Mars Edge has launched Memory+, a new product in its CocoaVia™ supplement portfolio that focuses on boosting memory and brain function, with brand and packaging identity by Straight Forward Design.

CocoaVia™ has a portfolio of daily cocoa extract supplements that support heart and brain health, aimed at men and women over 40 who are proactive about maintaining their physical and mental health as they age. With Memory+, CocoaVia is introducing its first sub-brand that focuses on a specific health benefit. As with all of their products, Memory+ is backed by rigorous scientific research. In fact, 4 double-masked clinical studies show that the cocoa flavanols in Memory+ can improve 3 different aspects of memory after 8-12 weeks of daily use.

Mars Edge partnered with Straight Forward Design to create packaging and an identity that would differentiate Memory+ from the existing CocoaVia portfolio while still feeling part of the core brand, positioning it as a more premium product aimed at a target market that is specifically concerned with preserving memory and brain performance as they age.

The agency created a striking cobalt blue bottle with a clear label to establish a premium look and feel and mark it out from other brands in the sector. With its clean and simple design, focused on its primary benefit – memory – Memory+ stands out from cluttered and cramped competitor designs and conveys its benefits in easy-to-understand messaging, while still reflecting the original CocoaVia™ brand. In addition, the lid features user-friendly copy to communicate how the product should be taken, to help consumers experience optimal memory benefits.

Mike Foster, founder and creative director, Straight Forward Design, says: “It was important to consider the different target audience for this new product. It required a more refined solution, while creating standout in what is a crowded sub-genre in the health and wellness supplements sector.”

The design also had to set up a brand hierarchy that allows for future range extensions and NPD.

The design for Memory+ breaks away from the box format of information of the core brand and simplifies it. This format supports the launch of future products, as consumers will be able to identity the different health benefits provided by different products quickly.

Reducing the size of the CocoaVia brand mark, and keeping its position on future products, will also promote a consistent look and feel. It marks the product out as part of the CocoaVia™ portfolio, but leaves space for the sub-brand to stand out. The bold bottle colour can also be changed with future sub-brands.

“Straight Forward Design prides itself on building long-standing relationships with clients. Building longevity into branding is crucial, and we always provide clients with the tools to adapt brand principles for future roll-outs, and to help a brand grow,” says Foster. “We always strive to understand the foundation of a brand, why we’re making a decision and who we are targeting, and how we then connect for a longer-term growth.”

“It has been a pleasure collaborating with Straight Forward on this exciting new product, which represents a new direction for the CocoaVia™ brand as a whole” says Farrell Rodd, Brand Manager for CocoaVia™. “We know that memory is a serious concern for consumers, so we wanted the product benefit to be the real hero on pack, conveyed through a clear, bold and premium design. We loved that this design was not only perfect fit for Memory+ and its consumer but could also be extended to different products as the brand continues to grow into new spaces of health and wellness. Straight Forward accomplished this beautifully.”