On the crowded diaper shelves at the grocery store, moms have many choices and can often be confused by the variety of brands. In an effort to stake a claim in this competitive category and stand out to a specific consumer set, Luvs has refreshed its brand image and redesigned its packaging with the help of Cincinnati-based brand design firm Deskey Associates.

 “Diapers are a necessity, but there are so many choices out there that it’s important for each brand to communicate precisely what it stands for and have clear differentiation,” says Doug Sovonick, chief creative officer at Deskey. “Luvs are for moms who believe that there’s nothing more fun than being a mom, and Luvs provides an additional reward by offering a great value for her family.”

Deskey’s challenge was to design a package that communicated value in a fun and contemporary way, but that also re-enforced the brand’s benefits of premium leakage protection for less. Truly understanding the complexities of the consumer proved critical to communicating effectively with her.  

“Prior to engaging in the redesign we went to the streets to find other brands that have the same challenge. One brand that rose to the top and became our guide was Old Navy,” explains Miki Reilly-Howe, Deskey vice president of brand strategy. “Old Navy offers practical “cool” clothing for less. People don’t feel like they’re wearing an off brand, they feel cool, fun and savvy—just like our Luvs Mom.”

The team looked to visuals outside of the category for inspiration (Target, and once again, Old Navy), and came away with the idea of pairing bold and playful patterns with bright colors to create the savvy, fun look they were after. The brand has maintained its traditional purple color, but added a fresh, vibrant green along with new photography and other design elements, all created to speak to fun, down-to-earth moms. The new packaging emphasizes “real kids” by using actual Procter & Gamble employees’ children as the subjects instead of professional models.

“We wanted the new packaging to engage and delight the consumer,” says Reilly-Howe. “Our goal was to use insight about moms to create packaging which presents Luvs in a new way, connects with the target consumers and helps those families to recognize the extraordinary value that Luvs offers.”

Shopability was also a key consideration. Busy moms need to be able to find the right product quickly, so the design team placed the Luvs logo at the top of the hierarchy, followed by size and count. “For loyals, it’s important for [the packaging] to feel familiar and easy to grab and go,” says Reilly-Howe. “The ultimate test of this is if she can get someone else to pick out the right Luvs package for her!”

• Brand identity and package design. At Deskey, call 513.721.6800 or visit www.deskey.com.