before Oatly looked like Oatly
In the early 2000s, alternative milk brands played it safe, borrowing the visual language of traditional dairy with standard cartons, polite design and forgettable packaging.
Oatly did too.
That changed in 2014. Under CEO Toni Petersson, Oatly embraced a full brand overhaul, disruptive, outspoken and impossible to confuse with anyone else.
01 | Turning packaging into media.
Oatly turned cartons into conversation by treating every panel as ad space. Instead of hiding behind functional pack copy, it used bold typography, jokes, opinions and mini-manifestos to entertain shoppers, explain the brand and build recognition. The packaging did the job of advertising before any media spend kicked in.
