What’s old is new: Food and beverage brands put a modern spin on retro packaging

Tony the Tiger has adorned boxes of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes for decades, and many consumers distinctly remember TV commercials where Tony would proclaim, “They’re gr-r-reat!” For a limited time last spring, Kellogg Canada ran a campaign that tapped into those memories. 

The food giant released nostalgic versions of cereal brands and their mascots, from Froot Loops’ Toucan Sam to Rice Krispies’ Snap, Crackle and Pop. The retro Frosted Flakes featured a two-dimensional Tony, spoon in hand and tongue out, ready to dive into his breakfast.

Many storied food and beverage brands, from household confectioners to big soda names like Pepsi, are leaning on their decades of history to redesign packaging with elements of their past.

In 2022, Bazooka Bubble Gum turned 75 and commemorated the milestone with 1980s graphics on its packaging. And in January this year, Cadbury released retro packaging to celebrate 200 years. 

Whether brands do limited-time launches or complete overhauls, the goal is to create eye-catching packaging that connects with consumers. Retro designs that bring up feelings of nostalgia are one key way to do that.

“It’s always a trend that evokes emotion,” said Jason Vaught, director of content and marketing at CPG creative agency SmashBrand. 

Blast from the past

Some brands have found such a resonance with retro and nostalgia that they reverted their logo and packaging to a previous version. An early example is Miller Lite, which in 2015 swapped out its bright blue can with a diagonal font for its retro white packaging from 1974. 

“They stuck with that simplicity, that big, bold timelessness,” said Miles Marmo, co-founder of Agency Squid, a creative agency that works with brands. 

In more recent years, nostalgia has picked up, with retro designs trending for about five years. Nostalgia in packaging was mentioned 3,000 times in the last six months on social media platforms in North America, according to a January emailed analysis from RILA Global Consulting. The firm’s analysis found positive associations with nostalgia, particularly with the ‘80s and ‘90s. 

“It’s an emotional tie,” Marmo said. “You want to be present in that moment. I think that’s where nostalgia can really find its groove.”

Last year, Jell-O revealed new packaging for the first time in a decade. The Kraft Heinz brand ditched the slanted font of the 2000s and went with a look closer to what it used in the ‘70s through ‘90s. Those involved in the redesign called it playful and jiggly like the product itself.

When well-established brands revert to a prior version of packaging, it’s often to “reclaim their equities,” said Peter Boosalis, vice president of business development at printing and marketing solutions company Quad. Legacy brands say, “‘Hey consumer, remember us? We’ve been here for a while,’” as they compete with store brands and new entrants, Boosalis said.

That’s not to say new brands and startups can’t embrace a retro look. In the better-for-you space, retro designs remind consumers of a time when food and beverages had fewer additives and preservatives, Marmo said. Simple, retro designs can also symbolize clean ingredients, according to Boosalis. 

“If it fits the brand’s persona, it’s worth trying,” Vaught said.

Brands also have to recognize their key demographics and ensure retro designs resonate with that particular target audience. One brand’s core audience might think of the ‘80s as retro, whereas another might consider retro to be the ‘60s, Marmo said. 

“Nostalgia can be very limiting in terms of its reach,” he said.

Retro meets modern

Many brands are putting a modern spin on retro. Olipop, a better-for-you soda brand that launched in 2018, doesn’t have the legacy of many other beverages but still evokes a vibe from the past. 

“The overall aesthetic and illustration style has an old soda shop look to it,” said Mark Christou, principal at CBX, a strategy and design agency that works on package and private label design. Christou said the color palette is muted, which gives it a retro feel, but the typography is modern. 

On the flip side, Pepsi has a 125-year history. When it redesigned its logo last year, the intent wasn’t to go retro but to honor the past while creating a fresh look, a brand spokesperson said in an email. Pepsi put the wordmark back into the globe, reflecting the brand’s logo from the ‘80s and ‘90s. 

“We found that this variation of the logo really resonated with people of all generations,” said Carl Gerhards, who led Pepsi’s rebrand project in his former role of senior director of design at Pepsi North America. (He’s now senior director of design at Global Lay’s, also under PepsiCo.)

The soda brand also brought in modern elements, including a bolder blue and a “pulse” that radiates from the logo. 

“The result is something that’s both timely and timeless at once,” Gerhards said. 

Christou hailed Pepsi as a “great example” of a brand that “represents culture.” While the redesign feels like an ‘80s logo, according to Christou, “that’s an aesthetic that is relevant and resonating with consumers.”

Does retro resonate?

The ultimate test of a rebrand’s success is in the numbers. 

A packaging design must stand out on the shelf against competitors’ products. Kodiak, which produces high-protein pancakes, oatmeal and other items, uses simple fonts and brown paperboard to evoke a retro identity. It has worked with Graphic Packaging International on brown box packaging. Those elements help differentiate it from highly processed pancake brands on the same store shelf.

Retailers have to see velocity and repeat purchases after a redesign to continue stocking the product. Pepsi said it received positive feedback from the public after the rebrand, and in retail, the design “has improved brand impact and navigation on the shelf,” Gerhards said. 

Consumers also have to find the packaging practical. A milk brand could go retro in glass bottles, Vaught gave as an example. But for most consumers, glass wouldn’t be as functional as a jug or carton, which could dissuade purchasing.  

“It all boils down to tracking sales,” Boosalis said.