Cory Francer
Over the decade of my dog’s life there’s been one constant, and that is the food that I put in his bowl every day. We’ve been loyal customers ever since we found that Hill’s Science Diet Adult Light dog food kept him at a healthy weight. So, when Hill’s did a packaging redesign in 2019, I took notice — and so did other consumers.
Hill’s Science Diet has been a longtime staple in pet food aisles with its numerous blends suited for the various stages of a dog’s or cat’s life. But after the redesign, led by Beardwood&Co, the brand saw a significant increase in consumer engagement. The Dieline discovered that more than two-thirds of consumers preferred the new packaging and “during the six months following the redesign, the brand grew 17% compared to the six months prior, representing an annualized increase of approximately $100 million.”
Each Hill’s dog food blend features a different pup on the package. In the new design, each pet gets significantly more space on the front panel, which helps to highlight their unique personalities. “Engaging pet parents at shelf with more emotion was key,” said Luca Torregiani, senior global design manager at Colgate-Palmolive, in a Packaging of the World report. “We wanted to show pets at their best, at each stage of their lives, bringing out their unique characteristics, personalities, and truly capturing what they look like in real life.”
Beyond the appearance, the packaging refresh increased functionality for consumers. Previously, you had to tear open the pouch and transfer the food contents into another container for storage. Now, the bag is resealable with a Press-Lok seal from Velcro at the top.
Have you seen a package we should feature on Package of the Week? Contact Cory Francer at cfrancer@napco.com.
