Noramble

Noramble is a brand and packaging design studio helping brands grow through proper differentiation by rebelling against their category cliches.

Ever noticed how olive oil is always in a transparent bottle? Or how do Cereal brands always use a mascot? Or how most beauty products use a white? These category cliches create a sea of sameness on shelves and online. It makes buying products impossible and typically results in consumers finding the cheapest option becuase that's the only differentiator.

Since 2020, our work has rebelled against all this to help brands grow through true differentiation.

Founder

Creative Ninety Five

Freelance

QPC Global Ltd

Junior Packaging Designer

Apple

Specialist

Salford City College

Working in a team to create and layout information in the format of a newsletter. Turning pages of text and image into readable editorial layouts.

Graphic Designer

Iya, I’m Daniel (never Dan)

A 30-year-old, Manchester-born design agency founder. 

I started Noramble because I was frustrated seeing so many brands looking, talking, and feeling the same. Decision-making when shopping for a product becomes impossible and a chore, resulting in chasing the lowest price or the best deal.

At Noramble, we refuse to add more noise to the sea of sameness. Over the years, we have crafted a process to help brands rebel against their category and grow through proper differentiation that gives consumers a reason to give a crap.

Daniel Poll

The most undervalued D2C strategy? Packaging. Hands down.

I always hear founders and brand managers say:
"We don't need to focus on packaging because the sale has already been made"

I hear ya, but you're wrong.

Yes, the sale has been made.
But now you can create a brand fan by creating an experience.

Came across this brand the other week called Moérie Beauty, which sells hair products.

Their products come in these boxes that you slide out from and then open up.

Honestly, their origami packaging blew me away:
- It was genuinely surprising
- It created a proper experience
- It had loads of mega information that actually helped

It created a memorable touchpoint that has left the brand at the top of my mind for a few weeks.

And that's powerful in today's mental world.

So, Kudos to you, Moerie! Class work.

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Moérie Beauty

Founder of Noramble | Brand + Packaging design that rebels against category cliches

NEW WORK 💃

𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

Shift X Noramble

About the project 👇
With Shift going through a new phase of growth, Jonathan approached Noramble to help reposition the refill packaging to lean more into the brand's premium positioning.

We created an entirely new visual that is now able to stand on its own. Creating a cleaner look through the use of colour blocking, clean typography and premium materials, whilst reimagining the back of pack to include a new QR code linking to the brand's sustainability mission.

Cheers to Jonathon for trusting us with this project.
On to the next pal 💚

Shift

Digital & E-commerce specialist | 10+ Year’s Experience | Marketplace specialist | Founder of Shift. The UK’s first 100% plastic-free, refillable deodorant.

Look, I'm not one for blasting work publicly. I actually hate it.
But I can't let this slide!

Drove past this a few weeks ago.

It's an ad by a very well-known brand, marketing what I assume is a new product for their brand.

However, I glanced at it for a mere 3 seconds and ended up with a migraine.
👉 It's a benefit vomit on a billboard
👉 It's got zero hierarchy
👉 It looks like it was done in Microsoft Paint?!

I'd love to hear any data on this billboard if anyone has any.

And please feel free to let me know if I'm being overly negative or unconstructive. I've not had a morning coffee yet. Ha.

This packaging confused the hell out of me last week!

Shopping for some chocolate. Naughty, I know, don't @ me.

I'm not massively brand loyal when it comes to chocolate; I just get what I want in the moment.

And I spotted this new GREEN KitKat from afar and instantly thought:
"Oooo, a mint chocolate KitKat, that's a bit of me"

Then, as I was walking closer, I thought:
"Oh, actually, it might be a new Dubai chocolate" 🙄

However, when I go to the box, to my upset, it WASN'T mint chocolate NOR Dubai chocolate.

Either I'm an idiot, and my consumer perception of flavour colours is completely wrong
Or someone has gone off the beaten track and thought 'F*ck it'.

Any guesses as to what it was?

Do people have a designated place they go to get inspiration for their work, or is it just me?

I'm not a huge fan of platforms like Pinterest or Behance for inspo.

Online inspo only shows the polished result.

They don't show the real-world piece of work.
They don't show how people ship that product category.
They don't show how it's merchandised on a shelf.

You've gotta get out and touch some grass for the real stuff.

My go-to is always Selfridges, they absolutely nail it with the brands they sell and also their own brand products.

Here's a few of my faves from the past week, happy Friday y'all!

