When Gondwanaland broke apart 100 million years ago, Aotearoa separated from its main landmass to become a jewel of biodiversity in the South Pacific. Our native flora is unique in the world; 80% of our trees, ferns and plants are found nowhere else. Our approach was to build on Plantae’s existing legacy when we began the project, and emphasise the ancient restorative powers of our endemic flora — the basis of Plantae’s new range of products.

Nature’s Active Technology, the newly developed brand essence, reflects Plantae’s place at the intersection of science and nature. From Manuka to Totara, Plantae products harness the healing properties of our native flora, using scientific processes to distill natural formulations that are safer for the environment, and safer for skin.

We built a visual identity evocative of this intersection of nature and science. A competitive analysis of the natural and eco skincare category revealed an overwhelming bias towards white, cream and lighter-green colour palettes. This inspired the selection of the primary Plantae brand palette; moss green and scientific black. Our client also gave us an interesting brief: to capture the essence of The Matrix Trilogy’s digital rain and marry this with a natural aesthetic — a challenge we took very seriously. 

The packaging system was designed to isolate each main ingredient as a scientific specimen, combining natural elements with a tech-inspired, clean and clinical visual sensibility.

The visual identity is supplemented by a set of brand patterns that are linked to the five hero skin technologies that are used throughout the range; Exfoliate, Hydrate, Purify, Renew, and Soothe. 

The overall impression is a refreshed brand that sits at the confluence of nature and science, looking forward to a future that will see science supporting our journey back to nature.