Foodstrong

Design: Therefore Design Pvt Ltd
Location: India
Project Type: Produced
Client: Foodstrong
Product Launch Location: India
Packaging Contents: Daily Protein
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Aluminium, Paper

Objective:
Take a quick look at retail shelves teeming with large jars of whey protein, and it doesn’t take much to realise that the colour black overpowers outright. Add to that, seemingly masculine form and communication, make these jars less appealing to potential female audiences. Our goal: break this consumption pattern and create a more gender-neutral design that stays true to its inherent properties.

Ask:
Design and develop an all-new brand of functional food (protein), to include the brand identity, packaging design, and marketing collaterals for e-commerce as well as physical retail shelves. Our mandate was to position whey protein as a product that appeals to both males and females, thus challenging popular perceptions that it (whey protein) is meant only for men.

Target Audience:
Urban/ affluent consumers, both males, and females, typically 18 years and above who engage in physical activity such as gyming, running, cycling, and yoga, at least 2-3 times per week. Through our design, we had to communicate with an audience focussed on building a great physique and getting lean, while improving fitness levels, health, and immunity.

Solution:
An ever-growing young and urban Indian demographic has given a mighty boost to the personal fitness and health sector in recent years. Fitness activities, in turn, have created a huge demand for whey protein and similar such functional foods and beverages.

Thus, was born Foodstrong – a protein brand, for which we created a smart and tight logo unit in turquoise green. If Foodstrong was to be inclusive and have a wide appeal, we knew that the prevalent ‘one-size-fits-all’ outlook to packaging functional foods was not going to work, So, we infused life into our packaging with a distinct and premium colour system comprising bold oranges, pinks, whites and purples. This gambit paid off; the packaging is impossible to miss on retail and e-tail shelves (try as you may) and it cleverly showcases the qualities of the two variants – Daily Protein and Shapes Shake.

But the question that still loomed was, how do we communicate that Foodstrong is great for both men and women, while also driving home the positive effects of consuming it. Our research had shown that mindful consumers almost always inspect the content on food packaging with a fine-tooth comb, to ensure the product fulfils their needs. So, we differentiated Foodstrong and busted a few myths with a clever mix of typography and copy, to replace cliched vocabulary such as ‘Ripped’, ‘Gold’, ‘Bulk’, ‘Mass Gainer’, etc. (all potential gendered cues) with product attributes and benefits.

We created iconography on the back of the pack to demonstrate the best (and tasty) ways to consume Foodstrong while making it a part of everyday diet.

Finally, veering from the ubiquitous bulky pet jars, we used a smart and sleek paper/ cardboard tube to appeal to our mindful audience who sought clean food and clean packaging, while also lending the packaging an international look and feel.

Our association with Taramis Labs continues, as we work on designing newer and varied SKUs to fulfil consumer requirements. Alongside, we have also designed unique merchandise such as coasters and display units, which carry the brand language forward across diverse consumer settings.