The other day, I dashed into the pet store to get some Nutro Dog Food for Dash.  I was in a rush, so when I first glanced down the row where I find Nutro, the brand I’ve been buying  for 5 years, I didn’t spot the familiar bag with the pink stripes running down the sides.

My first thought was one of dread; they stopped carrying our beloved pet food  I checked with the store clerk and was reassured that it was there, but that Nutro had gone through a rebranding, so the packaging was different. 

Nutro is a natural pet food and the company obviously decided to rebrand in order to emphasize certain product attributes.

WHAT’S NEW?

Logo and Tag Line:
From the previous logo, the brand dropped “Since 1926.”  Maybe the company is considering that natural pet food products are a modern concept and 1926 doesn’t infer the same “establishment” benefits as it once may have. “Clean” label is a positive attribute that’s gaining ground in natural health food stores, so the new tag line, FEED CLEAN, is playing off of that consumer sensibility.

Notice also that the new logo typeface is thinner, without the highlighted type that’s in the old logo. A simpler illustration of farmland is used, with more white space. Notice how the logo includes a smile underneath the tag line. Even for consumers who don’t take notice, its presence has a subliminal effect.

Package:
The brown colors convey “natural.”  The packaging is cleaner  The call outs have changed  NON GMO and WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS. The previous package showed the tail wagging dog; the new design shows the main food ingredient (chicken, deer, salmon or lamb). This too mimics another grocery store trend that’s now making its way into pet food packaging. The pink color that previously dominated the old packaging is now present only in a small square on the front. This offers some level of consistency – helping the consumer identify their product of choice.

HOW DID THEY DO?

Overall, I give Nutro high marks. All brands need updating and it was time for Nutro to modernize. The design update enables the company to influence the natural foods consumer with cues that are present in the natural food we buy for the humans in our family. And as any pet lover will attest – the quality what we want for ourselves, we want for our pets!

Ready to Rebrand? Let’s Talk!