Cookie Time Limited gives Cookie Muncher a makeover with major rebranding via Dow Design

Cookie Time Limited will launch the biggest refresh of its flagship brand in 20 years, complete with graffiti that gives its beloved Cookie Muncher a cheeky new way to share his point of view via Italian illustrator Alessandra Sorrentino, Dow Design and an internal CTL team of seven.

The rebrand, gearing up for the company’s 30th birthday next February, features Cookie Muncher adding his thoughts ‘graffiti’ style to more than 900 dairy signs destined to top local dairy roofs from the Far North to Invercargill.

Point of sale and franchise vans have also got the personal C. Muncher touch with scribbles that play on the Cookie Time name: ‘It’s always Cookie Time’, ‘Good Cookie Times, bring them’, ‘Must be Cookie Time! and so on. Cookie Muncher himself has a bit of work done for his new role, re-drawn by Sorrentino. 

The first of the 956 dairy signs went up in the company’s Christchurch hometown on Monday at Kirk Road dairy, one of the first dairies that Cookie Time founder Michael Mayell (pictured) delivered to when the business launched in 1983. Dairy signs will be installed throughout the country over the next three weeks. The six versions of the dairy signs have also been put up on the Cookie Time head office roof to mark the launch.

The rebrand, more than a year in the making, features new packaging for the brand’s 20 different types of cookies. Four new products are also being launched – a Nut & Chocolate Fix, brand new four packs of graduate (medium) size Chocolate Chunk and Triple Chocolate, and a new seven pack of rookie (mini) size Triple Chocolate cookies.

Consumer insights were central to the rebrand, with research identifying a number of focal areas for the new look. These included highlighting Cookie Time’s taste, flavour and size, with real ingredient credentials and big chunks of chocolate, as well as bringing to life the fun loving and upbeat nature of the brand, the many occasions on which Cookie Time is consumed and of course, the Cookie Muncher.

Mayell, who holds CTL 50:50 with brother Guy Pope-Mayell, says the rebrand has been a major undertaking to refresh and modernizse while retaining a true Kiwi flavour.

Says Mayell: “We know the Cookie Time brand and the Cookie Muncher have an iconic place in Kiwi culture and hold fond memories for many people, so this was all about re-engaging and putting the focus on real cookies made with real ingredients – brought to you by Cookie Muncher.”

The new packaging also highlights a rich heritage with a series of stories, as told by Cookie Muncher, featuring on the back of all new cookie packs. These include how Cookie Time was a family affair from the start – Mum lent a hand with the first deliveries, Dad and Grandma lent some cash when things took off and brother Guy came aboard soon after.

CTL is in major growth mode with significant investment in brand, new plant and business systems. In March, it was voted best New Zealand owned company at the annual Grocery Retailers’ Association (NARGON) awards, also taking out gold for best small business for the fourth year running, plus a silver medal for most efficient distribution. In the last 12 months, sales of the Cookie Time range grew 10% (Aztec Grocery Spotlight June report).