Agropur repositions Natrel milk brand

Agropur Cooperative is repositioning its Natrel milk brand with new packaging and a multiplatform strategy.

The rebranding effort, which attempts to position Natrel as a more natural product, took a year-and-a-half and roughly $15 million to complete.

“Natrel’s new image conveys a solid business vision based on innovation and the latest trends in product design,” said Caroline Losson, vice-president of marketing for Natrel, in a press release.

Agropur's new direction centres around three pillars: new packaging, brand image and a website where consumers can find recipes, tips, and multimedia. All three position Natrel as a more natural, consumer-conscientious product.

Natrel’s new packaging features ultrathin plastic lining, and more air-tight plastic film for milk sold in bags. Both work to preserve the milk’s flavor, keeping it fresher for longer.

Quebec and Ontario consumers will be the first to see the rebranding campaign, with the Atlantic provinces and British Columbia getting the roll-out in a few weeks.

The rebranding and its campaign is a collaboration between the Natrel marketing team, Cohésion, LG2, CloudRaker and DentsuBos.

“We believe that this comprehensive rebranding, backed by a sustained point-of-sale promotional support, will help differentiate Natrel from the competition and build on its strong leadership position in the Canadian dairy industry,” Losson says in a release.

“We are very satisfied with the result: distinctive packaging that is tougher than ever and highly functional for the consumer. Today, the Natrel brand fully reflects the quality of its products that are enjoying a strongly positive consumer response.”

The campaign will be presented on multiple platforms including four TV spots, print and transit ads. The new packaging is already presented on the company's website. Agropur also revisited its digital strategy and website initiatives. “Expect to see a lot more over the next few months,” Losson says.

This article was first published by Marketing magazine.