gr8nola logo

Branding 101: Redesigning my Granola Packaging & Brand

 Redesigning my Granola Packaging & Brand
Redesigning my Granola Packaging & Brand

Last week marks another huge milestone for my granola brand: I launched a completely redesigned package and logo for gr8nola! It’s only been a week since I’ve unveiled this new look to the world, but I’ve already received super positive feedback from my Instagram community and seen a boost in online sales via my website and Amazon. I even had someone randomly message me through my website inquiring about jobs, and when I asked how she learned about gr8nola, she said [verbatim], "I found you through Instagram and was instantly attracted to the packaging then researched your story.”

Super cool, right?

Looking back, it was a helluva a process to get here. What I thought would only take three months to execute actually took me eight. One reason for the delay is that packaging can take months to print and ship (most packaging gets manufactured overseas in Asia). But another reason is because my designer (Deuce Studio) really challenged me to define my brand first. Instead of immediately executing tactical design changes, he forced me to think about my entire brand identity—an exercise I've never had to do before.

Since I primarily supply gr8nola at companies, I’ve been able to get away without having to be super thoughtful about my brand. Employees at Google, Dropbox, Twitter, Square and all the other offices where gr8nola is supplied get to eat gr8nola for free, and there’s little competition from other granolas. This channel (which is called "food service") has been really advantageous to get my business off the ground and achieve quick volume. However, it doesn't build a brand. 

If I ever want to break into the retail space (which is my end goal), it’s critical to really know who I am and what I stand for as a brand—and to ensure this gets communicated through everything I do, which starts with my packaging. Anyone can create a good product, but if you can create a brand that consumers latch onto, connect with and become loyal to—that’s when you’ve created something more valuable than a commodity.

These were some of the brand identity questions I had to answer before the packaging redesign process:

  • Who are you?
  • What do you stand for?
  • How are you different from the competition?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • Words that describe the personality of your brand
  • Vision
  • Mission
  • Values
  • Brand story
    I won’t divulge it all, but I’ve shared my brand personality words & mission below to give you a sense of the foundation from which my packaging was designed. 

    Brand Personality (Words)

    • Bold
    • Modern & Cool
    • Open & Honest
    • Friendly
    • Fun
      Hopefully, you can see how these brand words resonate through my new packaging & logo compared to the old set.

       

      Gr8nola granola back old

      gr8nola brand   gr8nola brand in purple

      Mission

      Gr8nola's mission to make everyone #hungryforgr8ness—in everything they do. We believe that in order to truly be your greatest self, it starts with a healthy foundation. Our goal is to make the most delicious, clean-ingredient snacks on the market accessible and convenient for everyone—to fuel everyday gr8ness and promote positive change in people and ultimately, the world.

      Why I picked purple: No real science behind it—it’s my favorite color and no other granola brands are owning this color in the market. It just so happens that purple also aligns with my brand personality words above :).


      After answering the brand identity questions above, this now acts as my "north star" for almost everything I do: packaging, brand colors, photography, my Instagram feed, captions/writing, how I speak to customers, etc. Even after eight months, this is still a major work-in-progress. But brand is an ever-evolving, iterative process. And I'm sure this won't be my last rebrand :).