Ella's Kitchen has recently launched OddPops, a new savory snack aimed at 4-7 year olds, with brand design by Biles Hendry. Positioned as a healthier, tastier and better snack, the triangular wheat and potato pieces are popped not fried and contain only natural flavors, with no artificial colors.
"Over the years, we have seen the great efforts the people at Ella's Kitchen take to develop their recipes, ensuring they are made with healthier, simple and honest ingredients," commented Anneliese Hendry, Client Service Director at Biles Hendry. "This is the first time the business has launched a new brand, and we were very keen to do it justice - to create something really exciting."
Kids' savory snacking is a busy, noisy and colorful category with a lot of well-known brands, so creating cut-through and standout was key. But, importantly, it needed to be done in an engaging way for kids, using a creative platform on which OddPops can build a brand - all while remaining true to the values of Ella's Kitchen Brands Ltd.
The branding idea was borne out of the fact that these odd little triangular snacks are popped not fried, which led Biles Hendry to the name OddPops. The brand mark is simply the word OddPops in hand-drawn letters, which sit slightly unevenly, or 'oddly,' off the baseline. On pack, this marries up with a large image of the snack to quickly and iconically communicate the nature of the product.
Youngsters have active imaginations and OddPops taps in to this to add character, whimsy and appeal. The packs include eclectic imagery that varies as much in style as in narrative: 1950s retro meets black ink line drawing, meets photography, meets indie 'off-the-wall' cartoon. "It's no coincidence that the designs have a dynamic 'pop' art visual approach - what better for popped snacks?!" explained Anthony Biles, Creative Director. "The designs feature a cornucopia of the different, the unexpected, the imaginative and the damn right odd, which kids love. The designers had a field day! The result immediately resonated with kids, with packs that are deliberately busy and exciting, with lots to look at."
It was important to appeal to parents, too, as they are the purchasers. The packs show the key benefits, such as 'low in fats' and 'popped not fried,' clearly for the shopper to see but without interfering with the overall or look and feel.
The brand is being soft launched in 15g packs and two flavours - Totally Original and Moon Cheese - with plans for wider distribution in the coming months.