The Little Kernel, a line of miniature popcorn made a big debut in The Real Housewives of New Jersey episode “A Life to Envy” this summer. In the episode, cast member Jacqueline Laurita’s husband, Chris, task Flood Creative with the branding and packaging of the snack startup.
Chris explained to the agency that the inspiration for the brand came from his son, Nicholas, who is autistic and follows a gluten free diet as part of his treatment. Popcorn is a great gluten free snack for Nicholas, but the pieces are too big for easy snacking, thus the idea for The Little Kernel was born.
Flood Creative was asked to take just three words “The Little Kernel” and turn it into a brand with a character that would tell the flavor story for each product.
Chief Creative Officer and Partner at Flood Creative, Stuart Whitworth explains: “We loved the client’s idea of a colonel character and the play on words, so we wanted to expand on this in a really unique and fun way. We decided to create a layer of witty personality for the brand and the characters and to utilize bright colors that would reflect the fun and enjoyment of snacking for both kids and adults.” World travel and adventure served as inspiration for the branding and the tagline “Never Surrender to Subpar Snacks.” Each package tells a flavor story with custom illustrations created in-house by lead designer Melissa Piombo.
