Driscoll's reveals new branding, explains process behind it

Most containers of Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. berries will be sporting a new look by the time the annual Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit rolls around in October.

The Watsonville, Calif.-based company has updated its branding with the aim of conveying the emotional appeal of its products — strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries — rather than focusing only on nutrition and flavor.

While the company's traditional yellow and green colors remain for the sake of continuity, the straight font of old has been replaced by writing that looks more like a signature. The dot over the "i" in Driscoll's will be red in the main company logo, symbolic of how the company got its start with strawberries. On labels, the company name is more prominent.

Labels on clamshells will be shaped more or less like the berries in the container.

The result of the changes is a brand "a little bit more playful and a little bit surprising," said Soren Bjorn, executive vice president of Driscoll's of the Americas.

The extensive strategic planning process that prompted the changes began about four years ago.

"We knew we were becoming an increasingly global company," Bjorn said, and the company wanted to make sure the brand was consistent across all markets.

To guide the new brand strategy, Driscoll's gathered information from berry consumers worldwide, in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Instead of asking consumers to fill out a questionnaire, Driscoll's had more than 4,000 consumers write stories about their experiences with the fruit.

From Shanghai to Sydney, Bjorn said, "the stories were so similar."

Many people connect berries with happy memories and summertime, Bjorn said, and the company aimed to imbue the new branding with those feelings.

The company's revamped websites — for the U.S., Australia and Europe — reflect the change in branding with a focus on people and experiences. Pages feature large, colorful photos of people outside enjoying berries or foods made with berries. The pages instruct site visitors to "share the berry joy."

Because of the company's initial worldwide research and a follow-up survey in the U.S. to see how berries rank among other produce items in prompting joy, Bjorn said he was confident people would respond well to the new branding.

"Consumers have been part of the process from the beginning," Bjorn said.