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Now we all know it’s hard enough to get human beings on board with your brand. Let alone our four legged friends and pets!

Pet care as a category has grown by 10% per year since 2010.  As the market becomes increasingly lucrative – it’s getting more crowded. Pets are increasingly seen as individuals. Each with their own dietary and grooming needs. So, how do you claw your way to the top and stand out amongst the pack? You need the facts on the trends that matter to those with furry companions. Here’s our round up of the trends for pet care in 2016 and beyond.

Paleo-Pups, Grain-Free Kitties and Raw Pets 

Consumers are becoming more educated on nutrition by the day and their nutritional concerns aren’t limited to themselves. This awareness of ingredients is extending into the pet food category. Notably niche dietary requirements taking centre stage as USP’s.  Now it might seem bonkers, but hear us out. Pets really do manifest allergies in the same way humans do. We’re talking hair loss, gas, bad breath – the works. Pets suffering from allergies has been a key driver behind the launch of successful organic pet food brands like Lily’s Kitchen.

Research is showing that moving away from processed ingredients can dramatically improve life expectancy, energy levels and quality of life.

We all love our pets and want them to be healthy, which it’s where the need is born for brands that cater to the sensitive stomachs of our furry friends. Already the industry has seen a marked increase in GMO free, gluten free and whole food based pet ingredients. How can you position your brand amongst the early adopters?

Pampered Pets

Pets are undeniably seen as a part of the family. They are a national obsession and pampering them is nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all guilty of letting them hop onto our beds on a Sunday morning, sneaking them that little bit of food at the dinner table and treating them to a hair cut. Research has shown that, people are treating their pets like extended family members. Pet owners with two lots of disposable income, who love to treat their pets to a little bit of luxury, are creating a new demographic for you to target.

Brands like TIGI and Aesop have already ventured into this emerging sector. Their NPD’s in pet care are aimed at pets requiring a little more than a spray with the hose in their grooming regimen. But creating a viable luxury pet grooming product isn’t as simple as slapping a big price tag on a bottle of dog shampoo. Much like human personal care brands, you need to craft a unique position in the market and ensure you’re communicating to the demands of pet owners. How can your brand cater to the demands of this growing sector?

Distrusting the big FMCG Beasts

As owners become increasingly conscious of food ingredients and more mindful of what’s best for their pets there’s a rising tide towards a distrust of FMCG brands. Now we love you guys – seriously, call us. Let’s do lunch sometime. Large brands have the advantage of experience, product expertise, a budget for R&D and brand equity that the disruptors in the market would kill for. However, in this category there’s a preference towards independent brands. They come without a complex ingredients list and perhaps unfavourable product recall history.

Pet owners have new need states with a demand for whole foods, niche dietary requirements and a more luxurious approach to grooming. Currently large FMCG brands aren’t catering to these needs. With the health and happiness of a member of the family at stake, it’s easy to see why there is an advantage shift towards the independent brands in the space.

So how can you capitalise on these trends? How do you ensure standout on shelf, cater to the health-conscious pet owner and ensure your brand identity is trusted? With over 25 years experience, and a shared love for all furry friends, we at Slice have a few ideas up our sleeves. Get in touch.

I’m not a fan of following trends in graphic design. For me I think design should answer the brief rather than the current fashion trend.

Take the new Instagram logo for example. Gone is the reference to the old Polaroid/Instamatic camera. That icon of capturing the 1970s moment and in comes a flat, monolithic, uninspirational piece of iconography that fails to capture the essence of the brand but is following the current ‘trend’.

The beauty of the old logo is it symbolised that perfect moment; from a time when every shot counted. When photos were precious memories and something to be cherished (rather than a complete documentation of your evening!)

Shouldn’t that be at the core of Instagram’s brand message and communication? I think so.

Now it’s been a while since the logo change that causes so much controversy what are your thoughts?

Based in London UK, Slice Design are a top international creative branding and packaging design agency that have helped consumer brands grow and get noticed since 2004. We like to think of ourselves as a challenger to the large agency. As the name suggests we cut through jargon with our flexible, no nonsense approach and down to earth attitude.

No fancy trademarked processes and no hidden extras. The benefit to yourselves is all the experience but with the flexibility that large packaging design agencies cannot deliver.

From our studio in Hammersmith, London, we work for clients around the world: global and local, big household names and small startups, challengers and leaders. Whether a big brand re-design, NPD launch or simple packaging updates. We’re proud to remain flexible, refreshingly honest and wholly independent.

You can see some of our recent packaging design work here

Every so often an epic ad comes along that swamps the brand. The current Moneysupermarket ad is a great example – the culmination of 3 seasons of successful, memorable TV ads mashed up into one #epicdanceoff.

Question is, in 5 years time, will people remember the epic advert, or the brand it was advertising?

