12 Days of Holiday Food Packaging
As a food marketing agency, it’s hard for us not to ooh and ahh over some of the festive packages we see hit the shelves this time of year. Join us as we find and discuss the packaging for 12 food products dressed in holiday style.
Day 12: Land O’Lakes Eggnog
Our Notes
We couldn’t wrap up our series on holiday food packaging without taking a look at this seasonal eggnog from Land O’Lakes. Most of this carton has taken on a creamy tan background with a very subtle speckled texture. A simple red and green illustration of a wreath encompasses the product name and decidedly brands the package for Christmas.
Overall Thoughts
Like a few other products we’ve looked at for this holiday series, Land O’Lakes took a very simple approach with their eggnog packaging. There’s no product photography on the front. But, the creamy, speckled background hints at the beverage inside that’s traditionally sprinkled with nutmeg. As the singular element of Christmas on the package, the wreath appears stylistically retro, a nod to the nostalgia associated with this holiday party drink. The simple package design may not have a major “wow” factor, but it sure got us in the holiday spirit.
Day 11: Angie’s Frosted Sugar Cookie Boom Chicka Pop
Our Notes
Here at IN, we have a soft spot for Angie’s, both for their popcorn and for their branding. Looking at just the layout of this holiday-edition bag, not much has changed from the standard packaging. Snowflakes have been added in a simple line at the top of the bag, and the logo has been transformed into a Christmas ornament. Known for their brightly-colored bags, Angie’s made the switch to metallic for their Holidrizzle packaging.
Overall Thoughts
Our eyes lit up like kids at Christmas when we saw the display of Angie’s Holidrizzle Boom Chicka Pop. Though the layout of this holiday-edition bag hasn’t changed much from the standard packaging, Angie’s has certainly made a festive impact with a simple switch to metallic for their Holidrizzle bags. Not only does this make the bags eye-catching among the other snacks on the shelves, but the metallic finish feels premium and special, a perfect fit for the Frosted Sugar Cookie Kettle Corn inside.
Day 10: Coffeemate Peppermint Mocha Creamer
Our Notes
The seasonal line of Coffeemate creamer received a wintry packaging makeover with a flurry of snowflakes falling in the background. For this Peppermint Mocha variety, a candy cane striped mug topped with decadent chocolate frosting and peppermint candy rests in the snowy white landscape to indicate the flavor inside.
Overall Thoughts
Though this packaging doesn’t scream “Christmas” or even “holiday”, its seasonal look can’t be missed in the snow and decadent drink displayed on the label. With this subtle approach, Coffeemate proves that not all limited-edition packaging needs to have an excess of bells and whistles to exude holiday spirit. Instead, their approach to seasonal packaging leverages their signature look to maintain brand recognition with just a taste of winter wonderland.
Day 9: Hershey’s Candy Cane Bar
Our Notes
Hershey’s didn’t stray too far from its iconic simple packaging with their holiday edition Candy Cane bar. The wrapper features a clean, white design with candy cane stripes on both ends to indicate the bar’s peppermint flavor.
Overall Thoughts
Peppermint-flavored everything is everywhere during the holiday season. How is a brand supposed to stand out in all of that minty madness? Hershey’s took the “don’t reinvent the wheel” approach, and we think they made the right choice. By retaining their classic look with the simple addition of candy cane stripes, Hershey’s leveraged the strength of its brand to plow through the clutter.
Day 8: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Joe Joe’s
Our Notes
We couldn’t stay away from this seasonal treat from Trader Joe’s after hearing rave reviews from a couple of our team members. The box says “Christmas” at first glance with its 2-tone red striped design. It’s dressed up like a gift, as the design features a gold ribbon wrapping around the box. The badge-style logo even acts like a gift tag in a festive, ornamental shape.
Overall Thoughts
First thing’s first, we had to see if these cookies could live up to all of the hype. They definitely do, which posed a bit of a problem. The design has a holiday feel, but it doesn’t reflect the premium quality of the cookies inside. We think a gift-worthy product should have a gift-worthy presentation. Perhaps a cleaner, white design would better highlight the peppermint-y goodness of these decadent, yet refreshing cookies.
