Hughes Adventures: Scooping up a Sweet New Look for Mayfield Creamery
The Mayfield brand experience began with an immersion trip to Athens, Tennessee "Home of the best ice cream." As I witnessed the goodness of fresh cream churn at the plant and tasted a fresh scoop of strawberry ice cream in the tasting lab, I knew I had come to a special place.
We were welcomed into the home of Scottie & Lisa Mayfield. As we poured Mayfield half & half into our coffee mugs, we sifted through old photos, newspaper articles and magazine covers; listening to stories about Jersey cows and awards won for the best tasting ice cream. We heard how eating Mayfield ice cream has been a beloved tradition for generations of Southern families.
The day came to an end and my head was filled with the rich stories and vast tradition the Mayfield family has instilled in the hearts of their customers since 1923. I thought about the tone of the creative brief, it would need to communicate the uniqueness of Southern recipes and reasons to believe that spoke to using fresh cream from the dairy made without artificial growth hormones.
The brand identity journey began with an updated brand name; adding “Creamery” would help communicate the sense of place and reinforce the “made with fresh cream” benefit. Various logos were explored, communicating the rich heritage of the brand while staying close to the existing brand palette. Our packaging architecture study examined ways to visually transport a consumer to Mayfield Creamery - a nostalgic truck and farm fresh scene was developed, showing the double silo barn that still sits on the Mayfield property in Athens, TN today. We strategized about yellow as a brand equity color, realizing it is a beacon at retail and well known to the target audience. However, we were challenged to consider the tone and manner of the yellow and asked questions like, “Can it be warmer, and more tasty?”
The new packaging architecture would not be complete without bringing the rich Mayfield history to life. The old photos, product images and double silo barn now sit on the back of package, reinforcing the brand essense of tradition and slowing down to live life the old Southern way. Ice cream visuals were beautifully photographed and a rich and delicious color palette was selected to align with the vast flavor portfolio.
On a recent trip to Florida, I was excited to see the newly redesigned Mayfield ice cream at a small local store, pioneering the communication of what will soon be a national brand launch staying true to its roots.
Daniella Kohler
Director, Account Services
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