Kraft Mac & Cheese
Finding the Value in the Existing Brand
This is a project where I rebranded for the classic American kitchen staple, Kraft Mac & Cheese. My goals for this project were to increase the fun factor, introduce more fun flavors and recipes, and finally to still maintain that Kraft still remains the most dependable brand that people reach for at the grocery store.
My strategy was to first introduce new colors and shapes, and it was so much fun to play within the intersection of new yet familiar. In the end I pulled the design back a bit after learning that just because you're rebranding, it doesn't mean you have to change every single aspect of the design. Kraft has stood the test of time for a reason, so there were elements that had the right to remain the same even within a completely new look.
Project Overview
Kraft is already a trusted American household brand, so I just wanted to add more playfulness to the classic design. For this rebrand, I wanted to communicate that Kraft is still the staple for all households but also get people excited to choose Kraft for experimenting outside the box (pun intended) with new recipes! To do this I experimented with new color stories, a trendy drippy texture, and a rounded serif font for a new twist on familiarity.
Sketches
This was my first exploration in designing a die line & it was really fun! I first experimented with different compositions for the front of the box. I knew from this stage that I wanted to incorporate a window through which you could see the pasta inside because that would get people immediately excited for what's to come. I wanted the design to be surprising & stimulating.
Drafts
In this stage I was exploring different simple background textures that wouldn't fight the content or copy on top. I was really drawn to using magenta & purple for the branding because it was unexpected & bold. It was also so much fun writing the copy in the voice I wanted for the rebrand. I also created tiny cooking icons for the side panel.
Final Design
After some really insightful feedback, I learned about "the value in the existing brand" when considering designing a rebrand. I brought back the classic Kraft blue into the gradient which helps maintain familiarity. It grounds the rest of the design elements which are fun & fresh! I think this would be a brand that all types of people would be excited to choose at the grocery store.
