Immuno-Viva
Botanic Oil Innovations was making a product with miraculous effects on well-being. The problem was, the bottle blended right in with everything else on the shelf. By rebranding its packaging and finding a new name, we helped it appeal to the spirit of its most enthusiastic customers. A small company based in Wisconsin, Botanic Oil Innovations was our first client. They came to us with a particularly interesting story. A doctor and head of Oncology at the University of Minnesota had heard that a company was pressing and extracting oil from seeds to create a product extremely high in antioxidants. He decided to try using the product with his cancer patients, and was startled by its effectiveness. Not only did it lessen the impact of harsh chemo treatments, but it also sped their recovery and enhanced their general well-being. He decided to take a stake in the company, and together they connected with Zeus Jones to expand its use from doctors to the general public. The first challenge was to move away from the business-to-business character of the brand’s current positioning. Its stark, white medical bottle made it impossible to pick out on the average GNC shelf, and its name was too focused on communicating directly what was inside rather than exploring the lifestyle the product represented. After researching the psychological factors that go into enhancing one’s own immune system, we saw that the motivations to use the product weren’t necessarily about preventing cancer, but instead about proactively fighting the harshness of the modern, industrialized lifestyle. There was already a large market for products that aided in prevention, and Botanic Oil Industries had a natural product that worked in a clear, scientific manner. Free radicals cause cancer; antioxidants fight free radicals. Simple as that.
We wanted to brand the line in a way that communicated its natural quality without making it appear gentle and powerless. No flower imagery, no soft waterfalls.
This was central to our thinking when we developed our process of logo design. Working as a team to research the field, we found the empty space in the category and used that aesthetic to communicate the core purpose of the product. Natural imagery and muted colors were everywhere already, so we opted for bold, definitive packaging with a warm-colored bottle and bright labels.
Designing a Logo
We wanted to incorporate the essential images of the brand: Its initials, a seed, a droplet, a human and a shield to convey power and protection. We sketched out images surrounding each and then combined all the elements into a logo that brought them together to look like a shield.
What to Call It
Finally, we needed a name. We examined the assets of their antioxidant line and found the core product to be one called Immuno Viva. The name, which celebrates a healthy immune system, conveyed the power and spirit of the product in an original way. It didn’t hurt that they had it trademarked already, either. The names of the individual products were too varied, so we simplified them to one-word purposes, like “Smart” and “Recovery,” so that a consumer base could easily know which one suited their needs. Finally, we designed a new website for them and now, years later, we still sit on their board as they determine their steps into the future.
