Redefining a disruptive brand
WhatIF Foods does more than just selling plant-based foods. Their mission is to offer the next generation of foods and reinvent the whole food system from the ground up, category by category. At the heart of the company, there was the idea of “360° sustenance”, a concept that enables to offer nutritious food coming from diversified and indigenous crops that are climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and at the same time, support local farmers and their communities.
”Grounded on profound knowledge, armed with lots of experience, an energetic youth, and equipped with an efficient process, the HMT team invested time, empathy and professional rigour into listening to our story, our way, our passion.”
– Chris Langwallner, Founder & CEO WhatIF Foods
The Challenge
With a big purpose that spans the whole value chain from farming via production to the end products, WhatIF Foods develops products from the forgotten crop bambara groundnut, sourced from local farming communities in West Africa.
#1: the company had a complex corporate structure with many communication messages. We needed to create internal alignment to build a strong brand.
#2: WhatIF Foods planned to launch in the US, and with the brand rooted in Asia, the target consumer and their motivations are most likely different. So how to activate the brand in the US?
The Solution
The brand had to be optimised to ensure that the brand purpose and the storytelling were cutting through, disruptive and differentiating from all other plant-based brands.
The solution was to create a big idea that enabled dramatising the founding purpose “sustainability is not enough, we must regenerate”, and starting a movement that engages consumers in the necessity to transform the whole food system.
The Result
Brand Positioning & Visual Identity
We turned the founder’s purpose of reinventing the food industry category by category into the big idea: “What if foods were made this way?” – By owning this, WhatIF Foods can take a brand positioning that is challenging, active and starts the conversation. This is also reflected in the visual identity: logo & pack design.
To connect the purpose to the target group, the WhatIF way was born:
– REplenish our food with nutrients
– REstore the soils by using regenerative crops
– REconnect with local farming communities.
To engage with those who feel helpless and anxious about the current state of the planet and climate politics, the movement became clear: “Join the REgeneration”. – WhatIF Foods is there to make them feel more hopeful for the future; WhatIF Foods is showing the way.
Communication Activation
It became clear that it is not the planet that needs saving, but it is we, humans, whose future needs to be saved. The communication idea for entering the US is built around the insight that younger consumers fear for for their future and are hungry for more in life! WhatIF Foods is there to “Create Lust for Life” – for the planet (restoring biodiversity and soil health) and in consumers’ daily lives (giving back hope and having freedom and flexibility to do what you want to do and go where you want to go).
How can we help?
Are you a change-maker in your area? Do you have a similar challenge as WhatIF Foods? Contact us here and let us show you how we can create change together.