Based in London UK, Slice Design are a top international creative branding and packaging design agency that have helped consumer brands grow and get noticed since 2004. We like to think of ourselves as a challenger to the large agency. As the name suggests we cut through jargon with our flexible, no nonsense approach and down to earth attitude.

No fancy trademarked processes and no hidden extras. The benefit to yourselves is all the experience but with the flexibility that large packaging design agencies cannot deliver.

From our studio in Hammersmith, London, we work for clients around the world: global and local, big household names and small startups, challengers and leaders. Whether a big brand re-design, NPD launch or simple packaging updates. We’re proud to remain flexible, refreshingly honest and wholly independent.

You can see some of our recent packaging design work here

An interesting short from Zulu Alpha Kilo, on what happens if people outside the creative industry are asked to pitch for free. It is an interesting conundrum that most agencies come up against at some point…

Based in London UK, Slice Design are a top international creative branding and packaging design agency that have helped consumer brands grow and get noticed since 2004. We like to think of ourselves as a challenger to the large agency. As the name suggests we cut through jargon with our flexible, no nonsense approach and down to earth attitude.

No fancy trademarked processes and no hidden extras. The benefit to yourselves is all the experience but with the flexibility that large packaging design agencies cannot deliver.

From our studio in Hammersmith, London, we work for clients around the world: global and local, big household names and small startups, challengers and leaders. Whether a big brand re-design, NPD launch or simple packaging updates. We’re proud to remain flexible, refreshingly honest and wholly independent.

You can see some of our recent packaging design work here

So you’ve still got 262 days until Xmas! Are you ready? Have you thought about the stuffing for the Turkey? What if nan drinks too much sherry again and Uncle Alfred sets his paper hat on fire getting too close to the Christmas pudding?  Try not to punch a hole through your computer screen. Those kind of Xmas anxieties should be put to the back of your mind.

However, for all you brand, marketing and trade managers reading this, Xmas really does come early. With just 281 days (and you’re welcome for that reminder again) until the big day – Xmas editions of your products will be hitting the selves sooner than you think.

So the time is now to think about Xmas! As a marketing whizz, you know the added sales value you can gain from creating gift packs, secondary seasonal packaging and travel retail editions of your best sellers. It’s an understatement to say this is the biggest time of year for FMCG products and it pays to plan in this instance. A lot of brands have dedicated roles for seasonal packaging and have teams allocating resources to these projects all year round. And it’s time your brand did the same!

How you can use the festive season to elevate your brand

One of the key ways that special editions drive sales, is by coercing new consumers to trial your product. We all know the feeling of heading out Xmas shopping and not quite knowing what to get that niece/nephew or the office cleaner as a gift in the festive season. One of the most popular gifts during the festive season often ends up being gift packs from FMCG brands. Whether it’s beauty, personal care, grooming or confectionary – this repackaging opportunity is a chance to reach a whole new customer base and capture consumers who are otherwise unaware of your brand.

So where can it go wrong?

The problem with festive promotions is that you will be competing in an incredibly saturated market. Shelf space will be scarce so, naturally, you will want to make your brand stand out as much as possible to catch the eye of festive or travelling shoppers.

Use eye-catching details with caution. Laminates and extra ‘look at me!’ materials along with conflicting colouring can dilute your brand equity. You still need to retain your brand identity, even with so much up for grabs in the festive season.

How you can do it right

It’s key that, as a brand, you employ consistent brand messaging across all touch points and use special editions, travel retail and seasonal packaging to your advantage. Like we did here, with our Christmas Cadbury work.

Feel free to drop us a line or pop in and meet us in person. We are located in the centre of Hammersmith, London. You can see some of our recent packaging design work here

The Easter period usually signals the start of the gardening season. A chance to put right the ravages of winter, slip on the wellington boots and dig around for the trusty trowel that you can’t quite remember where you put at the end of last season.

Good to see the gardening fixture in Sainsbury’s stocking our work for both Westland Horticulture last season and Bayer Garden this season!

So go on, get on out there. Happy Gardening everyone!

Based in London UK, Slice Design are a top international creative branding and packaging design agency that have helped consumer brands grow and get noticed since 2004. We like to think of ourselves as a challenger to the large agency. As the name suggests we cut through jargon with our flexible, no nonsense approach and down to earth attitude.

No fancy trademarked processes and no hidden extras. The benefit to yourselves is all the experience but with the flexibility that large packaging design agencies cannot deliver.

From our studio in Hammersmith, London, we work for clients around the world: global and local, big household names and small startups, challengers and leaders. Whether a big brand re-design, NPD launch or simple packaging updates. We’re proud to remain flexible, refreshingly honest and wholly independent.

You can see some of our recent packaging design work here

Here is a little sneak preview of a new digital service that we are offering. Digital prototyping allows you to see the pack in full animated glory so that you can see how a consumer would engage with it.

This is especially important where the back of pack is an important communication tool for the consumer

The end result is a short animation that you can share with the wider team without the expense of multiple mock-ups.

