OUR MONTHLY LOOK AT NEW CHALLENGER BRANDS IN THE STATES
Post by Ruth Fittock
Confession, this blog post started off being a round-up of my favourite American brands right now, but then I got stuck on my number one, and it turned into a love letter to a brand I’ve become a bit obsessed with.
Image: Recess Drinks
Introducing Recess, it looks different, it sounds different and it’s underpinned by truly brilliant brand basics. Recess is challenging not only the burgeoning CBD drinks category, but any brand that calls itself a ‘lifestyle brand’- putting their money where their lifestyle brand credentials are, their next move is launching a range of streetwear, what!?
What makes Recess stand out from the soft drinks category?
First, Recess are clear on their target market- this a drink by creatives, for creatives. And it’s led to a particularly bold identity- they are absolutely killing it on Instagram. While even the best challenger brand content has a tendency to look samey these days, they’ve gone a bit weird, and I love a bit of weird, especially when it’s as well considered and well designed as this. It’s self-effacing, witty and topical but still, mostly, speaks to the product truth. It’s completely for their audience.
Image: Recess Drinks
"We canned a feeling"
Secondly, their messaging for me is nigh on perfect: ‘cool, calm, collected’ (the deeply satisfying rule of three played out perfectly here), ‘we canned a feeling’, ‘an antidote to modern times’, all of these make me incredibly happy. For me, the best comms are always emotive not functional, and Recess have nailed it by combining the two, delivered in a tone of voice that’s witty, wise and interesting.
And my does the brand identity capture their audience- duotone pastels that communicate simplicity and calm without going anywhere near boring. Modern, minimal, a tiny bit whimsical, the perfect combo for their creative millennial target.
Image: Recess Drinks
Finally, aside from all of the visuals and the copy this is not just a superficial looks good, sounds good brand- they are a company on a mission- to provide a way for their consumers to feel ‘calm, cool and collected’. Mission-driven business is a blog topic in itself, but Recess is a great example of how effective it can be even for a smaller, challenger brand- it permeates everything they do.
All in all, after working with three interesting agencies (Gin Lane, Day Job, The Couch) they’ve done a stellar job in creating a truly unique brand that should elevate them above the rest when the CBD category inevitably explodes and the big guys get involved. I can’t wait to see where they go from here, fingers crossed for a UK launch!
Post by Ruth Fittock - Brand Strategy
Take a peek
https://takearecess.com/