On a personal journey to find an alternative solution for his psoriasis when traditional medical treatments weren’t working, Adam Grossman and his wife, Allison, learned from top scientists that minerals in Bladderwrack seaweed from the ocean could detoxify, condition and soothe dry, irritated skin. This knowledge drove the Grossmans to launch Seaweed Bath Co in 2010.

With its mission to “embrace the nourishing magic of the ocean in everything we do,” Seaweed Bath Co. sustainably hand-harvests organic Bladderwrack seaweed and uses it as the key ingredient in all its products. Seaweed Bath Co. also supports marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation organizations to promote sustainable solutions for a healthy ocean environment.

However, despite its unique brand proposition to differentiate itself in a saturated personal care market, sales of Seaweed Bath Co.’s products cooled as it struggled to stand out on store shelves and attract new customers. As a result, some retailers removed Seaweed Bath Co. from stores. Therefore, Seaweed Bath Co. changed course in 2020, when Tim Schaeffer, CEO, and Maggie Joslyn, Director of Marketing, led a brand and packaging redesign initiative.

“Our goal was to modernize the look of the Seaweed Bath Co. brand and packaging to stand out visually on store shelves and drive sales,” said Joslyn. “At the same time, our research indicated that consumers gravitated to the brand because of their affinity for the ocean and how it makes them feel. Therefore, we wanted to make sure the rebrand and new packaging provided them with the emotional connection to the endless gifts of the ocean - or what we refer to as ‘sea magic.’”

Schaeffer enlisted TricorBraun to support the packaging redesign, attributing his decision to a longstanding relationship with packaging consultant Kari Sinner throughout his career.

“I’ve worked with Kari and TricorBraun for over 18 years across various brands,” said Schaeffer. “While I’ve interacted with other supplier contacts over the years, Kari is incomparable because of her deep industry knowledge coupled with her instinct of always knowing exactly what I want.”

Creating a Packaging Solution with a Story that Reels In Consumers

Seaweed Bath Co.’s most significant retailer customer—the largest chain of supermarkets specializing in natural and organic foods—​​has strict packaging sizing parameters. That required a solution with the exact bottle dimensions as the brand’s previous 12-ounce cylinder stock bottle. The brand also sought a solution that incorporated post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin to further its sustainability story.

“While Seaweed Bath Co. envisioned a bottle with 100% PCR resin to support its sustainability goals, this amount can alter the color and clarity, making the package appear dull and dingy,” said Sinner. “TricorBraun’s Design & Engineering team recommended a custom 50% PCR HDPE white bottle that exudes a bright and crisp appearance that pops on store shelves. With the white color, consumers can see the PCR resin more clearly, which elevates the company’s sustainability message.”

To achieve a personalized look and feel, Seaweed Bath Co. also wanted to incorporate its ‘sea magic’ tagline into the design.

“Based on the size of the bottle and closure required, our team was able to provide several packaging concepts that could allow optimal space for decoration while maintaining a unified look,” said Marco Serrano, design development manager, Design & Engineering, TricorBraun. “For this specific example, we embossed ‘sea magic’ on the base of the bottle where the recycling code appears. It’s a little detail that may surprise and delight the consumer when they recycle the bottle and allows the brand to convey their commitment to responsibility.”

Joslyn said TricorBraun’s Design & Engineering team “immediately understood our vision, and their enthusiasm for our brand came across in everything they produced.” She also appreciated TricorBraun’s ability to push Seaweed Bath Co. “outside our comfort zone” with a custom recommendation that modernized the packaging and brought the ‘sea magic’ message to life.

Sinner added that in addition to a more sustainable packaging solution, Seaweed Bath Co. needed a supply chain strategy to reduce its carbon footprint. TricorBraun provided manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution solutions in proximity to the company to help reduce its environmental impact.

Sales Success: A ‘Small Fish’ Conquering a ‘Big Sea’

Seaweed Bath Co. launched its redesigned brand and packaging in August 2022 to rousing success.

“Our unit consumption has increased 20% year-over-year since the rebrand and new packaging launch,” said Schaeffer. “In addition, the new, sleek packaging attracted new and former retailers who had previously removed our brand from their stores. We are thrilled with this outcome.”

Joslyn also said that the Seaweed Bath Co. redesigned product line has reached a broader consumer base because of the new packaging’s ability to attract attention on store shelves. It has also been well-received by existing customers. She added, “We launched a 2022 ‘Black Friday Preview Day’ to our loyal customer base via email and experienced a 67% increase in sales that same day.”

Schaeffer also attributed success to the boundless creativity of the TricorBraun Design & Engineering team and said that working with them has been “an effortless and delightful experience in what can be quite an intimidating process.”

But just as important, according to Schaeffer, is “TricorBraun’s ability to collaborate and allow a small company like Seaweed Bath Co. to do big things by providing global access to its robust network. Kari and the TricorBraun team always make us feel like they are constantly invested in our business — and that’s huge.”

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