Herbal Medicine Packages Look at Home in the Kitchen

A redesign for the Maty’s line of herbal medicinal products helps this all-natural and organic brand break from a sterile, clinical-looking sea of OTC packaging on-shelf.

Maty’s Organic varieties have a Kraft brown-colored label, with a silver aluminum screw-on closure.
Maty’s Organic varieties have a Kraft brown-colored label, with a silver aluminum screw-on closure.

“Rethink your medicine cabinet with whole food health alternatives.” That’s the advice given by Maty’s Healthy Products, LLC, of Pittsford, NY, a maker of herbal medicines—among them all-natural and organic cough syrups, indigestion relief, and skin-care products—made from whole food ingredients. Until recently, the company was using stock packaging, including bottles and jars, some with secondary cartons, for its range of herbal remedies. But as its business grew, Maty’s decided to invest in new packaging that would more clearly convey its natural ingredients story and differentiate its products on shelf.

Founded nearly 10 years ago, Maty’s is named for the daughter of founders Bob and Carolyn Harrington, who sought out holistic remedies to heal Maty after she was born with serious health problems. Their products can now be found at Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, and Target and compete with both conventional and natural brands.

In November 2016, Maty’s approached creative agency Haberman to design a fresh new look and packaging for their brand. “From a business standpoint, Maty’s came to us in a time of growing retail distribution,” says Jeff Berg, Creative Director at Haberman. “And, with the public interest in healthier alternatives soaring, they wanted to boost brand awareness, capture market share in the natural remedies space, and appeal to wellness-minded consumers. The new design has everything to do with appealing to those consumers.

“Over-the-counter medicines, as products, have lived in this clean, clinical—even sterile—aesthetic for a long time. But Maty’s is made with ingredients you can find in your kitchen. And consumers who want real foods and natural products buy things that look natural. So it made sense for us to match Maty’s outside—its packaging—with what’s inside.”

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