Happy Cat
logo, brand identity & label design
Happy Cat is a conceptual brand of premium cat foods and treats made with simple, natural ingredients. Happy Cat was created for cat lovers with the health and happiness of your furry friends in mind. With an assortment of tantalizing flavors, you know your cat is getting everything it needs to be a Happy Cat.
the challenge
Create a logo and brand identity for the new cat food brand Happy Cat. Create labels for first line of wet and dry foods. Designs should be fun and playful and should stand out on shelves amongst more established brands.
ideation
I created a mood board to start of my ideation process. The design needs to stand out on the shelf so I wanted to start my creative process thinking about how this product can grab someone attention when they might be reaching for the same old cat food. I was focusing on bold colors and fun illustrations.
logo sketches
I started off sketching ideas for the logo. I tried out a few ideas, but I felt the best way to show off the brand Happy Cat would be with an image of a happy cat!
I decided to move forward with my sketch of this very satisfied looking kitty. To me it looks like a cat that just ate a tasty meal and it ready to curl up for a nap!
logo drafts
After sketching, I illustrated my cat. I then tried out a few different type options and placements for the name. Since this design needs to be attention grabbing, I wanted to have a typeface that was noticeable and playful. I ended up choosing HWT Artz.
final logo
My final logo comes in a few lock-ups. Without the cat illustration, it simply stands on its own. It's bold and noticeable and clear to read. I've also paired it with with some subtext underneath. Paired with the cat, the name curves along the bottom of the cat. It feels like the cat is cozying up to it's new favorite brand of food!
label design
When I started designing the labels, I knew having bright, fun colors would be the perfect way to make this cat food stand out on the shelf next to well known brands. I wanted colors that would coincide with the different flavors. This then gave me the idea to include representations of the different flavors as illustrative elements.
sketches
illustrations
patterns
colors
fish
chicken
beef
typography
final labels
I created labels for three wet foods and three dry foods. Each flavor features either chicken, beef or tuna, with brown rice, herring and sweet potato as additional flavors in the dry foods. I chose to do a two tone color palette for each flavor using bright colors associated with the primary flavors. This creates a powerful pop of color on the shelves. The muted ingredient illustrations create a playful background against the very Happy Cat in the logo. For my secondary typeface, I chose to use a san serif called Omnes, which comes with variety of styles. It pairs well with the logo typeface HWT Artz, which is an all caps typeface.
the final product
reflection
Making this brand and labels was a fun process for me. As a cat lover myself, getting to make designs to appeal to other cat lovers felt natural. During this project, I learned about creating a powerful pop with simple illustrations and two color pairings. To expand on this brand, I would create packaging for treats and other types of foods. I would also love to create social media assets for this brand.
