To validate their idea, the three friends embarked on a unique form of product concept testing. The test site was a London music festival, and the stimuli £500 worth of fruit. Garbage cans were marked “Yes” and “No,” and a handwritten sign read: “Do you think we should give up our jobs to make these smoothies?” By the end of the day the “Yes” bin was overflowing with empties. The following day the founders quit their jobs to start Innocent Drinks. Innocent prides itself on providing natural, pure juice drinks and nothing else. Literally, nothing else -- “No sugar. No water. No concentrates.” The message certainly sounds intriguing, but what really makes the Innocent brand different? The fruity beverage market is already cluttered with strong competitors like Odwalla and Naked in the US, and P&J Smoothies and The Feel Good Drinks Co. in the UK. Each brand promises natural, pure and fresh ingredients, and at first glance, they look similar. A closer look, however, reveals the difference. At the core of Innocent’s success we see words. Simple, honest, fresh words that add up to a powerful statement about the personality of this unique brand.

Innocent’s competitors use fun language in their product names (for example, Odwalla’s Mo’Beta and AntioxiDance), while its own products are flavor focused, plain and descriptive. In the smoothies lineup we see “blackberries and blueberries” and “strawberries and bananas,” which sound rather mundane when you consider Naked’s Zenergy or Odwalla’s Vanilla Al’Mondo. Innocent’s distinctive voice, however, is more subtle and nuanced. The ingredient list on the side of an Innocent drink, for example, might include “a few small pebbles” hidden amongst the crushed strawberries and mashed bananas. It is only when you reach the bottom of the list that you find: “We lied about the pebbles.” The website also takes a simple but powerful approach to words and writing style. A link to Innocent’s online gym is titled “I’m fat. Let me in.”

Recently the company published a book called “Stay Healthy. Be Lazy.” Consistent with its overall voice, the book sets an honest straightforward tone. ”Are you lazy?” asks the book. “Great, that makes two of us. But that shouldn’t stop us from being healthy[…]. By incorporating a few of the simple habits contained in the book[…], you can live a contented, healthy life whilst still having enough time to be lazy and eat the odd plate of chips.”

The simple, friendly approach translates across key brand touch-points. The company’s unique “cow vans,” complete with horns, eyelashes, udders and a tail, are assigned personalities and even bios: “The latest addition to our herd […] goes by the name of Pat. Pat is a Lancashire Shorthorn, and her little horns mean she can fit into all those car parks that have pesky height restrictions.”

The product packaging is also a clever representation of the brand. Unlike its fellow beverages, Innocent is simple and rather muted. The bottle is clear with a simple product information band in one color. The product stands out precisely because it is so different from the other loudly colorful beverages on the shelf.

Maintaining a consistent voice throughout all of the aspects of the brand -- from the language to the packaging, from the delivery systems to Innocent employees, Innocent is able to position itself as an easily identifiable honest brand. Honestly.

Lizzy Stallard is a new business consultant at Interbrand.