brands, generic-style

I’ve noticed something lately — name brand food packaged goods are changing their brand visual identities to what seems to me to be a more generic brand look.  Following the two-times-is-just-a-coincidence-but-three-makes-it-a-trend adage, I offer 3 examples:

• Tropicana orange juice

  

• Post Shredded Wheat cereal

• Lay’s potato chips

In each instance, the brand name seems to be de-emphasized, while the product type is more the focus.  I find this an interesting approach, given the battle between private-label and branded goods. Private-label brands are growing in number and market share, in part because of their increased “branded-ness” — cases in point:  Whole Foods‘ 365 Everyday Value brand and Costco‘s Kirkland.  And branded goods have been struggling to fight back.  (I previously posted about this.)

Are branded goods trying to emulate a private-label look in order to compete more effectively on shelf?  Or are they simply going for a more streamlined design and have inadvertently adopted a more generic look?  Either way, it’s a curious approach — one that doesn’t make sense to me.

Whole Foods, packaging, private label, 365 Everyday Value, cereal, Costco, Frito-Lay, Kirkland, Post, Tropicana