Anova came to us looking to push their sous vide cooker into the retail mainstream. Sous vide is a cooking technique that delivers consistently cooked food every time. Food is placed in a plastic bag and immersed in a water bath, after which the sous vide cooker is used to circulate the water and regulate temperature as the food slowly cooks to perfection. Beginning as a Kickstarter, the Anova Precision Cooker was originally only available through direct orders. As the demand grew to expand into a broader market, Anova wanted to ensure that their retail packaging would clearly highlight the product’s capabilities, appeal to a wide range of consumers, and educate them on the benefits of sous vide cooking.
We began by developing several target personas to give the client insight on their new potential retail market. Each persona was specific, yet shared similar traits, including a desire for ease and efficiency. Understanding the target audience would give us deeper insight when executing packaging improvements.
The next step was to tour the stores where the target personas would shop for Anova’s product. We noticed recurrent themes of minimalist, contemporary packaging that utilizes light, airy color schemes. Using moodboards, we were able to steer away from the dark colors and severe undertones that were apparent in the preceding packaging. Adding a few pops of color would help to further differentiate Anova from the competition.
One of the special features of the Anova sous vide is its WiFi capabilities. This function allows the user to set their cooker to the perfect temperature without even being in the same room. We wanted this aspect to be evident to the customer, but simultaneously needed to make sure the tagline wasn’t too technical. The messaging we created was able to express the intelligence of the device without sounding intimidating.
The final touch was conceiving distinct icons for each side of the packaging. It was necessary to show the variety of foods the sous vide can prepare, while also providing step-by-step instructions on how to achieve the perfect meal. These additions make the sous vide incredibly user friendly.
Simplicity was key when it came to this project. It was crucial that the customer recognize the convenience of the product at first glance without being overwhelmed by information. The end result was light, sleek, and straightforward. The Anova Precision Cooker looks right at home on the shelves of our favorite homeware stores!
We are pleased to announce that we are working on a new project with Anova! We look forward to growing our #clientlove with such an innovative company