Day 7: Old Dutch Tiny Twists Holiday Pretzels
Our Notes
Nothing on this holiday packaging for Old Dutch Pretzels resembles the standard bag. The original blue and yellow design has been replaced by a cheery red and green argyle pattern, complete with snowflakes, and the once blue logo is now red to match. For a finishing touch, the square window has been exchanged for a wreath of holly and berries.
Overall Thoughts
Whether used for dipping in chocolate or stirring into snack mix, pretzels are a holiday snacking staple. So, adopting a festive package design for the season makes sense. But did Old Dutch go too far in this makeover? Though the Old Dutch logo is still recognizable and prominent, we see a fair amount of risk in the drastic departure from their standard bags. Until this holiday design becomes a brand standard in consumers’ minds, Old Dutch could be running the risk of getting lost in the snack aisle.
Day 6: Goldfish Grahams S’mores
Our Notes
This bag of Goldfish Grahams S’mores underwent the biggest holiday makeover of the packages we’ve seen so far. The background has changed to a blend of red to red-orange, and Finn the Goldfish’s camping hat has been replaced by a Santa hat. The blue that normally covers the package is now confined to just 2 ornaments in a snowy landscape. Though we didn’t notice it until we got back to the office, a third (very subtle) red ornament displays the Goldfish logo.
Overall Thoughts
We love to see changes to food packaging for the holidays, and it’s safe to say that kids do too. Perhaps that’s just enough reason to make this seasonal edition worthwhile. Our only complaint here is that the Grahams branding gets lost in all of the holiday cheer. Reducing the amount of blue on the bag makes it difficult to distinguish it amongst the rest of the Goldfish lineup.
Day 5: Trader Joe’s Decked Out Brittle
Our Notes
Another Trader Joe’s find, this Decked Out Brittle is a bit more seasonably dressed than the hot chocolate we found a few days ago. The packaging features some familiar brand assets with an elegant holiday twist. Plus, designed as a hinged-top style box, the product feels giftable. We also noted the “punny” name is an accurate description for this festive brittle filled with nuts, seeds and berries.
Overall Thoughts
The exterior design of this package is simple and elegant—a good amount of holiday style. When we opened up the box we were a little disappointed by the rest of the product experience. Don’t get us wrong—the product itself is tasty. But the box feels very standard, and the interior packaging is just a lack-luster, heavy-duty plastic bag of brittle. We think Trader Joe’s could have decked this packaging out more to align with the perceived value of the product inside. Since this seasonal treat is made with high-quality ingredients, presenting it in a heavier weighted, more substantial box with a tray instead of a bag would be a better fit.
Day 4: Milano Cookies
Our Notes
The festive packaging for Milano cookies couldn’t be ignored as we wandered down the snack aisle. The cookies inside the bag are familiar, but Christmas red replaces the standard purple top of the bag, and trees made of snowflakes line the now-snowy horizon. Snowflakes also fall down the side of the package to continue the seasonal feel.
Overall Thoughts
It’s safe to say cookies are the unofficial dessert of Christmas as they seem to show up in droves throughout the season. To make sure their cookies aren’t forgotten behind grandma’s gingerbread, Pepperidge Farm dressed up its Milanos in holiday cheer. The change makes an already elegant cookie feel more special and jump right into the shopping cart. Santa won’t mind a Milano or 2 mixed into that plate of sugar cookies, right?
Day 3: Trader Joe’s Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Our Notes
We found this tin of Peppermint Hot Chocolate hiding amongst other holiday goodies in one of the many seasonal displays at Trader Joe’s. Though the design doesn’t exactly exude holiday spirit, the badge-style logo combined with the tin container feels very giftable. Plus, its contents definitely give it a limited-time status.
Overall Thoughts
This product didn’t pop off the shelf for being decked out in candy canes or Christmas trees. Rather, it stood out for its simplicity. The badge-style logo and tin packaging elevate it to feel special, perfect for a little stocking stuffer. Maybe it will even make an appearance at this year’s IN Secret Santa gift exchange.
Day 2: Kemps Skim Milk
Our Notes
While browsing the dairy aisle for the traditional eggnog and festive creamers, we were surprised to stumble upon Christmas packaging in the milk section. Milk is such a staple item that you might not even notice the label change if you’re not looking for it. Here, the grassy fields are replaced by snow, and the Kemps cow is adorned in Santa garb and holding a sign that reads, “Official milk of Santa”.
