This week in branding news, Lil Jon revisited his iconic song “Get Low,” Erewhon released a predictably overpriced collection of organic apparel, and Hostess refreshed its look for the first time in 18 years. Here’s what you need to know.
Lil Jon’s john-themed song
The news: To the window! To the . . . stall? More than two decades after the release of his iconic bop “Get Low,” rapper Lil Jon is back with a new version of the song—but now, it’s poop-themed.
Big picture: You read that right. The new beat, titled ”Get Low #2” (ha) is a campaign for Cologuard, an at-home colon cancer screening test that requires users to, in the words of Lil Jon himself, “drop that a** to the bowl” to collect a sample that’s then shipped to the company for testing. Other visceral lyrics-turned-instructions from the new ad include, “Set, set, set it up / Scrape, scrape, scrape it up / Box, box, box it up / Ship, ship, ship it out.”
Why it matters: Let’s be honest—this is the perfect ad. Lil Jon may seem like a strange choice as a Cologuard rep, but he’s actually perfectly positioned to appeal to the “Get Low” nostalgia of those 45 and up, which is the American Cancer Society’s recommended age range for colon cancer screening. Plus, it’s damn catchy. I’m going to be singing, “To the en suite / or some stalls” for weeks to come. And it seems like many other Americans will be similarly afflicted: Despite Cologaurd’s meager YouTube following of fewer than 6,000 subscribers, Lil Jon’s new song has garnered nearly a million views a week after its debut.
Erewhon’s $335 lifestyle play
The news: Erewhon now sells a $335 sweatsuit to go with your $20 smoothie and $40 jar of sea moss. The upscale Los Angeles-based grocer just released a winter collection of apparel, and it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect.
Big picture: The new line includes a basic zip hoodie, pullover hoodie, crewneck, sweatpant, sock, bag, and hat, all in bougie-sounding colors like “chaga” (brown) and “coconut” (cream). The company attempts to justify the items’ mind-boggling price tags by noting that they’re “ethically made with an organic cotton blend”—and, of course, they prominently feature the grocer’s logo.
Why it matters: For the past several years, Erewhon has been on a mission to become a name recognized outside of L.A., not just as a grocery store but also as a kind of lifestyle brand—and organic apparel is a major part of that. Sweetgreen, the trendy, upmarket salad joint, has been trying out a similar strategy with merch like branded totes and kale camo sweatshirts. In my opinion, Erewhon’s 2021 collection achieved a bit more visual interest than this latest release, using a comparatively elevated, retro-inspired combination of fonts and colors.
Hostess gets a new logo
The news: For the first time in nearly 20 years, the beloved snack brand Hostess has revealed a new look. Its logo, font choices, and packaging design have been updated across its popular products, including Twinkies, Zingers, and Ding Dongs.
Big picture: To usher the brand into modern times, Hostess removed the dated drop shadow and gradient on its old logo for a simpler, curvier font. A new border detail was added to represent the “light and airy” texture of Hostess’s offerings.
Why it matters: This is a rebrand done well—effectively taking Hostess out of the 2010s without scrapping the playful feel of the brand, its key colors, or its signature visuals, like the red heart in its logo. It’s poised to bring Hostess back to the forefront of buyers’ minds, as sales have underperformed since J.M. Smucker Co. acquired the brand last year.