Dan Goldberg's Rebranding Project with Pamela's and Faven

Rebranding projects are all consuming and require an extra layer of creativity for our artists. How can we reposition the brand against its competitors and make it stand out on the shelves? Dan Goldberg collaborated on a rebrand for Pamela’s, a gluten free brand, to bring fresh new looks to the brand. After 20 years of having the same packaging, this was a huge step for Pamela’s and by placing their trust in Dan, he knew this meant working hard to present a look they’d be happy with for the next 20.

Working with long term client, Alicia Potter at Faven, they left no stone unturned. They shot roughly 20 different backgrounds and surfaces, just to find the right color of blue. Scrutinizing over the minutiae, they made sure that each subtle detail was captured meticulously.  Making the content pop, it jumps out to you on the shelves, exactly what you want to happen to your product. We sat down with Dan to learn more.

How do you approach branding projects? 

I spend a lot of time listening to the designer, so I can be sure I understand exactly what they want. I take lots of notes and then start testing my lighting. I like to try multiple lighting approaches even before the pre-light day. I can then share three different approaches with the team and we can collectively decide on what’s working best for the product. Alicia Potter, long term collaborator and Creative Director at Faven, noted, "for the Pamela's rebrand, photography is the hero. It had to look undeniably delicious. We wanted an "airy morning in the kitchen" vibe and that is exactly what we got. The food looks natural, tasty and works so well to unify the brand across many product lines. While it has only been in market for a few months, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive."

What was a memorable moment from this project? 

It’s not necessarily from the shoot part of this project, but I love walking into the grocery store and seeing this product on the shelves among its competitors. It really is a beautiful look and I get super excited seeing it out in the world. I am really proud of how it came out.

What do you want people to take away about you and your work after seeing this?

My production team and I spend a lot of time planning, listening and testing. We do this so once we are on set, we can spend all of our time creating and shooting great photos. We take very detailed notes on every shot so we can recreate the same exact look if there is a product line extension. 

How did collaboration play a part on this project?

I love collaborating with creative people and Alicia Potter is one of the best. We have worked together for a long time and we both trust each other explicitly. We have strong opinions and aren’t afraid to share them with one another. In the end, this is what collaboration is all about. The food styling team, my crew, the designer, and the client all gave our honest options which makes for a better product. When this really works, it’s a successful shoot.