Rascal + Friends Premium Diapers Unveils Brand Refresh to “Rascals”, Designed for Modern Parents
Challenger baby brand Rascal + Friends is now known as Rascals after undergoing a brand refresh two years in the making.
The new name and look will roll out across multiple retailers in 30 markets including Canada, and will encompass hundreds of SKUs.
Founded in 2016 by a mother of four in New Zealand, Rascals has since become a fast-growing baby-care brand globally, and is currently the most liked and followed diaper brand on TikTok.
In addition to a shorter and more distinct name that’s already commonly used by parents as a shorthand for their kids, the brand has new packaging and print. Rascals’ signature teal is now fully embraced across its range of products in bold, modern packaging. This creates what the company calls a “strong, consistent brand that’s easy for parents and shoppers to identify on the shelf.”
Finally, there is third-party assurance, with products backed by pediatricians and with all product features being robustly tested by third parties.
“This refresh marks the next stage for the Rascals brand as we elevate all aspects of our identity – from brand communications and claims to visual identity,” explains Hannah Morris, Rascals’ senior marketing manager. “We focused on addressing the primary concerns parents have when selecting a diaper brand: absorbency and skin safety.”
Morris tells strategy that the new packaging showcases that Rascals is now pediatrician-recommended, and made without any lotions, latex and fragrance, while highlighting key innovative features like its absorbent Hydrolock Core and UltraFlex 360 waistband. It also has a “#1 Selling Diaper” callout to build credibility.
“Visually, we also wanted to ensure the pack claims were clear and compelling on shelf,” Morris says.
Packaging design as well as marketing is done in-house.
“Our philosophy has always been to build in-house expertise where possible, as it enables us to be dynamic and more efficient in all areas, which is one of our core competitive advantages,” Morris says.
On some SKUs, there is also an integration with the popular YouTube channel Cocomelon, owned by Moonbug Entertainment, with which Rascals signed a licensing and merchandise agreement in 2022.
The brand entered the same year as premium challenger Hello Bello in the U.S., which then came to Canada in 2020. Irving’s Royale Diapers are also a recent challenger in the domestic market.
But Morris says that as Rascals becomes more established, its focus is shifting and it is instead looking at how the brand can win against market leaders like P&G’s Pampers and Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies.
“We’ve always believed that competition in the category is important, and that’s the role we’ve aimed to play – disrupting the diaper aisle to drive innovation and provide better value for customers,” Morris says.
Rascals is established in in key markets with big retailer partners like Walmart Canada, Morris says.
The new Rascals branding will land in Canada in June, along with new size N diapers designed for newborns, expanding its range to meet all parents’ diaper needs. This launch will be supported by local marketing activities, including paid social and digital media, influencer partners, mass-product seeding to our community, retailer marketing activity and PR support from Talk Shop.
Rascals also plans to launch a brand campaign later this year.
