Refreshing Your Food Brand Identity for Stronger Sales and Improved Consumer Loyalty.

A food brand refresh can be a powerful way to nourish your food brand, attract new customers, and boost sales.

During the first year of our own brand’s life, Auralis Botanical, we refreshed and updated the packaging, in minor ways, five times.

This post discusses the reasons for refreshing your food brand identity and the key elements to consider. It gives some tips for executing a successful brand refresh, and we will also delve deeper into how a packaging refresh can create stronger sales and increase customer loyalty.

Why Refresh Your Food Brand Identity?

There are a number of reasons why a food brand might consider a brand refresh:

1. Ineffective Design – Packaging that doesn’t drive sales in a retail environment has often been created by designers without CPG experience. If a brand manages to secure listings but sales velocity disappoints, then ineffective packaging is often the reason.
2. Changing consumer preferences – As consumer tastes and preferences evolve, it’s important to ensure that your food brand remains relevant and appealing to your target audience. This includes keeping up with emerging food trends, health-conscious choices, and cultural influences that all impact consumer preferences.
3. Increased competition – A brand refresh can help your food brand stand out in a crowded marketplace and differentiate your products from the competition. As new food brands and products continue to emerge, it’s vital to stay ahead by keeping your brand identity fresh to maintain a unique brand presence that’s compelling to consumers.
4. Expanded product offerings – If you have expanded your product range or shifted focus, a brand refresh can help to communicate these changes to consumers and align your brand identity with your current offerings. This can include introducing new product lines, expanding into different market segments, or catering to specific dietary needs.
5. Outdated branding – If your branding feels dated or no longer accurately represents your food brand’s values and mission, a brand refresh can reinvigorate your brand and better connect with your target audience. A strong brand identity is essential in conveying your brand’s personality, story, and values to consumers, ultimately building trust and fostering brand loyalty.
6. Mergers and acquisitions – If your food brand has undergone a merger or acquisition, a brand refresh may be necessary to integrate the new brand elements and establish a cohesive brand identity that resonates with both existing and new customers.

Three Examples of successful packaging redesigns

McDonald’s – Global Packaging Redesign

McDonald’s has released new packaging designs globally, moving away from the traditional red and yellow colors. The new design represents key elements through flat graphics and pastel shades, bringing “a sense of joy and ease”. The designers describe it as “aesthetically minimal and emotionally joyful”.

Cadbury’s Dairy Milk redesign

Cadbury’s Dairy Milk has a strong consumer base due to its association with nostalgia and joy. Its packaging design was refreshed last year, including a change to the “Cadbury” logo and the “Glass and a half-full” icon on Dairy Milk packaging.

Dunkin’ rebranding

Dunkin’ Donuts rebranded itself to just “Dunkin”. They simplified the name and changed their logo to let consumers know that they sell more than just donuts.

When Should A Brand Refresh Its Packaging?

The industry consensus is that most brands should consider refreshing their packaging every five years. Analyzing the effectiveness of their packaging on a regular basis is important for beverage and food marketing teams, and even small changes to packaging can help draw attention to a product.

In some cases, brands may need to redesign their packaging sooner. Negative feedback from consumers, flat sales, shifting product categories, or a competitor’s packaging update are all good reasons to alter packaging.

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The Role of Packaging in a Brand Refresh

Packaging plays a crucial role in the overall perception and success of a food brand. A packaging refresh can have a significant impact on sales and customer loyalty by:

