Best thing since sliced bread

Since its inception in 1989, Kingsmill bread has relied on its all-cap logo splayed across a blue background. The logo has evolved over time, losing a crown and gaining a sun along the way. But in the past 18 months, the brand, owned by Allied Bakeries, rebranded twice.

The first was a slight evolution of the white-on-blue with a sun wordmark. Yet, the recent change, introduced in early November, is a marked shift that seeks to position Kingsmill for future growth. BrandOpus, which undertook both projects, has reinvigorated the brand with a sunny yellow on top of which is a hand-drawn like typeface in blue. The wordmark if finished off with a cross between a sun and a crown, invoking Kingsmill’s history in a transformed way.

The new colour palette is sunny and ‘toasty,’ according to BrandOpus, and responds to the company’s desire to bring warmth and simplicity to the brand. The hand-drawn style and warm colour palette is a visual cue repositioning Kingsmill from being just another mass-produced bread to one that is crafted by bakers. BrandOpus typically uses specific characteristics from within the brand to help reposition and redesign the visual identity.

In a competitive category, Kingsmill’s shelf recognition was lacking. The standard bread aisle sees Hovis – also blue and yellow – stand next to Warburtons, which uses a host of colours, including blue,  and others like Allinson who employ a minimal use of colour. The new, primarily yellow packaging for Kingsmill should give it increased differentiation on the shelf.

“There’s great opportunity within the bread category for a brand to really create some differentiation,” says Janene Warsap, marketing director for Allied Bakeries. “BrandOpus has expertly captured and translated what Kingsmill’s core values are through our new identity, and helped to make us a real destination brand. We are excited to see how the consumers react to the new look as it rolls out this autumn.”