• July 12, 2021

A Case Study in Rebranding: Macro Snacks becomes HA!

A Case Study in Rebranding: Macro Snacks becomes HA!

A Case Study in Rebranding: Macro Snacks becomes HA! 700 500 Michelle Breyer
Track 9 brand HA! underwent a rebrand to reach a larger market

A rebrand can play a key role in the success of a company. But how do you know when, why and how to rebrand your business?

There are a number of reasons to consider a rebrand, including:

  • To better differentiate from the competition.
  • To give new life to outdated branding. 
  • To attract a new demographic
  • If your brand has evolved.
  • If you’re not resonating with their target consumer

A rebrand is the process of reshaping how a company or product is perceived and include a change in the brand’s name, logo and overall look and feel. Some high-profile rebrands include KFC (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken) and WW (formerly Weight Watchers).

During SKU Track 9, one of the cohort companies underwent a significant rebrand; Macro Snacks became HA! Snacks. We talked with founder Justin Wiesehan about the process of rebranding his brand.

What’s a macro?

SKU: What drove your decision to rebrand from Macro Snacks to HA!

Justin: Macro Snacks started as a personal mission to create a snack that fit into my “macros,” as I was macro counting everyday to hit my goals. With that in mind, I branded my product to fit my needs. What I came to realize through talking with my customers is that 60 percent of them didn’t know what a macro or macro counting was! They were buying the product for the high-protein content and low-calorie content that our snacks offered. I also realized early on, that educating consumers on macronutrient ratios and profiles was expensive, and it delayed consumer trial of the product because they were confused. 

After realizing our brand was hindering growth and not aiding in it, I knew it was time for a change. I wanted a brand that still stayed true to our mission of providing great tasting, nutrient-dense snacks, but was also more appealing and approachable to a bigger audience.

With the help of my SKU mentors, we really built the brand from scratch, employing all the key marketing aspects and exercises of brand building – brand archetypes, target consumers, mission statements, vision statements, etc. This led us to HA!, which was the simplest way to explain what our product is – a healthier alternative – while creating a fun, bold, energetic look with the branding. 

Macro Snacks

Involving customers in your rebrand

SKU: Did you have any fears about doing it, and if so what were they?

Justin: Of course there were fears. It really felt like we were starting at ground zero. The product inside the bag wasn’t changing, but creating a completely new brand from scratch, without any idea if it will work or not, is scary.

The most concerning part was wondering if our current consumers would like the change. We didn’t want to lose the core group of consumers that helped build the business. With that in mind, we went to them to help. We sent them email surveys throughout the package design process. We included them on Instagram polls and listened to their feedback. This was important because now they felt like they were part of the process and were connected to the change. What we really did was take that fear and turned that into an opportunity to bring our consumers into the process.

Rebrand drives new business

SKU: What has been the response to the rebrand?

Justin: The response so far has been great. We are getting more attention from retailers than we did with Macro Snacks. Part of the retailer feedback with Macro Snacks was always, “the product is great, but we don’t think macro counters are a big enough market to warrant shelf space.” Since the rebrand, we have more interest and are starting to have conversations. I think retailers see that we made a pivot based on their feedback, and they like that.

From the consumer side, they love the new packaging. The brand is more relatable to them now. When we were Macro Snacks, 66 percent of our consumers stated they were actively using our product as a healthier alternative to unhealthy snacks they previously bought. Now, that use case and connection is even more clear with the new branding. That makes us more relatable to them, and now we have the opportunity to replicate that amongst new consumer groups.

SKU: Do you have any tips for other brands who are considering a rebrand?

Justin: Listen to your customers! They are the ones buying and continuing to buy your product. Figure out why they bought, why they come back, how often they buy, when they use your product, and how they use your product. These are the people that matter, they are voting for your product with their wallets. Once you understand your consumer on the deepest levels, you can really drive decisions that can impact your business. We spoke with 30+ consumers on the phone for 30-45 minutes at a time. Those were some of the best hours I have spent in building this business. 

Read other SKU Report Posts