Chobani – Rebrand \ 2018 Cannes Picks

As competition began flooding supermarket shelves, industry leader Chobani had a decision to make — continue to trade on loyalty from customers doing what it had always done, or mix things up a little.

In a strategic move, ahead of any perceived necessity, they decided to rebrand. Determined that this would not just be a case of ‘swapping out the logo’, Chobani created custom type, illustration styles, photography and motion graphic treatments, and a platform to launch it all from — a belief in the power of good food, an imperative to better themselves, their communities and the planet. A fight for happily ever after.

You can read the specifics of their Cannes awards submission below:

Stay tuned for our full 2018 Cannes Lions Review (coming Friday)…

 


Brief

The PR idea was to cast the story as “Chobani sets stage for growth beyond yogurt.” We hoped this would have three benefits:

• Shift coverage from focusing on the vision rather than the technical merits of the new brand.
• Make the rebrand come across as an action of strength rather than weakness.
• Make the story feel bigger.

 


Execution

• Executed over a one-month period, our plan culminated in a November 28 announcement.
• We foreshadowed the rebrand with different teaser messages under yogurt cup lids.
• We held “Learn & Celebrate” events at Chobani’s various facilities. It included a speech from the founder on the evolved company vision, a presentation from the CMO on the evolved brand, new brand merchandise, and tasting samples from the innovation pipeline to show how Chobani would live into this new brand.
• We held two experiential events called “Sneak-Peek Salons” on the eve of launch, which gave journalists and influencers access to exclusive content, interviews with Chobani leaders, and a taste of the innovation pipeline.
• We held a 310-person launch party to generate enthusiasm, social content, and momentum for the rebrand and vision.

 


Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Achieve 150 media placements

• 490 media placements (3x greater than planned)

OBJECTIVE: Earn 100MM PR impressions

• 10.5B total impressions (28MM were paid impressions)
• 840k impressions earned from the Launch Party & Salons
• Social influencer engagement outperformed historical benchmark by 76%

OBJECTIVE: Earn 75% positive online sentiment

• 95% positive online sentiment (3% neutral)
• Social video completion rates outperformed historical benchmarks by 29% on Instagram, and 19% on Facebook

 

 

Before & After Before & AfterThe new Chobani lineup

Colour palette and mood boards

Photography style

 


Emma Holder, Senior Designer
By Emma Holder

Posted June 25, 2018

Emma is a graphic and communications designer at Neonormal. She loves designing for the physical environment, and blending logic with playfulness in everything she creates. As a Kiwi, she’s also an avid ‘tramper,’ so you’ll find her out exploring Victoria’s hiking trails when she’s not at her desk.