Overall Thoughts
Because shoppers are accustomed to milk’s color-coding system, a jug of milk has very little flexibility to dress up for Christmas. Kemps had a small window of opportunity and really milked it for all it’s worth by taking ownership as the official milk of Santa. Adding Santa may not have a big impact on holiday sales for this staple grocery item, but it does succeed in making a relevant connection with shoppers.
Day 1: Ritz Crackers
Our Notes
At a quick glance, Ritz doesn’t stand out for its limited edition seasonal packaging. Instead, a snowflake-themed box maintains the iconic Ritz Red that we see year-round. We also noted that snowflakes read as “seasonal” rather than “holiday” or “Christmas”.
Overall Thoughts
Retaining the Ritz Red as the core asset ensures familiarity with brand loyalists. Buyers know what they can expect with the bonus of a festive-shaped, entertaining-worthy cracker. Plus, choosing snowflakes versus Santa extends the life of the packaging past Christmas and New Year’s, especially here in MinneSNOWta.
5 ingredients for a great creative brief
It’s the bane of most marketers, but generating an inspiring creative brief doesn’t need to be a painful or time-consuming process. Sure, agencies love information, but less can be more if it’s the right information. In addition to the basics like identifying your target audience and overall budget, these are the 5 things we look for:
1 • Background/objective
It seems simple, but oftentimes marketers don’t have a compelling “why” driving the campaign. Are sales declining? Is a competitor gaining ground? Is there a compelling market opportunity you’ve uncovered? The more we understand why we’re developing the campaign and what we’re trying to achieve, the better our work will be.
2 • Singular key message
This may be the most challenging of all, but the most effective creative comes down to communicating one message — and doing it really well. Think about it this way, if you had only five seconds to explain your product to a prospective customer, what would you say? The message can also drive the medium, so it’s best if the tactics aren’t predetermined prior to the briefing.
3 • Message hierarchy
Outside of a digital banner ad, there’s usually space for supporting messages. Understanding the priority of those messages helps us craft the most effective copy.
4 • Creative mandatories
If you need 12 brand logos, 6 ingredient decks and 4 nutritional labels, we can make it happen! It will just be a lot less painful for both of us if we can plan for it up front (and that holds true even if it’s just one of each).
5 • Desired outcome
What do you want the creative to do? Build awareness, drive click-through, encourage trial or all of the above? By beginning with the end in mind, we can develop creative solutions that are much more effective. For example, if we know the entire goal of a campaign is to generate trial, that will shape everything — from the message to the medium.
ONE FINAL TIP • Some of our most effective briefing sessions have been a collaborative effort with our clients, so don’t think you need to go it alone. Just contact anita@infoodmktg.com and we’d be happy to help.
Food shows: 5 tips for success
If you’re like many food companies, trade shows are an important part of your marketing mix. Make sure you’re getting the maximum value for your investment with these 5 easy tips:
1. Plan for success
Trade shows are a marketing tactic, no different from an email or ad campaign. Yet many marketers are vigilant about setting objectives and success metrics for other tactics, but invest thousands of dollars in trade shows with no specific goals or follow-up plan. Prior to the show, determine what outcomes you’re hoping to achieve, and make sure to align your resources accordingly.
2. Less is more messaging
On average, you have about 3 seconds to capture an attendee’s interest. Be concise with your messaging to ensure they can quickly surmise your unique offerings and value proposition.
3. Be relevant
By adopting a “one-size-fits-all” approach to food shows, you’re missing an opportunity to tailor your messaging to each audience. For example, the needs of a K-12 operator are much different than a pizzeria owner. Demonstrate that you understand their challenges by engaging them with channel-specific language.
4. Make food appetizing
If you’re sampling food or using it as part of your display, make sure it’s delicious and appetizing. Attendees have the opportunity to taste a lot of items at food shows – and they’re judicious about which ones to choose. Make sure they don’t pass yours by.
5. Be approachable
Your booth staff is representing your brand to attendees, so make sure you’re choosing your most friendly, engaging team members. Avoid overstaffing your booth to ensure attendees feel welcomed but not ambushed.
What have been your tips for success at food shows? We’d love to hear from you. If you need help with your next trade show, contact anita@infoodmktg.com.