1. Attracting attention – Eye-catching packaging design can help your food brand stand out on store shelves, drawing attention to your products and increasing the likelihood of purchase. A packaging refresh can incorporate new design elements, colours, or typography that resonate with your target audience and make a strong visual impression.
2. Communicating your brand story – Packaging offers an opportunity to communicate your brand story, values, and unique selling points to consumers. A packaging refresh can help you convey these messages more effectively by updating imagery, messaging, or layout to better align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience.
3. Influencing consumer perception – Packaging can significantly impact consumers’ perception of a product’s quality, taste, and overall appeal. A packaging refresh that communicates premium quality, freshness, or sustainability can elevate your food brand in the eyes of consumers, leading to increased sales and brand loyalty.
4. Addressing sustainability concerns – As consumers become more environmentally conscious, a packaging refresh incorporating sustainable materials or design elements can demonstrate your food brand’s commitment to sustainability, attracting eco-conscious consumers and nourishing loyalty among existing customers.
5. Improving functionality and convenience – A packaging refresh that focuses on enhancing functionality and convenience can make your food products more appealing to consumers. This could include features such as easy-open packaging, resealable pouches, or portion control options. By addressing consumer needs and preferences, your food brand can strengthen its position in the market and drive repeat purchases.

Key Elements to Consider in a Food Brand Refresh

When planning a food brand refresh, it’s essential to consider the following elements:

1. Mission, vision, and values – Revisit your food brand’s mission, vision, and values to ensure they are still relevant and accurately reflect your brand’s goals and purpose. This may involve refining your brand promise, redefining your unique selling proposition, or reevaluating your brand positioning to better align with your market and target audience.
2. Target audience – Evaluate your target audience and consider whether you need to refine your focus or expand your reach to attract new customers. Conduct research to identify emerging consumer trends, demographic shifts, or market opportunities that may influence your brand refresh strategy.
3. Visual identity – Refresh your food brand’s visual identity, including your logo, colour palette, and packaging design, to better align with your updated brand identity and communicate your brand message more effectively. A successful visual identity refresh should be grounded in consumer insights and aligned with your brand strategy to ensure a cohesive and impactful brand presence.
4. Brand voice – Review your brand voice and consider updating it to better resonate with your target audience and convey your food brand’s personality. This may involve refining your brand’s tone, style, and messaging to create a more engaging and authentic connection with consumers.
5. Marketing strategy – Update your marketing strategy to better target your desired audience, leveraging new channels, and incorporating your refreshed brand identity. This could include optimizing your digital presence, exploring new advertising opportunities, or developing targeted content marketing campaigns to reach and engage your target audience.

Final Tips for a Successful Food Brand Refresh

Here are some tips to help you execute a successful food brand refresh:

1. Conduct market research – Gather insights into your target audience’s preferences, competitor positioning, and industry trends to inform your brand refresh strategy. Market research can provide valuable information on emerging opportunities, potential threats, and consumer expectations, enabling you to make informed decisions and maximize the impact of your brand refresh.
2. Involve key stakeholders – Engage employees, customers, and other stakeholders in the brand refresh process to gather feedback and build buy-in for the changes. Involving key stakeholders can help ensure a smooth transition, identify potential challenges, and provide valuable perspectives to inform the refresh strategy.
3. Work with professionals – Collaborate with branding and design experts to ensure your refreshed food brand identity is executed professionally and effectively. A skilled branding agency will provide valuable insights, creative direction, and technical expertise to bring your brand refresh vision to life.
4. Create a launch plan – Develop a comprehensive plan to launch your refreshed food brand, including updating your marketing materials, website, and social media profiles, and announcing the changes to customers and partners. A well-executed launch can generate excitement, create buzz, and drive engagement with your refreshed brand.
5. Measure and monitor success – Track the impact of your brand refresh on sales, customer engagement, and brand awareness, and be prepared to make adjustments as needed to maximize the benefits of the refresh. Continuously monitoring your brand’s performance can help you identify areas for improvement, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and ensure the ongoing success of your refreshed brand.

Conclusion

A food brand refresh can be a highly effective strategy for reinvigorating your brand, attracting new customers, and boosting sales. By carefully considering the reasons for the refresh, the key elements to address, and the role of packaging in creating stronger sales and increased customer loyalty, your food brand can successfully navigate the brand refresh process and emerge stronger and more competitive in the market.