Brand: The LAB

New ways to enjoy modern snus with The Lab Series

It all started in September of 2009 when customer surveys carried out by Swedish Match were compiled into an overview of what was wanted. The famous snus company then set about trying to develop the products that were wanted. The blend of tobacco, the unique fragrances and the flavor of the resulting snus were all checked hundreds of times until the new snus varieties were declared ready to be tested on the general public. The Lab is unique among snus brands for the minimalist packaging and the complete absence of any logo.

What people wanted was a more discreet snus

The market research leading to the development of The Lab series was carried out in Sweden and Norway. Various snus users were interviewed extensively – with questions pertaining to their likes and dislikes when it came to snus, as well as their top complaints and how a dream snus would be. The resulting goldmine of information was complied into a book that became the basis for the creative team behind the new snus series.

The Lab team was brought together in the later half of 2008. Various scientists, developers (including a Tobacco Master!) and designers in related fields were asked to become part, and the work they began was to go on for 6 months and 50 sets of product trials. The resulting product tasted just as good as the expectations led people to believe, but was also innovative in its shape and size.

The more discreet pouch containing the portion was designed to be longer and fit easily under a user’s upper lip. The pouch material was also given an overhaul to make it better at releasing flavor without dripping, while still keeping the snus fresh. Users would be overjoyed at the flavor explosion and less runny nature of these portions – something that the creative team at Swedish Match labored long and hard over to get right. The can itself was also redesigned to include a special compartment for the storage of used portions. The appearance of the cans was kept simple and uniform with a clean grey color and clear labeling.

After the extensive testing period, the product as a whole – pouches, cans and name – was released in two varieties. Both featured a natural tobacco flavor but one came with a higher concentration of tobacco for a stronger nicotine level. The different varieties were labeled using a simple numbering system – inspired by the numbers originally used by Swedish Match to keep track of the samples. The first versions of The Lab – numbers 01 and 02 – were released in Norway in 2009 and the success of the brand had started. Now The Lab is considered to be a modern classic among Swedish Snus.

A brand without branding

The reason behind the decision not to develop any complex branding was based on the customer responses in the market research. When asked what they thought about the branding, the message from snus users was perfectly clear: they did not care about any brand, only about the quality and great taste of the snus itself. This response was taken seriously by the developers of The Lab series, and to this day the packaging does not include any logo or fancy design.