Jamie Matusow, Editor-in-Chief04.18.22
Creative agency Free The Birds recently celebrated the return of smiles—in sync with the end of UK mandatory face coverings—for Boots’ No7 brand. The creative agency’s new design is for Unstoppable Together, a limited-edition range of four of No7’s iconic Moisture Drench lipsticks.
Free The Birds’ work includes new packaging, featuring the No7 logo and naming for the limited-edition lipstick line. At the center of the campaign is the ‘Universal Smiles’ brand world, “an overarching brand strategy that unifies all aspects of the campaign.”
According to Matthew Gilpin, design director, Free The Birds, “To ensure the Unstoppable Lip collection packaging remained recognizable, we maximized the brand logo to create an impact in a small space while putting a little smile on the customer’s face. This balance of hero-ing design principles whilst elevating a brand’s positioning is the ‘beautiful thinking’ we like to bring to every project.”
Bethany-Rose Smith, global brand manager, No7, commented: “We wanted to collaborate with a design agency that valued the heritage of No7 and our Moisture Drench range but could elevate this to celebrate happiness and the return of seeing people smiling again. Free The Birds also went the extra mile by building the ‘Universal Smiles’ brand world, which helped shape the broader campaign.”
Nick Vaus, partner and creative director, Free The Birds, added: “In the first of three limited edition collections, this was a wonderful exercise to work with such a significant high street brand to collaborate our creative knowledge with their influence on women in the UK. We can’t wait for you to see the other two ranges this year!”
Free The Birds also provided consultation on the creation of social media assets and content calendar to drive online engagement for the limited-edition range. For the in-store marketing materials, Free The Birds leveraged No7’s “Unstoppable Together” tagline to create key visuals for the campaign to merge the brand and purpose of the campaign with the slogan “Smile, You’re Unstoppable.” The agency also developed a series of experiential activation suggestions, including a Festival of Smile based in Boots stores within London’s square mile, which would see influential people delve deeper into the health importance of smiling.
Free The Birds’ work includes new packaging, featuring the No7 logo and naming for the limited-edition lipstick line. At the center of the campaign is the ‘Universal Smiles’ brand world, “an overarching brand strategy that unifies all aspects of the campaign.”
Incorporating a smile Icon
To create the limited-edition lipstick line, Free The Birds renamed the four shades from No7’s Moisture Drench range: Respect Rouge, Hope Taupe, Freedom Plum and Equality Coral, a nod to the spirit of No7’s Unstoppable Together positioning. The creative agency also adapted the iconic No7 logo to include a smile icon that sits naturally within the “o” of No7, which now expands right across the lipstick casing in “a bold and celebratory” two-tone pink colorway. The branding and look and feel extend across the whole campaign.According to Matthew Gilpin, design director, Free The Birds, “To ensure the Unstoppable Lip collection packaging remained recognizable, we maximized the brand logo to create an impact in a small space while putting a little smile on the customer’s face. This balance of hero-ing design principles whilst elevating a brand’s positioning is the ‘beautiful thinking’ we like to bring to every project.”
Bethany-Rose Smith, global brand manager, No7, commented: “We wanted to collaborate with a design agency that valued the heritage of No7 and our Moisture Drench range but could elevate this to celebrate happiness and the return of seeing people smiling again. Free The Birds also went the extra mile by building the ‘Universal Smiles’ brand world, which helped shape the broader campaign.”
Nick Vaus, partner and creative director, Free The Birds, added: “In the first of three limited edition collections, this was a wonderful exercise to work with such a significant high street brand to collaborate our creative knowledge with their influence on women in the UK. We can’t wait for you to see the other two ranges this year!”
Free The Birds also provided consultation on the creation of social media assets and content calendar to drive online engagement for the limited-edition range. For the in-store marketing materials, Free The Birds leveraged No7’s “Unstoppable Together” tagline to create key visuals for the campaign to merge the brand and purpose of the campaign with the slogan “Smile, You’re Unstoppable.” The agency also developed a series of experiential activation suggestions, including a Festival of Smile based in Boots stores within London’s square mile, which would see influential people delve deeper into the health importance of smiling.