Carnation Breakfast Essentials

A staple in family’s pantries for over 55 years, Carnation Breakfast Essentials® has reformulated its Original Nutritional Drinks and Powder Drink Mixes and introduced a modern, new look for them courtesy of creative agency, Chase Design Group (CDG).

Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Original Nutritional Drinks and Powder Drink Mixes now have 25% less added sugars‡ when compared to the former drinks, while maintaining a kid-approved taste. Moreover, the ready-to-drink format is now available in new Tetra-Pak® cartons that are recyclable with the cap on, made mainly from paper, a renewable resource, with responsibly sourced wood fiber that meet the environmental and social standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and that will help eliminate over 3.8 million pounds of plastic annually. The brand turned to CDG for a distinctive and uplifting new look on packaging.

“Many of us have fond memories of the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® that we grew up with. Our team is proud to bring today’s families the next generation of these beloved nutrient-packed products now with less added sugars, a modern design and improved sustainability,” said Abigail Buckwalter, President, Nestlé Health Science U.S.  “As nutritional and environmental preferences evolve, Carnation Breakfast Essentials® is committed to delivering delicious products that meet the needs of today’s consumers.”

In the breakfast nutrition category, the most successful brands deliver on both desirability and trustworthiness. “From a packaging standpoint, desirability is achieved through distinctive narrative imagery and trustworthiness through aesthetics and a clear display of benefits/nutrition information,” says Steve Dunphy, Executive Creative Director, Chase Design Group. The CDG design team used the glass image for the core narrative element, transforming it into a breakthrough icon for the brand.

Taste appeal was achieved by adding a tasty splash and strong ingredient cameos to relay kid-approved taste. When paired with an updated yellow background and new sun ray pattern, the glass comes to life as a breakfast-time hero. The horizon design architecture and bold nutritional bubble touts the nutritional information.

The new logo replaces the former script with a streamlined, vintage look, subtly referencing wholesome dairy cues to partner with the iconic glass to form a distinctive and memorable symbol.

“Beyond the shelf, these new iconic brand assets form the core of the visual identity used to unify the brand in eCommerce applications and across the broader world of communications including TV advertising, digital and social,” says Justin Molina, Account Director, Chase Design Group. Available in four classic flavors: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and Cookies n’ Crème (ready-to-drink only), the new packaging is currently rolling out on shelves and online at retailers nationwide. Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Nutritional Drinks & Drink Mixes can typically be found in the breakfast aisle of supermarkets.