Doh!

“We’ve had an idea. But we don’t have a brief. We don’t even have a product yet. We need your help!”

BakeAway, the leading manufacturer of pastry and dough products in the UK, came to us with a unique innovation challenge. They wanted to create and launch a new cookie dough brand for the UK market, but that was as far as they’d got.

Sleeves rolled up, aprons on.

Despite a boom in home baking and DIY desserts, bake-at-home cookie dough hasn’t really made a mark in British kitchens. Alongside our client partners at BakeAway, we set out to define the next big thing in “little treat” culture and spark a new category craving for cookie dough with broad consumer appeal.

Diving into consumer research, we learned that people were craving warm, indulgent moments that felt satisfying and personal to them. They didn't want the stress. Or the mess. Essentially, they wanted to feel like the creator without having to be the baker. 

The Doh! name came first. Short to be memorable, playful to draw consumers in, it also has enough stretch to go beyond the initial product launch as the brand grows in the future. And it also served as a jumping off point for our big brand idea: “Spark a little doh-lightfulness"

Building out a brand blueprint including brand purpose, proposition, and personality, we then translated the brand strategy into design strategy.

At the heart of the brand is our fictional baker, Don Doh, who was inspired by a real BakeAway employee. 

Collaborating with illustrator Andrew Rae for his irreverent character style, Don Doh’s role is to spark doh-lightfulness wherever he shows up. He brings a wink of humour, a dash of theatre, and makes every interaction with Doh! feel exciting and alive.

We also collaborated with renowned lettering artist Dan Forster to craft the Doh! logo. Designed to represent the craft of baking, the fluidity of the wordmark and its playful flourishes reflect the softness of dough and the squidgyness of the centre of a perfectly baked cookie.

Standout packaging was crucial in driving brand awareness and consumer trial for this new product, and the only constraint we had was that it needed to be a cardboard box.

Inspired by the rising trend in premium independent bakeries that draw queues around the block on weekends, we’ve transformed this cookie dough box into a storefront, complete with striped veranda awning. 

Adding a touch of flair and theatre to the unboxing experience, when consumers open the awning they'll find a QR code on the inside that directs them to recipe suggestions.

From brand strategy to website design, art directing (and starring in) a photoshoot to collaborating on launch activations, we've been on every step of the Doh! journey with the BakeAway team.

Retailer engagement has been high for this distinctive new challenger brand, and BakeAway secured an impressive number of listings for launch, including 1,000 Tesco stores, 400 Asda stores, and Ocado, all from day one. 

Pretty doh-licious if you ask us.

“The Brandon team have been a dream to work with. Their approach to innovation, brand strategy and creativity was exactly what we needed to take Doh! from a seedling of an idea to a fully formed brand on shelf. From our irresistible Double Chocolate Chunk to indulgent Salted Caramel cookie dough, the products are every bit as exciting as the brand. While the taste speaks for itself, the strength and dynamism of the brand has also been a huge driver in retailer engagement ahead of launch. Retailers aren’t just interested in Doh! they can’t wait to get it on shelf. We love everything about the Doh! brand, so a big ‘thank you’ to Brandon for being on this journey with us.”

- Denise Henson, Brand Manager at BakeAway