Branding

If your product commands a premium price point then the onus is on the brand to explain to the consumer why that price is deserved.

Take a brand such as that in the image below. The grapes seem hurriedly cut out and lack those subtle touches of depth of field, texture and lighting which evoke better ingredients and elevated taste.

The trouble is that it’s competing with many own brand offerings which are positioned at a much lower price point.

This requires the big brand name to set out exactly why the consumer should part with their hard earned cash and why this product in particular is a much better proposition.

It could be about having the freshest grapes or grapes that are picked at just the right time. That said, if the image doesn’t match the story that the brand wants to portray the consumer will never be able to extract that key and emotive piece of storytelling.

If you’re going to charge a premium and use images, make sure they tell the correct story and pull you apart from the cheaper alternatives or you will always be competing on price.

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We are getting to the position where it’s very difficult to tell the difference between some vegetarian options and meat.

I understand the rationale behind offering up a comparable flavour for plant-based options for consumers that miss the taste, but when you try and replicate the entire feel and form of a meat based product and pitch has plant based, I wonder whether this is going a little too far?

Have a look at this example which echoes a marbled steak almost better than many supermarket steak offerings!

Interestingly, the narrative on pack mentions that in such a bonkers and ridiculous world, it was only a time only a matter of time before a plant based steak would come a thing?! If even the brand is mocking the proposition is it a stretch too far?

Should products and packs be trying to replicate what they are desperately not wanting to be, or should they be carving out their own niche and creating something unique?

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It’s not always what you say, but how you say it.

If you’re trying to evoke ‘clarity’, and ‘soothing’ with your brand naming, your choice of letterform on the logotype should also support that.

Have a look at this example from Buttercup cough syrup.

A letterform has been created that works against the main benefit of the brand and product.

The logotype looks very oily and ‘bunged-up’. Additionally, the choice of font for this has meant much of the letterform fills in so you can’t see it clearly from a distance.

This ‘bunged-up’ reduction of legibility and clarity will ultimately hint towards the overall efficacy of the product.

Every component on your pack should help support what you’re trying to say and leverage the consumer benefit you’re trying to meet.

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Why is it that the free from aisle is often free from appeal and excitement

One word that often comes up when you chat to brands and clients about the ‘free from’ space is the word compromise. Compromise is a tricky word and conjures up the notion of ‘not quite as good’.

In fact, many of the products are absolutely fantastic and faced with the challenge many consumers wouldn’t be able to spot the difference, so why is it an area so free from any love and attention from a brand point of view?

The image below from Freee is a good example of where brands aren’t potentially doing themselves, any favours, by taking a very functional and utilitarian approach tends to support the idea of ‘compromise’ before the consumers even got it home.

Clearly brands operating in this space need to communicate their point difference but why should that be at the sacrifice of taste?

Be the brand that shout “as good as” or end up being the one that cues compromise.

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With pharmaceuticals, If you don’t look contemporary and ‘of the moment’, you erode consumers trust.

Consumers need to know you are up to date with your knowledge. The style and tone of voice created by your pack design is a visual shortcut to this.

Have a look at this example from I-Caps. Compared to many of the competition, the packaging design looks fussy and stuck in the past.

Simplifying the product information and laying it out in a more clean and considered way allows the consumer to better understand the product and quickly identify what it is and what it does without any confusion.

If you’re not providing a contemporary solution, particularly in the area of pharma, the consumer will quickly move onto a brand the offers up-to-date and more advanced solution.

Whilst the messaging may be solid, consumers pick up on certain cues that seem dated and will draw opinions and conclusions accordingly.

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If you are promising perfection, then you need to be clear with your consumer how they’re going to achieve that.

Accessibility and clarity of information are incredibly important, particularly if you’re going to make big bold sweeping claims such as ‘perfection’.

In-store lighting can be quite unforgiving on reflective surfaces. Combine that with very small claims hidden in the bottom corner of a pack and it is never going to help support your case.

Have a look at this example from Seven Seas which suffers from both of these issues. The cartons are printed on a highly reflective metallic substrate, rendering much of the information hard to access under the in-store lights.

All the information you need is on there. It’s just incredibly difficult to read.

It is much more effective to use a varnish to mute the metallic substrate so that it is not quite so reflective.

Locking the claims to the ‘7’ icon so that the consumer makes a clear link between the two would also have the advantage of making them more accessible, transferable and an integral part of the brand story.

Perfection is impossible, but you can always get closer.

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The world of plant-based foods has taken a bit of a pounding over the last couple of months.

Sales and consumer interest have both waned in the face of increase prices and market saturation of products.

Has the time come to take a slightly different approach with plant-based offerings?

I saw this example, from GU in a store the other day. Now, GU is underpinned by unrivalled, throw caution to the wind, indulgence. This indulgence doesn’t seem to translate that well when plant based becomes the hero of the pack.

It also means that important brand cues are sacrificed making it look like a product from another brand, in this case, Activia.

Introducing sub ranges is a great way of building excitement in a portfolio but it should not be at the expense of your core brand values, especially when your product is so yummy!

There an argument here that plant based may work better as more of an endorsement, rather than a hierarchal lead on pack.

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The world of engine oil is a truly bamboozling place.

If, as I did yesterday you’ve ever had to go out and shop the fixture and find the correct oil for your car, finding the correct one is like trying to find a copy of ‘Fly Fishing’ by J.R Hartley, thats one for you 80’s kids out there!

Some brands make it even harder to shop the fixture, take this example from Castrol or is it Land Rover or maybe Jaguar, who knows!

This is a great example of where correct hierarchy can help draw the consumer in and then help them navigate to the right solution.

Too many elements on here are competing for attention and all handled at exactly the same size. The important bit is the code that looks like it’s been programmed in some strange type of JavaScript, is the bit that pertains to the particular engine type.

This is something that should be presented front and centre, so that as you approach the shelf you instantly know that’s the right oil to meet your ailing cars needs.

Successful brands empathise with the consumer and offer the solution quickly and efficiently. This subtle encouragement and nudge in the right direction when navigating the fixture is a great way of brands conveying both expertise and advice.

Fail to use it and your brand will be linked with neither.

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Always use a tone of voice that suits the problem at hand.

Here’s an interesting pack and I say that for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it’s not immediately evident what it’s for, or how it is used.

f you look up in the top right hand corner on the backing card, you can just about see the description. That said, it did take awhile to find it.

I ran it past a couple of other people in the studio who both the same quizzical look that I had.

Secondly, the communication on the front pack uses graphical devices more closely associated with harsh cleaning products, the sort of stuff you’d stick down the drain!

Clearly, that’s not something you want to put on very delicate face!

Brands should always be careful to identify what they are there to solve and in a tone of voice that is more empathetic with the cause.
 

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What do you see first? Is it the Apple, the background texture or the brand logo?

Now, bear in mind this photo is taken fairly close up on the shelf, but take a couple of steps back and the brand name disappears entirely.

The brand name should work effectively from a meter and a half away as your approach shelf and also when you’re right up next to it.

This is even more important if you don’t have an instantly recognisable brand colour or other piece of unique signposting to draw the eye.

Always build equity, not confusion.

#Packaging, #Marketing, #Branding, #Design