If you would like more information on digital prototyping call Alan on 0044 (0)208222 6999

Feel free to drop us a line or pop in and meet us in person. We are located in the centre of Hammersmith, London.

This week, Slice got the chance to head down to the Pub16 show at the Kensington Olympia to rub shoulders with all the most exciting folks from the world of pubs, bars, restaurants and wholesalers. Needless to say, we didn’t think twice about checking out a room full of pubs, snacks, exciting new brands and alcohol.

We absolutely loved getting to chat with you all at the show, finding out where your business is heading beyond 2016 and your dastardly plans for pub domination! When we weren’t shooting the breeze and trying your delicious wares, we were in listening mode. We’re pretty good at multitasking you see, so we picked up on some notable insight, trends and themes from the show that could impact your strategy and marketing plans.

Alcohol must warn consumers of calorie content

You were probably dealing with the swarms of buyers at your stand when this news broke, but on Wednesday, Tennents Larger announced it was to become the first alcohol product in the UK to display calorie information on it’s packaging, following AB Inbev, Carlsberg and Heineken’s commitments to do the same by the end of 2016. From March, cans and bottles will be legally required to carry the information in order to educate drinkers on how to responsibly enjoy a tipple and remind them of the calorie intake.

So what does this mean for you? Well for a start, this has a direct impact on brands selling into the consumer. The redesign required to fit in those pesky – but important- bits of information, might mess around with the navigation of your packaging and branding. And while we’re at it, when was the last time you asked whether your branding is doing all it can to get the consumer to pick it up and drink it down? And for you wholesale folks, don’t get too comfy. I see you putting your feet up and getting that glazed over look in your eyes. But when will this extend to your retailers? Are you prepared to display the calorie content in your products and maintain your pack aesthetic?

Soft drinks go posh

Gone are the days of your sugar-laden soft drinks in the pub! ‘Premium’ was the trend in soft drinks that dominated the exhibition hall. The fizzy and delectable delights we spotted seemed to be positioned around catering to the health and wellness conscious consumer and showing how your soft drink is more natural and wholesome than the larger brands.. In terms of product trends it’s all about fresh ingredients, delicate blends and flavours from natural sources,- not a combination of e-numbers. Never before has the average Jo in the pub been so conscious of what they were consuming and concerned with what goes into making their drinks, so it’s wise to cater to the more informed and cautious consumer.

The challenge in branding for you purveyors of pop, lies in making your drinks stand out in a crowded mini fridge behind the bar. We noticed lots of gorgeous fine art botanical drawings or confectionary based stylings across the exhibition hall. But is that enough to draw the consumers eye away from the punchier branding or to tear them away from the classic choices from familiar brands?

Pork Scratchings are king but unlikely snacks are on the up

Remember those health conscious consumers I just mentioned? Those chaps who read the backs of the bottle, debate the healthiness of their choices and those who are looking for wholeness in their treats? Yeah well turns out they still really want a packet of pork scratchings at the pub. A contradiction of attitudes for sure, but stay with me on this one. We spoke to several snack vendors on site who said that out of their entire portfolio, pork scratchings are time and time again the biggest seller. Queues were enormous at these stands. But how you can you brand the humble pork scratching into the 21st century? Making consumers feel good about that special occasional treat of a pork scratching, can be all down to your tone of voice, packaging aesthetic and plain transparency. We all know what’s bad for us but making that indulgence worth it is down to a good story, credible provenance and a promise of good quality.

Crisp products were positioned largely around their British heritage, focusing on the quality and origins of wholesome ingredients. Meat snacks once again appealed to that health conscious consumer indulging in a treat and displayed notes about the protein content boldly on the pack. A surprising new entrant to the snack range, was the humble broad bean. Not only were these little guys delicious when dried and flavoured with sweet chilli, cheese or salt and vinegar but they are completely VAT free as they count as a vegetable in the HMRC’s eyes. Win, win, win!
What might be a challenge, is making these magic beans appeal to the traditional crisp or nut consumer. Rustic and nostalgic packaging were prominent, and colourful packaging that emphasised the bold snack flavours, was also a popular eye-catching strategy.

We’re heading into a busy trade show and conference season so you’d be wise to keep an eye out for us and our insights following the shows.

• Casual Dining show on 24th Feb
• Professional and organic beauty show on the 29th Feb
• Northern Restaurant and Bar show 16th March
• Natural & Organic products show 18th April

Are you considering a redesign or have you perhaps found your products falling out of favour with consumers, retailers and wholesalers? Regardless of the challenge you’re facing, SLICE has you covered; an integrated agency, which strives to remain flexible, hassle-free and time and cost efficient. We know branding and we know the complication that comes with big agencies. Look out for us at the shows above or get in touch direct! Let’s chat over a premium soft drink sometime.

Feel free to drop us a line or pop in and meet us in person. We are located in the centre of Hammersmith, London.