Snow Monkey. Gundalow. Yellow Bird. No, these aren’t super heroes, although they pack a mean punch just like any of the comic book stars. Instead, they are up-and-coming natural food brands that are taking over Whole Foods shelves, social media and our taste buds. We believe this industry is full of motivated individuals, small teams and start-ups looking to make a difference in the world with healthier, smarter choices for everyone. They remind us a lot of ourselves—a nimble crew ready to make a big splash and cater to audiences of all shapes and sizes. While Orange Element isn’t making yummy ice cream alternatives or healthy protein shakes (unfortunately), we do have the ability to help take those brands that are making the treats to the next level. To make them stand out on the shelves. To help them communicate with the bargain shoppers, vegans, busy families and everyone in between.

That’s why we’ve started our Brand of the Week Series: informal, yet serious conversations about brands, their identity and how we see them expanding. The goal is to collaborate with our team and gather different insights beyond just the taste. Our backgrounds, preferences and experiences can steer our recommendations into new directions—hopefully to places these brands have never seen before.

Below is an analysis of our first featured brand, Snow Monkey.

“This unique product has an opportunity to target various consumers, from vegans to athletes to sweet tooths (like me). Because this isn’t ice cream, it’s important for Snow Monkey to differentiate their marketing to appeal to each of these personas. Athletes may not realize they can use this as a breakfast smoothie; vegans may not realize this is a dairy-free option on the ice cream shelf; ice cream lovers may not realize it tastes as delicious as any dessert and you can spoon feed yourself after a break-up without worrying about the calories. Snow Monkey should deliver personalized social media content, videos and segmented emails to clarify this meal-busting approach.” – Hannah

“A great way to look at branding opportunities is to analyze competitors. The RX Protein Bar is great at showcasing the power of simple and clear packaging—something Snow Monkey can embrace more. RX clearly describes the ingredients in every bar, listing out three egg whites, six almonds and so on. Snow Monkey can learn from this branding strategy and prop up their nutritional value in a bolder way.” – Colin

“With a name that does such a great job standing out from the crowd, Snow Monkey was a bit hard to find among the other products in the organic freezer case when I picked up a pint at the local Wegman’s. A simpler package design might help customers locate it quicker or choose a flavor to try. More emphasis on the logo/mascot would definitely stand out against the competition.” – Andy

“Having vegan options on the shelves of grocery stores is always awesome to see. Snow Monkey is something to satisfy a sweet tooth craving without the guilt of putting questionable ingredients into your body. I like how the packaging represents the brand as more of a natural food instead of ice cream; I think this is something that will more widely appeal to the vegan community if approached with the right strategy. Emails with coupons that appeal to vegans’ unique tastes would be a great tactic.” – Kendall 

“With a target audience of superfood junkies, Snow Monkey is playing it smart by including their certifications and labeling front and center (Gluten Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, and Paleo to name a few). It communicates clearly that this is a healthy alternative to other frozen snacks but could it be propped up even more? It could be argued that it’s a strong enough differentiator to do just that, however, amping it up on the already illustrative packaging could create a chaotic pint design. Perhaps instead the emphasis could be increased throughout their social channels (more so than in their “hashtag bombs” on Instagram).” – Nicolette

“Since most Americans believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it makes sense to dedicate some marketing efforts to bringing Snow Monkey to the American breakfast. It’d be great for families to see breakfast recipes on social media with Snow Monkey ice treat or including some language on the packaging to promote it as a breakfast option. They could even experiment moving the product into the breakfast section of the grocery store.” – Caroline