Litróf einfaldra rétta sem auðga lífið.
1944 had strong awareness and a clear market position, but its image had become narrow and dated. The task was to broaden the brand for more diverse consumers and more contemporary eating habits — without losing the simplicity, convenience and familiarity people already associated with 1944.
Results · 12 months post-launch
We started by understanding how people saw 1944.
581
Brandr Index responses
2
Focus groups
6
Grocery stores visited
3
Research methods
01 · The challenge
A familiar brand, stuck in an outdated image.
1944 was well known and people generally knew what to expect. At the same time, the brand was closely associated with old-fashioned, traditional single-portion meals and fairly narrow audience groups rather than more varied, contemporary eating habits.
The challenge was to modernise the position and broaden the brand’s appeal without losing the simple, convenient and familiar qualities people already trusted.
The challenge was to modernise the position and broaden the brand’s appeal without losing the simple, convenient and familiar qualities people already trusted.
Metric
581 responses
The research showed strong awareness, but a narrow and dated image.
Metric
6 stores
In-store interviews with consumers.
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02 · Research
The research showed what needed to be preserved — and what needed to change.
The research combined Brandr Index, two focus groups and field visits to six grocery stores. The aim was to understand what people already associated with 1944 and what needed to change for the brand to appeal to a broader audience.
Insight one
Strong awareness, but a narrow image.
People knew 1944 and understood the offer, but the brand was strongly associated with old-fashioned home-style food, individual portions and relatively narrow audience groups.
Insight two
The packaging was holding perception back.
Perceptions of limited freshness and nutritional value were closely tied to the way the meals were packaged and presented. Packaging was therefore part of the problem, not just an outer layer.
Insight three
People wanted more variety and more contemporary options.
Both younger and older participants wanted greater variety, more vegetarian and vegan choices, clearer information and products that better reflected changing eating habits.
Testimonial
From old-fashioned ready meals to a broader role in modern life.
The strategy broadened the role of 1944 without rejecting what already worked. „Litróf einfaldra rétta sem auðga lífið“ brought traditional and more innovative meals together under one brand and shifted the focus towards variety, simplicity, nutrition and convenience.
That allowed 1944 to retain its trusted role for familiar home-style meals while opening the brand to a broader audience and more contemporary needs.
That allowed 1944 to retain its trusted role for familiar home-style meals while opening the brand to a broader audience and more contemporary needs.
“SS and Friðrik Larsen have worked together for many years, beginning with strategic advisory work and management sessions that we were very pleased with. When Friðrik founded brandr, we saw strong expertise in branding and marketing that we considered important for SS. Over the past seven or eight years, brandr has carried out attitude surveys and focus groups to assess the position of key SS brands, including SS and 1944. Based on these findings and brandr’s recommendations, we have updated our brand strategies and, where appropriate, our packaging. In the latest 1944 study, important issues emerged: the packaging was seen as outdated and people did not understand the line ‘Fyrir sjálfstæða Íslendinga’. Although this had not been part of the original brief, brandr presented ideas for updating the 1944 brand and product range. We thought the proposals were excellent, and brandr went on to design a new look for the entire range. The result can now be seen in stores, and it has worked extremely well. That has been our experience of working with brandr.”
Steinþór Skúlason
CEO, Sláturfélag Suðurlands
04 · Identity system
Variety gained a shared visual language.
The new identity system was designed to bring a broader product range together under one clear brand. Traditional and more innovative meals are differentiated through colour and presentation, while the same mark, typography, photography style and core forms hold the range together.
The result is a more colourful, contemporary 1944 that still feels familiar.
The result is a more colourful, contemporary 1944 that still feels familiar.
Design principles
Two main product lines — traditional and more contemporary meals — receive different visual treatments while living within the same system. The pattern derived from the mark, the colour palette, Archivo typography, icons and tabletop photography create a consistent and recognisable presentation across packaging and marketing.
06 · Results
One brand for a more diverse food culture.
The research led to a clearer and broader position for 1944. The brand retained the simplicity and convenience people already knew, while gaining a system that can accommodate both traditional and more contemporary meals within one coherent brand.
One shared strategy — Litróf einfaldra rétta sem auðga lífið
Two product lines — traditional and contemporary meals under the same brand
New identity system — mark, colours, typography, photography, icons and pattern
Clearer brand voice — Fjölbreytt · Einfalt · Næringarríkt · Þægilegt
Consistent packaging — one system that can accommodate a broader product range
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Whether you want to measure where your brand stands, build a stronger strategy, or understand how you compare to the competition — it starts with a conversation. No pitch. Just an honest look at your situation and where we might help.
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