Package Design - December 2012 - 32

FIELD NOTES

Good Sport
GNC aims for the mainstream, functional-beverage market.

THE PRODUCT
Breaking out of GNC stores is a new line of high-potency functional beverages—GNC Live Well. The retailer partnered with Shadow Beverages on the formulations for the sports drinks, nutritional waters and protein beverages. Shadow enlisted McLean Design to create the new line and its brand positioning and design system. The design starts with an ownable silhouette from a proprietary bottle shape and labeling that focuses on nutritional value. McLean reports that the products “are stealing market share with both hands” by achieving 70% distribution at mainstream markets in the southwestern United States in just 15 weeks. But what do Package Design readers think of the design?

A very successful, visually clean yet inyour-face design solution, perfect for its target audience. It’s market-appropriate and modern, with a design that strikes through its simplicity with white, black and silver inks. Transparent areas on the packaging enable easy differentiation between the flavors, while giving the shopper a visual product identifier. But I would like to have seen a quick-glance flavor identifier, like McLean did with the illustrations on the Protein Juice line, on all of the products.
Fabian Geyrhalter, creative director and CEO at Geyrhalter & Company

Overall, this is a well-crafted design that effectively takes a recognized brand into new channels. Its disciplined label architecture should serve the brand well in future extensions.
Philip Hague, director of product experience at Webb deVlam Chicago

THE VERDICT
The black versus white approach drives brilliant differentiation between variants, but it dilutes the impact that a more unified brand block might have delivered. A more innovative bottle format driven by consumer need could have been even more disruptive in this crowded field.
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Showing off the bottles’ hot-fill expansion panels as part of the structure is a nice touch. The proprietary shaped bottle’s simple, masculine and angular shape should be easy to hold. Product SKUs can be identified quickly by their black and white labels. But I’m not sure how well each product—other than the Protein Juice—tells what they are or do.
George Nukuto, senior manager of packaging innovation at Heinz North America

I applaud the brand for aspiring to fill a void for consumers looking for real nutrition, but the majority of the line feels synthetic and doesn’t live up to its lofty nutritious positioning. The GNC name alone is likely opening doors and creating interest for consumers, but the disconnect with the brand positioning may hinder a true breakthrough at mainstream retail shelves. While this is an attractive portfolio of products, the branding system is confusing— especially between the Sport and XP Sport products. PD
Pamela Long, partner at Little Big Brands

Want to have your package design highlighted in this column or comment on future, spotlighted package designs? Contact Linda Casey at linda.casey@stmediagroup.com.

Package Design - December 2012

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