Dow milks Anchor for all its worth
Colenso’s new campaign for Anchor set about breathing some new life into milk—a product that had, as a result of a focus on price, become seen as a something of a commodity—and create a point of difference for the brand. And, as well as a stellar TVC, outdoor and print campaign, Dow Design has had its wicked way with the packaging and given Anchor a new “vibrant, upbeat” look. 
“Our aim was to find a simple and powerful visualisation of freshness, to represent the modern dynamism of Anchor,” says Dow Design’s creative director, Donna McCort. “We were inspired by the sun, because it helps grow the grass that feeds the cows, and it’s a happy, universal, dynamic symbol. The Anchor sun is bold and strong but its hand-drawn feel gives it a warmth and humanity.”
As well as the new design elements, the packaging also includes some fairly twee short stories that “capture moments of everyday life” and are supposedly reminiscent of the Anchor family ads. Cream, for example, says ‘Whip me, pour me, swirl me. With a dollop, a dash, a swirl. Live in the now. Excite the senses. Pure joy!’ and Trim says ‘Off to the park, slide, spin, hang, jump. Happy little faces, happy parents. Life sounds better with laughter’).
The Anchor logo has only changed slightly on the new packaging and now appears at a slight angle.
Anchor’s senior brand manager Anna Maginness says it introduces a more caring persona for Anchor, “creating a fun and inspirational new identity for the brand to interact with the consumer”.
“It has brought Anchor back to the Kiwi brand everyone loves,” she says.
Of course, with plenty of chat about how the dairy industry/Fonterra is affecting the environment, not everyone loves Anchor. But after yesterday’s big payout, the second highest so far, the dairy farmers certainly do.
Dow distinguished Anchor’s enriched milks range by applying individual symbols to represent their offerings while matching the straight-forward, modern personality of the brand’s sun symbol. Bottles of ‘calci+’ boast a sunflower; a flexed arm muscle appears on ‘mega’ and a ‘star’ on ‘super blue’.
“Dow Design has successfully integrated pieces of brand equity across the range, getting the navigational cues spot on and creating better stand out for Anchor, whether it’s on a shelf or in a crate.”
- Previous packaging designs above.
What do you think?