Description:

Premium pet food and supplements are booming, and pet owners are spending more disposable income on their beloved pets' dietary and health requirements.

The premium end of this category is growing fast, with brands offering various combinations of organic, sustainably sourced ingredients and superfoods. Consumers gravitate towards Human grade in quality to show love, affection and care to their at-home pets. This was the category that the team at Nutrideer targeted with a product range that was truly 'world first', unique, powerful and proudly New Zealand sourced. The team consisted of three devoted pet parents with a wealth of experience in the deer farming industry and owning a sustainably run deer farm in Southland. Having seen the incredible healing powers of deer products in human nutrition, they were determined to bring this astonishing goodness to pet owners.

In 2022, Nutrideer launched into the South Korean market to test the premise of superfood pet supplements powered by deer milk and byproducts. In an off-the-shelf plastic tub, the product quickly found a need in the super-premium category. The team approached us with a clear goal - the proposition is sound, and the product had since been tweaked and extended from deer milk to a small range that covers pets' various needs and ages. But the packaging and tone did not represent this.

The business growth strategy targeted the Asian export market, where we found our inspiration. Deer are considered a mythical beings in traditional Chinese medicine and have been used for generations in human-related medicines. Ancient tapestries and manuscripts represented the deer in ethereal shimmery whites and silvers. A hero illustration of a stag and hind deer in mirrored stance, embellished with various icons and landscape elements, takes pride of place on the front face of the new packaging in silver foil while unifying the range. A strong contrast in typography, traditional serif and utilitarian sans serif, highlights the softer product naming approach - eschewing the typical approach, names are evocative and playful. The South Island landscape of the deer farm inspired a soft colour palette - sun yellow, grass green, moss teal- through the particular beige of hind deer.

The most significant shift was the pack format. Generic plastic tubs are unsuited to the price point and consumer expectation and do not reflect the ethical, sustainable business behind the brand. Shifting to a tactile, uncoated tub shifts perceptions and is unique in the market. The warm tones exude confidence and pride in the brand.