Opportunity: Design products and merchandise for a company selling a coffee product.
Solution: When given the prompt I developed a brand story to help shape the direction of brand.
It’s 1974. Rocking heart shaped glasses and long blonde hair, Lucy makes edibles in the oven of her college dorm room in the heart of Los Angeles. Her side business is a huge success, earning her enough cash to get through college and buy a Volkswagen van. She and her friends move to the beach, smoke, listen to Grateful Dead, and look at the stars.
Fast forward to 1978. The U.S. Government outlaws cannabis, and Lucy’s edible business tanks. After re-evaluating her life goals, Lucy decides to branch out of her edibles business and create caffeine infused coffee beans using the same ingredients as the edibles, but replacing the cannabis with coffee beans and caffeine.
Now in 2023, Lucy’s business lives on. Her goal is to increase energy and stamina and help boost positivity and productivity. Now a much larger business, Lucy’s good vibes, passion for life, and infectious postivity continue to inspire.
From the brand story emerged Wake the Dead: caffeine infused chocolate covered espresso beans for individuals who need an extra boost. Each flavor holds a different level of caffeine. The Fire on the Mountain flavor holds the highest amount of caffeine. 2 coffee beans = a full cup of regular coffee. Two of the Truckin' flavor coffee beans = 1/2 cup of regular coffee. The Morning Dew flavor holds the least amount of caffeine. 2 coffee beans = 1/4 cup of regular coffee.
The branding is reminiscent of 70's rock bands and art deco. Lucy (from the brand story) was a key inspiration when developing the visual direction of the brand. Her love for Wakeful Dead carried over into the brand name and the names of the flavors.
