Here’s how Pinnacle Foods’ packaging design for two new distinct lines of Wish-Bone dressings lets consumers know that the bottled products are premium, yet affordable.
Two premium lines of Wish-Bone dressings from Pinnacle Foods launched in tandem in February use distinctive packaging designs. The “double debut” marked the first innovations for Wish-Bone products in 10 years and the first since Pinnacle’s acquisition of the brand from Unilever in 2013.
Better-for-you Wish-Bone E.V.O.O. and flavorful Ristorante Italiano dressings are strongly positioned by design to address current market trends, as well as to elevate the brand through more premium offerings.
We start with an executive summary of the brands’ repositioning through bottle and label design handled by Little Big Brands (LBB):
E.V.O.O. is a new line of chef-inspired dressings formulated with extra virgin olive oil that provides proven health benefits as well as the fresh & robust flavor that comes with E.V.O.O. These better-for-you dressings combine E.V.O.O. with herbs, spices and distinct ingredients. In creating the line, LBB focused on a less is more approach, including a smaller die-cut label to showcase the olive oil and ingredients. The white label suggests purity, while using custom typography to communicate the time and care that went into crafting the product. Ingredient illustrations add taste appeal while helping with “shopability.” Launch flavors include Garlic Basil Italian, Sundried Tomato, Caesar Vinaigrette, Lemon Herb and Roasted Red Pepper.
Ristorante Italiano is another new premium offering from Wish-Bone formulated with indulgent Italian cheeses. The line’s positioning is all about rich, creamy flavors and textures. They are restaurant-inspired and feature artisan ingredients. As such, the concept around the design heavily leans on cues that utilize typography, color and imagery that transport consumers to their favorite Italian restaurant. The palette is rich and complements the ingredients and product to help the consumer understand the flavor sensation they are about to experience. Launch flavors include Signature Italian, Garlic Parmesan Vinaigrette, Creamy Peppercorn Caesar and Roasted Garlic Balsamic.
The rest of the story is told by Pinnacle Foods’ retail manager and an LBB principal in a Q&A that starts on the next page.
Little Big Brands’ John Nunziato, chief creative officer, sets the table so to speak in these insights that drill down on the design:
How are these products/designs different from previous Wish-Bone dressings?
Nunziato: This is a huge stretch for the brand and a great example of a company that wants to broaden their reach and consumer base, and that takes the right steps to do so. The only mandatory was keeping the logo, but everything else–from the iconic bottle and green brand color–was changed. Both E.V.O.O. and Ristorante Italiano take a much more handcrafted, premium approach. They also really make the dressing ingredients a prominent, more precious element on pack. Everything about these new offerings screams quality and taste appeal.
Does E.V.O.O. take a “clean label” approach?
Nunziato: Our goal with E.V.O.O. was to develop design that felt clean and fresh to support the healthy qualities of the product. The label itself is minimal to start with, allowing the consumer to see the product and providing a nice backdrop of color for the white label. The design is focused on clean custom typography, coupled with vibrant colors to code flavor and simple illustrations focusing on main ingredients.
What elements were changed from previous Wish-Bone dressings?
Nunziato: Really the only thing that remains is the logo and its placement top and center on the label. Everything else about E.V.O.O. and Ristorante Italiano is unique and was developed specifically for each platform.
Mark Schiller, EVP and president North American retail, Pinnacle Foods, provides the following responses to Packaging Digest’s questions:
When was the last new launch/redesign for the Wish-Bone brand?
Schiller: This is the first major innovation launch for Wish-Bone under Pinnacle stewardship, and it’s the first major innovation on the brand since the mid-2000s. Innovation since that time was limited to line extensions in the classic Wish-Bone bottle format.
What motivated the simultaneous launch of the two product lines?
Schiller: These two platforms appeal to different consumers, so we decided to bring them both to market at the same time.
How is each design on-trend with consumers?
Schiller: Through our research and category leadership, we are highly aware of today’s salad behaviors and saw the opportunity to provide dressings that excite consumers to make and enjoy more salads at home. According to the NPD Group’s National Eating Trends Service, entrée salads are trending at an all-time high for main meals, so providing consumers with innovative and delicious salad dressing options is more important than ever.
Wish-Bone Ristorante Italiano provides full-flavor, restaurant-style dressings for an at-home, indulgent dining experience. The line features varieties with cheese, herbs and oils inspired by the most popular flavors served at leading Italian restaurants.
Wish-Bone E.V.O.O. dressings provide consumers with a convenient way to enjoy dressings made with the goodness of extra virgin olive oil. Each of the five varieties feature unique chef-inspired pairings with Wish-Bone’s signature blends of herbs and spices.
Both product lines allow consumers to pair the best salad dressings/marinades with their salads and main meals.
Are these plastic (PET) or glass bottles?
Schiller: These are PET plastic bottles. We chose plastic because it uses less packaging by weight than similar glass bottles and they help position these innovations as premium, yet affordable. They also allow for safer handling for our customers.
What inputs were used to guide the design?
Schiller: We consulted with consumers all throughout the product and packaging development journey, not only about the type of bottle needed to deliver maximum consumer satisfaction, but also the primary communication elements necessary to deliver the unique benefits of these products. Our retailers were also considered in the design, as salad dressing is a crowded category, and these bottles take up less shelf space than our traditional bottle. As we designed the packaging and labels, we adhered to the following principles: shelf breakthrough, clarity of flavor and dressing type, and simple, straightforward communication of premium, chef-inspired dressings. We are looking to appeal to a broad consumer base, including Millennials.
What can you say about the market reception?
Schiller: We have been pleased with the reaction of our retail partners and will be launching national consumer and shopper marketing campaigns in Q2.
