PEPPERIDGE
FARM GOLDFISH

WHAT WE DID

Visual Equity Research Brand Repositioning Brand Identity Brand Architecture Package Design Character Development

CHALLENGE

With their small size, crispy texture, and fun smile, those cute little goldfish-shaped crackers from Pepperidge Farm have always been popular with moms of young kids. But while the 1-to-7-year-old segment was gobbling up Goldfish, consumption sharply declined as kids reached their tween years and reached for more “grown up” snacks.

SOLUTION

Our visual equity research revealed that moms and tweens alike held strong nostalgic, positive perceptions of the brand from their childhoods. At the core of these happy memories was the fun shape of the cracker. From this insight we determined that—ironically—the cuter we made our brand design, the more reminiscent it would be of the fun of childhood for these consumers, thereby broadening our appeal to our entire audience spectrum, young and old.

We transformed the once anonymous “Goldfish” into the lovable character, “Finn”—the friendly symbol of the Goldfish brand’s “good-for-you-fun” promise. We also gave him a school of character friends to expand his (and the brand’s) world. These factored prominently into an updated brand identity that increased shelf impact and stopping power across the product line. Moreover, our updated illustration style and playful graphics contributed to our target-relevant appeal, while at the same time drawing in a broader audience.