Before & After: Nutrisoda

Before

After

Hunt Adkins, a Minneapolis-based agency, recently redesigned Minnesota-based Nutrisoda: 

"Nutrisoda needed to embrace its identity as a soda. The 8.4 oz can of the old packaging screamed energy drink and led to confusion. Our solution was simple: change to a 12 oz can. Second, the old mark had taken a back seat to more prominent design components. But it was imperative people recognized the brand Nutrisoda while finding a way to highlight we are a soda (albeit a better-for-you version). Therefore, we established a proper brand hierarchy that showcases our name and product, using valuable shelf space as a marketing opportunity. Finally, we used bubbles and colors on each can to display the fun, fizz, and flavor that consumers look for in a soda, while allowing the unpainted aluminum to speak to the clean, modern and healthy beverage Nutrisoda contains. Together, these add up to Nutrisoda: delicious, guilt-free fizzy goodness made real."

Do you think this was a successful redesign? Share your thoughts after the jump.

Comments

[AC]

Is this a wind-up? The originals look fantastic; the new design is cheap and nasty.

[Salih Kucukaga]

This is a great example of a terrible repackaging ;)

[Fran]

Yeah, I have to agree ... I had to double-check which one was the Before photo ...

[Fernanda Chaves]

Wow!I just didn´t really get the airplane in the old one, but besides that, I agree with you all, the old one looks (a lot) nicer.Terrible repackaging...

[Mai-Lis Hohmeister]

The "airforce" theme did seem to be a bit strange but the old packaging achieved everything they said they were looking to do with the new design. If anything, the new design looks more like an energy drink. The redesign would be great if it was a new product that set out to achieve different goals but the packaging was great as it was, they just needed some work on the circle icons.

[Haller0]

I think the one successful thing they did was put it in a 12 oz. can. This immediately puts it into the mass retail market and becomes acceptable to the soda-drinking population.

As far as the design goes; it looks poor attempt to mimic the latest Fresca redesign (which I thought was very successful). The type treatment on this can is atrocious.

[packagelove]

the old packaging had no hierarchy. and what was the deal with the airplane? i couldn't even tell what the name of the product was. if the goal of the new packaging was to clearly establish a brand, with a name you can read and play in the soda category, i think that has been accomplished.

[handsome1]

The originals look fantastic if you want a sugar laden look with no hierarchy, period. Oh, and what about that airplane? Really? Did you even read the biop? Apparently this product had to be repackaged to fit in with the soda world, not the specialty drink category. I think the new packaging is clean, tasteful, and intrigues me enough to want to try some of this stuff.

[Ben H]

I like the new packaging, it actually looks like a soda now.

[Callie]

I'm baffled by the emphasis on the word soda in the type treatment. Yes, we've put it in a 12oz can. That's enough soda. The emphasis should be on the nutri, it's what sets it apart. And the bubbles feel overplayed and pedestrian. I feel like the brand loyalty is going to drop dramatically.

[Michael]

I think the new packaging looks great. The old looks like a sugary redbull type drink when it's indeed a healthy pop. I had seen the billboards around town and the train last weekend and was happy I didn't make the connection to the "airplane drink." I was also pleasantly surprised when they were selling it at Costco. Good job Hunt Adkins.

[LeftyLoosey]

The new packaging will appeal to a more diverse audience. It feels fresh. The old packaging feels medicinal and cold.

[josephine]

Yes, the former packaging needed an update and shift in the communication hierachy, I just don't think the redesign is successful. My biggest problem is that I don't know what flavor I'm buying. Also there is no information now as to whether it contains caffeine or sugar. I know it's important when I buy my soda.

[B]

That airplane logo was ridiculous. What the heck did that even mean? Airforce? Really? Was it manufactured by the military? Those old solid colors SCREAMED sugary energy drink, too. The new packaging clearly establishes Nutrisoda as a soda pop. Silver can (for a diet-esque soda), regular 12 oz. can size, no confusing airplane. On top of all of that, I love how the colors more accurately represent the flavors. Great work, Hunt Adkins.

@josepehine who wants to know if there's caffeine or sugar...That's what the nutritional panel on the back is for! You put all of that info on the front and it becomes as cluttered as the old can, with no clear brand hierarchy.

[Mr. Joshua]

I think it's pretty successful as far as making it more "soda" looking and contemporary. The old stuff looked like Red Bull.

[Amy]

The new design is ok, except for the awful type treatment of "soda". The "thicks and thins" don't even belong with any of the typography on the rest of the can.

[Chrissy Bell]

Really went from chic to cheap. Ok, the old airplane didn't make any sense. But now it just looks like any other soda. I wonder if they changed the product too? They used to say they were good for you, now they say they are "better-for-you".

[Jeff]

I wonder if the originals predated the Izze can design -- they seem awfully similar: http://www.bevnet.com/news/images/2006118108310.Izze.jpg

[Jon]

Nope, they missed the mark. I used to buy the old stuff just for the packaging. Now I wouldn't even notice it on the shelf.

[Gavin Schmitt]

I agree... though the Izze cans are better in everyway. (clearer hierarchy, more content-clear brand mark, better color use)

I think everyone has covered the basics already: the update is better (for the product's goals) but feels more generic (aping Fresca, Pepsi, others?)

[Observer]

As an advertising professional in Minneapolis, and being aware of and knowing the agencies that pitched this redesign project, the agency in Minneapolis who did the before packaging and the agency who did the after, I cannot help but feel that perhaps this project has gotten a lot of extra attention in the form of votes and comments, specifically in the negative arena, unjustly. Perhaps from disgruntled agency folk...? Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, it is a lot easier to criticize, than it is to produce.

My two cents: I thought the before cans were appealing, but lacked any hierarchy or brand recognition. The can itself looked like an energy drink, and like the comment before, suspiciously close to izze(I am not sure which was done first). I think the after did a nice job providing a clear hierarchy. The cans by no means look "cheap" as they have been referenced as, but to me look light, refreshing and clean. I'd try one.

[Jeff]

Same here - the before looks a lot better. More simple, more smooth, and more colorful. The new one looks like Fanta, like 5 years ago.

[Observer]

I think that pepsi does own Nutrisoda?

[Brooks Matthews]

The old stuff was girly and sugary. I wouldn't have looked twice at the old packaging. I'd try the new one.

[B]

According to Wikipedia, it's PepsiAmericas, one of the Pepsi Co. bottlers. So not exactly Pepsi...