Snowcap Coffee
Product Label Design
I was so excited to work on this project because it combines two of my passions, package design and illustration!
Snowcap Coffee was established in 2016 by recent college graduates, Lucas Lundell and Adam Marchesseault. After their schooling at UVM, they turned their caffeine addiction into a full brand and business which is now accessible in over 100 locations across Vermont.
The original cold brew concentrate has since expanded to four flavor variations and will soon expand its flavor lineup with the addition of Maple Latte.
Brainstorming
I was given a very loose set of instructions for this label design project which meant I had a lot of creative freedom. The client wanted to see several design ideas that focused on summery vibes: mountains, a dock, a hammock, and maybe some wispy clouds.
the following are the initial ideas I presented to my team and the client.
First Round
After the design pitch deck, the client still wasn't sure of the direction of the design but knew they wanted to feature the hammock, mountains (from previous labels), sunset, and clouds.
My team at Four Nine Design had previously created label art for Snowcap's original lineup, so I was able to use elements from those for continued brand consistency.
In my initial digital design, I was playing off the warm tones of summer and the coffee bean itself. I used watercolor textures to overlay the clouds and the sunset background. I also added the maple leaf motif in the nutrition facts section of the label to emphasize the maple aspect of this flavor variation.
Second Round
After receiving edits from my team, I added details to the trees and changed the colors. Additionally, I created depth by adding layers of grass and enhanced the color gradients of the water, sunset, and clouds.
My supervisor included a note to try adding the leaf swirl to the composition but as you will see in version 3, we both agreed it was crowding the imagery. I was also supplied with the updated nutrition facts, barcode, and side-bar information to work into the design which posed a new challenge of creating contrast and separation between the information and graphic imagery behind it.
Final Round
In the final round, I adjusted the scale of the trees and mountains as well as pushed the grass further up the composition. This also freed up space on the left margin of the label for the information to stand out more and compete less with the details of the trees.
More color! I saturated the sky to be more vibrant and made the sun a brighter yellow. I changed the color of the hammock to red to stand out against the blue water and to act as a focal point. I also added texture to the trees, grass, and hammock for visual interest and subtle depth.
Final Notes
I enjoyed this creative process and especially being able to use my illustrative talents to adapt to a new creative challenge and illustrative style. I hope to see my design grace the shelves in Vermont and beyond soon!
Snowcap Coffee Maple Latte label was designed and produced in collaboration with Four Nine Design, located in Burlington, VT.
