aid Bursts, Kraft Foods, Kraft Heinz, Kroger, Lepage Bakeries, Log Cabin syrup, LU Biscuits, Mars, Inc., Miller Beer, M&M’s, Mondelēz, Mott’s, Mr. Coffee, Mr. & Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix, Nabisco, North Shore Bottling, Pepsi, PepsiCo, Pernod Ricard, ReaLemon, Ritz Crackers, Schweppes, Skippy peanut butter, Squeez’r juice. Tang, Tetley tea, Thermos, Tropical Fantasy drinks, Tsingtao beer, Unilever Best Foods, Weis Markets' brands, Wyler’s broth, and more. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. STRATEGIC DESIGN® Brands, STRATEGIC DESIGN® News. #strategy #research #design #marketing #innovation #branding #managementconsulting

NATIONAL PET DAY.

Happy National Pet Day! - April 11, 2022, from STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. We love all our pets and especially dogs! Our research & design development teams have had the opportunity to work with Central Garden & Pet, Petco, PetSmart, Strategic Design® Brands, Walmart, and more on the dog & pet industry Research & Design programs during the past three years. Our team focused on research & design of new dog collars, dog harnesses, dog leashes, and dog accessories. We designed for the top ten most popular dog breeds (Labrador Retriever, German Shepard, Golden Retriever, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Beagle, Poodle, Rottweiler, German Shorthaired Pointer, and Yorkshire Terrier) in the United States. Thanks to team members Bob Bruno, Doug Grambush, Scott Larsen, Charlie Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, David Schweitzer, and Mike Solomson. Photo via samples from Strategic Design Corp. PowerPoint presentation.

LIMEROCK PARK HISTORIC FESTIVAL.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® Strategic Design Corp. News, Events. Charlie Merritt and team members support the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 41, featuring amazing races and sports cars. https://www.limerock.com September 1-4, 2023, in Lakeville, CT. Image via Lime Rock Park.

DICK'S SPORTING GOODS, sears, roadmaster.

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sears, Roadmaster: Charlie Merritt’s team at Strategic Design Corp. was retained to design five different treadmills, which are available in Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sears, and more. Services provided: Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Human Factors, User Experience, and New Product Development by the team members in Southport, CT; New York, NY; and Irvine, CA. Photo via Charlie Merritt.

DESIGN WEEK.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt are attending and supporting client brands during New York City Design Week from our New York City client service office location. https://nycxdesign.org May 10-20, 2022. Strategy, Research, Design, Marketing, Innovation, Branding. Photo via NYCxDesign Festival.

TYLENOL.

Tylenol: Structural Packaging Design, Brand Consulting, Strategy, Research, Industrial Design, Models, Prototypes. Image via Tylenol.

INSPIRED HOME SHOW.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Teams and Charlie Merritt are attending/supporting client friends for our 27th Year during The Inspired Home Show, formerly the International Home + Housewares Show, The World’s Leading Home + Housewares Show, March 5-7, 2022, | McCormick Place | Chicago, IL USA. https://www.theinspiredhomeshow.com Strategic Design Corp. teams have designed brands, products, packaging, and merchandising with over 60 Home + Houseware companies including American Standard, Bath & Body Works, Black & Decker, Contour Products, CVS Health, Elmer’s, Fiskars, Goody, Haier/GE, The Home Depot, Honeywell, Hunter, Lowe’s, 3M, Masco, Mr. Coffee, MTI, Newell Brands, Oster, Rubbermaid, Stanley, Sunbeam, Target, Thermos, Walgreens, Walmart, Waring, and more.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK CITY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. and Charlie Merritt attended and supported students during the Industrial and Interaction Design Senior Thesis Show in New York City, at the Fisher Center, Syracuse University | New York City, May 9, 2023, 5-8 pm, 136 Madison Avenue. The event featured amazing work by senior industrial design and interaction design majors in the School of Design. (21 fifth year and 11 M.F.A). Thanks to Don Carr, Ralf Oliver Schneider, Emily Stokes-Rees, Ph.D., and David Major for hosting the event. We highly recommend that organizations hire these 32 talented students. Photo by Charlie Merritt.

TOWER 49 GALLERY.

