12 natural products branding trends to know now
Correctly branding your product is vital to its success, yet so difficult to nail down. Be sure it's authentic and trendy with these expert ideas.
April 6, 2022
"One of the biggest trends we're seeing is companies really understanding their audiences better and designing with them in mind," says Fred Hart, partner and creative director at Interact, a food and beverage branding and packaging design firm. To illustrate, he points to the canned water brand Liquid Death. "It has such an extreme look and feel—very heavy metal, very alternative," Hart says. "I don't have any tats or ride a motorcycle, but that visual aesthetic cues more than that. It also cues a counterculture mentality of being unorthodox and willing to challenge the status quo. That's my mentality, and they did a great job of conveying that through design language." Though stylistically opposite from Liquid Death, Hart says De La Calle, which offers fermented pineapple beverages in vivid yet pared-down cans, has also crafted an aesthetic that speaks to its audience. "It represents the culture it comes from and captures the flavors and lifestyles we associate with Mexico," he explains. "It uses a visual language that resonates with people or that people have an aspiration for."
"Five years ago, that scaled-back, staid, streamlined look with lots of sans serif typography was the talk of the town—now it's categorized as bland," Hart says. The "bland" look is also associated with millennials, whom many brands are no larger chasing. "With Gen Z now getting so much attention, some brands are trying to disrupt category norms and push out millennials or act as a deterrent from them," Hart adds. To do that, he says they are taking a more maximalist approach, using more color and character and greater expressions of emotion. Prime examples include better-for-you mac 'n' cheese brand Goodles and prebiotic soda purveyor Poppi.
As part of the bland backlash, brands are getting looser, more creative and more artistic with typography. "Organic, undulating typography is on trend," says Alicia Potter, principle and creative director at food and beverage branding studio Faven Creative. "Sometimes it has a retro vibe, other times it's psychedelic or extremely sophisticated. This type of typography has a lot of uniqueness and versatility."
Though not totally new, illustration is becoming more popular in natural products packaging. "Illustration is everywhere, from children's cereal, where you'd expect it, to higher-end food and beauty products," Potter says. "There are limitless ways in which distinct illustration can define a brand." These drawings aren't strictly the work of ad agencies, either. "We're seeing a lot more collaborations with artists, including those from underrepresented populations," Schall says. "Brands are being thoughtful about sourcing partners and bringing them into their stories."
When it comes to calling out key product attributes or elements of a brand story, "there was a time when a giant starburst was the last thing a designer would want to use," Potter says. "But now unique bursts, shapes and 'stickers' are on point. It's a great way to highlight specific information, and if done well, it can be an ownable brand asset."
As Gen Z muscles out millennials to become brands' primary targets, 1990s aesthetics are coming back in a big way. "The generation coming up always looks to the eras they didn't experience," Springston says. "Gen Z did not grow up in the 1990s, so they are very much looking for '90s." Of course, that decade encompassed a wide array of aesthetics, from bright-colored geometric patterns and boxy lettering to edgier styles inspired by skateboard and rave culture. Also, grunge got huge, canceling the showy, plastic-y early-1990s vibe seemingly overnight. "We just relived a reimagination of the 1980s, with rainbows, pastels and 'everyone be happy,'" Faber says. "The '90s was grit. End of glam, end of the sham. Now we might see brands with more edgy aesthetics and a real point of view that may not appeal to everyone." He points to Black Rifle Coffee, Liquid Death and Madrinas as brands that embrace this ethos.
Third-party certifications such as Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified B Corporation and Fair Trade Certified are a hallmark of natural products packaging. But as many brands are discovering, including too many seals can actually derail each one's impact. "It's like NASCAR, with all those little sponsor stickers on cars," Schall says. "When the cars are going around the track, spectators can't see the stickers. Similarly, when packaging gets too cluttered with certifications, they end up meaning nothing to the consumer." To combat this, Hart says audience-aware brands are starting to move away from "slapping every claim, certification and reason to believe on the front of the pack." Instead, they are simplifying and focusing and the certifications that matter most. "It's the brands that don't understand their consumer that are putting everything on the front of a package," Hart adds. "They are casting a very wide net."
