New California-based division combines entertainment, wellness and physical brand experience expertise as consumers seek more meaningful connections beyond the screen
California, USA – GPA Global has expanded its specialist entertainment capabilities with the launch of a dedicated Entertainment Packaging & Production Division, supported by significant investment in talent from the music, entertainment, creative production and packaging industries.
Based in California, the new division brings together decades of premium entertainment packaging expertise with capabilities spanning structural design, production engineering, Out-of-Home production, experiential activations, environmental graphics, artwork adaptation and production consultancy.
Investing in specialist entertainment talent
The division is led by John Barker, President and General Manager of GPA Global’s Los Angeles operation, who has more than two decades of experience across entertainment, health and beauty, luxury packaging, print production and physical brand experience.
During his career, Barker has led creative packaging and production businesses including WestRock, ASG, Midnight Oil and Spark, supporting brands such as Disney, Netflix, Activision, L’Oréal, Coty and Warner Music.
GPA Global has also invested in a highly specialized team with extensive experience in creative direction, structural design, pre-press, color management, engineering, sampling and complex production. Collectively, the team has delivered premium vinyl packaging, collector’s editions, box sets and limited-release products for major and independent music labels, artists and entertainment companies.
These projects frequently combine multiple materials, specialist finishes, complex structures, hand assembly and exacting color standards. They must often be delivered under strict confidentiality and against immovable global release dates.
“Entertainment is an unforgiving training ground,” said Barker. “Artists, creative teams and fans notice every detail. The product must represent the original vision faithfully while also working structurally, commercially and at scale.
“GPA has deliberately invested in people who understand that world. Entertainment and wellness both sit at the intersection of culture, community and identity. Whether someone buys a limited-edition record or a premium wellness product, they are often investing in a ritual, belief system and sense of belonging—not simply a functional product.”
Connecting entertainment and wellness
The division has been integrated into GPA Global’s established Wellness business, creating a broader platform for two sectors increasingly shaped by culture, identity and community.
As work, shopping, communication and entertainment become increasingly digital, consumers are placing renewed value on tangible experiences. The resurgence of vinyl, growth of listening rooms and analog spaces, continued appeal of premium collectors’ editions and importance of personal wellness rituals all reflect a desire for presence, ownership and emotional connection.
Jesse Dixon, SVP, Business Development at GPA Global, said: “Wellness brands have evolved from products into lifestyle movements built around identity, community and daily rituals. The same emotional connection exists in entertainment, where fans seek meaningful experiences beyond the screen or speakers.
“By bringing GPA’s wellness expertise together with this exceptional entertainment team, we are creating a unique platform that helps brands build deeper engagement through physical experiences that are authentic, memorable and culturally relevant.”
From packaging manufacturer to physical production partner
The launch responds to growing demand for partners that can contribute earlier in the creative process, rather than simply manufacture packaging from finished artwork.
Ideas that appear compelling on screen can become significantly more complex when translated across different materials, formats and physical environments. By bringing creative, structural, technical and manufacturing expertise together from the outset, GPA Global helps protect the original idea while reducing production risk, unnecessary cost and inconsistency.
The division’s capabilities include:
• Premium entertainment packaging, including vinyl packaging, collector’s editions, luxury box sets and limited releases
• Structural design, engineering, prototyping and production development
• Creative production support and artwork adaptation across materials, formats and manufacturing processes
• Out-of-Home production, environmental graphics and large-format campaigns
• Retail environments, pop-ups, installations and experiential activations
• Color management, pre-press and production quality control
• Production consultancy and program management, from initial concept through manufacture, installation and implementation
“Packaging is often a fan’s first physical connection to an artist’s work,” said Teri Eastwood Molls, VP, Business Development. “I’m grateful to be part of a team that approaches every project with creativity, craftsmanship and deep respect for that experience.”
The expansion strengthens GPA Global’s ability to support entertainment, wellness, beauty, luxury, consumer goods, retail and lifestyle brands with packaging, gifting and a broad range of physical brand experiences—all delivered through one integrated creative, production and manufacturing platform.
