Mars Inc. has refreshed its COMBOS brand with an updated identity and new graphics on flexible-film bags of salty snacks.
Consumers told Mars that the brand’s packaging, which had not been changed since 2004, looked dated. However, the company also wanted the new design to remain true to the COMBOS snacks identity. Mars leveraged the product’s “real feel” qualities to compete with established competitors in the category, drive distribution ubiquity and household penetration, broaden the target audience, and increase usage occasions, while also improving package visibility and findability on shelf, and driving in-store presence.
A focal point of the design, created by CAG Brand First, is the new logo, which has a ripple-like effect. It retains the equity of the brand while also highlighting COMBOS snacks’ oven-baked qualities.
Color contrasts are strong in the graphic design, with different combinations to signal the various snack varieties, and new product photography to improve appetite appeal. The graphics are reverse-printed on the bags to prevent scuffing on Metallyte 70 MET oriented polypropylene film from ExxonMobil.
Mars would not release additional information on printing or on package structure or vendors. Mars says the new graphic design scored high in nationwide testing, and it will appear on nearly 40 SKUs, as well as on shippers, pallet and point-of-purchase displays, and collateral materials.