Lots of food packaging uses product images to tempt shoppers' tastebuds. But traditionally, the photography has all looked pretty similar, says Hart. That's starting to change, though, with companies exploring new ways to show off their products. "Look at what Banza did with its pizza crust packaging," Hart notes. "It has a lot of distinctive design elements, and the image is flat, unlike the overhead glamour shots most brands use." He also mentions Ben & Jerry's pints, which, instead of the token scoop, show ice cream and ingredients stacked into a tower.
For a long time, Faber says food and beverage brands have tried to be perfect, always looking the "right" way and saying the "right" things. Problem is, "They are trying to connect with imperfect people, who realize they're being pandered to." For this reason, it's becoming even more critical for brands to have a knowable, ownable personality that comes through in visuals, voice and tone. "Having human traits and quirks is incredibly important for millennials and especially for Gen Z," Springston says. "Brands need to act human because it's easy to sniff out those that don't." This means being authentic, raw and real, Faber notes, with a point of view that's less curated and filtered. "That's what people gravitate toward," he says. "It's like your best friend, who has qualities you like and qualities you don't like, but you still love them."
In establishing a distinct brand personality, some natural products brands are taking a more tongue-in-cheek tone. "The 'tell me your best attributes' playbook has gotten old," Hart says. "Now consumers want more engagement, something that bucks the trend." Shoppers are finding exactly that across several categories." Just look at Oatly, which is so irreverent and not afraid to be edgy or poke fun at things," Hart says. "They are having so much fun within a category where every other brand is focused on the quality, delicateness and purity of the product." As further examples, he cites sausage brand Phil's Finest, as well as Happy Egg, which "markets with fun and cheekiness."
More and more food and beverage brands are revamping classic packaging shapes and sizes to stand out from competitors, says Hart, something booze brands have done successfully for years. Think VOSS's cylindrical bottles of water, Califia Farms' carafe shape or OLLY's rounded square supplement containers—each a distinct departure from category norms.
According to Schall, natural products brands are starting to embrace "drop culture," developing seasonal lines, one-off flavors or one-time collaborations with influencers. When doing so, they often break from their established brand identities to create something completely different. Thanks to technological advances in printing and manufacturing, such departures are much easier to execute—and a lot less risky—than they used to be. "Brands are more open to doing a special release or drop that looks totally different," Springston says. "We've been working with Aura Bora on specialty flavors for a limited time, and they've seen great success with it."
According to Schall, natural products brands are starting to embrace "drop culture," developing seasonal lines, one-off flavors or one-time collaborations with influencers. When doing so, they often break from their established brand identities to create something completely different. Thanks to technological advances in printing and manufacturing, such departures are much easier to execute—and a lot less risky—than they used to be. "Brands are more open to doing a special release or drop that looks totally different," Springston says. "We've been working with Aura Bora on specialty flavors for a limited time, and they've seen great success with it."
Of the many things natural products companies need to be successful, branding might be the most important. Through tightly aligned visuals, voice and other elements, a brand must convey its identity, values, mission, message and differentiation in a way that truly resonates with its target audience.
Though each natural products brand is unique, some notable branding trends ripple through the industry: Certain design motifs, typographies and other features pop up across categories.
But of course, trends are never hard-and-fast rules.
"There is always a contrarian success story to every trend," says Derek Springston, partner and chief creative officer at Moxie Sozo, a full-service branding and creative agency. "If the trend is colorful, bold and loud, there is always a subtle, clean, quiet brand that becomes successful."
It all really depends on who a brand truly is at its core, as well who it is targeting. "Branding needs to be authentic," says Josh Schall, owner and president of CPG brand-building firm J. Schall Consulting. "So when looking at trends, companies must think about how they align with the brands they are trying to build and the products they offer. If you're just searching for trends, ultimately, you will be a bit behind and not look like yourself."
Or worse.
"It doesn't matter if a certain style is hot—it doesn't resonate with your audience, it won't work," says Evan Faber, CEO and chief strategist at Moxie Sozo.
Keeping all that in mind, here are 12 branding trends seen throughout the natural products industry right now.
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