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Behind some of the most recognized grocery brands — Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Hebrew National, Hunt’s, and Orville Redenbacher’s, to name 6 out of 40-plus of them — is one of the least recognized food manufactures: ConAgra Foods. Kraft and Procter & Gamble are probably the first that come to mind, but even those two don’t seem to have the amount of popular brands run by ConAgra Foods. And it’s this sense of lack of recognition that drove the impetus for a new identity as ConAgra Foods moves from being a behind-the-scenes holding company to a more public-facing operating company.
The new identity was created after research with multiple stakeholder groups, including customers, revealed lack of association between ConAgra Foods and its popular brands. The logo itself features a new, more contemporary color palette along with a ‘spoon in plate’ icon designed to reinforce the company’s position as a leading food company. The tagline, “Food you love” reinforces the individual company brands that consumers love.
— Press Release
Logo configurations.
The new icon is pretty cute and clever-ish. There are a number of things you can read into it: A wink, a fruit, a smile, a plate, a cyclops, etc. But the main point is that it is unique and memorable for them, specially in an industry that is downright serious with their logos… well, there is Kraft’s silliness of a logo. The typography is where things start to cross the line into weird territory, mainly with the leafy “r,” which I think is an unnecessary flourish that only adds some noise as the logo gets smaller. But, hey, at least for all you Gotham haters out there, it’s not Gotham. Or Avenir. The identity has been designed by Omaha, Nebraska based Bailey Lauerman.
All in all, this is a very nice redesign that signals a friendlier, more accessible company that is happy to join the public view and stand behind the products it makes. BrandWeek has a great interview with ConAgra Foods’ corporate communications vice-president Teresa Paulsen.
Thanks to Drew Davies for the tip and some additional sleuthing.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
bryan byczek’s comment is:
I think the rebrand is decent - but that icon is a missed opportunity, with a little tweaking they could have made the icon so memorable that it could have standed alone from the type.
Maybe adding a stroke around the spoon and slightly altering the placement of it could have a created an abstract "C" and "A" - and in the process forming a mark that had longevity on its own, removed from the word mark.
Just a thought.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:28 AM
Jason Long’s comment is:
The first thing I saw was a one-eyed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ;-)
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:32 AM
LankThompson’s comment is:
Overall I think it is nice, but something about the spacing of the "n" and "A" doesn't seem right and I like the leafy flourish on the "r" but combined with the the smiley bug , err bowl mark —its a little too much.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:43 AM
colormist’s comment is:
Maybe it's just the coffee talking, but I think this is all kinds of adorable. I, personally, love the leaf-touch on the R. I didn't even notice the smilie face in the bowl until you mentioned it, Armin. The whole thing makes me want to hug the nearest person.
(okay, maybe the coffee is getting to me)
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:49 AM
James Re’s comment is:
Nice job Bailey Lauerman. Looks good.
I do agree with Bryan's idea about the logo-mark it could have been pushed into a higher realm where the mark could have stood as the brand for the company.
However I am not sure that this particular company is ready for that. they need people to know their name first and so the prioritized that which i think was wise, and as you said Bryan the mark could easily be evolved into a stand alone icon which may be a plan down the road once people know who they are.
I for one really enjoy the typesetting... even the "leafy r" it has a unique feel while still screaming WE SELL FOOD with everything from the letter forms to the color palette.
sweet.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:50 AM
Jacob’s comment is:
I like the leaf in the r. Overall, the logo is fairly attractive. Certainly better than the old one.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:55 AM
jRod’s comment is:
I gotta say... this was a definite improvement. the color scheme is really nice (not too green and not too red...avoids the Christmas connection) and the typeface is really nice. It would look pretty good on its own without the icon. actually, i kinda prefer it that way.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:58 AM
Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:
A successful recipe that combines personality and approachability. Tasty.
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:58 AM
Calvin Buchanan’s comment is:
I like the look of this mark. I like the type and the little things that tighten the overall look. The way the caps and the O's work, the lines in the "A" and "g" lining up, I like those details. But I agree with Lank that the way the "n" and "A" come together doesn't feel right.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:00 AM
marnie’s comment is:
I didn't notice the wink until you pointed it out, and now it's ALL I see.
I think it's nice branding, but I do wonder WHY it's necessary to brand ConAgra at all. The name alone screams corporate overlord, and corporate entity is the antithesis of wholesome food and nutrition (to me); you'd think they'd do better to let the corporate identity fade into the background and showcase the brands people actually buy and love.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:01 AM
The Expert’s comment is:
Wait... what would Youseff do?
