Product: Our Compliments private label products

Client: Oshawa Foods

Package design firm:

Taxi Design

Background:

Taxi Design was selected by Oshawa Foods in November 1992 to develop and implement a number of key components (name generation, identity design, product packaging design, in-store support material and initial launch advertising) of the latter’s signature private label launch strategy.

The product line was launched on June 28, 1993.

The challenge:

– To penetrate several categories within the Ontario food retail marketplace with a line of products no one had ever heard of, and under a signature name no one was familiar with.

– To launch a line within the context of specific financial objectives, yet in the midst of a domestic economic recession.

– To position the new line to compete effectively not only against national brands, but also within a store environment which already had four other in-house product lines.

Added to the challenge was the fact that an all-encompassing graphic design and identity program had to be created, developed and on-shelf within a seven-month time-frame.

Within the specific context of the target markets, corporate objectives and the product line strategy, the packaging had to:

– reinforce an upscale, high quality positioning;

– provide on-shelf distinction/ differentiation and visual support (through colors, illustrations, photography, type styles);

– be appropriate to the category it was competing in while retaining elements of consistency to provide ‘across-the-store’ branding;

– incorporate its distinctive identity/logo for easy brand identification;

– highlight product attributes (where possible) and the quality of the product ingredients;

– ‘tell a story’ – as part of its selling language;

– be adaptable for introduction into every region of the country (including French-language markets); and

– have staying power.

The design solution:

Given the design mandate and the corporate strategy adopted for this line, something different had to be developed.

Strategically it would have been an error to initiate a ‘me too’ direction for either the name of the line or the design of the packaging.

Parity, that is to say, sameness or homogeneity would simply have undermined the valued Oshawa Foods customer. In addition, it would have sent out the wrong message.

The recommended solution for the packaging creative was to present ‘honest, straightforward product packages, with each product having a friendly conversation with the customer, yet with an element of fun added to the mix.’

Each package had to be consistent in terms of these elements, however each package still had to be able to stand on its own and compete effectively within its particular product category.

As well, it was critical to ensure that each package within the Our Compliments line be graphically linked in order to help promote the new line and develop equity for the new line in the consumer’s mind.

The results:

A. Quantitative

The sales performance to date of the Our Compliments line has been outstanding. Initial sales results for the launch exceeded quantitative corporate projections by 250%.

B. Qualitative

A critical part of the company’s overall strategy for the Our Compliments line is to maintain an ongoing understanding of its customers in terms of their wants, needs and attitudes towards this product line.

Research by Instore Focus indicated the Our Compliments packaging graphics have garnered a favorable response.