Ey! New Work Alert 🚨

PickandMix.com X Noramble

Creating a new bag design to establish a category leader

PickandMix.com approached us to help with their next phase of growth by creating a new bag design for their brand to establish them as the market leader in this category.

We created a completely unique bag for the brand, featuring a split colour block in their brand colours to create a bold and impactful visual that looked good both on screen, on social media, and in the hands of their customers.

We gave their back of pack the same treatment by creating a nice hierarchy that was not only easy to read and consume, but also visually appealing to help grow the brand's customer retention rate.

The result? Launch weekend was their busiest weekend ever.

Massive shout-out to William Hale for trusting us with the project! Mega result.

I see this all the time, but it ALWAYS stops me in my tracks.

If you're new here, I love a brand that does things differently.

And Engine Gin has had me in a chokehold since I can remember.

The category is full of:
- Glass bottles
- Fancy textured labels
- More heritage stories than you can shake a stick at

So, when Engine Gin landed on the shelf, it ripped up the category.

They have a distinct asset that is instantly recognisable across all touchpoints.

Think petrol can.
Think retro racer.
Think something you’d find in a garage, not a bar.

It's bold.
It's playful.
It practically jumps off the shelf.

Distinctive packaging isn’t just about being different
It’s about being memorable at every single touchpoint.

P.S. Their website is also absolutley mega

No alternative text description for this image

How it started as a designer:

- I design logos
- I design websites
- I design packaging
- I design flyers
- I design social media templates
- I design posters
- I design brand guidelines

10 years later:

- Studio owner
- We design packaging for FMCG brands that rebel against category cliches

You can change what you do.

Focus is everything.

Nothing is permanent.

Don't stress. 'Appy Friday ✌️

I must be the only person in the world that HATES working from home.

The COVID pandemic forced the world into a WFH culture that has stuck around.

I get it; you have more freedom, less commuting time, and feel more productive.

𝗡𝗮𝗵, 𝗜'𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀.

The reality for me is:
👉 I get lonely
👉 I procrastinate
👉 I'm unproductive

I love getting into an office and going to work.
👉 I get to separate work and home
👉 I love meeting and being around people
👉 I love a commute to listen to music or a podcast.

The moral of the story is that you've got to do what works for you.

A project from earlier this year, 'appy Friday!

Helping a disruptive cider brand with their retail growth plans

SXOLLIE Cider X Noramble

After some retailer and consumer feedback, SXOLLIE approached Noramble to help refresh the brand for the next phase of brand growth. Tasked with delivering a new 4-Pack design for the brand's new premium retail ventures and a visual identity refresh to help the brand communicate more precisely and more effectively across all their touchpoints.

We set out to help the brand look exactly how it tasted and acted: refreshing, bold, and honest. We paired a cleaner font family with slightly softer colours to give the brand a more approachable look while retaining the bold appeal people love. We applied this approach to the visual refresh and their new 4-pack design to create a more approachable brand that was true to its direction.

SXOLLIE Cider

Ey, this was lovely to wake up to! 🥂 Cheers WBDS for featuring our project w/ Shift

Noramble - A New Visual Repositioning for Shift Deodorant that Helps their New Premium Offering https://lnkd.in/eKkNkKWB
.
Enter WBDS Awards: https://lnkd.in/dnvqp-F
Get Featured: https://lnkd.in/eFj6_sPC
.
As the Shift brand embarks on an exciting new phase of growth, Jonathan recognised the critical need to refine its packaging to better align with its premium market positioning. In light of this, he turned to Noramble for expertise in repositioning the refill packaging to elevate its aesthetic and communicate its values more effectively.
.
#branding #brandidentity #branddesign #visualidentity #graphicdesign #graphics #logo #illustration #typography #packagingdesign #labeldesign #worldbranddesign #worldbranddesignsociety

Packaging design isn't just an expense, it's an investment in your brand's future.

It’s no secret that packaging design can be a hefty investment.

You should refresh your packaging every 2-3 years to stay current and proactively keep up with the times.

But sometimes you might need to do it reactively; some examples are:

👉 When you’re developing a new brand or product.
👉 When your product ranges lack alignment.
👉 When sales, profits and revenue are down.
👉 If customers struggle to understand what you're selling.
👉 The need for sustainability.

If you don’t, you leave yourself open to disruption from your competitors.

People don't tend to talk about the bad times on social media, so here goes nothing.

Back in 2017, when I first started working with clients, I had:
👉 No experience
👉 No process
👉 No bloody idea

And this ended up biting me on the arse.

