Kroger Wing Sauce
I spearheaded the packaging design for a daring hot-sauce brand centered around a captivating narrative: the unfortunate bird that was a tad too confident. Through a cohesive, story-driven visual system, we effectively translated escalating panic into a clear, memorable product architecture that seamlessly adapts to varying heat levels and flavor extensions.
Design Strategy
Our design strategy centered around a single narrative device: an illustrated bird whose expressions and posture intensify with each heat level. This approach fostered instant emotional recognition and a playful tension that conveyed spice at a glance.
We developed a composable identity system that encompassed color, type, iconography, and layout rules. These rules amplified the story while maintaining flexibility to accommodate new flavors and limited editions without compromising the core concept.
Prioritizing shelf readability and hierarchy was crucial. Heat level, flavor name, and brand mark were legible in thumbnails, while the bird illustration served as the primary attention-grabber and secondary cue for heat progression.
Execution Highlights
A graduated visual scale was implemented, with subtle changes in the bird’s expression, background gradients, and supporting graphic elements signaling an increase in heat from mild to nuclear. Each step felt like a part of a single narrative rather than a disconnected label.
Flavor differentiation was achieved through a consistent framework. Distinct palette accents, flavor-specific motifs, and ingredient cues allowed for the regular introduction of new flavors while maintaining the overall cohesion of the lineup.
Premium production choices, such as tactile papers, selective varnish, and spot foil on key pieces, elevated shelf presence and reinforced perceived value without compromising scalability.
Impact
The packaging refresh resulted in a measurable sales lift. It contributed to a notable increase in velocity across core accounts and drove repeat-purchase behavior as consumers eagerly collected and sampled new flavors.
The system also enabled frequent, seamless flavor launches and limited runs, reducing design lead time and keeping the brand top-of-mind with consumers.
Brand equity growth: the narrative-driven approach transformed the bird into a recognizable and playful mascot, enhancing brand recall and social sharing. Customers started referencing heat levels based on the bird’s expression, not just Scoville numbers.
My role involved concept development, visual language, packaging templates, and production specifications. I collaborated closely with illustration, copy, product, and manufacturing partners to ensure consistency and scalability. Additionally, I established a rollout playbook for future flavor extensions. The outcome is a flexible, story-driven packaging system that boosted sales, streamlined new-flavor launches, and made the brand instantly recognizable on the shelf.