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Yellowbird Hot Dip

Yellowbird Hot Dip

In the summer of 2020, Yellowbird Foods made its dip debut at Whole Foods Market nationwide. Made with 100% organic ingredients, Hot Dip’s visual identity took a lot of cues from the Yellowbird’s Whole30-approved organic sauce line that launched early 2019. With illustrations of fresh garden veggies and vibrant colors that pop right off the shelf, Hot Dip is the perfect addition to the nest.

To learn more about the process of this project, you can access my blog entry here: Branding a Product Line  

My team focused heavily on the journey our condiments take: from the pepper farm, to our kitchen in beautiful San Marcos, straight to your Friday night feast. Hot Dip’s illustrative direction is primarily inspired by floral prints found on oilcloth. We champion anything that encourages us to play with our food — no matter how messy we get.

Our illustrations are brought to life by a key component of our brand identity: color. Much like our other sauces, color acts to differentiate different flavors of dip. Hot Dip utilizes a mostly-monochromatic, surrealist approach to color. The ingredient illustrations harmonize with the background’s overarching color; however, the radiant leaves interrupt the monotonous monochrome with sparks of unexpected contrasting hues inspired by Sandy Skoglund’s A Breeze at Work (1987). This adds a visual interest that would be lacking otherwise.

We complimented our lush illustrations and unexpected color palette typographically with heavier letter forms as a reference to the thick, rich consistency of the dip.

Compositionally, we were driven by the cyclical form of our dip container and used it as a method of story-telling. The lid has a border of fiery ingredients arranged in a circle to reflect on our commitment to holistic and clean nutrition. The Bird peaks out from his garden of fiery produce to challenge our Flock to think beyond the chip. Hot Dip is a journey. Once you buy it, you embark on an experience that’s hotter than a pedicab seat on a summer day. When you open your first tub of Hot Dip, the inside lid surprises you with a literal wave of flavor. It encourages you to dip, dunk, and drench any food to make it infinitely yummier. Make sure to put down an oilcloth — things are going to get messy.

BLOG POST
Want to know more about this project?
For additional animations, web content, and more insight detailing my design thinking, visit my blog post, “Branding a Product Line.”

Yellowbird Organic

Yellowbird Organic Gift Pack

Yellowbird’s 2.2oz bottles were always designed for the Bird on-the-go. The tiny bottle is perfect to weave through treacherous TSA lines or stuff in your rucksack for your upcoming camping expedition. This gift pack, now available online or at REI, bundles your favorite spicy flavors to share with friends and family…or to keep all to yourself. It includes four fresh flavors ranging from mild to wild: Serrano, Sriracha, Habanero, and Ghost Pepper. Sauce responsibly.

Yellowbird’s organic sauce collection is the answer to their Flock’s number one question: How can we get cleaner food without sacrificing flavor? The answer’s always been fresh ingredients, never tainted with harsh preservatives. Their Organics collection takes it one step further, though. Why add sugar, when you’re sweet enough? Yellowbird’s Organic sauce collection is sugar-free, 100% organic, and PaleoVegan certified. This pack was designed because the collection is so delicious, it’s impossible to pick just one.

This gift pack transports you to a garden of piquant peppers illuminated by flickering fireflies. Immerse yourself in nature, and Be the Bird.

Back of Package
Opening Package

The gift pack’s aesthetic was inspired by an impromptu evening picnic — enjoying a spicy treat with loved ones amongst the trees while fireflies flicker in the distance. The dark tonality of the packaging create a striking contrast against the produce and foliage paintings. They appear to have a deeper saturation due to the color asymilation. The small bursts of yellow allude to fireflies that light up Austin, TX’s warm summer nights. The interior of the packaging supports the picnic narrative by incorporating a tight-knit picknic blanket plaid. Compositionally, the color payoff in lightly colored interior adds a break from the packaging’s dominating dark vibe.

Portfolio Post
Want to learn more about this project?
To learn more about the extended product line, check out the Yellowbird Original Gift Pack for more insight into designing retail-ready packaging.

Yellowbird Original

Yellowbird Original Gift Pack

Yellowbird’s first expedition into the petite picante was their 2.2oz Original Variety Pack. It was immediately loved by members of the Flock and those looking to venture into the spicy unknown. Unfortunately, the packaging was only designed to retail online; it lacked the necessary information to sell in a brick-and-mortar retail environment. This made it difficult for newcomers who weren’t familiar with the brand. The goal for this project was to design retail-ready packaging that highlights the unique look and feel of the Original sauce line while also making an appropriate pairing for the existing 2.2oz Organic Variety Pack.

The gift pack’s aesthetic was inspired by the bright vibrancy of Yellowbird’s core palette. Typically, the branding dictates that yellow is used as a supporting accent color; however, I felt that moving forward with vibrant yellow packaging would be the best way to compliment the bright white look and feel of the bottle design. It was important that this design felt related to its pair, The Organic Gift Pack, so we maintained a consistent base layout with a few stylistic differences. Each of the foliage illustrations was rendered in Adobe Illustrator with dimensional gradients and added grain. This is a departure from the painterly illustrations on the Organic pack but feels similar with the added textural quality and vibrant color palette. The barcode was also swapped from a pepper (Organic) to a cloud as a callback to the cloud motif appearing on the Original bottle design. The interior of the packaging supports Yellowbird’s natural narrative by featuring a rich green interior with a subtle cow-print texture. Compositionally, the color payoff of the dark velvety-colored interior adds a break from the packaging’s shocking vibrancy.

The vibrant quality of the packaging and incorporated illustrations speak to the unique flavors within.

To experience the heat yourself, visit Yellowbird.com or visit a local hot sauce shop near you. The Original 2.2oz Variety Pack is now available in the gift shop at the Museum of Ice Cream @Austin, Texas today! I can’t think of a better pair for fresh-picked heat than chilly, pink sweets.

Portfolio Post
Want to learn more about this project?
To learn more about the extended product line, check out the Yellowbird Organic Gift Pack for more insight into designing retail-ready packaging.