Consumers were having trouble understanding this product so we solved it! (created at Zack Group) Gerber didn’t want to stray too far from their original Lil’ Mixers logo, but it needed to work harder to help the consumer understand the product. We are happy to say this little package design won a GDUSA award too!
In the crowded dairy case, the beautifully hand drawn Vital Farms butter stands out, and here’s why:
#1 Unique for this category.
The look of this package is completely unique for the dairy case, which is filled with muted colors, pale yellows, blues and whites. The black package with white type really makes it stand out.
#2 Hand drawn type.
Hand drawn type is everywhere throughout the super market, but it’s not that common in the butter section. How do you know it’s truly hand done and not an existing font? Examine the letter forms and see if a repeated letter is exactly the same in both cases. The type on this package is clearly hand drawn and original.
#3 It’s all in the details.
With tons of hand drawn details on this package, I had to pick it up and look at every side. I think it’s great when designers take the full package into consideration and design every square inch. Even the inside of the package has a hand drawn heartwarming poem.
#4 A company with a conscience.
The design of this package clearly tells me its an eco-friendly company due to the hand drawn type and the words “pasture raised” in color and bold. So I had to go to their website and check it out:
“Vital Farms’ core mission is to bring ethically and sustainably produced food to the table by coordinating a collection of family farms to operate with a well defined set of organic agricultural practices that includes the humane treatment of farm animals as a central tenet.” Read more about their mission here.
So with all that stopping power, what would I suggest to make the package even stronger?
• Is it easy for you to tell the difference between the unsalted and salted? This is crucial, especially for bakers. The “unsalted” and “sea salted” needs to be much stronger, maybe it needs to be in a blue or green shape?
• Black space is your friend! (or as designers call it “White Space” even if it is black). The back of the package is super, super busy, beautiful, but busy. Changing up the emphasis would make it much easier to read. Maybe some of the type on the back should be in the blue or green color? Or in a white shape with black type? Thoughts?
• One more thing, I promise… I really wish that the inside of the package and the butter wrappers had the same artistic style as the outside of the package. It’s possible that they were designed by a different designer but it would really help pull the whole brand look together.
In the crowded snack aisle, Buck Wild Tortilla Chips stands out, and here’s why:
#1 Unique and intricate logo.
This unusual logo caught my eye immediately and the white type with black background adds to the impact.
#2 Unusual flavors.
Jalapeño Jack and Roasted Tomato Herb is just the beginning. They make Tortilla Chips, Popcorn and Snack Mix in a variety of unique flavors. Check out the other flavors here.
#3 Matte Varnish and Shiny Silver Foil.
Matte varnish on snack bags really adds to the premium quality. They’ve chosen key areas to allow the silver foil to show thru, such as the profile photos on the back panel and some of the type too.
#4 Color coding, clear and simple.
This is the shape on the front of the package that changes colors with each flavor. It’s important for consumers to know the difference between the flavors. The bright colors and product photography they’ve chosen are unmistakably different for each package.
#5 A company with a conscience.
Buck Wild gives back to the community. They “champion adventure”, “unleash potential” and “inspire individuality”. It’s all good. Read more about their mission here.
So with all that good stuff, there’s one thing I’m curious about…. how would the Buck’s sunglasses look with the shiny foil showing thru? Thoughts? (And while you’re thinking about it, be sure to pick up a bag or two! They are AMAZINGLY good! I can’t wait to try their Caramel Bourbon Popcorn!!)
