Branding

Here’s a great example of ‘consumers decide emotionally then justify logically’.

Cleaning is an arduous task. I don’t think anyone really enjoys it. Successful products in this sector need to be pitched to have a transformational quality and elevate mundane tasks to effortless ease.

Clearly, fluorescent colours and a grinning face are going to retract your attention, but funnily enough it wasn’t that that held my attention on this example

Selling a sponge to a consumer is an incredibly tricky task. A sponge is a sponge isn’t it?

Not if you can create 2 different states, which each have a different benefit as in this example.

Interestingly, they haven’t promised clean dishes or sparkly surfaces at all. The product focuses on its ability to ‘transform’ which subconsciously, in the mind of the consumer cues a magical transformation from problem to solution. Clever.

Catch the consumers attention first, then tell your story. When you need to pull yourself apart from the competition having clear differentiation in a category that has often lacked innovation will always draw a consumers attention.

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Cursive type is a fantastic visual shortcut towards vitality and naturalness in branding.

Although this may not work without a little tweaking

Have a look at this example which I saw whilst walking down the juice aisle. At first sight I read it as ‘beef’ which is obviously a bus ride away from what the product is trying to communicate.

With a little crafting and layering on the pack, this could be easily remedied without losing any of the energy and naturalness in the chosen font.

Remember, it’s always worth taking a few steps back to ensure the brand works as well from a distance as it does close up.

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Expectations are a hard thing to manage particularly if you offer up something challenging to the consumer.

Combining things that don’t normally work together is a great way of doing this. Take this KitKat variant. The coating is Made from high-quality matcha of Uji, Kyoto. Not only that, but they have the added health benefit of being rich in catechins and theanine from the matcha.

Making this work on pack and convincing the consumer though, can be much more of a challenge.

What Nestlé Japan have done really well here is a simplified canvas and utilised a beautiful choice of colourways and enticing ingredient shot to make the offering more acceptable. This balance creates a huge amount of appetite appeal and convinces consumers that it’s “okay”.

What is most interesting for me here is the multi sensory approach with the use of the paper outer, promising a more premium sensorial experience.

If you are going to challenge the consumer with an unusual taste, always ensure that you reassure them that it works.

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Remember to establish a clear pack architecture.

Establishing a robust yet flexible architecture is incredibly important for any brands looking to extend their portfolio.

Done correctly, it helps consumers navigate the range in an efficient way.

Do it incorrectly, as per the example from Capri-Sun below, and it causes no end of confusion.

Low sugar options are normally signposted with a blue or white on the pack. Here, Capri-Sun have kept the same colour ways as the full sugar version and allocated the whole top part of the pack to communicate ‘zero’, overpowering the brand logo, somewhat.

Interestingly, the banner that normally denotes flavour on the full sugar version is then allocated as the low sugar flag. This confusion can lead to people picking up the incorrect version.

Any brand that doesn’t get their communication clear, can risk creating a subconscious distrust from the consumer.

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The key to great promotions is that they have to be relevant.

By relevant I mean it needs to add value to the brand and also add value to the person involved in the promotion. Think of it as a mutually beneficial partnership.

Now, whatever you think about energy drinks It’s potentially always a good ‘high octane’ pairing bring these together with Formula One.

As many of the drivers have their own personal brands, it would make sense to ensure that these partnerships work with those personal brands and also that there is clear reason for the celebrity in question to be plonking their name on the pack.

Take this example from monster and Lewis Hamilton. Lewis’s highly polished urban style could be said to be somewhat diluted here with the use of the playful iconography. Similarly, Monster maybe haven’t made the most of the high fashion meets high-performance communication that could help add a little bit of high fashion edge to their offering.
Partnerships are great, but they should always bring out the best in one another.

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Lurpak has expanded its offer into the plant-based arena.

This is obviously a new area and a challenge for brands not previously associated with this space to provide credibility.

Clearly it would pay to signal that this is a departure from their current dairy based proposition however they have fallen in line with the established monolithic brand architecture.

The big problem with monolithic branding especially in a range where you have lots of variants is navigation.

The brand is already tricky enough to navigate and find the lighter version, the lighter, lighter version, or the lighter, lighter, lighter version, or whatever it’s called!

Adding this variant into the family using the same rigidity doesn’t really showcase or differentiate this exciting new offering.

Monolithic architecture is a great way for a brand to own the space but always make sure to allow room for flexibility and so clear differentiation.

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Here is an interesting predicament. Many suncream brands are positioned and targeted towards summer months. They all focus on getting a healthy tan alongside the obvious sun protection message.

But here lies the predicament, with the summer months drawing to a close sales of these products tend to drop as people head to the slopes for the ski season.

To anyone the has ever had goggle marks after a day on the slopes, there is clearly a need for sun protection but the current communication on most brands be that naming or imagery, focuses primarily on summer sunshine and getting a healthy tan. Much less relevant although equally important for those people sliding down a hillside.

I wonder if in order to accommodate this across the whole season, brands should focus more on the benefit of protection rather than ‘summer tanning’ in their communication?

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If I was to say to you what’s the first thing you noticed here, the chances are that you’re not going to say the brand logo.

The fact is with an increasing amount of copycat brands commanding much more importantance in store, the big brands can’t rely solely on a colour in order to signal their presence to a consumer.

Think of your brand logo as the face of your brand, it’s that instantly recognisable set of components that helped differentiate you from those trying to be you.

Where space permits, dial it up and get noticed.

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Ensure that you use every square inch of pack.

The backing card that incorporates the euro hook hanger, is often an area of redundant space.

It can be tricky to put any communication in because of the Euro Hook aperture. However, check out this fantastic use of the backing card that incorporate the photo that pops out the top of the Polaroid camera.

With packaging, it’s important to utilise every square centimetre of available canvas. I don’t mean cram stuff into every gap, but be efficient and use the space wisely.

If, as here, a face of the pack is not big enough for adding a narrative or product benefits, always look for a secondary use that works with the product story.

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Here’s an interesting example, on how to be transparent with your consumer.

This toothpaste pack explains what each of the ingredients are on the back, where they are derived from and what each does.

In a world where consumers are keen to understand what they are putting in their bodies, this is a great way for a brand to show empathy and transparency.

Ultimately, it builds trust and that is gold dust!

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