Bell sips on new tea packaging
By Design Daily Team,
Ordinarily, there’s not too much to get excited about when you’re talking about standard black tea. But the folks at Bell Tea & Coffee Company seem pretty chuffed with their redesign efforts for their Bell Original tea packaging—efforts that were apparently one and a half years in the making, would you believe. A quick glance at the new box versus its predecessor might not reveal too much by way of change, but according to Bell’s marketing manager Jessica Bailey, the changes have been aplenty. And like recent branding efforts of late (Sealord and Z Energy), Bailey says the new look comes after extensive consumer research by way of focus groups.
“When you play with a Kiwi icon, you need to work out how you can change it without turning the brand loyalist off, whilst still giving it a contemporary feel,” says Bailey.
Coats Design from Auckland, who have had a long standing relationship with Bell, are behind the physical redesign. So what’s new? Matt Greenwood, described as the “Tea Guy” for Bell Tea & Coffee Company explains the front of the box is “much more modern”. He puts this down to the addition of new colour and the use of “two steaming mugs of tea and a beautiful shot of the tea pouring from the spout of a teapot”.
The beauty of tea, says Bailey, is in watching it pour.
“It makes it more dynamic,” she says.
The iconic red colour of old is retained in the new look, but with a much more gradient-like effect, resulting in what Bailey describes as “a bit of movement and light rather than being a two dimensional colour”.
Green also makes its debut on the packaging, giving it “a bit of a zing”, according to Bailey. It also symbolises freshness.
“People respond well to green because it represents freshness,” she says.
And while its arguable if anyone would notice, there’s a slight name change too. There are a number of tea brands in the Bell stable now, but what of the company’s first and traditional black tea? For a long time it’s just been known as Bell. Bailey says company wanted to give it a more distinctive name and after researching viable alternatives, “Bell original” came out tops.
The new...
Versus the old
Comments
rosie
WOW… they have totally gone the whole hog haven't they!?.. innovation at its best! ;-)
Von slam
Another classic example of the outdated approach to FMCG in this country
Sarah
When I saw the first photo my shopper's brain thought it was the old packaging. When I saw the new photo I had to take a moment to figure out where 18 months worth of redesign went to…!
Chris
Alas young whippersnappers, design doesn't just exist in the realms of award shows and young playboy execs slapping each-other on the butt with cashmere jerseys dripping off their shoulders.
While the young are sitting in front of their facebook status updates, trying to think of the next ironically hip and nonchalant observation, Berty and Merdle are brewing their cup of tea after a long day at lawn bowls and one too many pieces of lamington. They certainly do not need a brash re-brand of their staple sip for the last 20 years. They jumped ship for the last time when PG Tips lost the chimps.
While the world falls around them, the soothing aroma of dependability keeps them loyal, happy and voting for Winston.
I'm just sad they dropped the 'feel alive!' line from it's predecessor. It was such a pump-up.
Sam
Well, I was going to comment, but after reading the above, though there was no need. But here I am, couldn't keep my thoughts to myself. It's not that it's that BAD, per se. It's just not worth while. Oooooh, a gradient! How exciting. Another example of how focus groups aren't worth it—are we paying designers to design or are the general public being paid to be our art directors?
Anon
I swear this is an april fools entry
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