When it comes to building a brand especially in the fast-moving world of food and drink it is easy to jump straight into the visual side of things. The logo, the colours, the packaging. These bits are of course important, but they are the expression of something deeper: your brand’s foundation.

The truth is, if you don’t know what your brand stands for, it doesn’t matter how beautiful your packaging is. Your audience won’t connect with it, and they won’t remember you. Good branding isn’t just about how something looks, it’s about what it means.

At Deuce, we help founders work out and clarify why they exist and what makes their vision different to everyone else’s. And it always starts with these three deceptively simple but powerful questions.


1. Why Does Your Brand Exist (Beyond Making Money)?

Let’s start with the big one: purpose.

Every successful brand is driven by a reason to exist. Yes, making a profit is essential, but it’s not what builds loyalty, trust, or emotional connection. The brands people love most are those that stand for something greater than themselves.

Your purpose doesn’t have to be lofty or “mission-driven” in the way nonprofit organisations are. It just needs to be true to you.

For example:

  • Maybe you launched your soft drink brand because you were sick of sugary sodas and wanted something grown-up but fun.
  • Maybe you created your snack line to celebrate a flavour or ingredient from your cultural background.
  • Maybe your wine brand exists to make the category less intimidating and more inclusive.

Your “why” helps your audience connect with you on a human level. It also acts as a filter: helping you make better decisions about everything from design to distribution.

Try this:

Finish the sentence:

“We exist to ____________.”

Here are a few examples:

  • “We exist to make plant-based eating less preachy and more joyful.”
  • “We exist to give overlooked ingredients their moment in the spotlight.”
  • “We exist to make alcohol-free drinks feel like a celebration, not a compromise.”

Once you are clear on this, everything else becomes easier to communicate – visually and verbally.


2. What Do You Want People to Feel When They Interact with Your Brand?

This question is about tone and emotion. Because while people often say they “like the look” of a product, what they’re really responding to is how it makes them feel.

So what kind of feeling do you want your brand to evoke?

Is it Comfort? Excitement? Curiosity?

Do you want your audience to feel confident, energetic, or playful?

For example:

  • A brand selling premium olive oil might want to evoke heritage and warmth.
  • A playful snack brand might want to feel cheeky and irreverent.
  • A wellness drink might lean into a calm, clean, and considered aesthetic.

The emotional tone you choose influences everything from your brand’s tone of voice to the photography on your website. Without it, brands often fall into the trap of looking “nice” but not saying anything.

Try this:

Write down three adjectives you want your brand to embody. Think in terms of personality.

Here are a few adjective sets to inspire you:

  • Bold / Confident / Disruptive
  • Warm / Honest / Grounded
  • Elegant / Refined / Minimal
  • Cheeky / Casual / Modern
  • Clean / Calm / Sophisticated

Once you’ve got your three, gut-check them: would your ideal customer connect with these traits? Are they different enough from the rest of the category? Would they pass the pub test? 

If they are, you’re onto something.


3. What Makes You Different?

This is where we talk about positioning, your unique place in the market.

It’s not enough to be “better.” You have to be different in a way that matters to your audience. If you’re a new brand on the shelf, you’ve got about three seconds to make someone care. What’s going to catch the customers eye or even better, their curiosity?

Now, a word of caution: a lot of brands think their difference is “quality” or “taste.” But these are expectations, not differentiators. You need to go further.

Your difference might come from:

  • An unusual or underrepresented flavour profile
  • A production method (e.g., naturally fermented, hand-harvested)
  • A distinct point of view (e.g., anti-diet culture, radically transparent sourcing)
  • A community you serve (e.g., Gen Z, new parents, the sober-curious)
  • A playful or unexpected voice in a traditionally serious category

Try this:

Look at your top three competitors. What are they saying on their packaging and website? What aren’t they saying?

Then ask yourself:

“What do we offer, say, or believe that no one else does?”

Even better, what do you do differently that people will feel the moment they interact with your brand?

That’s your edge. That’s what you double down on in your branding.


Bringing It All Together

These three questions: Why do we exist? What do we want people to feel? What makes us different? Form the foundation of your brand. They are not fluff. They are the strategic heart of how you communicate, how you show up, and how people experience your product.

The most successful food and drink brands we’ve worked with didn’t just get their look right, they got their identity right first. That is what gives your brand or your packaging its power. That’s what helps you stand out in a crowded aisle or market place. It is what builds loyalty.

So if you’re about to design or redesign your brand, don’t start with fonts and colours. Start with these three questions.

And if you’re feeling stuck or unsure? That’s what we’re here for.

We help brands become crystal clear on who they are and translate that into branding and packaging that not only looks great but performs and gives it that purpose all brands need.

Deuce Studio are a London based branding and packaging design agency.

Let’s talk.