Challs began to recognise what design could contribute to its business, so it took part in a workshop to clarify ambitions for the Buster brand – its vision, values, personality and positioning.
After a paid pitch, Challs appointed branding and graphics specialists Elmwood, who presented ideas which would remain part of the rebrand. These included the Buster logo with the 'u' turned playfully into a u-bend. ‘They went beyond the brief by helping us strategically too,’ says Burchell. ‘It was Elmwood's idea to segment our offering into kitchen and bathroom products.’
With confidence established, Challs gave Elmwood a free hand, while playing an active role in the design process. ‘We emphasised the importance of the products but also that everything was up for grabs. We gave them carte blanche, though there was dialogue and discussion throughout,’ says Burchell.
A new brand
New branding was implemented across the business in everything from new business cards to corporate literature. New promotional booklets to raise awareness of the brand were developed, along with sales presentations to help Challs re-establish itself in the market.
Packaging design
In terms of product packaging, Elmwood retained its existing the bottle shape and product names, but the bottles took on striking new colours to improve on-shelf stand-out – bright green and black for Kitchen Sink Fresh and Kitchen Drain Clear, and magenta and black for the bathroom equivalents, with each bottle topped off with a distinctively coloured lid.
The graphic treatment changed radically too, producing a clear, uncluttered label carrying upbeat, friendly copy. 
Most significantly, the four-strong range now assumed the look of a coherent single offering, which would help turn buyers' heads. The design emphasised that Buster was a product system for drains and sinks, and that was something that none of the competition had.
The new Buster range launched in July 2004 and the redesign signaled other changes, such as improved fragrances, and, crucially, a new Kitchen Drain Clear formula, which overcame one of the main barriers to the product's success. The previous product had been banished from supermarket shelves because of regulations classifying it as a poison, leaving S C Johnson's Mr Muscle to take a firm grip on the sector.
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Building a design relationship.
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