Packaging we’re INto
There’s nothing we love more than a great packaging redesign, especially when it’s a redesign of a food product! We had the privilege of working with E&C’s Snacks, a Minneapolis-based cookie company, recently designing their logo, packaging design and tagline.
Here are three recent package redesigns that we love.
Blue Bunny
The bunny is back, baby! We love the modern, sleek look of Blue Bunny’s new logo. The choice of font and emphasis on clean-cut imagery makes for an attractive package.
Agency: pearlfisher
Market Pantry
Market Pantry, one of Target’s many private labels, is turning heads with their recent packaging redesign. We’re a fan of the fresh-looking logo, large typeface and bold imagery. Market Pantry’s bright red and white color scheme is synonymous with Target, and bringing that center stage was a smart move. The previous design system lacked personality and appeared rather bland, typical of generic brands. But now Market Pantry redefines “private label” with this exciting redesign.
Agency: pearlfisher
Swedish Fish
Swedish Fish gets a face-lift! The popular candy brand’s iconic red fish is now featured in the center of the package. The font, once retro and seemingly dull, is now modernized and fun. The classic yellow and light blue color scheme remains, but is given life with a playful wave.
Agency: Bulletproof
Build food sales in 45 seconds or less.
With over 600,000 restaurants in the U.S., it’s virtually impossible for a food manufacturer to call on more than a small fraction – even with a robust direct or broker sales force. And with a typical sales call costing around $400, it’s imperative to find cost-effective ways to reach highly profitable independent operators. That’s where video can come into play. Here are just a few stats to show the power of video in your B2B marketing mix:
- More than 70% of B2B buyers view video product demonstrations before making a purchase.1
- A video on a B2B landing page can increase conversion by 80%2
- 48% of B2B buyers use their smartphone to watch video3
Whether you’re using video to introduce a new product (such as our Yoplait® SmoothiePro™ example below), or using it to show new uses for a mature product category (such as our Marzetti® Dressing example), it can be a powerful way to extend the reach of your salesforce.
A single video can be leveraged in multiple ways to drive engagement and sales — from paid and social media, to your website, tradeshows, e-mails and blog posts.
Interested in exploring videos for your business? Contact anita@infoodmktg.com
1 IT Business Edge
2 Demand Metric B2B Video Marketing Benchmark and Best Practices Report, 2014
3 EMarketer, 2014
Food packaging we love.
What takes food packaging from good to great? It’s so much more than beautiful graphics, typography and photography. Great food packaging tells a story from the shelf that evokes an emotional response from buyers. Here are three examples that do just that:
Potter’s Crackers: The beauty of this packaging is in its simplicity. Less can truly be more when it comes to telling the story of the food. The illustration of the state of Wisconsin, paired with the descriptor immediately screams “local.” The use of craft paper conveys the artisan nature of the crackers, and the product can be easily seen through the window. Paired with the minimalistic graphics, the food itself is the hero of the package.
Kettle® Brand Potato Chips: Is there a more demonized snack food on the planet than potato chips? This packaging barely even uses that descriptor – you have to look hard to find it at the bottom. Instead, the hierarchy focuses on the main ingredient: real sliced potatoes. Paired with the tagline “Real food. Natural ingredients.”, a person almost feels judicious purchasing this brand of potato chips.
Tiny but Mighty Popcorn: With slightly whimsical branding, this is a package that doesn’t take itself too seriously. But with the choice of words, color and imagery, it immediately tells a story: It’s from a farmer named Gene in Iowa, and it’s an ancient heirloom variety of popcorn — connecting to consumers’ desire to understand the origins of their food. The illustrations of corn further reinforce the real food aspect of the product.
Which food packaging has stood out you? We’d love to hear about it. And if you need help with your next packaging initiative, contact anita@infoodmktg.com
Programmatic media 101
As consumers, we may find programmatic media a little creepy. After all, who wants a pair of shoes you’ve been ogling to taunt you on every subsequent website you visit? But as marketers, the benefits and advantages of programmatic media are hard to ignore. Here are a few things you need to know about it:
– It’s an automated method of buying media that uses real-time bidding to target consumers based on recent internet searches.
– Unlike traditional media vehicles, you’re buying the audience, not the placement itself.
