Olay: Great in bed
Campaign, Artwork, Digital
Understand First
For more than 30 years, Formula has been a trusted part of the Marks & Spencer beauty offer, delivering effective skincare backed by science. As M&S Beauty continued to grow and attract new audiences, the opportunity emerged to reposition Formula for a more discerning skincare consumer.
The challenge was to evolve the brand without losing the trust it had built over decades. Formula needed a more distinctive identity that communicated scientific credibility, improved navigation across the range and created a flexible foundation for future innovation.
Free the Birds developed a new identity that celebrates the science behind the products while making the brand feel more contemporary, engaging and accessible.
At the heart of the system is a bespoke ‘F’ marque, inspired by DNA spheres and the precision of scientific formulas. Designed as a recognisable brand asset rather than simply a logo, the marque creates a distinctive visual shorthand that can flex across the range and evolve with future product launches.
The Formula wordmark was refined to feel softer and more approachable through the use of mixed upper- and lowercase typography, balancing scientific authority with warmth and improving readability on shelf.
Across the packaging, we embraced cues from professional skincare, giving greater prominence to ingredient percentages and formulation details to reinforce efficacy and expertise. Chrome-inspired finishes evoke laboratory precision, while a clear colour-coding system helps customers navigate product benefits and routines with confidence.
Together, these elements create a cohesive design system that feels clinically credible without becoming clinical in tone.
The refreshed identity gives Formula a distinctive presence within the growing M&S Beauty portfolio while honouring the trust and familiarity customers have built with the brand over three decades.
By combining scientific credibility with a more approachable visual language, the new identity creates a scalable platform that can support future product innovation and category expansion. The result is a skincare brand that feels modern, memorable and unmistakably Formula, bringing clarity, confidence and consistency to every touchpoint.
Formula has been a trusted part of our beauty offer for over 30 years, and as our beauty category continues to grow, we recognised an opportunity to evolve the brand for today’s customer. Free the Birds has created an identity that celebrates the science behind the products while making the range feel more modern, engaging and easier to shop. The new design gives Formula a distinctive presence that reflects the quality and innovation customers expect from M&S Beauty.
