Kleenex Unveils New Visual Identity for 100th Anniversary: Emphasizing Emotional Connection
Kleenex is a well-known brand, similar to Band-Aid and Tupperware, whose name has become a standard term for facial tissues. This popularity has both benefits and challenges. While many people recognize the brand, it faces competition from other products and companies. In response, Kleenex recently launched a new visual identity to strengthen its brand and improve storytelling.
This new campaign coincides with Kleenex’s 100th anniversary and emphasizes emotional connections rather than just the product’s functional use. Jennifer Kasmarick, the brand’s director of creative excellence, explained the goal was to enhance the visual identity to make it more impactful and meaningful.
Kleenex’s logo has transformed over its century-long history. Different designs existed worldwide, which prompted a move toward a unified visual identity, created in collaboration with design agency Turner Duckworth. According to Andy Baron, the agency’s executive creative director, every element of the new identity supports Kleenex’s leading position in the market.
The redesigned logo features a crown shape and a royal blue color, alongside a custom serif font. These design choices aim to deepen the brand’s messaging and storytelling. Kasmarick emphasized the font’s balance of strength and approachability.
How is Kleenex adapting its branding strategy to connect with younger consumers in 2024?
Interview with Jennifer Kasmarick: Revitalizing the Kleenex Brand for a New Era
News Directory 3: Today, we’re pleased to speak with Jennifer Kasmarick, the director of creative excellence for Kleenex, to gain insights into the brand’s recent visual identity transformation, coinciding with its 100th anniversary. Thank you for joining us, Jennifer.
Jennifer Kasmarick: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to share our vision for the Kleenex brand.
News Directory 3: Kleenex has become synonymous with facial tissues. How does this brand recognition present both opportunities and challenges?
Jennifer Kasmarick: Absolutely. Being a household name like Kleenex brings wonderful opportunities, mainly because people trust and recognize our brand. However, it also means we face competition from various alternatives and private labels. To navigate this, we needed to rethink our approach. This new visual identity is part of our strategy to not just stay relevant, but to deepen the emotional connections with our consumers.
News Directory 3: You’ve rolled out a new visual identity aiming at enhancing storytelling. What inspired this shift?
Jennifer Kasmarick: As we’ve reached this significant milestone of our 100th anniversary, we felt it was essential to emphasize the emotional moments people associate with Kleenex. It’s not just about functionality; it’s about the experiences—whether it’s joy, comfort, or sentimentality. We want our branding to resonate more deeply with these feelings.
News Directory 3: Can you describe the key elements of the new logo and branding?
Jennifer Kasmarick: Our new logo combines a crown shape and a royal blue color, alongside a custom serif font. The crown symbolizes trust and leadership in our category, while the blue represents comfort and reliability. The balance in the font choice reflects our strength and approachability—qualities we want our consumers to experience with every engagement with our brand.
News Directory 3: How has the collaboration with Turner Duckworth influenced this rebranding?
Jennifer Kasmarick: Working with Turner Duckworth was instrumental. They brought a fresh perspective and helped us unify our branding across global markets. This was vital since we previously had different designs in various regions. Their expertise ensured that every design element aligns with our commitment to leading the market and enhancing storytelling.
News Directory 3: We’ve seen some advertisements featuring relatable moments. How do you decide which emotional connections to highlight?
Jennifer Kasmarick: We recognize that Kleenex is used across a wide range of scenarios beyond typical colds and allergies—like celebrating milestones or comforting loved ones. Our campaign features these everyday moments, like our recent ad “The Big Day,” which focuses on the emotional experience of a child’s first day of school. By portraying these relatable scenes, we hope to resonate with our customers on a more personal level.
News Directory 3: What can consumers expect from Kleenex in the coming months?
Jennifer Kasmarick: Consumers can look forward to a cohesive brand presence across various platforms—TV spots, outdoor ads, and even brand merchandise. Our goal is to reinforce Kleenex’s identity consistently, making sure that every interaction feels iconic and relatable.
News Directory 3: Thank you for your time, Jennifer. It’s exciting to see how Kleenex is evolving while honoring its rich history.
Jennifer Kasmarick: Thank you! We’re truly looking forward to connecting more deeply with our consumers and celebrating this journey together.
Kleenex’s new identity is already visible in various media, starting in North America. The latest advertisement, “The Big Day,” captures the emotions experienced during a child’s first day of school. It features a voice-over that highlights surprising tear-jerking moments for parents.
John Starkey, Kimberly-Clark’s president of family care, noted that the brand recognizes diverse moments where people use Kleenex, extending beyond allergies or colds. The campaign will feature TV spots, outdoor ads, and brand merchandise to reinforce Kleenex’s image consistently.
Kleenex aims to build strong connections with consumers through relatable moments and a unified, iconic presentation.