– The benefits include increased click-through rates, reduced cost and less reliance on media partners. It can also be used effectively for both B2C and B2B channels.
Should programmatic media replace current media channels? Absolutely not. But like paid search, it can be another highly targeted tool in your marketing arsenal. We recommend starting with a small budget to test, and setting buying parameters against who you know to be a targeted customer. It’s also important to create relevant ads and refresh them often since wear-out can occur after only a couple of weeks.
Want a little more information on how to put programmatic media to work for you? Contact anita@infoodmktg.com
Leverage content marketing to drive B2B food sales
Content marketing is the technique of creating and distributing relevant, consistent content with the goal of attracting customers and driving profitable action. So what are the best ways to get started if you don’t have a plan in place?
1. Employ a range of tactics: An effective strategy requires a mix of different tactics that work together to support your message. A blog linked to your website can be an effective hub, with posts pushed out through social media channels. In fact, companies that blog 15 or more times per month get 5 times more traffic. Make sure your blog content is relevant to the audience, considering topics that hit on your customers’ pain points. Other top tactics are e-newsletters, website articles and case studies.
2. Leverage social media: LinkedIn is the #1 B2B content marketing tactic, and is ideal since it is a purely business-driven site. Here are a few other ways to leverage LinkedIn with your content marketing strategy:
- Create a LinkedIn company or channel page and optimize the content for the keywords you want associated with your brand.
- Leverage SlideShare to post presentations or PDFs to your LinkedIn page.
- Become a LinkedIn group thought leader in your category and share your blog posts and other relevant content.
3. Think long-term: It’s tempting to focus on tactics that drive immediate case sales, but investing in content marketing will pay bigger dividends over the long-haul by positioning your brand as a relevant, solution provider.
Have you implemented a content marketing plan? If so, we’d love to hear how it’s working for you or help with any challenges you’re facing. Contact anita@infoodmktg.com for more information.
Customization Can Build Strong Emotional Connections
The pinnacle of success for any brand is to build a deep, emotional connection with its customers. Coke did this over the summer by tapping into the most unique and personal thing their consumers possess: their name.
Coca-Cola’s wildly successful “Share a Coke” campaign labeled bottles with 250 different names along with various terms such as “bestie,” “Mom,” “wingman,” etc. The campaign immediately went viral. Consumers shared their Coke bottle finds with the #ShareACoke hashtag across many platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Not only did the campaign inspire conversation on social media, complete with memes, it also inspired a sort of collectability and gift-giving dynamic. While shopping, if a consumer saw a bottle with a friend or family member’s name on it, they felt compelled to buy it and share it with them. Having such high shareability ultimately raised Coke’s sales 2.5%, reversing a decade’s long downward slope in a category that’s flat to declining.
“Share A Coke” didn’t come without problems, however. Even with pre-named and “bestie” bottles, some consumers felt left out by the brand. Coke wisely tried to mitigate this feeling by creating several-hundred stops around the country where those with more unique names could get a bottle customized just for them. Setting up these stations further showed Coke was dedicated to building a connection with their consumers.
Now, Coca-Cola Israel is taking it a step further with their new campaign, which rolled out 2 million unique Diet Coke bottle designs. Having a one-of-a-kind item from a beloved brand fosters an even stronger connection, which in turn builds stronger loyalty.
Customization is a great way to drive a deep, emotional connection and brand loyalty, but it’s equally as important to make sure everyone feels included and empowered by the brand—doing so could significantly raise revenue and loyalty.
How can you bring an emotional, personal connection to your brand?
Great Video from The Cheerios Effect – Canada
Many of you will remember the turmoil surrounding a Cheerios ad featuring an interracial couple and their (adorable) daughter that aired last year. In response to the controversy, General Mills aired it again during the Super Bowl—doubling down on their commitment to showing real families in their ads.
Since that episode, we’ve been watching to see what Cheerios will come out with next and love the latest video from Cheerios Canada! It features a charming same-sex couple telling the story of how they met, and the day they met their daughter. The ad is part of the broader Cheerios Effect campaign, which focuses on stories of love and connection. This campaign continues the effort to show real families..
“No matter who you are, where you live, or who you choose to share your life with, we believe everyone is worthy of connection – and everyone has a story worth sharing.”
