JKR

Every now and then your supermarket sleepwalk is disturbed by a pack which simply intrigues you – and relevance be damned, if it’s novel enough you might just sling it in the basket. The retro pack for Quaker Oats prompted me to pick it up (it stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the glossy and samey competition), but it made me wonder if straight forward plundering of the past is the smartest way to play the retro card?

The pack’s a facsimile of original branding but it’s not going to win any retro beauty prizes, as the original’s core elements are more authentic than attractive. The provenance and design are also in a less cosy vein than, say, the Persil vintage ads, so heartstrings will probably be less tugged. Is the idea to alert us to a brand unspoilt by progress? Possibly, and one could understand why Quaker might want to yank back a few authenticity points from relative pups such as Dorset and Jordan’s. So I bought the pack, but wonder, for all the novelty, is it the smartest way to make the brand’s history relevant for today?

Meanwhile, over in the states, Quaker are running the campaign “go humans go”* aimed at promoting the idea that their oats offer goodness at good value. The promotion is also committed to helping kids who would otherwise miss out on a proper breakfast get a good start to the day. The spirit of this approach feels truer to the brand’s supposed Quaker inspiration; the design is fresh and appealing, whilst trading on the famous brand iconography, and “go humans go” is just a really positive sentiment for these troubled times. For me, being inspired by the past and carrying this spirit into contemporary expression feels much more engaging than simply raiding the visual piggy bank.

*by the way, “humans” not “people” – is this odd choice of words just designed to snag in the mind, or is this a tip of the logo’s hat to the principles of humanism?