I got a promising lead via email. We exchanged messages; after a bit of back-and-forth, I sent over a proposal.

Then it all went south.

𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲.

Her reply was a polite rejection laced with some hard truths.
It was a proper gut punch.

But that brutal lesson turned me into a right stickler for detail.

Fell in love with this over the weekend.

Felt compelled to share it.

No big strategy breakdown like I usually do

Just wanted to share it because it did EXACTLY what it was supposed to.

Stop me in my tracks.
Consider it.
Buy it.

Simple.

P.S. Yes, I obviously got the Earl Grey.

Your packaging is 90% of your marketing touchpoints. Show it some love.

Something that always gets overlooked by brands is how your packaging fits into your marketing mix.

I often sit on calls with:
Brand managers
Founders
Marketing managers

And they assume packaging will sit on a shelf.

But it's so far from reality.

Your packaging is a marketing silver bullet that shows up nearly everywhere.

I'd argue about 90% of your touchpoints.

Think about it; it's not just on the shelf. It's on:
- Social media posts
- Billboards
- The sides of buses
- Brochures
- Website images
- Digital banners
- Point of sales
- Emails
- Events

Your packaging is EVERYWHERE.

So, what happens if it’s not pulling its weight?

You’ve got a marketing nightmare plastered over 90% of your marketing.

Ouch.

The lesson? Don't let your packaging be the weak link in your marketing chain.

Ah yeah, the most pointless email to ever land in my inbox 🙄

A client said, "𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜," which made us tweak our process.

People don't tend to share their downfalls, so here goes.

In 2021, we'd just started a project with a great client.

A few weeks passed, and we were finally ready to share some design concepts for their brand and packaging.

"𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹, 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼."

We had jumped straight into the deep end and spent weeks designing assets for something the client didn't expect.

Moral of the story?

Have a solid creative process that you take EVERY client on.

Make sure your process includes elements like:
👉 Design Strategy
👉 Mood Boards
👉 Creative Directions
👉 2-3 Initial concepts

That way, the client isn't blindsided, and you will leave no stone unturned.

It's a win-win for everyone.

Ever underestimate the power of packaging? This is how Tropicana lost $50,000,000 with that approach.

It's 2009. Tropicana, arguably the world's leading juice brand, decides to give its North American packaging a makeover.

However

Whilst on paper, it was a much better design:
👉 It was a bolder design.
👉 It had unique design cues, like an orange for the cap.
👉 It was stripped back for a more premium feel.

The majority of Tropicana’s consumers criticised the new packaging.

All because it lacked ONE critical thing

Familiarity with the consumers

The packaging had changed so much that customers couldn’t recognise it on a supermarket shelf.

The redesign resulted in an estimated $50M loss in sales.

The brand reverted to the original packaging a few weeks after launch.

P.S. If you prefer bits in your orange juice, don’t talk to me.

Don't EVER underestimate the tactile sense of touch in packaging design, especially in a cluttered retail space.

It's tough for FMCG brands to stand out in a retail environment. That's nothing new.

Especially in the RTD category.

I was in my local shop last week, and there were cans of [**MOTH Drinks - B Corp™**](https://lnkd.in/eaEgfmUf) whispering "pick me up"

And let me tell you, when I did, it was like discovering a hidden treasure!

The label wasn’t just a label; it had texture.

A subtle, tactile surprise that set it apart.

Here’s why this packaging nerd was over the moon:

- It created an experience I don't usually get when shopping
- Stood out in a sea of sameness, with competitors.
- Screamed “premium” without saying a word.

The tactile sense is a goldmine in retail packaging, yet it's still in the shadows.

If your products are in a retail space fighting for attention, then you should consider it:

- You can set class expectations for your products.
- Sets you apart on the shelf.
- Can be a mega way to differentiate different SKU’s.

P.S. This is the stuff that gets me out of bed in the morning.

This is your Friday reminder that Entrepreneurship is glamorised. Trust me.

On the outside, people see starting a business as all sunshine and roses:
- Work wherever you want
- Work 3 hours a day
- Drive a new Porsche

But it’s so far from the truth, unfortunately. 

Growing a business is actually:
- Working in the corner of a coffee shop with a pot noodle
- Working 16 hours a day
- Stressful days and sleepless nights
- Driving a 10-year-old car that leaks oil

If owning a business were so good and easy, everyone would do it.
And it bores me that people make out it's so easy.

Social media is a highlight reel of people's good days.
Don't forget that.

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Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Daniel Poll's LinkedIn Performance

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