The fourth annual Designalytics Effectiveness Awards named 10 CPG brands winners in December for demonstrating the power of package design to drive brand growth.
The selection process for the Designalytics Effectiveness Awards is entirely data-driven — based on in-market sales performance and quantitative consumer testing of each redesign (post-redesign sales were compared to sales from the same period the prior year), according to a media release from marketing consultancy Designalytics.
This year, the company considered hundreds of package redesigns that launched in the U.S. between July 2020 and September 2022.
"More CPG brands are realizing the direct relationship between design performance and sales results — in essence, that design can have a positive or negative impact depending on how consumer-centric the creative process is," Steve Lamoureux, CEO and founder of Designalytics, said in the release. "These awards showcase brands doing it right: taking a strategic approach, partnering with first-rate creative talent and giving consumers a seat at the table throughout."
Designalytics outlined common themes contributing to the winning brands' success, including:
- Starting smart. Setting clear goals on what the brand hopes to achieve with a redesign and why.
- Iterating with objective feedback. Exploring different creative approaches and refining them based on objective consumer feedback.
- Punching up taste imagery. Food and beverage brands that leverage tastier product, flavor or ingredient imagery reliably perform better.
- Saying important things better. Perceptive brands recognize the importance of deftly communicating what's objectively important to consumers.
2023 Winning Brands
This year's winners represent the food, beverage and personal care categories.
Basil Hayden (GRAND PRIZE WINNER)
Manufacturer: Beam Suntory
Agency: Design Bridge and Partners
Designalytics Reason: “This classic Kentucky bourbon's redesign shed its old-world feel while upgrading its iconic metal belt, garnering a 15% increase in sales.”
“The world of bourbon comes across as pretty dark and intimidating, and stereotypically masculine. It’s almost an endurance test — like, can you take it?” Alice Clapp, associate strategy director at Design Bridge and Partners, said on Designalytics’ website.
Yasso
Manufacturer: Yasso (acquired by Unilever earlier this year)
Agency: Stone Strategy & Design
Designalytics Reason: “The frozen-treat brand used bolder branding and punched-up photography to create an effective redesign that helped increase sales by 44%.”
Malk
Manufacturer: Malk Organics
Agency: Riser
Designalytics Reason: “The plant-based milk brand made smart, strategic changes to clarify its key benefits and saw an impressive 56% increase in sales, far outpacing the category growth rate of 8%.”
Suave Kids
Manufacturer: Yellow Wood Partners
Agency: 1HQ
Designalytics Reason: “The popular personal care brand utilized colorful 3D characters to boost the fun factor for kids and saw sales grow by 11%.”
Haagen-Dazs
Manufacturer: Froneri International
Agency: Chase Design Group
Designalytics Reason: “The beloved ice cream brand created a fresh-yet-familiar new design that helped boost sales by 6% and prompted a share surge of 1.6 points.”
Hot Pockets
Manufacturer: Nestle
Agency: Interact Brands
Designalytics Reason: “The popular microwaveable snack brand appealed to teens and parents with its appetizing new design, boosting sales by 39%.”
Bloom
Manufacturer: Bloom Nutrition
Agency: Riser
Designalytics Reason: “This challenger brand in the supplement space added a more recognizable logo and fun flavor cues, contributing to a remarkable 288% jump in sales.”
FitJoy
Manufacturer: FitJoy Foods
Agency: Moxie Sozo
Designalytics Reason: “This better-for-you snack brand reinvented its packaging to increase brand awareness and flaunt its fun side, growing sales by 57%.”
Jovial Foods
Manufacturer: Jovial Foods
Agency: Truly Creative
Designalytics Reason: “This maker of authentic gluten-free and grain-free Italian foods modified its information hierarchy and increased appetite appeal, growing sales by 27%.”
Funky Buddha
Manufacturer: Funky Buddha Brewing
Agency: Moxie Sozo
Designalytics Reason: “This Florida-based craft brewer's colorful and quirky redesign helped boost sales by 6.7% in a category that decreased by 8.5%.”
See the Designalytics Effectiveness Award Winners list and download the full report via the website.