This week in the branding world, Goldfish debuted an odd rebrand, Kate Spade teamed up with M&M’s, and Gladiator II’s collectible popcorn bucket left us speechless. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest branding news.
Goldfish goes adult
The news: Remember Goldfish, the beloved fish-shaped cheddar snack of your childhood? Well, try to forget it, because the company is renaming itself to “Chilean Sea Bass”—at least temporarily.
Big picture: According to Campbell Soup Company, the overly literal rebranding is intended to acknowledge that, while Goldfish’s main audience might be kids, it’s for “grown-up tastes,” too. The Chilean Sea Bass crackers won’t actually show up on shelves; instead, any die-hard fans will have just one week to reel them in online.
Why it matters: Goldfish has been getting more experimental for a while, trying out new flavors like Pizza, Old Bay, Spicy Dill Pickle, and Franks RedHot. But this latest stunt marketing feels like it’s taking a page directly out of Kraft Heinz’s book. The sauce-forward company has become notorious for making headlines by launching wacky collabs and unexpected products, like hot pink Barbiecue sauce and Taylor Swift–inspired ranch. In my opinion, this piece of Goldfish marketing (and a few of Kraft Heinz’s campaigns, too) aren’t taking the bit far enough. If I have to buy Chilean Sea Bass online for $7.38, forget it—I’d rather just pick up some Goldfish at Target.
Kate Spade embraces foodie fashion
The news: Kate Spade’s new collection looks good enough to eat. That’s because, from charms and clutches to bracelets and shoulder bags, all of the products are fashioned after M&M’s.
Big picture: Like Kate Spade’s Heinz capsule collection, released in July, this new M&M’s collab is meant to court a Gen Z audience with colorful visuals and a touch of nostalgia. It also plays into a recent obsession among designers and consumers alike with apparel mimicking packaged foods—like Nik Bentel’s Barilla bag, Dauphinette’s butter stick purse, and Balenciaga’s spicy chili bag.
Why it matters: Lately, the food-based fashion aesthetic has been trickling down from higher-end apparel purveyors like Lisa Says Gah to shops like ASOS for more affordable options. Based on how quickly trends move today and how specific this aesthetic can be, its shelf time seems limited. Mimic objects may be aspirational now, but as the market becomes more saturated with options, it’s likely that we’ll begin to see these designs in a similar light to early pandemic-era fashion (remember cow print, butterfly pants, and bucket hats?)
Mucinex’s mascot is on the apps
The news: Something weird is happening at Mucinex. The brand is promoting its Nightshift flu medicine by putting Mr. Mucus, its slimy, green, creeps-inducing mascot, on . . . Tinder?
Big picture: According to the company, the strategy is as follows: As singles hit up Tinder in bigger numbers during the “cuffing season” months, they’ll be blindsided when Mr. Mucus’s profile appears on the app. His bio is complete with “ick-inducing” pickup lines and even a picture of him holding a fish (ladies, beware). The whole thing plays into Mr. Mucus’s in-universe motivation to spread the flu, as well as consumers’ visceral disgust with him. Numbers-wise, it probably will drive some recognition for the brand, especially in an era when strange mascot branding is all the rage.
Why it matters: Mascots may be having a resurgence, but, frankly, no one wants to think about the Mucinex man in a romantic or sexual context, even if it’s intentionally ick-inducing. Next!
The news: When a highly anticipated blockbuster nears theaters, most moviegoers are vying for new clips of the star actors, hints as to how the plot might unfold, and maybe even a poster or two. But here at Fast Company Design, we only have eyes for the collectible popcorn buckets—and Gladiator II’s addition to the hallowed halls of snack-holding did not disappoint.
Big picture: This week, Cinemark revealed its Gladiator II-themed bucket on X, and it’s earning a lot of praise. The arena-shaped vessel will come with 3D arches and columns around its perimeter, as well as the film’s title emblazoned on two double “doors.” But the most impressive part of the experience comes when the popcorn is all gone: By scanning a code on your phone, the inside of the arena becomes an AR battlefield based on one of the film’s climactic scenes.
Why it matters: This year, we’ve seen popcorn buckets styled after the Dune 2 worms, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice tombstones, and Alien: Romulus space creatures. In a Fast Company story this August, which detailed the rise of collectible popcorn buckets, one expert predicted that the next evolution of the bucket would include “more tech”—now, it seems, that evolution is already upon us.
Be sure to check out last week’s edition of our branding news roundup.