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:13 AM
Alex’s comment is:
The "r" looks gross, but other than that I'm fine with it. The icon looks friendly and matches the typeface.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:14 AM
Andrew M’s comment is:
For starters I can't get enough of Brand New - the before and after, the background info and the design/brand firm info.
Secondly, have logos (logo types and marks) become more complex in general over the past few years. It seems like companies are expecting logos to do much more and express much more than is realistic. For example the new Walmart "sunburst" logo, which you have featured, tries to do more but says much leass to me due to it's generic "please all" look.
Lastly, the ConAgra Foods logo feels like a new category of "Logo-type-mark" which tries to be too many things. Too much going on, a bit trendy and generic overall. The words make me think grocery store and the graphic makes me think restaurant. Kraft has consistently put their name on everything while ConAgra promoted their individual brands (Hunt’s) and not the parent company. A logo alone won't make ConAgra a household name. I had never heard of them before I saw this. I know their individual brands well.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:37 AM
Marcin’s comment is:
I think that rebrand is quite good.
Although, I think that symbol is not an impressive one.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:49 AM
Proverbial Thought’s comment is:
Not too crazy about the fonts, but love the mark and think it is a vast improvement over the former. Good job IMO.
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:00 PM
Jason Laughlin’s comment is:
Wait! Where's the commentary about corporate America? The deleterious effect of the corporate behemoth overtaking the food industry? Armin, I'm saddened.
Actually, given the size of the organization and the relatively glacial pace of change that takes place at these places it's a very strong result. A kinder, gentler, healthier Con Agra.
I do agree that the mark could be somehow made stronger in relation to the type. However you can almost see the folks at Con Agra demanding that there be some inkling of the old mark there.
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:02 PM
daniel’s comment is:
the icon is pretty clever, but to be honest, i'm getting pretty tired of "smiling" logos.
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:06 PM
Nisio’s comment is:
Food so good you'll stab your eye with a spoon.
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:09 PM
JM’s comment is:
Why are they spooning out his eye ball?
Have they already devoured the other eye ball?
What is going on here!!!
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:33 PM
author’s comment is:
The plate is unique with one eyeball pirate patch, however, the rest is an amazing improvement!
On Jun.05.2009 at 12:56 PM
Joey V’s comment is:
Quite an improvement.
What is the typeface?
eyephire’s comment is:
love the type, hate the mark.
On Jun.05.2009 at 01:27 PM
koyo’s comment is:
//bryan byczek’s comment is:
I think the rebrand is decent - but that icon is a missed opportunity//
Totally agree.
On Jun.05.2009 at 01:27 PM
koyo’s comment is:
The whole composition of design and typography looks not self alineated.
On Jun.05.2009 at 01:29 PM
Myles ’s comment is:
It's definitely better than many of the rebranding featured recently. The above comments on the type are dead on. Not much I don't like there. All I'm getting from the little smiley face guy is PIRATE though, but maybe thats just me.
On Jun.05.2009 at 03:14 PM
Chris Herron’s comment is:
Overall, this is an appropriate design. Nice color and friendly typography (that might use some fine-tuning).
The horizontal version on the website works better, though. The symbol sits better with the type. To my eye, it is a bit unresolved in the stacked version, particularly when the tagline is not present.
On Jun.05.2009 at 03:31 PM
Bendy’s comment is:
HAHA... Jason, that's exactly what I saw too, immediately upon seeing the logo. Now I can't stop seeing a cyclops Ninja Turtle, an asian dude with an eyepatch, a smirking bandit/Lone Ranger.
Nice type treatment... outside of the fact that every single freaking large corporation/conglomerate is creating a logo that looks the exact same.
SOOO BOOOREEEED OF FRIEEEENDLY LOGOOOOOOS.
On Jun.05.2009 at 03:32 PM
Mike’s comment is:
I adore the "r"
On Jun.05.2009 at 04:08 PM
Barkley’s comment is:
Nice contemporary rebrand overall
Typographic finishes are a bit over-done and over-thought. I like them but if one "pinch/taper" style had been picked and used consistently the effect would have been more understated and fluid.
smiley is intresting but odd- cant put my finger on it- just seems kinda forced in
On Jun.05.2009 at 04:30 PM
Barkley’s comment is:
Nice contemporary rebrand overall
Typographic finishes are a bit over-done and over-thought. I like them but if one "pinch/taper" style had been picked and used consistently the effect would have been more understated and fluid.
smiley is intresting but odd- cant put my finger on it- just seems kinda forced in
On Jun.05.2009 at 04:30 PM
BruceH’s comment is:
Any insight into whether or not the typeface used here was modified? It looks to me like a Futura with random curved terminals? Except the x-height is taller than Futura. Which is really nice. With the lighter family being showcased it makes sense to broaden the intensity with a taller x-height typeface.
