Product-based Business? This one's for you!
So many of you are service-based businesses, whether you provide your service virtually, in person, or both, and most of my content is pointed in that direction.
However, I know that's not ALL of you. Some of you have or are planning to have a product-based business. Again, that may be a virtual shop, a "brick and mortar" storefront, or both.
So this is a special shout-out to branding specifically for products and how we approach it a little bit differently.
First, allow me to introduce you to Tribal Vanilla, founded by Rochelle Edwards. They're a new Calgary-based company that sells premium quality vanilla to consumers while working closely with farmers in the developing world. They're passionate about vanilla, but they're even more passionate about making a global difference. Their fair-trade vanilla beans are sourced from small farms in Uganda and their vanilla extract is from Mexico. Because of their direct-to-farm method, their farmers earn a higher price for their crops, ensuring a better quality of life and better access to services like health care and education—things we often take for granted.
It's been many moons since I've branded a product-based business, so when I was given this opportunity, I couldn't wait to say "YES!"
The keywords for their brand are:
dynamic, global, personal
You can see how that translated into our inspiration board and color psychology here:
Inspiration Board
Color Psychology
There are, of course, many similarities when designing for product-based businesses and service-based businesses. We start with strategy, we capture as much "you" as we possibly can, and we stay focused on your clients and what attracts them, to name a few.
However, here are 2 big differences:
Package design must be front-of-mind from the very beginning. It's one thing to have the usual business cards or workbooks for service businesses, but when the primary vehicle of your brand is the packaging, it's critical to design with that in mind.
Strategy is as important as ever—even more so as you research your competition. Effective strategy always includes knowledge of competitors in your industry. When your box or bottle is sitting on an actual shelf, adjacent to a very similar product, knowing THAT is imperative.
As usual, lots of my research was done online, paying particular attention to sites like Amazon where consumers make online purchases. But I also got in my car, drove to a handful of nearby stores—stores where Tribal Vanilla plans to sell in the future—and snapped a few photos of what's currently on the shelves. That tipped our design in a direction that would completely differentiate us in the marketplace while still holding true to our vision for the brand.
Once I saw what we were up against, I knew we wouldn't have a problem bringing our strategy to life in a way that reflected the business and the buyers, while totally standing out.
Here's a peek at the competition:
Not terribly impressive, huh?
Research also meant understanding the physical packaging and what, if any, limitations that imposed. For example, I originally recommended wrapping one label fully around the extract bottles. However, their small-batch production means labels are currently applied by hand so we decided that two labels—one on the front and a separate one on the back—would be more forgiving if they weren't perfectly applied.
Here's a peek at the final "product."
How does Rochelle feel about the final result?
We're overwhelmed with the results!
"Given our target audience, we knew a DIY approach to our rebrand was foolish, and we needed professional help to create a brand that we could be proud of and would stand out in our industry. What Michelle created for us is truly vibrant, dynamic, and creative—all keywords she helped us zone in on at the very beginning of our strategy process.
We're so proud of our new brand and packaging, but, more importantly, we love that it conveys our heart and message! Michelle is fantastic at what she does, always giving her expert advice while holding space for honest conversation and revisions. She was so patient with us and made us feel like a valued partner through every step of the process. We continue to receive such positive feedback from clients and other industry experts. Thank you, Michelle! We're overwhelmed with the results!"
– Rochelle Edwards, www.tribalvanilla.com
This was such a fun project! There’s something extra special about having tangible items in your hands at the end of the day.
If you're looking for top-quality, fair-trade vanilla, find their vanilla beans online or extract and beans at several markets in the Calgary area. Follow them on Instagram to see where they'll be next. I have some in my kitchen and I'm certain the chef or baker in your life would love some too.