On the Up & UP
Roaming the aisles of Target over the last few months you may have noticed a “new” brand on the shelves. Target Corp is adding “up & up” to their list of exclusive brands, which already include Archer Farms, Market Pantry, Choxie, Sutton & Dodge, and Wine Cube. According to a May report by Nicole Maestri of Reuters this rebranding will affect the Target brand line used for sunscreen, tissues, diapers, and other household products.
Reuters also reports:
“According to a study commissioned by the Private Label Manufacturers Association, three out of 10 consumers said they are “buying more store brand products” compared with a year ago.”
The redesign has taken the old bulls-eye logo, normally seen in white or red, and morphed the entire brand to feature bright colors, a soft-edge arrow, and the new name, “Up & Up.” The newly repackaged products started hitting shelves in March. By the time the rebranding is complete, some time this autumn, it will include roughly 730 items across 40 product categories.
I think the rebrand will help Target Corp get market share. The old bulls-eye logo was a little anti-climactic for current packaging trends. This new branding vision adds a fresh look to the packaging and a more upbeat look to the brand. Let’s hope that the name is just reminiscent of the phrase “on the up and up” and not a foreshadowing for the pricing structure.
Generic vs. Premium Brands
Ritz & Oreo new packaging next to the old and Lunchables current packaging
Have you noticed your favorite premium brands looking more and more like generic brands? We started noticing around January that there were changes here and there, but now it’s everywhere. Is this in response to the economy – are premium companies thinking you’ll remain loyal to them if they look cheaper? Some redesigns are tastefully done. Like the examples shown on IDY Creative’s blog from January 27th. The same blog touts a what-were-they-thinking moment for Tropicana, with a link to a New York Times article detailing the rise and fall of the PepsiCo subsidiary’s package rebranding. I didn’t know it was possible for package design to jump the shark, but since the time of IDY’s January 27th post Ritz has, and sister snack Oreo was not far behind. A redeeming package design aesthetic for parent company Kraft Foods, Inc. is the latest version of the Lunchables package…now if they were only more earth friendly.
