Tony the Tiger has adorned boxes of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes for many years, and many consumers distinctly remember TV commercials where Tony would proclaim, “They’re gr-r-reat!” For a limited time last spring, Kellogg Canada ran a campaign that tapped into those memories.
The food giant released nostalgic versions of cereal brands and their mascots, from Froot Loops’ Toucan Sam to Rice Krispies’ Snap, Crackle and Pop. The retro Frosted Flakes featured a two-dimensional Tony, spoon in hand and tongue out, able to dive into his breakfast.
Many storied food and beverage brands, from household confectioners to big soda names like Pepsi, are leaning on their many years of history to revamp packaging with elements of their past.
In 2022, Bazooka Bubble Gum turned 75 and commemorated the milestone with Eighties graphics on its packaging. And in January this yr, Cadbury released retro packaging to have a good time 200 years.
Whether brands do limited-time launches or complete overhauls, the goal is to create eye-catching packaging that connects with consumers. Retro designs that bring up feelings of nostalgia are one key solution to do this.
“It’s all the time a trend that evokes emotion,” said Jason Vaught, director of content and marketing at CPG creative agency SmashBrand.
Blast from the past
Some brands have found such a resonance with retro and nostalgia that they reverted their logo and packaging to a previous version. An early example is Miller Lite, which in 2015 swapped out its brilliant blue can with a diagonal font for its retro white packaging from 1974.
“They stuck with that simplicity, that big, daring timelessness,” said Miles Marmo, co-founder of Agency Squid, a creative agency that works with brands.
In newer years, nostalgia has picked up, with retro designs trending for about five years. Nostalgia in packaging was mentioned 3,000 times within the last six months on social media platforms in North America, based on a January emailed evaluation from RILA Global Consulting. The firm’s evaluation found positive associations with nostalgia, particularly with the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“It’s an emotional tie,” Marmo said. “You need to be present in that moment. I feel that is where nostalgia can really find its groove.”
Last yr, Jell-O revealed latest packaging for the primary time in a decade. The Kraft Heinz brand ditched the slanted font of the 2000s and went with a look closer to what it utilized in the ‘70s through ‘90s. Those involved within the redesign called it playful and jiggly just like the product itself.
Permission granted by Kraft Heinz
When well-established brands revert to a prior version of packaging, it’s often to “reclaim their equities,” said Peter Boosalis, vice chairman of business development at printing and marketing solutions company Quad. Legacy brands say, “‘Hey consumer, remember us? We’ve been here for a while,’” as they compete with store brands and latest entrants, Boosalis said.
That’s to not say latest brands and startups can’t embrace a retro look. In the better-for-you space, retro designs remind consumers of a time when food and beverages had fewer additives and preservatives, Marmo said. Simple, retro designs may symbolize clean ingredients, based on Boosalis.
“If it suits the brand’s persona, it’s value trying,” Vaught said.
Brands also should recognize their key demographics and ensure retro designs resonate with that exact target market. One brand’s core audience might consider the ‘80s as retro, whereas one other might consider retro to be the ‘60s, Marmo said.
“Nostalgia could be very limiting by way of its reach,” he said.
Retro meets modern
Many brands are putting a modern spin on retro. Olipop, a better-for-you soda brand that launched in 2018, doesn’t have the legacy of many other beverages but still evokes a vibe from the past.
“The overall aesthetic and illustration style has an old soda shop look to it,” said Mark Christou, principal at CBX, a strategy and design agency that works on package and private label design. Christou said the colour palette is muted, which provides it a retro feel, however the typography is modern.
Optional Caption
Courtesy of Olipop
On the flip side, Pepsi has a 125-year history. When it redesigned its logo last yr, the intent wasn’t to go retro but to honor the past while creating a fresh look, a brand spokesperson said in an email. Pepsi put the wordmark back into the globe, reflecting the brand’s logo from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“We found that this variation of the brand really resonated with people of all generations,” said Carl Gerhards, who led Pepsi’s rebrand project in his former role of senior director of design at Pepsi North America. (He’s now senior director of design at Global Lay’s, also under PepsiCo.)
The soda brand also brought in modern elements, including a bolder blue and a “pulse” that radiates from the brand.
“The result is something that’s each timely and timeless directly,” Gerhards said.
Christou hailed Pepsi as a “great example” of a brand that “represents culture.” While the redesign seems like an ‘80s logo, based on Christou, “that’s an aesthetic that is relevant and resonating with consumers.”
Does retro resonate?
The ultimate test of a rebrand’s success is within the numbers.
A packaging design must stand out on the shelf against competitors’ products. Kodiak, which produces high-protein pancakes, oatmeal and other items, uses easy fonts and brown paperboard to evoke a retro identity. It has worked with Graphic Packaging International on brown box packaging. Those elements help differentiate it from highly processed pancake brands on the identical store shelf.
Retailers should see velocity and repeat purchases after a redesign to proceed stocking the product. Pepsi said it received positive feedback from the general public after the rebrand, and in retail, the design “has improved brand impact and navigation on the shelf,” Gerhards said.
Consumers even have to seek out the packaging practical. A milk brand could go retro in glass bottles, Vaught gave for instance. But for many consumers, glass wouldn’t be as functional as a jug or carton, which could dissuade purchasing.
“It all boils right down to tracking sales,” Boosalis said.
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