Steeped Coffee is a B2B and D2C sustainable packaging and specialty coffee brand that offers fully compostable coffee brew bags and packs. Steeped is a certified B Corp, bringing ethically sourced beans and sustainable packaging to the people.
While at Steeped I designed packaging for 200+ partner brands, created engaging emails and social content, and designed digital ads.
Project: Brand Identity / Creative Direction / Packaging Design
Client: Flow Cannabis Co.
Caldera harnesses the power of science and innovation to highlight the rich entourage effect for which California sun-grown cannabis is known.
From concept to execution, I led in the creative direction and design of the brand identity including: research, logo, typeface selection, color palette, digital and print assets, packaging, look and feel, and more.
The Director of Packaging and I collaborated to ensure the finished product was compliant and eye-catching. In the printing process, we used a spot UV on the gradient and a soft-touch for the black.
Instagram feed for Caldera including product images, lifestyle photography with a twist, and punny typographic images.
Web design using brand photography and typefaces.
Artists showcased the designs they made to celebrate the powerful forces of science and nature that Caldera embodies using the brand elements to guide their work.
Emily Eizen @emilyeizen
Francis Kenneth @franciskenneth
Elena Kulikova @elenakulikovastudio
Throughout the design process, I led reviews and meetings with key stakeholders and leadership and synthesized feedback until everyone was thrilled with the finished product.
President & Chief Strategy Officer, Jarom Fawson said of the process “I’ve been in dozens of meetings and approved the spend of millions on brand identity projects and nothing comes close to the level of thought and craft exhibited by you (marketing team) during the creation of Caldera.”
Received notes that the packaging looked more like zebra stripes than lava. Implemented changes in the next round.
Summary of the final brand guidelines for Caldera.
Project: Brand Identity / Creative Direction / Packaging
Client: Flow Cannabis Co.
How might we create a product that offers both affordability and quality?
Roots embodies the perfect trifecta: potency, palatability, and price. With a strong belief that sun-grown cannabis is not only a better high, but also more sustainable for the earth, we aim to get your head in the clouds, without burning a hole in your pocket. All Roots cannabis is sustainably grown and housed in 100% recyclable packaging.
In collaboration with the director of marketing and the director of packaging, we redesigned the brand identity and packaging for Roots with the objective of being cost and eco-conscious.
The previous brand identity lacked visual interest and did not distinguish itself on the shelf. The logotype was hard to read (it didn’t help that the “R” was lowercase) and the brand utilized the color green, an obvious/common choice for a cannabis brand.
I was given a set of values and attributes of the brand: friendly, warm, approachable, and straightforward which I incorporated into the brand identity with warm colors and a rounded logotype. The sun logo icon is a straightforward callout that this brand is sun-grown. The orange really pops on a shelf, helping the brand stand out from competitors.
Project: Brand Identity / Creative Direction / Packaging
Client: Flow Kana
As the first designer at Flow Kana, a sustainable cannabis brand, I reimagined their limited edition packaging with a colorful and modern design. This top-shelf craft cannabis was cultivated by multi-generational growers in the Emerald Triangle.
I worked closely with the packaging, marketing, and leadership teams to create labels that would be distinguishable and eye-catching. The colors of each label were chosen to reflect the terpenes, or aromas, of each strain. The “cultivart” for each strain are digital collages that pull visual elements from the farms and the effects of the strain.
Project: Branding / Creative Direction / Experience
Client: Raw Garden
From seed to sale Raw Garden nurtures the complete lifecycle of the cannabis plant, producing ethical and accessible cannabis products for everyone.
Raw Garden Social Club is an immersive, educational trade event for budtenders to sharpen their aroma knowledge and learn about new products. The marketing team and I collaborated with various production artists and agencies to create an elevated, educational, and fun experience where folks in the cannabis industry can come together as a community.
↑ Click the play button above to see the recap. ↑
Rendering of event + various touch points
Interactive aroma bar and photo booth
1940s branded farm truck
Crest logo made by Rise Wise
Project: Social Media Art
Flow Kana is a cannabis flower brand that partners with independent multi-generational farmers in the Emerald Triangle who cultivate under full sun, sustainably, and in small batches.
My goal was to bring the brand’s positive values to life through colorful art that represents love in a fun and engaging way using collage and motion.
This anatomical beating heart was used for a Valentine’s Day post that saw 5.9% engagement.
I illustrated the base in Procreate and then collaged the rest using botanical illustrations in Photoshop. Then, I created a GIF out of it.
For this project, I created a vector illustration in Illustrator and animated it in After Effects.
For the Flow Kana is for Lovers campaign, I also created an Instagram sticker to be shared on stories.
Project: Social Media Art
This project was an Earth Day post for Flow Kana. I ideated with the team and then hand-lettered and collaged the imagery for social. The poppies represent California. The cannabis and mushrooms growing from the earth, towards the sun and the universe represent the sustainable, sun-grown ethos of the brand. The motion makes the Earth look like it’s breathing. The hand lettering was inspired by a 60s aesthetic with an organic/psychedelic feel. I animated it in Photoshop.