Break the Mould: Disruptive Packaging that Sells
Date: 2025/05/15
These visual codes – reliable, time-tested, deeply embedded in consumer memory – have long guided the way we build and judge brands. And to be fair, they’ve worked. Consistency builds familiarity. Familiarity builds preference. Case closed, right?
Not quite.
Because here’s what’s happening now: consumers are getting wise. They know when you’re signalling “healthy” with a kraft paper texture and a leaf icon. They know when “heritage” is being forced through vintage typography. And slowly but surely, those old cues are starting to feel less like proof and more like performance.
So, here’s the big idea: If you want to stand out in today’s saturated, sceptical FMCG landscape, you may need to do the exact opposite of what your category expects.
Let’s talk about the strategic superpower that is subverting traditional codes – and why the boldest brands are already rewriting the rules.
Brand codes are shorthand. They’re the symbols, colours, shapes, and structures consumers unconsciously associate with certain values or benefits. Think:
These codes help consumers make fast decisions in busy aisles in system 1. They’re not just visual – they’re psychological shortcuts. And in a crowded shelf environment, they’re often how your product gets picked up in the first place.
But here’s the catch: when everyone uses the same shortcuts, no one stands out. And when retailers are becoming master imitators of these dominant visual codes – I’m looking at you Aldi & Lidl – and sell for a fraction of the price, you’re in trouble.
In FMCG packaging design, differentiation is the oxygen of growth. And yet, far too many brands play within a narrow set of visual and structural expectations – hoping to blend in just enough to be familiar, but different enough to be noticed.
That’s a tricky tightrope to walk. And more often than not, it leads to creative that’s polished, but forgettable. Safe, but stale.
Don’t get me wrong, we respect and value distinctive brand assets and the need for brand leaders to be mentally available… but there is art in balancing distinctiveness with delight.
In a recent podcast I recorded with Matt Whittingham, when asked about trends in 2025, I said:
“We’re seeing brands move away from traditional design cues. Naturalness, for example, no longer has to look ‘natural.’ Brands like Surreal Cereal are using bold, disruptive visuals and still communicating health and trust through tone and storytelling.”
That’s not just a design choice. That’s a strategic decision to challenge consumer expectations – and win. Of course it’s primarily a challenger mindset, but it’s liberating all brands to free themselves from the shackles of dominant… even residual visual codes.
Let’s look at Surreal – one of the most exciting challenger brands in breakfast.
They sell a high-protein, low-carb cereal. But instead of going the usual “healthy” route – muted pastels, leafy graphics, earnest language – they went maximalist. Bold colours. Loud typography. Packaging that looks more like an energy drink than a health food.
And it works. Because the visual dissonance grabs attention. Then the copy earns the trust. And just like that, a consumer stops, laughs, reads, buys.
We helped Plenish do something very similar in the alternative milk category, with a new positioning rooted in authenticity and ingredients. In a sea of sameness, with brands trying to mimic the milk experience, our Applied Semiotics approach, combined with qualitative and quantitative pack testing, helped them embrace a truly unique positioning of ‘a whole lot more’, and a visual language that broke category codes.
The result: Plenish became the fastest growing premium dairy alternative in UK, growing by 64%, and increased distribution by 57%! (Report here)
That’s not design rebellion for the sake of it. That’s deliberate code-breaking – with a clear strategic goal: disrupt the routine and make people look twice.
Let’s be clear: subverting category codes isn’t about being random. It’s about understanding what the brain expects – and then flipping it in a way that still makes sense.
Cognitive science calls this “expectation violation.” When something breaks a known pattern (but doesn’t go too far), our brains pay closer attention. We get a little hit of dopamine. And in a world of infinite FMCG options, that moment of cognitive arousal is gold.
The best design doesn’t just look different. It feels different.
That could mean:
As long as the execution is rooted in brand truth, and the story supports the visual choice, you’ll not only be remembered – you’ll be trusted. It’s not for every brand (or brand owner) but if executional nudges haven’t been impacting your brand’s fortunes, you might want to think bolder!
Remember the Campari bottle redesign? Elegant, ribbed glass, tall structure, no visual clichés about “bitterness” or “heritage.” It’s iconic not just because it looks premium – but because it dares to look structurally different in a sea of sameness.
Or take Ballantine’s Finest. We helped the second biggest Scotch in Europe (a lot of equity and risk at stake there) revolutionise their design language, to align with their ‘Leave an Impression’ mantra and radically transform what was a very ‘classical’ (to be kind) pack design, into a contemporary chevron label that disrupts and feels timeless over a decade after launch. Credit to Air Innovation for designing that one.
These aren’t design flukes. They’re brand strategies disguised as packaging.
Because code-breaking is uncomfortable. It often means walking away from what’s “proven.” It challenges legacy assumptions. And it can spark resistance from stakeholders who are (understandably) risk-averse. And there is an assumption this means throwing the baby (and our distinctive assets) out with the bath water.
But here’s the real risk: blending in.
In today’s FMCG landscape, the middle of the road is where brands go to stagnate. Playing by the old rules might keep your current customers – but it won’t earn you new ones. And without new relevance, even heritage brands fade.
Subversion, with insight and intent, is how you future-proof your brand while respecting established equities.
Not every brand should go full surreal or Plenish. But every brand should question its codes. Here’s how (spoiler alert – our Applied Semiotics approach can help):
Audit the top 10 brands in your space. What colours, shapes, typography, and packaging structures do they share? What visual tropes repeat?
Which of those codes still serve a purpose? Which are just habits? Which actually hold your brand back?
Look for the place where your truth breaks from category convention. Do you feel playful in a serious space? Minimalist in a maximalist one? That’s your angle.
Don’t guess. Prototype. Use behavioural testing to see how real people react. Look beyond what they say – watch what they do. Our suite of behavioural quantitative pack testing tools are GREAT for this!
If you break a code, back it up with storytelling. Consumers will follow you outside the expected if you give them a reason to.
We used to say that great branding was about consistency. Same logo, same tone, same cues.
But in a world of infinite choice and shrinking attention, great branding is about consistent delight. About building trust not through repetition, but through recognition – a sense that this brand sees the world a little differently.
That’s what subverting codes can do.
And for FMCG leaders who are brave enough to challenge the defaults – the rewards aren’t just aesthetic. They’re commercial, cultural, and lasting. Check out Plenish’s DBA award!
So ask yourself:
“What is our category expecting us to do?”
Then ask:
“What if we did the opposite?”
You might just find the answer you’ve been looking for.
Chris Aukett
Managing Partner
