Client
Dr.JJ Richardson
Services
Brand Strategy, Brand design, Packaging, Digital design
Year
2021
Invented by an American scientist, Dr. J.J. Richardson, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineer, SWIFF can be described as a wonderful happy accident. While engineering a product to help eliminate Coronavirus from surfaces, Dr. Richardson discovered that SWIFF also performed amazingly well at neutralizing odours.
Recently featured on Shark Tank, SWIFF gained national recognition for its innovative approach to odor elimination and antibacterial protection. The safe and natural ingredients make it the perfect choice for use around the home. The technology utilizes a unique double-spray mechanism that combines to create an odor-killing powerhouse.
The brief for this project was to design a brand identity and packaging that captures the groundbreaking and effective nature of SWIFF spray. The packaging needed to be visually striking and highly recognizable, emphasizing convenience and portability. It was crafted to appeal to a diverse range of consumers, including mothers, gym-goers, pet owners, and more, while clearly communicating the product’s benefits and its clean, healthy appeal.
One of the key visual drivers for SWIFF’s brand identity was being bold and friendly. During our initial workshops together, I guided the client through my V3 branding process to uncover what is most important and how we can bring that to life through the brand story, personality and memorable visuals.
Part of the larger vision for SWIFF is for it to be as ubiquitous as other household staple products you might find in the supermarket, like JIF, AJAX, Febreze..etc. When we were putting the brand strategy together, ubiquity formed one of the three brand pillars, the other two being ‘safe & trustworthy’ and ‘love & compassion’.
Why is it important for SWIFF to be safe and trustworthy? The target market of mums, fitness enthusiasts and pet lovers value their health and pride themselves on keeping a clean environment, so it’s vital we communicate how safe and effective SWIFF is, but in non-technical language. By protecting people from bacteria, odours and chemicals, SWIFF offers peace of mind in a time where our collective health and safety has been under the microscope.
Part of my work with SWIFF was coming up with the brand name. We landed on SWIFF after exploring the word ‘whiff’ & ‘sniff’, which is related to smell (as it was important that the name was tied closely to the product’s key selling point, aka killing odours). The double ’f’ in the name references the double spray nozzle and when said aloud, the word SWIFF is light and airy, which speaks to the fact that it’s an air spray.
For the audience that are health conscious and tech-savvy, the brand voice needs to not only be clear, direct, conversational, but also information driven. Think of it like the voice of your mum: caring, yet supportive and helpful. This means communicating facts and ideas and in straightforward ways without the heavy jargon usually associated with similar household products.
To create a strong consistency and brand awareness, I designed a social media style that blends real imagery with bold, pictorial illustrations. They’re simple, fun and represent the brand pillars we articulated in our early workshops with the client.
One of my favourite parts of this project was creating the logo design. I took inspiration from retro soap brands and their friendly, fat lettering and bold colours. I designed a custom made type, slightly skewed vertically at 15 degrees, contrasting straight lines and curves to build out the word SWIFF. The logo references other well-known and loved household brands that are friendly and inviting.
For the colour palette, I chose a strong blue to connote a sense of trust and safety. To save on production costs for the client, I suggested we compliment the blue with black and white illustrations, perfect for conveying a strong pictorial style. Additionally, I added a few other colours to the palette that are clinical and fresh, chosen to appeal to the Millenial/Gen-Z audience.
The SWIFF’s packaging design is inspired by classic household products, while meeting the challenge of creating a solution that keeps the two separate liquids convenient and portable. The choice of an opaque bottle highlights the innovation and simplicity of the two key ingredients. The custom Swiff blue colour and playful typography makes the design eye-catching, emphasising its approachability.
I went through some thorough sample reviews with multiple offshore suppliers and, after careful consideration, we have landed on a supplier who can provide custom-moulded Swiff bottles made from Polypropylene. This material is known for its durability and resistance to chemicals, making it an ideal choice for the Swiff packaging design.
SWIFF’s sustainable ethos is evident in every aspect of its packaging, materials, and manufacturing. The use of natural and sustainable ingredients in the product ensures that there are no harmful chemicals or substances that could potentially damage the environment. The minimalist design of the bottle reduces waste and materials used, while no lid or outer packaging further reduces the carbon footprint. The selection of polypropylene as the material is also a conscious choice, as it is recyclable and can be reused to create new products, reducing the amount of plastic waste in landfills.
SWIFF is currently available in 45 countries in North America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and the Middle East as well as in stores/airports in USA, Canada, Kuwait, UAE, and Netherlands.
Get in touch to learn more about my brand identity, packaging design services. I love bringing new products to life in exciting ways, so if you’re preparing to launch into the world and need something a little different, I’d jump at the chance to support you!