ABOUT

Award winning brand design agency PB Creative has continued its partnership with global FMCG brand owner Unilever to develop a contemporary new look for the UK’s number one hair styling brand VO5. The redesign of the entire brand portfolio includes a fresh take on the iconic VO5 brand-mark itself, as well as new packaging designs across both male and female ranges.

The brand team at Unilever was keen for VO5 to occupy a clear and 'ownable' position in the haircare category that felt more relevant to a younger demographic of consumers. The team also acknowledged that the existing master-brand strategy of aligning male and female ranges by adopting predictable pink and blue colour schemes for each, was no longer appropriate for today’s consumer. A completely new approach was needed in order to retain the brand’s premier position and drive growth.

With styling products in decline and consumer behaviour changing, PB Creative reconsidered the outdated female range to develop a much more contemporary approach, retaining key and recognisable brand equities where appropriate. A softer colour palette has been employed to aid variant navigation, with segmentation simplified to highlight the end ‘look’. A diamond holding device has been introduced as a new brand asset to retain key information and brand messaging. The result is a much more natural, desirable, everyday look and feel in contrast to the simplistic, bright and bold graphics of the previous design.

The over-complicated male portfolio has also been revisited to deliver a much more engaging and vibrant proposition, appealing to a younger audience without alienating VO5’s loyal client base. The Master-brand logo has been used as a primary graphic element, delivering a dynamic and vibrant aesthetic. Range navigation has also been significantly improved, with products grouped into varying hold levels, using bold colour coding to drive clear differentiation with a tab device delivering key messaging. The end result is a sophisticated, youthful and impactful range aesthetic, tailored specifically to drive appeal within the target consumer group and aid standout in a busy shelf environment.