I was brought into the assignment to update the brand look for the Icy Hot product line-up. There were three goals for this project: 1. Modernize and clean up the packaging, 2. More clearly define the 3 sub brands attributes and unify their looks, and 3. Adapt the new look for a "flex" carton which could be display on shelf as either a horizontal or a vertical package. The client was interested in seeing a range of designs variations, some staying close to the current package while others would explore adventurous new looks.
This is how the existing package line up looked, prior to the rebrand.
I started by doing some exploration to modernize the logo. I used a rich black outline to enhance the glowing colors of Icy Hot's signature rainbow gradient, simplified the bevel, and added secondary call outs for the sub brands.
Below are a range of concepts. Some stuck close to Icy Hot's familiar white package, while others explored a dynamic black look. But the main goal was to have them look like a product family with consistent design architecture across the sub brands, and to allow consumers to quickly identify the different strengths and key active ingredients.
Below is where the final packaging netted out. Researched showed that Icy Hot's consumer demographic did want to stray too far from the familiar look of the existing brand. But the goals were met: the package was cleaned up and given a consistent brand look, the sub brands were more clearly defined, and a Flex package was introduced, with both a vertical and horizontal shelf orientation (below).
Below shows the new "Flex pack" design. The packaging features a vertical orientation on one side and a horizontal orientation on the other, allow retailers to choose how to display the product based on a available shelf space.
