• by Larissa Faw , January 6, 2021

Seraphina Therapeutics is rolling out fatty15, its new D2C subscription health supplement after partnering with Los Angeles-based agency Phenomenon for branding work.

The agency was tasked with creating the brand positioning, naming, identity, brand guidelines, packaging, innovation and design. It also sourced and implemented the packaging and created assets for the fatty15.com website.

Phenomenon suggested the name to challenge the stigma of the words ‘fat’ and ‘fatty’ and open up conversations about a healthy fat--C15:0, or pentadecanoic acid--with purported anti-aging benefits.

“In the first naming workshop, ‘fatty15’ was moved to the ‘one’s we can definitely get rid of,’” jokes Sandy Song, Chief Client Officer, Phenomenon. Although the initial rejection was “not completely surprising,” the agency continued to push for this “right bold move,” bolstered by focus group research. “For a company who is trying to flip the conversation on fat, they needed to be breakthrough in their approach,” says Song.

Phenomenon then highlighted a “less-is-more mentality” as an overarching theme interwoven across all elements of the brand. For example, fatty15’s sans-serif logo font Averta features a custom “y” that is meant to be reminiscent of a smile and in keeping with the brand’s “approachable science” personality.

Product descriptors are equally streamlined, simply stating “essential to replenishing and strengthening cells” and “one vegan capsule a day.”

Eco-friendly sustainability served as a guiding principle during every step of package design, sourcing and implementation. To that end, fatty15 comes with a bamboo lid and refillable glass bottle.

Phenomenon also sought to reduce waste by developing recyclable cardboard shopping and product-refill pouches. Shipping quarterly, consumers' initial fatty15 starter pack includes the bottle and three refill pouches to replenish. A newsprint insert explains the process along with product benefits.

“We designed the fatty15 bottle to be beautiful enough to display on your counter,” explains Ali Martín Filsoof, design director, Phenomenon. “It was important to us and fatty15 that we source the most natural packaging elements available, like algae-based inks, bamboo and glass that we sourced from around the world to find the most sustainable packaging. That was particularly challenging as COVID-19 has affected the supply chain.”

Indeed, the pandemic impacted this project in a “huge way,” adds Song. “It not only limited the supplier options for all aspects of packaging, [including the] glass bottle, bamboo lid, and eco-friendly boxes/mailers, but also affected shipping time estimates. We had to maneuver producing custom, bespoke packaging, while dealing with the various vendor closings and delayed shipping times.”

Song further explains how COVID’s shutdowns hindered the ability to obtain prototype samples to see and feel what it will be like for the end consumer. “Not having the ability to go to the various warehouses distribution of the various pieces was challenging, and added to the delay. We would get limited samples shipped to each key player (given limited budgets with a start-up), get on a Zoom meeting, and review each piece virtually to come to a verdict. Not ideal, but we made it work.”

The product’s launch will be supported by paid and earned social media and influencer campaigns.