I like the friendly overlap we get at the C-o and F-o pseudo-ligatures, but I can't say I'm feeling the "r" business. If it really is a leaf reference(?), why not do the "ConAgra" in Green and the "Foods" in red? I understand the red is the more dominant color, but with recognition being low, now would have been a good time to shift that paradigm.
Maybe I'm being too literal, but the spoon/smiley feels a bit gruesome to me. Some see the spoon playfully covering an eye, I see a dude missing an eye. But he seems cool with it, maybe I should be too... Still, even with the spoon reference, I don't think it conveys food or love. Seems like more thought could have gone into that...
On Jun.05.2009 at 04:31 PM
mm’s comment is:
I like this logo.
I think it will it's part in making their rand more consumer friendly. Of course, the name "ConAgra" is going to be the hold up. It's an industrial name. If they want a household brand, they need a household name. Even a lowercase "A" would have helped: "Conagra" would be a slight improvement, IMO. (Not that my opinion is worth anything. heh.)
Ah well, the designers did their part well.
On Jun.05.2009 at 05:11 PM
cam_canada’s comment is:
Remove Serifs.
Change Colour.
Is that what re-branding's become? Formulaic?
Spanair.
Fortworth museum.
GMAC bank.
AVID.
Pyramid Breweries.
Int'l Film Festival Rotterdam.
Great Value.
MuchMoreMusic.
Even Google News to a certain extent..
You GO, WGN! Only dead fish follow the stream!
On Jun.05.2009 at 05:48 PM
Panasit’s comment is:
I hate the plate and the spoon! It's so LG (one of the worst logo ever). And that's either an ugly badly drawn "r" or an ugly badly drawn tree branch. It can't be both.
On Jun.05.2009 at 09:26 PM
John Mindiola III’s comment is:
I'm with Panasit (and apparently nobody else). I'm not feeling this new logo. What was wrong with the previous one? I don't think it's more approachable now. In fact, I find it to be quite the opposite. It now just confuses and distracts me all around. The bowl/smiley face is okay, but overall, the logo seems to be LESS modern looking than the previous. And really, a more contemporary color scheme? Since when was maroon contemporary?
On Jun.05.2009 at 10:58 PM
Warren’s comment is:
It's pleasant, but the type is manipulated a bit too much. The one thing that drives me nuts is why is "Food you love" in a different font from the logo itself. Wouldn't it have been more harmonious to use the same rounded forms and not a more narrow Helvetiva-like font.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:30 PM
Joseph Maguire’s comment is:
It's an improvement I don't think the typography is as clean. But I don't mind it. I do think that its a bit weird on it, rectangle scale the bowl sticks out its not quite a brick. Kinda weird well it could be worse.
On Jun.05.2009 at 11:57 PM
N.S.’s comment is:
Does anyone know if it was Bailey's infamous "James Strange" who did this mark? He's their "go-to" logo guy, so I would assume so, but it's very different from most of what he's done. I know Webster Design worked on this with, them, but my guess is that the artwork for the mark was done by Bailey. Anyone with a little more inside info?
On Jun.06.2009 at 12:23 AM
Scott’s comment is:
I like it and wouldn't change a thing.
Okay, maybe the color -- nah, probably not, it's completely different than Kraft's fruity palate. Perhaps a tweak of the brick red to more orange/red. Perhaps a tweak of the pea green to more celery/lime spritzer green.
But that's just being picky. Well done, Omaha, NB, design firm ... proof that not all massive brand icon redesigns have to be done by the fancy NYCers.
On Jun.06.2009 at 07:36 AM
Drew Davies’s comment is:
As the guy who set the type on the front cover of the ConAgra annual report, which then accidentally became the previous ConAgra logotype, I thought I'd chime in.
Still working out how I feel about the new logo, but one thing I can say is that I'm very pleased there was some legitimate thought and research put into the process. (As opposed to "Ooh! That type is cool — let's make it the logo!") Whether you like the logo or not, the ConAgra brand has needed some clear focus for a while, and I think that's what Bailey Lauerman has brought to the table.
