Dragon Rouge creates new packaging for Red Lion Foods

Dragon Rouge has designed new packaging for Red Lion Foods, with a new positioning, Eat Well and Do Good.

Red Lion

Red Lion produces a broad range of food products and gives all of its post-tax profits to armed forces charities.

Appointed in January, Dragon Rouge was approached by the company after comments the consultancy made in the Press, reviewing the brand and how it could improve.

Dragon Rouge managing director of consumer brands Kate Waddell says, ‘What the brand needed is to win the hearts and minds of the consumer.’ She says she felt the previous look was ‘slightly recessive.’

New packaging has been developed to guidelines which direct that taste and quality must be communicated, according to the consultancy.

Dragon Rouge says the new Eat Well and Do Good line will work to communicate food standards and charity donations made by the company. The consultancy adds that it is a reference to the Keep Calm and Carry On WW2 Government campaign. 

Waddell says that Keep Calm and Carry On imagery has great ‘public affection’ and is a ‘front of mind image which semiotically is doing a good job at the moment’.

The new Red Lion brand will therefore be ‘emotive and easily recognised,’ she adds.

On-pack photographic imagery uses ‘quintessentially British culinary combinations’ says Dragon Rouge.

The designs will be rolled out nationally across the entire suite of Red Lion products next year.  

Hide Comments (5)Show Comments (5)
Comments
  • Andy November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Seems to be more of a direct copy, in style and tone rather than a reference. Still i’m sure it will work well for them.

  • Milo November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I for one am sick of seeing references to the Keep Calm and Carry On poster. They are everywhere!

    Surely other people feel the same? Could this lead to the packaging looking tired and old before it even comes out?

  • Andy November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Yes, I agree, i’m bored of seeing it.

    This feels more like a campaign than a brand though, although it will probably work quite well in the short term, I can see it becoming tired fairly quickly.

  • Anthony November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Agree with all of the above negative comments unfortunately. It does not feel like a brand at all – and definitely more like a campaign. Also the device seems way too large (would it even shrink down to a small size? ‘Red Lion’ is tiny!!).

    Although this is a designer’s point of view, I’m sure it applies for consumers as well — where is the foodiness? Why isn’t there a message telling me WHY it’s good? Why is the brand hiding?? A recipe shot? Nothing.. just the same Gotham typeface you can’t turn your head without seeing.

    Still, Red Lion must have bought this tripe Dragon Rouge justify it with so well done to DR for that. No doubt they’ll be eating good for a while 🙂

  • Geoff White November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Unfortunately the hype around the keep calm and carry on posters is at its peak… This design offers nothing more than a direct copy of those posters and is only a short term solution. With endless amounts of merchandise around in this style it makes Red Lion a “me too” brand with less stand-out on shelf.

  • Post a comment

Latest articles