Leeds design studio Kiss Branding has collaborated with First Milk, a certified, farmer-owned, B Corp cooperative, to rejuvenate the brand’s visual identity and essence.
The project aimed to “reinforce the regenerative ambitions of First Milk and align the brand across its diverse audience groups,” which include farmer owners, end customers, and staff.
Kiss sought to rationalise the tangible benefits that First Milk offers to farmers, the land, and the end consumer, under the guiding principle of ‘Keep it Simple.’
With this in mind, Kiss led a team of stakeholders through a series of strategic exercises using their highly effective ‘igniting sparks’ methodology to develop the First Milk brand proposition and express it visually and verbally.
With the challenge of receiving a unified approval from 300 stakeholders as well as the members of the coop, Kiss needed to ensure everyone was on board with the thinking. Supported by the team of board members Kiss created a progressive design concept that was welcomed by all.
Through further insight, it became evident that the regeneration of the earth was at the heart of the First Milk business and needed to be reflected in the brand’s visual expression. The collaboration then focused on enhancing the pre-existing brand and business definitions to articulate a clear message and point of difference that could be easily understood and communicated to all brand audiences.
Kiss transformed the existing brand marque and all supporting assets, overcoming “familiarity bias” and future-proofing the brand in a way that satisfied both the conservative and progressively minded stakeholders. The result is a balance of science and nature, which supports regeneration without greenwashing.
The new brand visual identity “brings freshness and vitality to the overall look and feel” and features deep greens and earthy tones, supported by wholesome, down-to-earth photography that celebrates the connection between the earth and the people, as well as the unique bond that farmers share with their cows.
Kiss Branding co-founder Poonam Saini said: “The collaboration between First Milk and Kiss Branding has been a resounding success, and the new brand identity and essence have been received with enthusiasm by all stakeholders. It is a testament to the expertise and credibility of First Milk business, their progressive mindset and ambitious regenerative targets.”
CEO of First Milk, Shelagh Hancock, added: “The Kiss team challenged preconceived ideas but listened and took the time to truly understand the business, what we do and importantly, how we do it. They created a broad range of creative options that helped to shape our thinking and enabled us to select the branding that we feel really reflects the business today.”