On Jun.06.2009 at 11:39 AM
V as in Victor’s comment is:
I love it. I think it's clean, friendly and inviting. Not only do I love the "r" but also the way the F and the C cut into the shape of the "o". My only type critique would be with the horizontal version of the logo. It wouldn't have taken much to line the tag up with something. The original version has so much alignment to it, it seems an oversight to no have that detail in the horizontal.
On Jun.06.2009 at 06:51 PM
Scott J’s comment is:
It seems to me that the symbol and the tagline are tied at the hip. The smiling plate would be rather confusing without the tagline for support. Overall, I think the new identity is much better, although a bit less serious than the original.
On Jun.07.2009 at 01:32 PM
Jonathan Li’s comment is:
like most comments here, I think the rebrand is a nice one. The colour choice is definitely something great, but the plate & spoon/cyclops ninja turtle/winking smiley face etc. comes off as a strange looking cherry to me. Though that doesn't entirely matter, I suppose the ambiguity of the graphic lends itself to the corporate structure of a brand distributor as opposed to a company like Kraft that produces it's own product.
the comments about the "nA" together do seem fairly valid, though if you were to compare the previous logo and the new one, both "nA" instances have an overlap in the kerning, and it makes me wonder if there is some sort of corporate significance/history that required the identity to retain it. In fact, the letters "nAg" in both instances are kerned really tightly, so that just might be something mysterious to find out about.
On Jun.08.2009 at 02:01 AM
orangetiki’s comment is:
It's a little crammed if you ask me: the one that is vertically stacked. As for the more horizontal one, why make the tag line so small?
On Jun.09.2009 at 01:07 PM
Joy’s comment is:
Sales promotions and incentives will definitely help branding. This kind of things can easily spread through either a word of mouth (more common) for offline business and through viral marketing if you happen to have an online presence (business websites) and can easily drive more traffic to your business. Thus, generating more sales.
I have to admit Branding is everything in business, in order to start a good and profitable business you need to create your own unique and creative brand or identity. The brand that you created will boost your online and offline presence, when that happens more sales will be coming in to your business.
I've known this site brandmelive.com that helps and guides and individual or startup company on how to create your own unique brand that stands out from the rest. In less than a month, I assure you, you will start to experience great amount of success on your brand or business with the efforts you put in. Believe me, I'm one of the million that benefited from that site.
Hope that helps.
On Jun.10.2009 at 07:06 AM
Kellie Schroeder’s comment is:
Nice work!
On Jun.10.2009 at 04:23 PM
LTO’s comment is:
Foods in green makes me think of an identity built to hold all possible product diversifications.
Eric PopD’s comment is:
I think you're going to see a lot of this sort of thing as food awareness becomes more prevalent. With the new Food, Inc. movie and the slow food movement, some of these large food industry companies are going to have to rebrand to try and control the message about their product. They already do a lot of this politically, but they have to work the consumer side more now as an entity, not just through their food brands.
I have a brother-in-law that works for them.
On Jun.12.2009 at 12:43 PM
Anthony’s comment is:
This reminds me a lot of the Fresh and Easy logo. http://www.freshandeasy.com/
On Jun.16.2009 at 12:51 PM
Brendan’s comment is:
Their site shows the the symbol on it's own. Looks good.
On Jun.16.2009 at 01:57 PM
Jack G.’s comment is:
But I still wonder what ConAgra hopes to gain from becoming a visible entity. Kraft has always sold itself as a friendly food deployment mechanism behind a variety of brands. The very name ConAgra sounds about as nefarious as the corporation undoubtedly is. The rebranding really ought to go far beyond a wordmark. Either become friendly or remain anonymous.
On Jun.25.2009 at 12:00 PM
miss stephanie’s comment is:
the plate and spoon reminds me a little of a ninja turtle face for some reason. imagine a second spoon on the other side. a somewhat evil smile with a bandanna showing on either side.
On Jun.30.2009 at 11:00 PM
Pedro Brito’s comment is:
The ConAgra's Turtle...
On Jul.01.2009 at 02:39 PM
Pedro Brito’s comment is:
Just wondering...
Mark’s comment is:
I like this logo, clean simple and no stupid gradients or color splashes. See Kraft Foods? THIS is how you do a smile.
Well done ConAgrs Foods Well done.
On Jul.08.2009 at 02:51 PM
Mark’s comment is:
Sorry I meant...
Well done ConAgra Foods Well done
On Jul.09.2009 at 02:02 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
