How to connect your brand with your consumers and create a brand strategy that wins.

“It is through visual design that food brands can springboard into the hearts of consumers and be the brand that contrasts.” Let’s explore the fundamentals of a winning brand strategy…

Our Managing Director, Claudette, along with other members of the Contrast team, recently attended the 2024 International Food Event at The Excel in London to immerse themselves in the action. 

There were many emerging and established food brands from all over the world present at this vast and bustling event, from start-up brands finding their feet in a highly competitive consumer market to larger companies carrying a variety of brands and products.

It’s a fascinating event that features food brands from around the world, all of whom share the passion for authenticity, which has dominated global cuisine over the years.

Here, Claudette gives us a breakdown of her findings.

01. Rich Italian brand stories

It is not surprising that Italian brands had rich stories to tell about their products.

AlmaSeges is particularly notable as a business with a passion for its products. As we sampled their pumpkin pasta sauce and broccoli pesto, we learned about how the ingredients were grown and how the product was cooked using age-old recipes. They were truly delectable and unique products. The flip side of this passion, however, was that the visual identity was not telling the same romantic and delicious story.

Often businesses fail to recognise the power of strategic design; how smart use of colour, unique typography, and clever craft can begin to explode out these stories. It is with that impact that a brand can properly connect with a consumer. 

You can say ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ but the truth is, we all do when it comes to brands.

02. Start-ups incorporating visual brand language

Another area at the International Food Event that was energising to see was the ‘Start-Up’ arena. It was here that you could begin to see how entrepreneurs were beginning to factor in design to their start-up fundamentals.

One brand that was notable was Obomskitchen by entrepreneur Victoria Maher. Her bright and bold personality as well as her passion for convenient West Afrin food really shone through with her Jollof Rice pouches. Having later seen her website you can see a whole visual brand language system already in play.

We are looking forward to seeing what’s next for Victoria and her brilliantly tasty products.

03. Crisps with strong origination stories

Fullertons was another brand with a rich background story. A crisps range with flavours that pack a Caribbean punch like no other.

James Fullerton arrived in the UK in 1951 and like others from sunny Jamaica, were missing the flavours and ingredients from dishes they were more familiar with. 

James was able to introduce key Caribbean ingredients to the UK such as scotch bonnet chilies and bring that magic back to the dining table. It is with those family recipes that the Fullerton family has been able to recreate the same flavours through a range of delicious crisps that anyone can enjoy today.

We was lucky to hear the story first-hand, but it’s through clever design that consumers will connect and embrace the story of James and the authentic flavours he brings.

We can see great things to come for Fullertons, beyond crisps and we cannot wait to see it.

So, what should the brands of today focus on to have an impact and solidify their brand strategy?

The passion for provenance, process, recipe, and flavour has always been consistent principles with food brands. The story behind the spark that made these clever business folk strive to put their products into our hands is so important. It is through visual design however that these brands can springboard into the hearts of consumers. Being seen, cutting through the noise….and being the brand that contrasts.

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