Packaging · Global · 2012
Oatly: The Pack That Talks
Oatly turned its cartons into a page of conversational, self-deprecating writing.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readForsman & Bodenfors with Oatly in-housePackaging · Branding · Content & Social
- Brand
- Oatly
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2012
- Category
- Packaging
- Agency or team
- Forsman & Bodenfors with Oatly in-house
- Channels
- Packaging, print, social
The context
Oat drinks were a small, worthy category. Oatly needed people to notice a carton on a crowded shelf and to talk about it.
Shoppers notice a pack that talks to them.
The move
Forsman & Bodenfors and the company’s own creative team rebuilt the identity around handwritten-style type and long, funny copy on every side of the pack.
How it was executed
- Rewrote pack copy in a conversational voice.
- Used a handwritten-style design.
- Carried the voice into ads and social.
Oatly turned its cartons into a page of conversational, self-deprecating writing.
What happened Reported facts
The voice became Oatly’s signature and carried into ads and social. The brand grew internationally and listed publicly in 2021.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
The voice made a niche product memorable and hard to copy.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Every panel of a pack is media.
- 02A distinct voice is harder to copy than a logo.
- 03Write as you’d speak to one person, not a market.
Indian brands can use every panel of a pack to tell a story on crowded shelves.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Oatly; Forsman & Bodenfors. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Oatly.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
More packaging
Share a Coke
Coca-Cola replaced its own logo with 150 first names. The pack became the message, and the campaign spread to more than 80 countries.
PackagingPackaging · CampaignsMurder Your Thirst
A canned water branded like a heavy-metal band, built to be seen at festivals and bars.
PackagingPackaging · BrandingLosing the Matterhorn
Moving some production out of Switzerland meant Toblerone could no longer show the Matterhorn on its pack.
PackagingPackaging · Branding