Yes, hand lettering, hand drawn images and colloquial language on packaging are fashion. But behind what is an blossoming fad, are reasons.
The first is simple standout. On a supermarket shelf dominated by big brands, the visual informal of hand lettering and hand drawn images shout, “look at me”. And colloquial speech is invitingly friendly.
The second is that hand crafting – lettering and images - and colloquial product messages suggest the brand belongs to a smaller, artisanal business. This suggests that the product (usually food and beverage) is more likely to be unprocessed, ‘natural’, local and made with artisanal care.
The third is that hand crafting is associated, rightly or wrongly, with more sustainable business practices, product ingredients and packaging materials. And transparency or honesty. There seem to be no nasties hiding behind simple words in quirky lettering.
The fourth is that friendly conversations rather than product blurbs, and hand written or hand drawn elements add a personal, human touch to packaging and suggests that there is a face behind the brand.
This is how New Zealand branding and design company, Coats Design, extended D.E. Coffee & Tea’s business beyond Bach Café Service and into a retail coffee brand.
And this is how Coats helped Hubbards to find its voice in a segment dominated by multinational brands, children's cereals.
