With a wide collection of products and identity usage, it is important that Sprouts establishes a mark that works well on both a large platform and in minuscule application. This new identity is representative of the brand's purpose as a healthy, all-natural market that provides food and reasonable rates, all the while ensuring its uniqueness among other competitors such as Whole Foods and The Fresh Market.
Sprouts originated from Henry Boney’s produce stand in San Diego, 1943. Later known as Henry’s Farmers Market, the company was bought off by Wild Oats (of which is now owned by WholeFoods) and then repurchased by Sprouts in 2011. Since then, the farmers market continues to grow, reaching a total of 300 locations open in 2018and more than 28,000 employees. The brand itself is focused on healthy, all-natural foods that are reasonably priced. They regularly release weekly advertisements that include discounts and coupon to be used in store on specific days of the week.
The majority of their customer-base is tuned in on the concept of a healthier lifestyle at an affordable price, and they enjoy shopping at Sprouts due to their quick, yet friendly experience. As SproutsFarmers Market strengthens its roots along the east coast and the rest of the nation, it is important to replicate that success with a “fresh” brand image.
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The identity of Sprouts today is solely based on Henry’s logotype from 2011, utilizing a green palette with a variety of fruits and vegetables as part of their emblem. Considering the brand has only made minor tweaks to their look over the past decade, there are many improvements that can be made to their current identity:
Their current emblem is okay at a larger size, but becomes illegible when reduced to smaller labeling and other applications. While their logotype is easier to read at smaller sizes, it lacks the same expression of iconography and imagery that is captured in their emblem. The rustic, all-natural feel of the brand is translated throughout their identity design, yet it no longer conveys a fresh modern tone like it has in the past. Their private label packaging and brand usage throughout the store is lacking in consistency and cohesiveness. Their information design fails to provide a shopper with the most important information at all times.
The new mark takes on a more abstract approach that represents all-natural growth. The system primarily follows a color palette comprised of forest green, burnt yellow, and white. In a reversed situation where the system’s green is used as a background color, the green of the mark becomes white while the yellow remains.
The symbol found in the mark represents an abstract form of two leaves and a sun. While this is the primary representation of the symbol, it is easily representative of many other forms of natural growth commonly found in nature, such as a flower.
The stationery system is includes two different versions of a business card for corporate and on-site use, a letterhead, and an envelope. While the on-site version of the business card utilizes the pattern as an accent, the back of corporate version incorporates the symbol on a cropped scale that brings a sense of professionalism to the playfulness of the entire suite.
While both the letterhead and the envelope use the supporting typeface for general details, any editable content is to remain in a standard serif typeface to account for ease-of-use throughout the organization.
The team member uniforms include two different variations of a polo shirt. The solid green version is to be worn by the general staff while the yellow-accented version is to be worn by the managers of each department. This slight difference allows for an easy understanding of rank, all the while reinforcing the concept that each team member is part of one whole working toward the same goal.
In an effort to provide a clean working environment, a set of aprons that follow the same system can be worn by both the produce and bakery staff members.
Both and flat tie and bow tie comprised of the brand’s pattern can be worn by operators and corporate staff to show their affiliation to the brand during any business function or event.
Each team member will also be provided with a name badge and patterned-lanyard. The badges encourage customer relations and casual conversation through hand-written names along with the team member’s favorite food.
Shopping baskets for all stores are a solid green with the reversed color mark on the front and the brand’s slogan printed on the side.
To tie in the fun, playful sense of the brand, tote bags will be printed with all-natural images of produce and a corresponding pun to match the imagery, in addition to the white version of the mark at the bottom of the bag for advertisement purposes.
Food labels for freshly-packed products can be printed with the reversed color mark at the top and the corresponding product information, of which includes net weight, unit price, total price, safe handling instructions, and other required information. To represent the company’s fresh, all-natural brand, all pre-packaged sprouts products utilize raw imagery and/or see-through packaging along with a clean white foreground, product information, and white mark.
Exterior signage will be largely dependent on each locations environment. Nonetheless, the average storefront will use an extruded version of the main color mark. Interior corporate signage can vary between the colored and white versions of the mark. Any supporting information follows the system’s rounded typeface.
The Sprouts website will be revamped to fit the new modern approach and incorporate an e-commerce platform that allows customers to order online for delivery or pickup. Users can choose which department they wish to shop and find out more information about each individual product.
The mobile application will also take on the new look and introduce a new way for customers to interact and save by earning points for each purchase made either online or in-store. In addition, the user can track their member status, available points, and total points earned. The application also acts as a means for online ordering, product browsing, and account management.
Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, will use the symbol for profile imagery, and all-natural produce photography for any supporting imagery. These platforms allows for a wide variety of product promotion and seasonal discounts. The Sprouts Instagram account follows the system introduced in their Facebook profile, and will be used to promote Sprouts brand products, new products, daily promotions, and much more.
All advertisements are meant to start fun and engaging conversation among customers, providing them with a laugh on their way home from work or a sense of encouragement and self-positivity. Ultimately, this approach will promote Sprouts’ fresh product and casual friendliness. In line with the billboard ads, bus stop signage will strengthen the “punny” concept, granting waiting persons and other passerby a joke that they can tell their friends.
These advertisements can even be printed in local newspapers and magazines in order to reach a wider demographic and bring attention to Sprouts as a more approachable grocery brand.
