Sweet additions

The Royal Family, drinking endless cups of tea and a penchant for queueing are among the many things for which the UK is famous. Cultural and literary heritage abound; the UK’s universities and public space are among the most visited in the world. Yet what the country offers in terms of cuisine is sometimes considered lax in comparison to the more refined palates of, for example, French or Italian delicatessen. That is, perhaps, until dessert is involved.

Despite a current trend for the clean-eating, healthy lifestyle which traverses social media and the pages of food magazines, there is still nothing the British enjoy more than a good dessert. It also remains a truly family-oriented affair. In light of this, and to bolster the dessert addition market, one of the UK’s oldest and best-known providers of dessert toppings and sweet additions, Askeys, has updated its visual identity.

With the rebrand adding a creative edge to meal times, Askeys dessert additions intends to extend its popularity beyond its 100 years. “The new brand identity and packaging aims to be both a celebration of homemade creativity and family value,” says Alex Durbridge, creative director at Family (and friends), the London-based branding and packaging design company credited with carrying out the Askeys packaging overhaul.

Family (and friends) has developed new design cues surrounding ideas of imagination, both through light and fun packaging, and activities for children on the back of Askeys packets. Its new strapline, ‘Let your imagination run free,’ also reflects this concept.

And, having just celebrated its centenary, Askeys is as much about inducing nostalgia as it is about creating colourful additions to mealtimes.

A champion of the great British dessert, the Askeys rebrand aims to encourage families away from easier but less tasty frozen dessert offerings. Retaining its distinctive blue packaging ensures consumers can easily navigate the Askeys brand in supermarkets with crowded confectionary and dessert sections.

Derek Johnston, strategy director at Family (and friends), says, “This rebrand represents an awful lot of what Family (and friends) is all about. Commercial creativity in the FMCG market, combined with reinforcing strong family values – playfulness, connectivity and a pleasure of shared food.”

The Askeys redesign launched in UK supermarkets during February 2017.