One of the many brilliant things about the world of branding is that to work in it, write about it, or just take an interest in it forces you to learn something about pretty much everything. Maybe that’s how LEGO might actually be a better investment than gold; or that Murray’s Parmigiano Reggiano cheese pairs well with a nice New...
It was yesterday I made a run to the local supermarket to pick up some essentials. I had two choices, turn left to Waitrose or right to Morrisons. Despite being somewhat price conscious, I enjoy looking at the packaging at the higher-priced Waitrose, so went left–let’s say it’s the cost of being a designer. Anyway, honey was on the list....
Olssøn Barbieri certainly seems to be on form this year: we recently reviewed the Oslo-based multi-disciplinary design studio’s work for Stereoscope coffee, and now, we’re delving into its smart designs for Chelan Beauty. Marrying clarity, functionality and a decent smattering of the unexpected, the surprises land early with this one: Chelan Beauty isn’t actually a ‘beauty brand’ – as in...
Few products have successfully integrated ethical, sustainable and environmental concerns with a product than coffee. It’s hard to imagine a time when the conditions of cultivation (both human and environmental) were not equal to flavour and – if we’re getting technical – whether the roast is blended or single origin. With its smaller volumes, the speciality coffee market has challenged...
Skin is the human body’s largest organ while skincare is the fastest growing segment of the beauty industry. Yet with all their promises of ‘dewy’, ‘glowing’ and ‘blemish free’, most products on the market, are focused on the face. Direct-to-consumer business Soft Services creates skincare products for specific body skin problems, such as acne, ingrown hairs, stretch marks and fungal...
Although its recent rise to popularity has been rapid, running a quick search on ‘kombucha’ reveals that until the 21st century it had seen little category growth since its creation, more than 2000 years ago. For the uninitiated, kombucha is a fermented, non-alcoholic sweetened tea containing vitamins, amino acids and nutrients. This mix of familiarity (as a tea), its sweetness...
According to Sweden’s travel and tourism website, craft beer enthusiasts will discover a ‘smorgasbord’ of artisanal, eco-friendly and organic things to drink there, with more microbreweries per capita than any other country (apart from the UK). Omaka joined the scene in September 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and with a slogan to match its fearless attitude: ‘taste before...
Tangent GC began as a Scandinavian organic garment and shoe care company developing products that intended to increase the life of clothing and footwear, and entered the organic skincare market in 2016. The concern given to the longevity of skin becomes an understandable extension of that original intention. Carl Nas Associates, who have been working with Tangent GC on their packaging treatments for...
Tangent GC began as a Scandinavian organic garment and shoe care company developing products that intended to increase the life of clothing and footwear, and entered the organic skincare market in 2016. The longevity of skin being an understandable extension of that original intention. The company’s graphic identity, a typographical system designed by Essen International under the creative direction of Carl Nas, established...
Tangent GC began as an organic garment and shoe care company developing products that intended to ensure longevity and entered the organic skincare market in 2016. Designed by Essen International TGC’s graphic identity, by way of a simple typographical expression, established a visual system of informational immediacy through the absence of superfluous stylistic detail and colour. This divided content and drew a...
Senja is a Scandinavian premium cosmetics brand, founded by Senja Parkkinen, with a range of toners, cleansing foams and oils made from active natural ingredients all manufactured in Finland. With a desire to communicate an all-natural and contemporary positioning and capture the fresh air and harsh environmental conditions that produced many of these ingredients, the brand worked with Werklig to develop a...
Teatulia is a Bangladeshi single origin tea brand that recently moved into the UK market, opening a flagship store, tea shop and cocktail bar in London’s Covent Garden. It is a social enterprise creating jobs in a remote region of Bangladesh and has, so far, transformed 3,000 acres of barren land into an organic tea garden. Drawing on Teatulia’s single-source positioning—common...