In the U.S., the sales volume for ranch dressing is greater than the entire ketchup category and Hidden Valley Ranch (HVR) is a leading brand. This success stateside is driven by combining the rich product history with a brand position that resonates with the U.S. consumer. Its platform is nostalgia-based and reflects a desire to return to a simpler time.

Unfortunately, Canadians don’t have this rich history with the brand and so they do not have a nostalgic appreciation for HVR.

The brand enlisted Hunter Straker to find a new position for the brand that would resonate with Canadian consumers as well as develop packaging that would be consistent with this new positioning.

The agency found that simplifying communication – taking into account all of the brand equities such as colour, imagery, typography and shape – was needed to ease the visual communication and bring simplicity to the category, which is currently very busy. It also found that, for a fun and interactive category, it lacks connection and that the brand needed to increase visual “play” by adding fresh food and salads. Lastly, the agency found that blue and green colours are overused in the category and that to stand out, the brand needed to enhance its key colours through form and positioning on pack.

The research results were used to inform the creation of various platforms, which included four potential concepts that were later put to test through further research and investigation. All four concepts scored higher than the existing packaging, but one design stood above the rest.

The chosen design received top scores in an “eye-tracking” analysis, which examined its ability to stand out among its competitive set at the shelf level. There was also a 30% increase in brand recognition versus the current design, with the new positioning moving away from the “Everyman” position and providing a clear message that portrays the brand as premium and unique.

The design was rolled out across the entire portfolio and results in market confirmed the research findings, with the brand gaining 20% in consumption and 2.5 points in market share of the ranch dressing segment.