When branding starts with the product - how strong brands are created
Hey, brand makers,
Good branding doesn't start with a logo and colors - it starts with the product. The strongest brands don't think about marketing first, they develop their product and branding together.
When the design of your product already carries your brand DNA, brand recognition is created without anyone having to see your logo.
Today I'll show you how we did just that for Simply Solid - and two other brands that got it exactly right.
Simply Solid: branding you can touch
When you hold a Simply Solid shower gel in your hand, you immediately notice that it has a well thought-out design.
That's because we at BoredBrands Studio didn't just start with the packaging - we were part of the product development process from the very beginning.
Why is this a game changer?
✅ Product & branding are one unit - the shape of the solid shower pieces is unique, not only in function but also visually. Anyone familiar with Simply Solid will recognize the products even without a logo.
✅ Design with purpose - The shape was developed so that it fits perfectly in the hand, does not slip out of the shower and stands out from standard shower bars.
✅ Premium feel from the first touchpoint - A product that feels premium reinforces the overall brand identity. Consistency between product, packaging and communication ensures that a start-up is perceived as an established brand.
And that's exactly the point:
Simply Solid is still a young company - but the close integration of product design & branding makes it feel like an established brand.
Read more here: Simply Solid Portfolio
Two more brands that perfectly dovetail branding and product
💥 Tony's Chocolonely - chocolate that looks & feels different
Normally, every bar of chocolate looks the same - rectangular, evenly divided. Tony's Chocolonely has changed that. Their bars are deliberately unevenly shaped - to draw attention to injustice in the chocolate industry.
Why the branding is clever:
✅ The chocolate itself is part of the brand message - every bite is a reminder of the problem Tony's wants to solve.
✅ Colors & design are loud & eye-catching - Each variety has its own bright color that is instantly recognizable.
✅ The product tells the story before you read the packaging - creating branding you won't forget.
Without words, without advertising - Tony's conveys its mission only through the product itself.
💥enty Fenty Beauty - make-up that appeals to everyone (and therefore became huge)
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna is not just a beauty brand - it has changed the entire cosmetics industry. Why? Because she built inclusivity into her product design from the very beginning.
Which makes her better than many others:
✅ 40+ foundation shades right at launch - While other brands considered darker skin tones "niche", Fenty incorporated all of them right away.
✅ Packaging & product are clean but edgy - High-quality packaging that stands out from the typical "girly" make-up look.
✅ The brand identity is defined by the product - Fenty stands for diversity - and you can see that immediately without knowing the slogan.
Fenty didn't just sell cosmetics - it started a movement. And that's only because the product branding was directly thought through.
The bottom line: turn your product into branding
The most successful brands don't just rely on good marketing - they brand their product themselves.
Simply Solid, Tony's Chocolonely and Fenty Beauty have one thing in common:
🚀 Their product is already their brand.
🔥 You can recognize them without a logo.
🎯 They think product & branding together right from the start.
And that's the key.
So: How can your product take your branding to the next level?
See you soon, stay bold & unique,
Chantalle
