One of the first, and most successful, is beauty based Birchbox. Created in 2011, Birchbox members pay $10 each month to have a box filled with various beauty product samples delivered to their door. Each month, the company creates 30 to 50 variations of the box and matches them with a member based on the beauty surveys they have filled out on their Birchbox profile.

The company also features an online store where all items featured in the box can be purchased in its full size and sometimes even at a discounted rate for members. This creates a seamless transition from discovery to purchase – which Birchbox has the analytics to back up.

Through what co-founder Katie Beauchamp describes as discovery commerce, Birchbox has finally found a way to sell beauty products online, which is something companies have been struggling with for years.

So you may be asking yourself, why am I reading about a beauty company on a food marketing blog? Remember that $15 spice you purchased, only to find out you don’t like it? Well, just like the beauty industry, consumers tend to be hesitant to purchase a new food product without having the chance to try it first or, at the very least, without some type of incentive. Many entrepreneurs have caught onto this similarity and the industry is now seeing food-based boxes pop up.

With food boxes ranging from offering various snacks (Nature Box, Grazebox, etc.), services that send you pre-measured ingredients to make a full gourmet meal (Hello-Fresh, Plated, etc.), to boxes filled with small samples and coupons (Cravebox), there are a lot of unique ways to allow consumers to discover new food products.

If your company is considering participating in one of the boxes, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Is the product I sell able to be shipped to homes?

In some situations, a specific food item may not hold up well in a box such as meats and other perishable (or melting) items. Some of the boxes, like Hello-Fresh and Plated, send their customers meat, but they are in vacuum-sealed packages and the boxes are insulated. If you want to be able to send your actual product, you’ll have to find a box service that can deliver the food safely.

If you want to participate, but the product you sell can’t be shipped, consider a coupon along with a recipe booklet that features your product as an ingredient.

2. Does the box reach my demographic?

Most box services are distributed nationally, while some only reach specific regions. A representative from the box company should be able to let you know where most of their boxes are delivered as well as demographic information about the subscribers. You’ll want to find out if the company sends out only one box to all subscribers, or if they can tailor the boxes based on the location it is being sent and user interest. For example, if your brand is only sold on the east coast, you’ll want to be sure your product or coupon isn’t featured in any boxes being shipped to the west.

3. What success has this box company seen? What sets it apart from other box options?

Like any other new trend, we are seeing a lot of similar box companies pop up all over the place, but as quickly as they are being created, they can disappear. You may be able to find a box that satisfies all your needs, but they may not have a proven track record of success. You’ll want to select a box company that has a large following and a good reputation. A company representative should be able to inform you of the steps they are taking to assure the boxes success to make sure your investment is worthwhile.

4. Will you be able to receive feedback from the box subscribers?

You’ll want to make sure that the box company makes any feedback they receive regarding how users felt about your brand’s product available to you. Does the box encourage users to give feedback on their box contents? If so, does it ask you to give feedback directly to the manufacturers featured or to the box company? It is important that the box company encourages feedback and makes it readily available to you.

5. What is the call to action in the box?

Some companies, like BirchBox, host their own online store where all the products featured in the box can be purchased online. For a food box, that may not be as easy. Make sure the box encourages its users to purchase the items they enjoy and lets them know how they can do so. If the box itself doesn’t do this, make sure whatever item you have featured gives the subscriber all the information they would need if they decided to purchase.

At Donovan, we are really excited about this new and interesting trend in the industry. If a brand is able to find a box company that meets their needs, we feel that these subscription boxes are a great new way to allow consumers to discover products. We want to know, how do you feel about the subscription box trend? 

Jon Bon Jovi and Sir Isaac Newton walk into a juice bar. The physicist says, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Lifting a glass of mango, papaya and acai berry juice to his lips, the rock star replies, “yes, but the more things change the more they stay the same.”

And so it is with the relationship between the food industry and the $60 billion weight loss industry. Food producers and retailers are adapting to reactions and challenges in the marketplace. While commercial weight loss chains try to rekindle relationships based on the ever-present desire among consumers for greater health and better body image. And now the two industries are looking to connect with the same consumers.

After years of working to supply a burgeoning global population, the food industry is now facing push-back, especially in Europe and the U.S., to overly processed foods, preservatives, GMOs, the use of antibiotics and other applications that promote yield, distribution and shelf stability. More than ever, consumers are concerned about what they put on their plate and what that means to their bodies. This has given rise to the better-for-you consumer and enhanced purchase appeal of premium food items, including “local” products and food that is humanly raised. Organic food sales grew 7.4% in 2012, more than double the annual growth forecast for all food sales that year.

While McDonald’s has recently launched the Egg White Delight – a lower fat, lower cholesterol McMuffin in order to lure more diet-minded patrons. On some level, the weight loss industry has always had a connection to the health-conscious consumer – or at least those who consciously want to be healthier. For the most part, people have always had an interest in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Whether the concern is founded in a quest for better health or better self-esteem, some things never change.

Some estimates maintain that two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. And as the health-conscious, better-for-you consumer lifestyle becomes increasingly mainstream opportunities arise for a range of mutually beneficial marketing programs. Weight Forward, the in-store weight management program offered by RediClinic inside H-E-B grocery stores is one example of this type of synergy. Weight Forward is a medically supervised program which also helps participants identify nutritious foods and prepare quick and easy meals.

During the recent recession, many consumers reverted to low-cost food options. That meant that satiety often won out over nutrition. And in 2010 commercial weight loss chains saw enrollment rates impacted as many individuals opted to use free or low cost plans. During this period a near record high 80% of weight conscious individuals described themselves as “self-directed” dieters.

