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Insights

The Single Packaging Mistake That Could Kill 50% of This Brand’s Sales

What happens when design catches the eye but confuses the shopper? In this quick shelf review, we spotlight a new Progresso sub-brand that looks intriguing but misses on legibility and clarity. From metallic finishes to pack structure, here’s what not to do if you want your product to convert at retail.

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Description

A metallic finish can grab attention, but if shoppers can’t read the product, you’ve got a problem.

This new Progresso subbrand proves how easily execution can drift into one of the most common packaging mistakes: sacrificing legibility for visual effect. On a brightly lit end cap, the high-sheen metallic surface reflects overhead lighting so aggressively that key information disappears. From even a few feet away, it’s difficult to tell whether this is soup, beans, or something else entirely.

Yes, it stands out. But shelf impact without clarity doesn’t convert.

The rounded container only amplifies the glare, distorting typography and making hierarchy nearly impossible to scan. Add in a dark, grill-inspired aesthetic that reads more like a paint can than premium comfort food, and you risk signaling the wrong cues altogether.

This is where packaging design trends like metallic finishes and industrial textures need to be pressure-tested in real retail environments. What looks bold in a render can fail under fluorescent lighting.

If shoppers hesitate to decode your product, they won’t. They’ll move on.

Video Transcript

00:00:00 I truly can't read what this is very
00:00:03 well.
00:00:06 Hey everybody, it's Shopping with
00:00:07 Christie. I'm at Walmart and I saw this
00:00:10 end cap with a new item and I caught my
00:00:12 eye and I want to talk about it. Here we
00:00:14 are. This appears to be a new subbrand
00:00:17 by Progresso Soup. At first I thought it
00:00:20 was just canned beans, but it appears
00:00:23 that it's actually a soup. You can see
00:00:26 soup there, but I could barely read it.
00:00:28 And in fact, backing up, my quick hit
00:00:30 point I want to make to you guys is
00:00:32 this. I could barely read anything on
00:00:34 this pack. Be very, very careful about
00:00:37 using metallics and high sheen,
00:00:40 especially on sort of rounded
00:00:42 containers. And on this end cap with the
00:00:44 lights, the you know, it's Walmart. It's
00:00:46 got this big official lights hitting it.
00:00:48 I truly can't read what this is very
00:00:51 well. It did catch my eye, which is
00:00:53 good, but it's hard to read any of the
00:00:55 copy. You do see the visual of the
00:00:58 beans, or rather I should say soup, but
00:01:01 almost anything else I I couldn't read.
00:01:03 You can see the reflection going on
00:01:05 there. It's really hard to read. My
00:01:07 other point here is the way this
00:01:09 executes on pack. You know, I'm thinking
00:01:12 it's supposed to be reminiscent of a
00:01:14 grill or maybe a pan. It's a barbecue
00:01:17 like pitm. You can kind of get that
00:01:19 idea, but actually to me it actually
00:01:22 just kind of looks cheap. It almost
00:01:23 looks like a paint can or something or
00:01:25 like an oil can. I don't know. That's my
00:01:27 opinion. So, there you go. That's my
00:01:30 thought on this. I am not going to buy
00:01:32 it. That's my evaluation. I'm a little
00:01:34 worried it's going to be cheap. Okay.
00:01:35 Bye everybody.

Christy Lebor Partner & Head of Brand Development, SmashBrand

45 Articles

Christy Lebor is a Partner and Head of Brand Development at SmashBrand, a premier brand development agency championing the FMCG space. With two decades of Fortune 500 CPG experience, Christy harnesses her background from industry titans to infuse brands with a growth trajectory that transitions them from category disruptors to legacy brands.

Her portfolio includes:

Brand management roles at global giants: Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever.
Launching pivotal products: Axe Body Wash in the US and the original Dove Campaign for Real Beauty at Unilever.
Steering innovative product lines at PepsiCo: Gatorade chews, protein bars, Mio Fit, and Amino Energy.
Pioneering breakfast innovations at KraftHeinz: Just Crack an Egg
Leading the branded business segment and global innovation at JBS, the world's largest meat company in the world.

Prior to her tenure at SmashBrand, Christy's track record spans various senior management and development roles. Each role has honed her expertise in the intricacies of FMCG, enabling her to cultivate category advantages for brands. From SKU rationalization to directing pivotal innovation stage gates, Christy's acute expertise in FMCG has consistently placed her at the forefront of the industry. Her ability to make incisive, strategically sound decisions has been key in propelling brands to market leadership.

Her philosophy pivots on the principle that timely, relevant data, integrated with brand strategy, is the linchpin for brands aspiring to scale and establish market dominance. At SmashBrand, Christy intricately weaves this philosophy, ensuring brands are not just strategically poised but holistically developed.

Educationally, Christy is equipped with a BBA from The University of Michigan Business School, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and additional prowess in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School.

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Rao’s is a pasta sauce powerhouse, but their soup packaging tells a different story.

This Retail Display Tells You Everything About a Brand in Trouble

A once-hyped CPG brand is showing serious signs of decline and it’s all right there on the shelf. In this short, Christy breaks down what the pricing, graphics, and display strategy are really saying (spoiler: it’s not good). If you’re in retail or brand management, you’ll want to see this.

Why This Parent and CPG Marketer Secretly Loves This “White” Bread

A subtle copy change. A clear packaging strategy. And a parent who also happens to be a CPG marketer, instantly sold. This is how Sara Lee’s “white” whole grain bread nails the moment of truth at shelf—by speaking directly to its real buyer with just the right message. If you’re in CPG, this is the kind of packaging move that moves product.

Wait, Sargento Makes Crackers Now? Not Exactly

Sargento’s known for cheese, not crackers. But when we spotted “Cheese Bakes” in Chicago, we had questions. Is it a cracker? Is it cheese? And what does Nabisco have to do with it?

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