Killer app: Gilchrist soups up labels for Heinz range

Heinz has undertaken a rebranding of its range of Big Soups in a bid to give the range greater shelf impact. The company tied with packaging branding business Gilchrist, design firm Cowan, litho printer Darley, Fuji Seal and Dutch company Verweij Labels for the project.

How was the job produced? Gilchrist worked alongside design agency Cowan, with Gilchrist managing the artwork and reprographics for the 515g and 400g can labels across 14 varieties and seven microwavable pots, as well as attending initial print runs for each printer.

What challenges were overcome? The toughest part was ensuring consistency across all printers and print processes, specifically in terms of the green background on the designs. The companies reported that the need for a distinctive effect, which required varying shades, needed a lot of retouching and had to be carried out to ensure the highlights were kept in the same position across the pack formats. According to Natalie Crawford, Heinz account director at Gilchrist, the designs were intricate in terms of the how the background image was made up. She added: "As we were working with one printer for the pots and three different printers for the labels, we had to ensure that the green tones were consistent across the range and formats regardless. We carried out a lot of colour work including retouching and proofing, as well as working closely with all the printers to achieve consistency."

What was the feedback? Heinz was very pleased with the results. "It was essential that the new label reinforced the high-quality food credentials associated with the brand, while also building upon the iconic green background synonymous with Big Soup," says Lucy Cawkwell, Heinz Soups senior brand manager.