A well-established snack brand company leverages consumer knowledge to shape brand image, communication and packaging design

The background:

Our client is a well-established snack brand company in the Nordic and Baltic regions that has been delighting people with high-quality snacks for many years. As a long-standing brand with a history spanning several decades, they recognised the need for brand image review and potential upgrades to ensure its continued relevance and appeal to consumers. 

Our mission was to find the necessary additional spice – a direction that would help the brand increase consumer attention without compromising its heritage. We had to ensure that new creative communication decisions and product designs aligned with the defined brand direction.

The essence of the project:

We followed a customer-centric approach to guide a client towards the necessary brand image facelift. In the initial study stage, we focused on a better understanding of the primary TA within the category, focusing on 15–29-year-old youth. We explored the perspectives of consumers who prefer our client’s brand and those who would instead choose competitor products. In this exploratory project phase, we used focus groups and various projective techniques to investigate underlying arguments and evaluate different ideas.

During the focus group discussions, we covered general attitudes, values, sources of inspiration and admiration, views on category (emotional field, consumption situations, perceived benefits, behaviour and what drives them), and market competition (rational and emotional perception).

 

We also analysed different archetypes, identified attributes the audience relates to, and explored how these traits could bring something new into our client’s branding efforts. Finally, we tested communication concepts to identify the best direction for further brand identity development.

During the project’s subsequent phases, we ensured consistent implementation of the new direction by testing creative solutions, advertisements, and product packaging designs with consumers.

Services provided:

  • Researching the product’s TA of 15–29-year-olds within the category. 
  • Using focus group discussions and various projective techniques.
  • Testing communication concepts to identify the best direction for further brand identity development. 
  • Testing creative solutions, advertisements, and product packaging designs with consumers.

Project result:

Through comprehensive consumer analysis, we successfully established guidelines for our client’s brand positioning and expression. This involved core identity elements that captured the essence of the brand, as well as extended identity features that added additional texture and details, effectively portraying the brand’s persona and making it more captivating, memorable, and relatable.

By adhering to these guidelines and focusing on key performance indicators, we were able to steer communication and design decisions that stand out and effectively convey the brand’s key messages and character. This approach allowed us to preserve the brand’s uniqueness while fostering a stronger connection with the TA.

Partners:

Gintarė Kijauskaitė-Mosėnė

Associate Partner, Vilnius, Lithuania