Global brand design consultancy, Elmwood helped Hovis® position its new Lower Carb range to appeal to a new generation of health-conscious consumers.
Hovis® is a truly great British brand, with a heritage of over 130 years of baking and milling experience. As time has moved on, consumer attitudes towards bread have shifted. Increasingly, health-conscious consumers are cutting back on eating bread as a way of avoiding carbs [1]. To help restore bread firmly to the breakfast tables and lunchboxes of Britain, and encourage consumers with carb concerns to eat more bread, Hovis® has introduced lower carb versions of its Wholemeal, White, and Seed Sensations loaves. The baker briefed Elmwood to package its new range in a way that would resonate with a modern audience.
Research revealed that consumers felt ‘weighed down’ after eating bread [2]. This insight informed Elmwood’s approach to the new design, emphasising the need to convey lightness as well as natural cues. The wheat in the foreground weaves up and around the Hovis® loaf to create an active, uplifting feel as the wheat kernels transform into birds and take flight. The illustration reflects the purpose of the range – to ‘set you free’, allowing you to soar through your day.
A key aspect of Elmwood’s strategy was to create maximum shelf impact using graphics, messaging and colour, to ensure the half-sized loaves would stand out in a very crowded category. The design reassures customers that, just because the new range is 30% less carbs [3], the product still tastes great. To tie in with the wider portfolio, the design retains the iconic loaf device, using a new green colour to differentiate the Lower Carb range.
For the three variant colours, Elmwood used the established category norms – blue, yellow and purple – for ease of navigation during quick purchase.
Stephanie Oglesby, Senior Designer at Elmwood, added: “We chose contemporary, vibrant hues to reflect a sense of energy and vitality. Our design embodies the heritage of the Hovis® brand, while feeling accessible and appealing to the modern health-conscious consumer within the wider health food world.” Sarah Babb, Brand Manager at Hovis® commented: “We are delighted with the packaging design. It complements the Hovis® brand with a fresh modern feel suited to our target audience. We had a very positive reaction from our consumer focus groups, who liked the bright colours and eye-catching designs.”
More info:
[1] Mintel 2017. Bread and Baked Goods.
[2] Hovis® Feb 2017. Consumer Research, 40 respondents, health aware, North & South, women 25–55yrs.
[3] Hovis® Jun 2017. Lower Carb range is 30% less carbohydrates per 100g compared to other sliced white, wholemeal or seeded bread on the market, which typically contain 45.8g for white, 39.1g for wholemeal and 38.9g for seeded.