Arm & Hammer

Rebranding Baking Soda

From grandma's cupboard to outdoor adventures

Overview

I worked with four other designers to rebrand Arm & Hammer and develop a suite of products that present a new vision for Baking Soda. By the end of the project, our team identified a new target market, developed a new brand brief, proposed a name change, and created a new product line under the Pure Soda To Go franchise.

Role

I carried out market and brand research. I designed the Soda Scrub product and all of the packaging, labels, and copy. I also participated in weekly design meetings and presentations over the course of our project development.

Project challenge

Founded in 1896 Arm & Hammer is a heritage brand that has built an empire around one ingredient, Baking Soda. But over the past 20 years baking soda has fallen into obscurity and has taken a backseat to other, flashier household brands. Despite its many uses, Arm and Hammer Pure Baking Soda has retained an image that has it trapped in the kitchen, bound to baking, and primarily used by women 45 and up.

My team and I were tasked with reinventing the identity of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to make it a serious competitor in a new younger market.

Uncovering the problem

Our first step was understanding Arm & Hammer's market positioning. I researched current product lines, competitors, and messaging. I also looked into the company history and the cultural and visual evolution of the brand.

We found that Arm & Hammer is a mission-driven company that values human and environmental health. They currently market to middle-age, female homeowners who want to take care of their families.

Research performed by my team and presented to stakeholders.

Problem discovery. No one bakes!

We then researched the product, sodium bicarbonate also known as baking soda. We found that although there is still strong brand recognition, sales of baking soda have been in massive decline. This also correlates with a massive decrease in people who bake.

To better understand how it's used we also performed a usability audit and found the baking soda box while biodegradable, is not user-friendly and only advertises its as a baking ingredient. Originally, Baking Soda was advertised as 'Soda', a multi-use product, but the name was changed to Baking Soda in the 1920s to appeal to the rise in at home baking. This was our aha moment!

Product audit performed by my team and presented to stakeholders.

Creating a new identity

I then worked with my team to develop a new brand strategy. Based on our research we wanted to focus on introducing baking soda to the demographic that doesn't bake, millennials. We performed research on millennial trends and used that information to guide our brand strategy, visuals, and products we developed.

Millennials are a do-it-yourself community
They care about their health
They care more about experiences than purchasing items
They are tight on cash

New target market research and personas.

New brand brief for the To Go! franchise.

Brand audit performed by my team and presented to stakeholders.

Style guide for A&H Pure Soda To Go!.

Pitch boards with old identity (left), new identity (right).

A new suite of products

We then create a new suite of products based on the following priorities:

Change the name to Pure Soda to dissociate it from baking
Create a new To Go! franchise to get pure soda out of the house
Create a product line that empowers people
Create a product line that is a personal companion and ready for adventure
Create a product line that highlights the cost savings of a do-all product

New product line. Pure Soda Scrub and Tablet made from UPrint ABS Printer with cellophane printed label, tablets made from Zcorp printer, and Sheets model made from paper.

My early sketches exploring methods of portability and mixing water with powder.

Soda scrub

We decided that we would create a range of products in different forms to address the varying levels of DIY that the users would want. I focused on designing the scrub which was meant for the moderate adventurer. The product is great for things like camping, basic travel, and the gym.

Pure Soda Scrub design.

Tablets

The tablets are designed for the most extreme adventurer and require the most DIY. I assisted with the concept, mark, and label design.

Pure Soda Tablets design.

Sheets

The soda sheets are intended for the urban explorer. I designed the marks and labels.

Pure Soda Sheet design.

MORE