A couple months back, my wife bought a new brand of granola bars. They were certified organic, non-GMO and whole grain – everything my wife looks for. They also happened to taste awesome. I told her how much I liked them, so she continued buying them. Several weeks later, I was telling a good friend of mine about these granola bars and how good they were, when he asked a perfectly reasonable question, “What brand were they?”
My answer? “I have no idea.”
I had been eating these granola bars for over a month and was clueless as to who made them. And I’m in advertising. I look for this stuff. Yet somehow this crucial piece of information had managed to elude me. So that night when I got home, I opened the pantry and looked at the box. There, to my chagrin, was a logo with a company name and everything. So how could I have missed it? Simple – it wasn’t doing its job.
For starters, the logo was too intricate, and the name of the company was buried within it. I actually liked the logo as a standalone graphic and can see why it appealed to them, but a logo has to be more than just a nice piece of artwork. It’s the first opportunity to connect with the consumer, so it should be eye-catching, simple and memorable.
The other problem was that the information on the front of the box didn’t have a clear hierarchy. I understand that organic products have specific attributes that consumers look for, but the information needs to have a visual flow of importance. For organic food, it should go: brand, product, certifications and nutrition.
Lastly, you need to separate yourself from the pack. If these granola bars had been in the regular aisle, they might have stood out. In the organics section, however, they drown in a sea of sameness. So pay attention to what others in your category are doing and then differentiate yourself. Not only will you grab your customer’s attention, you’ll make sure he or she can easily find you the next time. Otherwise, they may grab another box that looks just like yours.
TAGS: Energy & Environmental Marketing
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