Almador

Design: Getbrand
Location: Russia
Project Type: Produced
Product Launch Location: Russia
Packaging Contents: Oil
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Plastic

Group of Companies Blago is one of the largest producers of vegetable oils in the Russian Federation. The company has 11 brands. In 2019, it was decided to create a new brand in the premium segment - Almador. It was based on the concept of traditional Mediterranean cuisine, filled with vibrant tastes and fresh aromas. A new product was developed for the brand, which is a mixture of refined sunflower oil with basil or garlic extract and a mix of sunflower and olive oil. The first three mixes were selected from 10 tastes according to the results of two tasting commissions - professional tasters of the quality service and market consumers. A mix of sunflower with olive oil was chosen as the main one in this concept. Two other flavors - fragrant garlic and aromatic basil - are especially appreciated by consumers for their recognizable taste and smell.

“Our consumer knows the assortment of oils presented on the shelves of Russian stores that look similar, do not differ in taste and smell, but he is ready to try new original types of oils. We offer our customers a product that truly stands out in the entire category: each of the Almador varieties has its own signature smell and taste and retains its organoleptic properties when cooking, and the price on the shelf puts it in the range of available mixtures of vegetable oils. Almador is an original product that enables our customers to experiment in the kitchen.

The company commissioned us to develop a packaging design for a new brand, which not only emphasizes the unique organoleptic of the product but will also look worthy in a modern interior

Decision
Due to the uniqueness of the product concept, the competitive environment of the new product was considered more broadly than “shelf neighbors” + price segment. It included both sunflower oils close to us in price and the category of olive oil close to us in ideology.

Sunflower oil is traditionally not perceived as a product that gives a unique gastronomic experience. Sunflower oil brands, as a rule, try to stand out on the shelf with the help of traditional patterns: “sunflower”, “russian field” and “clear sky”, and the product itself is perceived as a “consumable” in the kitchen, which is kept in the dark corner of the kitchen. The list of requirements for him is small and they do not expect anything supernatural from his taste.

Olive oil is quite conservative in positioning. Oil brands are used in identifying references to Spain, Italy and Greece, or an emphasis on varieties, collection time and types of extraction.

If we analyze the key and indirect competitors on the shelf in terms of positioning and visual semantics and distribute them across territories using our strategic tool “Growth Platforms”, it will become clear that most players occupy the “Belonging” or “Comfort” areas, referring to traditions, naturalness, place of production or family values, safety for the whole family and national roots.

In contrast, the Almador brand is aimed at an audience quite demanding, prone to conspicuous consumption and striving for pleasure and enjoyment of life. Therefore, the territories most relevant for our target audience were selected as potential directions for the formation of a visual brand identity:

1. “Individuality” is the closest territory of meanings for our audience and product, which emphasizes status and uniqueness.
2. “Energy and freedom” - emphasis on the creative inspiration that the product gives: cooking as a way of self-realization, and not as a routine and a duty.
3. “Pleasure” - emphasis on taste, aroma, both of dishes and of the oil itself; mouth-watering food zones and emphasized mouth-watering organoleptic of the product.

6 packaging design concepts were proposed, each of which emphasized differently: from concepts that convey a creative mood, to a bright taste of the product to more restrained and sophisticated concepts.

During the online testing, the audience preferred the most restrained and refined of images: it was perceived as more premium and trustworthy.

The winning concept focuses on the ingredient that is responsible for the taste. Logo typography and layout close to glossy magazines helps add brand presentability and visually detune from competitors that emphasize their origin. A dark color scheme was chosen as the main one, which allows you to "highlight" the ingredients themselves, make the logo more contrasting and noticeable, and the overall perception of the package more noble and premium. The sunflower needed for the category is depicted not so much as a sunny flower of the Kuban fields but as part of the florist’s floral arrangement. The individualized “O” in the logo not only connects us with the category, but also enhances the sense of value of each drop.