The article is co-written by Jamey Wagner, Executive Creative Director, and Will Kladakis, Account Leader for Interbrand Cincinnati

Louisville Slugger® is the most recognized brand in baseball. Over 60 percent of Major League Baseball (MLB) players swing a Slugger, including Derek Jeter, Josh Hamilton and Evan Longoria in the American League and Buster Posey, Joey Votto and David Wright in the National League.

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to go to Planning-ness 2013 in Boston. It’s an alternative event for planners who like to do as well as think, with the big idea being that you ‘get excited and make things’. So instead of just sitting in a big room scribbling on your pad as the Keynote presentations roll by, there are loads of practical workshops and you actually get to be creative with the people there. (Not just stand next to them drinking coffee.)

Collaboration between artists and designers can be rewarding for all parties and can bring real value to clients and to each other. But everyone should go into the partnership with eyes wide open to the challenges and potential pitfalls of bringing people inexperienced in packaging into that highly stressful, highly demanding world. If the client and the agency keep in mind the points covered in this article, the chances of a successful artist collaboration are very, very good!