A Slice Of - Packaging Design

Branding & packaging design for Festive products & the issues faced by FMCG brands protecting brand logos.

I’m seeing the example on the image quite a lot recently. Brands are challenging and changing their logo in order to fit a seasonal offering.

Hovis has transformed to ‘Ho Ho Hovis’ and Warburtons, rather more subtly has become ‘Warbrrrtons’.

Whilst this may seem fitting, it removes recognition from previously strong branding. Importantly, maintaining brand consistency also strengthens the legal case from private labels and discounters trying to copy hard fought assets and equity.

Now, many people may say, it shows the power of a good logo and how it can be flexed. The truth is, it doesn’t show flexibility, it shows dilution, and that is not what a successful brand should do.

Simply put, you don’t muck about with the logo and that’s exactly what I said on my recent LinkedIn post which is prompted quite a lot debate.

So why is this? why is the brand logo sacrosanct, let’s dive in.

Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #christmas #xmas #baking #bakery #bread

Branding and packaging design for Good Sh*t Cola and the issues faced by FMCG brands using humour to sell.

If you make a consumer smile, you have tapped into an important human emotion and engaged them, so this week we are going to be taking a look at a brand that does just that, it’s that cheeky little upstart from the world of soft drinks, Good Sh*t Cola.

I hadn't actually seen the brand before as it has not yet made it over to the UK. In fact, one of my LinkedIn connectons sent it over to me along with the note - You are gong to love this!

It made me smile enough to want to look it up online and in doing so instantly highlighted an issue. Sure its fun but what is it and why do I need it?

Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #cocacola #drinks #coke #softdrinks #fun #humour

Branding and packaging design for Red Bull and the issues faced by FMCG brands creating masterbrands.

If you have invested time and energy in an instantly recognisable, master brand, it’s advantageous to use this navigational aid across the entire portfolio.

This consistency creates reassurance for your consumer and links the wider portfolio together.

It also ensures that your product looks like it is from the brand leader rather than one of the copycat discounters.

This inconsistency creates sub ranges and product lines that don’t seem as though they are part of the portfolio and so risks them disappearing into the background on the shelf.

A robust masterbrand serves as a beacon to reassure the consumer of their choice. If you have one, use it or risk losing out to the competition.

So, today, we're talking about the power of masterbrands and why consistency is key when it comes to product packaging across a brand's portfolio.

One of the best cases in point here Red Bull, and specifically how they seem to have forgotten that unique checkerboard identifier from the parent pack when extending the range.

Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #energydrinks #drinks #energy #softdrinks #masterbrand

Branding and packaging design for Purina Go-Cat pet food and the issues faced by FMCG brands with busy packs.

Have you ever wondered why some brands excel at capturing our attention while others seem to get lost in the crowd?

Well, one crucial aspect of successful branding lies in the packaging design, specifically in making sure that the front and back of the pack work harmoniously to convey a clear and impactful message.

Importantly, that both the front and the back each have clear and distinct roles.

So today, we’re going be looking at the petfood aisle and talking about a particular piece of packaging that struggles with this Purina Go-Cat. Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the pack design to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? Importantly what makes us put them in our shopping basket! I plan to keep the podcast to around five minutes each, and I’ll include some voice message comments that have been sent through about the packs from my LinkedIn page. You can find our contact details below: Alan Gilbody on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alangilbody/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Slice Design Company website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slicedesign.co.uk⁠⁠⁠ #packagingdesign #packdesign #packaging #branddesign #branding #petfood #pets #pet #cat #food #BOP #backofpack

We spend a huge portion of our lives shopping in supermarkets for products. On average, a medium-sized UK supermarket may stock around 30,000 to 40,000 individual products. That a lot of choice!! So what is it that makes us pick up the products and part with our hard earned cash? I’m Al, owner and creative director of Slice Design, a branding and Packaging Design agency based in the UK. Each week, ‘a slice of’, will take a look at a supermarket brand and critique the packs to find out what works, or doesn’t. What makes you desire them, or even hate them? And importantly what makes us put them in our basket!