STRATEGIC DESIGN® News, Events. Strategic Design Corp. Happy first day of summer! If you are in New York City this summer, please visit the Tower 49 gallery https://www.tower49gallery.com within our office building (between 5th Ave. & Madison Ave.) and see Chromatic Dialogues, a yearlong exhibition of 24 Abstract Expressionist and Color Field paintings, in the ground-floor lobbies and the 24th-floor Sky Lobby. The 45-story building was designed by the renowned architectural company Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). They devised a simple crystalline form of two chamfered-cornered masses joined by the central service core and wrapped in blue-tinted mirror glass. Image via Tower 49 Gallery.

NEWPORT BOAT SHOW.

Charlie Merritt and the Strategic Design Corp. team members are attending the Newport International Boat Show, Sept. 12-15, 2024, and supporting client brands with Design Services for the Marine Industry, Boats, Electronics, Motors, Products, Brand Identities, Graphic Design, Packaging, and Retail Merchandising. For more, visit https://www.newportboatshow.com. Photo via Newport Boat Show.

CELEBRATING 29 YEARS.

On this day in 1994…Strategic Design Corporation was officially founded by Charlie (Chas) Merritt. Since then, we have grown to become recognized worldwide for our excellent client service. We sincerely thank our clients and their iconic global brands for the past 29 years, our full-time employees, part-time employees, interns, consultants, counselors, advisors, and strategic alliance partners. We appreciate your dedication and loyalty to our organization. Thanks to Ken Adolphson, Dorothee Ahrens, Peter Antipas, Mark Baldyga, John Battiloro, Eric Beyer, Matthew Birmingham III, Lucy Blagg, Jennifer Bowles, Bob Bruno, Mark Bunger, Brian Caldwell, Debbie Caldwell Lake, Alisha D. Chaffin, Bill Chura, Greg Cook, Vince Cook, Seth Cooper, Steve Cooper, Monica Cianfrano, Kathe Couch, Jon Craine, Scott Davis, Shiva Dhanapal, Rich DeFilippo, Judy Denault, Carolyn Dennis, Walker DiCarlo, Russell Durand, Zoltan Eszlari, Wallace Forbes, Lawrence Frank, Al Fressola, Jamie Garcia, Ed Gleason, Bonnie Gleason, Robert Goldberg, Christine Gonzalez, Doug Grambush, Tom Green, Elizabeth Gross, Shari Grossman, Kristine Grunsted, Sonnie Hall, Marty Hochstadt, Darren Horst, Ali Johnson, Bob Jones, Steve Jones, Jefre Keeler,  Susie Keeler, Pamela Kehlenbach, Kathleen Kilkenny,  Wendy Knothe, Scott Larsen, Mack Leask, Walter Leask, Tony Lee, Norm Leferman, Janet Leonard, Alicia Lewis, Stuart Lewis, Anatoly Loshmanov, Michael Luzzi, Fran MacGregor,  Robert Maniscalco, Wendy Marciano, Art Martin, Agostinho Martins, Gregory Mauriello, Charlie Merritt, Doris Merritt, George Merritt, Margaret Merritt, Robert Merritt, Signe Merritt, Barbara Miller, Bob Monro, Jeff Mullally, Dan Murphy, Matt Murray, David Nicholson, Ron Noren, Bob Norris, Michael Normyl, Fritz Ober, Lael Porcelli, Son Nguyen, Giovanni Pagnotta, Bob Pedros, John Philion, David Pitney, Phyllis Nickerson Power, Patti Jo Provenzale, Natalie Ruscito, Paul Ruscito, August Sarno, Jennifer Shaefer, Christina Rice, Michael Santoro, Rudy Schroeer, David Schweitzer, Lisa Scully, Linda Sheintop, John Sikes, Andy Smith, Michael Solomson, Caitlyn Sprinkle, Kathy Sterling, Frank Stirna, Peter Tepper, Juan David Uribe, Mike Vollero, Bob Ware, Matt Webb, Christopher Weedon, John Weiss, Dr. Benkt Wennberg PhD., Dorothy Wennberg, Rick Whittey, Therese Williams, Amy Wilson, Michael Yang, and many more. Photo via Tower 49® 12 East 49th Street, New York, NY 10017.

strategicdesigncorp