Sweet sustainability

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener with proven dental benefits that’s used in everything from foods to toothpaste to chewing gum. Although Danisco were the first to market with this ground-breaking product, they were increasingly losing out to lower grade manufacturers, especially in the Far East. Competitors were creating generic xylitol from corn cobs, a far less sustainable source. Unlikely though it sounds, the source of Danisco’s exlitol is a by-product from sustainable forest wood pulp processing, which uses 90% less energy, and ten times lower CO2 emissions than corn- sourced competitors to produce a higher quality product. Could Dragon Rouge turn these strong sustainable credentials into the platform for a brand that would reclaim ‘ownership’ of the product?

A memorable name

Dragon Rouge summed up the creative platform as ‘science meets nature’. We researched a new name that would still say ‘Xylitol’, but could belong to Danisco alone. We looked for something with a ‘Xy’ style sound. We wanted something less chemical sounding, shorter, more memorable, and easier to say... XIVIA. We signed off with a strapline that made its environmental superiority clearer still – “approved by nature”.

Where science meets nature

The verbal element is supported by a friendly ‘leaf’ identity with two overlapping leaves symbolising the respectful marriage of science and nature, with the choice of colour self-evidently reinforcing the sustainable advantages. “XIVIA has had a great effect in setting us apart from the competition,” says Sarah-Jane Jumppanen, Communication Director for Danisco BioActives. “It has reasserted our authority, is engaging with important stakeholders and is rightly making people think twice about where their xylitol is sourced: at last we have the compelling presence our product deserves.”