MINNEAPOLIS MN
Fred Haberman writes:
“Haberman is a creative engagement agency with a clearly defined mission: to tell the stories of pioneers who are making a difference in the world. Storytelling unites our work ‒ from strategic planning to creative execution ‒ across all channels. We work with brands nationally and locally, in food, health, technology and more. We are proud to have a large client portfolio of organic food pioneers, including current and past clients such as Organic Valley, Earthbound Farm, Annie’s, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Sambazon, Daiya, Traditional Medicinals and more.
Our roster of clients reflects our concern for the environment. We’ve been fueling the growth of the organic movement for more than 20 years, supporting our clients’ work toward sustainable methods of farming. We are sustainable pioneers ourselves, as the co-founders of Urban Organics, a large-scale aquaponics farm operating inside an old brewery in St. Paul. It’s a new kind of sustainable agriculture that uses two percent of the water used in traditional farming. We developed the brand, packaging and campaign, secured distribution, and sold majority stake to a FORTUNE 500 company that plans to take the idea across the country and around the world.”
Waterhill Naturals & Organics are the makers of better-for-people-and-the-planet deli meats. Their products are free of nitrates, antibiotics, hormones and gluten. Based in Massachusetts, Waterhill has been family-owned for more than 100 years. As they were preparing to expand nationally and introduce new products, they came to Haberman for help with branding, starting with a high-profile package redesign. We were excited ‒ because we believe in Waterhill’s wholehearted commitment to sustainable principles. They are exactly the kind of client we love to serve.
When Waterhill got started ‒ in 1914 ‒ the only way to farm was the way mother nature intended. Cows grazed on grass, chickens scavenged for scraps and the use of antibiotics or growth hormones was never even a consideration. Simply put, turkey was just turkey. Roast beef was just roast beef. And no one ever thought to ask about the ingredients in their foods. Things have changed a lot over the years, but Waterhill has stayed as close to their original roots as possible. They are committed to reducing their carbon footprint in every way possible. They completely overhauled their primary manufacturing facility with more efficient lighting and ultra-low furnace emissions. They’re testing out electric cars with their sales teams and have applied to participate in their state’s solar and wind energy programs. They’re replacing their entire fleet with trucks that operate on low-sulfur fuels and achieve better mileage. It’s an investment that saves the environment thousands of tons of carbon every month.
In our design work with Waterhill, we challenged their assumptions about what “organic” branding should look like ‒ rolling farmland and sunshine are overdone, we suggested ‒ and encouraged them to tell their own authentic story For this client, it’s in the name ‒ Waterhill, which is the street on which they’ve been making food for a century. Waterhill’s not a farm and there’s no need to pretend that it is.
Be yourself, we said ‒ but then let’s take a bold departure visually in the packaging. Let’s stand out. Let’s be different.
Along with their packaging, we redesigned their website.
Pictured above is Haberman’s creative team for Waterhill: Zachary Keenan, Kate Nelson, Jeff Berg