Now as the economy begins to recover, consumer confidence grows and more discretionary money becomes available, food producers are again looking to higher-margin premium foods for profitable growth. Weight loss clinics are beginning to see a return of those consumers looking for more structured programs – especially for medically supervised initiatives.

From specialized coupon programs and co-branded product promotions to in-store clinics and weight loss cooking classes expect to see greater convergence between the food industry and the weight loss industry.

It’s a new world of marketing food to kids, with many exciting opportunities, but there are dangers lurking for food brands.

In a recent report, the FTC found that overall spending on food marketed to children fell nearly 20% between 2006 and 2009. But, during that same time frame, online marketing to children increased by 50%. Data clearly shows that the $1.8 billion spent on food marketing in 2009 shifted away from expensive television ads to media where children are spending more and more time – the Internet.

But unlike TV, which has rules and standards regarding advertising to kids, the Internet is still somewhat unregulated, except by a company and its marketer’s decisions about effectiveness, brand appropriateness, and good taste. It makes for a complicated set of choices.

The tactics being used, like embedding food advertisements into interactive games reaches children who are unaware they are being targeted. In fact, studies showed that children did not recognize online advertising, especially when hidden within a game, as clearly as they recognized television advertisements.

We get the benefit of “pester power.” And we understand that lifelong brand loyalty is the holy grail of marketers. So starting to build that loyalty at an early age is a canny strategy. But we also understand that damage to a brand can be done with a marketing strategy or execution that undermines who you are as a company.

In the world of online games and mobile apps created by food companies, there’s a growing list of the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you’re a brand that benefits from connecting to kids, you might want to consider creating a mobile app or online game. But be sure it’s brand-appropriate, age appropriate and in great taste.

Green is the new gold standard for health conscious consumers. According to a recent Cornell University research study, consumers tended to think that a candy bar with a calorie label printed in green is healthier than one with red or white labels – even if the number of calories is identical. The green color on the label was particularly influential among consumers who are focused on eating well as part of a healthy lifestyle.

For food companies with better-for-you products, the color green can be used to attract, create predisposition and generate buying intent among the growing segment of healthconscious consumers.

Five other colors with inherent or implied meaning include:

Red
This is the classic advertising color. Its bright incendiary appeal attracts attention and stops the eye. Red has been used very successfully by multiple brands and manufacturers – perhaps most notably by Coke and Campbell’s Soup.

Blue
Traditionally, blue conveys trust and stability. In a labeling sense, blue is often used as a counterpoint to red. Think Pepsi vs. the previously mentioned Coke and Progresso vs. Campbell’s. If your competitor uses red, it’s a way of clearing marketing space between your product and theirs.

Purple
Purple is the color of royalty and is often used to portray a sense of richness and worth. Purple is also one of those colors often associated in the consumer’s mind with particular foods – grapes or products with grape flavoring, for example. Similarly orange is associated with the citrus fruit and red with tomatoes.

Brown
The color brown has taken on more importance in light of consumer preferences for more natural food. Brown is associated with whole grains and “home made” or hand crafted products.

Gold
Gold is often used to designate a product of higher quality or premium value. This is useful not only as a way to convey superiority over a competitor, but also as a tool for marking the highest level and price point within a brand’s own line of products.

In the struggle to gain attention on shelf, the proper use of color can create great emotional appeal. Masterful label design – using imagery, words and color in balance – is a powerful tool that can greatly impact sales.

More consumers than ever are concerned about eating healthy and the nutrition in foods they are purchasing. However, the way these individuals view healthy eating and read nutrition labels is making a shift. New data shows consumers are now placing more emphasis on overall health as opposed to just simple weight loss.

In a recent study by Mintel, 90% of US consumers agreed with the statement “living a healthy life is all about moderation”, outranking all other statements regarding attitudes toward health and weight. Also, only 6% of consumers said they adhere to a strict diet plan, while 42% say they strive for balance in their diet.

These individuals are drawn to packaging with more positive messages such as “High Protein” or “High Fiber”, and straying from negative sounding messages such as “Low-Carbs”, “Low-Fat” and “Low-Sodium”, which consumers also associate with “Low-Taste”. As a result, high protein claims on packaging have risen 50%, while high fiber and satiety claims have increased 30% and 117%, respectively, from 2008 to 2011.

Active consumers and athletes are demanding high protein for its beneficial effects on performance, recovery and hydration. Also, baby boomers are seeing a need for increased protein to maintain a healthy lifestyle and ward off diseases.

Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt from ConAgra Foods, Inc. is an example of the incredible success these high protein and high fiber products are experiencing. Shipped in packaging clearly marked with claims of containing 40g of protein in each 100 calorie serving, this product saw an average of $125k weekly sales after only 8 weeks on the market.

So how does a company make sure their product is getting the message across properly?

Packaging that includes colorful and graphically displayed nutrition information has been shown to help consumers better understand the content of the food products they purchase. Color is important. Compared to labels that used only text, numerous studies show that packaging that includes both text and color graphics to indicate high, medium, and low levels of nutrition, made it easier for shoppers to understand and make more informed choices. The easier it is for a shopper to identify your product as a healthy option, the easier it is to make a sale.

The UK is rolling out a new front-of-pack nutrition label that looks similar to a traffic light. Anna Soubry, health minister, has said that having a consistent system will allow consumers to understand what is in their food by just glancing at the packaging, helping them control calorie intake and make healthier selections. According to the Department of Health in the UK, each label will display how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar, and calories are in the food products.

Another important trend to pay attention to is the perception of what is healthy to consumers. Many consumers are beginning to gravitate towards health-halo claims such as local, organic, whole wheat, and free- range. Consumers are looking for foods that are responsibly manufactured and have a positive impact on their overall wellness. Anything with a positive nutritional message should have a prominent place on today’s packaging.