An unflavored spring water with Australian bush flower essences, Balance water needed a new identity to help it make the leap from a niche brand to a mainstream, functional drink that could take on the likes of SmartWater.
Frequently merchandised next to plain bottled water, the brand simply looked like a more expensive alternative without any explanation of the ingredient benefits or the brand itself.
Brand design agency Blue Marlin created a new, cleaner design that reflects the purity of the product and conveys the idea that it isn't just bottled water, but wellness water. More accessible language and graphics also convey the simplified positioning of each variant. The refresh was implemented in the US and Australia with a $61,000 design budget.
The Bottom Line: Balance water’s biggest account, Duane Reade, reported an 800 percent sales increase in the three months following the November 2009 redesign. The brand also picked up 180 US accounts and gained distribution in its home market of Australia. Balance founder Martin Chalk says the design paid for itself within 12 weeks - results that, because there was no marketing or advertising support - can be attributed solely to design. “It changed more than our labels,” says Chalk. “It changed our company.” (Rebranding: Blue Marlin, www.bluemarlinbd.com)
