Development of a new B2B premium brand of a revolutionary culinary algae oil.
As part of Checkerspot’s expansion, a new business vertical for culinary oils and fats was created to successfully commercialize Algae oil for the commercial food industry. Algae oil is a healthier, more sustainable, and affordable alternative to canola oil and other commercial oils with a myriad of performance benefits that make a difference.
CBA was given the task to create and develop this new brand. Starting with the strategic foundations such as brand strategy and naming, we also developed the visual identity, packaging design, pitch deck and website experience.
Through a series of structured working sessions with key stakeholders, the brand’s strategic foundations were defined, with clear positioning, purpose, and personality traits. The goal was to position a premium B2B brand that could successfully compete against existing commodity oils.
Building upon these foundations, we established a name for the brand. It needed to be an identifiable signifier of culinary excellence at the brand and product level, easy to pronounce, food-related, flexible enough to be introduced into different categories, and embody the positioning.
We gathered a wide range of team members for naming inspiration and through a series of fast-paced exercises the name Spotlight quickly became a favorite. The word and visual association of a spotlight worked on multiple levels. Taking inspiration from a drop of golden Algae oil, we could effectively communicate how it has the power to shine a light on the culinary revolution that we aspire to lead.
The Spotlight name and logo serve as the most iconic element of the brand. Reflecting the typography of national print media sources, the bold serif typeface aligns our message as newsworthy, with relevance and importance. The oversized “O” as the universal symbol of a spotlight, is also a graphic device that represents a round drop of oil and our planet.
The beautiful gold color of our oil inspires the primary yellow and infuses the brand with boldness and optimism.
In communications, we needed a visual style that would connect with our B2B culinary audience. We activated the “O” in our logo by replacing it with all kinds of delicious food imagery to capture the versatility and culinary excellence that our Spotlight Algae oil brings to everything – from baked and fried goods to delicious dressings.
Catering solely to a professional audience, the 10L bag-in-box was our solution for busy kitchens where chefs, line cooks, bakers, baristas, bartenders and more, require easy, effective products that perform in hectic, crowded environments. The bag-in-box creation fulfills three key objectives, it provides an easy pour spout allowing chefs to decant cleanly into smaller squeezy bottles, its bright yellow design has incredible shelf presence so it stands out in back-of-house storage spaces, and we provide a more sustainable choice compared to the typical 5-10 liter plastic jug containers.
In response to the expedited launch timeline, we extended the brand identity across key touchpoints to effectively engage our target audience. This process involved the communication strategy to effectively translate the essence of Spotlight into the digital world. CBA collaborated with a website developer, where we thoughtfully designed all layouts and content ensuring a swift launch within one month. Additionally, we seamlessly integrated the visual identity into an investor pitch deck ensuring alignment with the brand’s overarching business and marketing objectives and keeping synergies with Checkerspot, the master corporate brand.
From its inception in July 2023 to its launch 4 months later in November, Spotlight has attracted sizable attention from both spectrums of the culinary industry, from Michelin accredited chef Daniel Humm in NYC to grass roots restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops in the SF bay area. Prioritizing key messaging and communication tools has allowed the brand to move quickly without compromise, leading to sales and partnerships in 2024 that continue to exceed expectations.
