Kenmore
Strategy • Packaging • Brand Guidelines
On the heels of a recent identity and brand refresh, Sears Holdings Corporation found their Kenmore packaging not working as well as it should to move its products off the shelf and into consumers’ homes. They were unable to pinpoint exactly what the problem was, but knew something needed to be addressed.
Dan Baggenstoss led the effort and designed the solution the Kenmore brand needed to better connect the products to the consumers. This began with a strategic dissection of the package elements in use, identifying what was missing and what was leading the message astray. A number of key components of the package were improved including the brand presence, product identification clarity, and features and benefits communication. Most importantly, the new design added an “experience image” to connect the consumer to the function of the product. Through the use of contextual photographic elements, the product was humanized and became much easier to imagine as a part of the consumer’s home. In some cases, this really helped to identify what the product actually was, particularly in the case of more abstract product forms. A new vision was put in place and exercised across a broad selection of product packaging. Following that effort, a comprehensive guide was created to ensure the new design would be successful as it would be implemented on many more packages, including the use of multiple languages. This guideline document was the transformation of a design solution into a mathematical approach that could be replicated consistently. It was a thorough finish to a deep and challenging situation.
Dan Baggenstoss led the Strategy & Design of the Kenmore Packaging and Brand Guidelines Update for Sears Holdings Corporation while employed at Capsule
