Pieper and Associates
The proof is in the packaging.

Client: Nutro Products/MARS Petcare
Challenge: MAX CAT Packaging Re-Design

Details: Nutro's MAX CAT products had undergone several packaging changes over the years, but they kept falling short of their demographic. Consumers were familiar with the iconic tiger stripes on the bags, but the line drawing illustrations felt dated and the complete color changes from bag to bag created an overly busy look on the store shelf. When we took over the project another agency was working on a look that completely diverged from the current packaging—including completely removing the highly recognizable tiger stripe element.

Solution: We started the makeover with a different approach: We gave the packaging a uniform background texture that felt both warm and natural—two important elements to help the consumer choose which pet food to pick. We kept swatches of color from the original bags so that consumers who purchased the product by color could easily spot their formula in the new line-up. We also kept the tiger stripes as a subtle background element so that long-time buyers would have a familiar landmark. And several photo shoots later, we had some eye-catching photos of cats to replace the line drawings and complete the makeover.

The client was so happy with the work, they asked us to update the entire MAX Dog product line so that the dog and cat products complement each other with a unified family look that grabs the attention of the target market. The end results are a cohesive, attractive product line-up, dramatically improved sales, and a stronger retail presence.