Creating a cross-category youth brand and flexible design ecosystem for a major retail chain.
Capturing the Gen Z and Gen Alpha market within highly competitive, brand-loyal FMCG categories.
While youth demographics drive growth and innovation, engaging them remains a significant hurdle for retailers. Modern youth are fickle, digitally native, dopamine-seeking, and highly resistant to traditional marketing, while traditional snack and beverage sectors are dominated by established, high-loyalty brands.
A major supermarket chain with over 2,600 stores partnered with Mildberry to launch a cross-category private brand. The objective was to attract teenage and young adult shoppers, build brand preference over entrenched legacy competitors, and unify diverse product types, ranging from snacks to beverages, under a single coherent brand platform.
Building an authentic youth brand strategy, flexible visual identity, and scalable packaging ecosystem.
Mildberry framed the brand around anti-boredom, self-expression, and psychological comfort, bridging consumer packaging standards with digital-native aesthetics.
We conducted deep generational research to position OUCH! at the intersection of strong emotions and authentic self-expression. Anchored by the core narrative "Snacks Against Boredom," we defined a witty, slightly quirky tone of voice and a series of engaging slogans designed for both on-shelf appeal and digital touchpoints. Spanning snacks, beverages, and instant foods, the product range was structured to accompany teens through their shifting emotional states throughout the day, fitting seamlessly into their daily routines.
We created a flexible visual system built for shelf impact and digital readability. To connect with a trend-sensitive audience without becoming dated, we created clean packaging compositions featuring micro-narratives and expressive, eye-bedecked ingredient mascots that bring flavor profiles and micro-emotions to life.
We developed a flexible brandbook and visual toolkit capable of scaling across highly varied packaging formats—from instant meals to canned drinks. The system maintained brand coherence across an initial launch of over 50 SKUs while providing a structured foundation for seamless future expansion.
A vibrant, scalable private-label brand that successfully bridges traditional retail with youth culture.
Mildberry delivered a flexible brand platform and packaging architecture that enabled the retailer to diversify its customer base, drive youth foot traffic, and establish an enduring presence across physical shelves and digital channels. By engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha as a complex, expressive audience rather than a generic demographic, the new brand earned immediate credibility in their daily routines.
"It is important for us to attract a new customer base in Generations Z and Alpha, who are rarely heard or understood in traditional retail, which is why we created the OUCH! brand for them."
