Entering the competitive functional beverage space required creating a distinct, scalable brand and commerce experience that could grow from concept to nationwide distribution while maintaining consistent quality and brand identity across all touchpoints.

Brand System Development

I developed a comprehensive brand system inspired by the Salesforce Lightning Design System methodology, working closely with our illustrator to create:

• Brand Colors: Black (#000000), off-white (#F1E6D6), yellow (#FEDB45) as primary colors with red (#EF4523) and blue (#42ABE0) as accent colors

• Typography: Proxima Nova for paragraph text, BN Piedmont for headers, and a custom font for the Immorel logo

• Brand Mascots: Distinctive mushroom character designs for each product variant

• Brand Voice: Irreverent, accessible messaging that made functional mushrooms approachable ("We're on Mushrooms," "You Have Mushroom Energy Now")

• Brand Taglines: Consistent messaging emphasizing inclusivity in the wellness space

Persona Development

I created detailed user personas to guide our brand and commerce strategy:

• Primary Persona: Urban millennials (25-44) seeking functional products that relieve stress

• Secondary Persona: Trendsetting consumers (18-34) who value functionality and design over price

These personas informed our "evil-cute" brand aesthetic that balanced functional benefits with an accessible, alternative approach to traditional wellness products.

Multi-Channel Commerce Strategy

I implemented a dual-channel approach that evolved as our brand matured:

DTC Channel (Shopify)

• Initial focus on direct consumer education and relationship building

• Comprehensive product education with functional benefits clearly explained

• Created consistent visual language across website, product photography, and marketing

• Implemented free shipping and transparent pricing to reduce friction

Wholesale Channel (Faire, Airgoods)

• Leveraged emerging wholesale platforms to reach independent retailers

• Created distinctive product photography and branding that stood out from competitors

• Focused on retailer education about functional mushroom benefits

• Maintained consistent brand guidelines across all wholesale touchpoints

• Achieved "Top Shop" status on Faire with 5.0/5 average retailer rating

Production Design

Working with illustrator Madeleine McMichael, I developed packaging that conveyed both functional benefits and brand personality:

• Can Design: Created distinctive labels highlighting each mushroom's functional benefits

• Packaging: Designed cost-effective packaging under $2 per unit that maintained brand quality

• Promotional Materials: Developed consistent POS displays and marketing materials for retail partners

Discovery & Research

I led a comprehensive discovery process:

• User Interviews: Conducted interviews with brokers and stakeholders to understand pain points

• Systems Analysis: Evaluated the six existing CRM systems to identify integration requirements

• Asset Collection: Gathered existing design assets, data structures, and process documentation

• Workflow Mapping: Documented current broker workflows across multiple systems

Design Strategy

I implemented a systematic approach to the unified platform design:

• High-Fidelity Prototyping: Created detailed prototypes to validate design concepts

• Information Architecture: Developed unified navigation and data organization

• Interaction Patterns: Established consistent interaction models throughout the experience

• Visual Design: Applied the client's brand within the CRM ecosystem

Collaborative Workshops

I facilitated several collaborative workshops to ensure alignment:

• Consequence Scanning: Led workshops to identify potential unintended consequences of the unified system

• Co-Creation Sessions: Involved stakeholders in collaborative design activities

• Design Reviews: Conducted regular reviews to gather feedback and refine the approach

• Implementation Planning: Collaborated with technical teams to ensure feasibility

Our systematic approach to brand and commerce design yielded exceptional results:

• Retail Growth: Secured placement in 150+ retail partners nationwide

• Retention Rate: Achieved 73% retailer retention rate

• Recognition: Selected for Target's Food & Beverage Accelerator Program

• Industry Leader: Became recognized as pioneer beverage brand in the functional mushroom space

• Brand Consistency Drives Recognition: Our distinctive "evil-cute" mushroom mascots and consistent visual language made our products instantly recognizable in crowded retail environments

• Wholesale Platforms Accelerate Growth: Leveraging emerging wholesale platforms (Faire, Airgoods) provided infrastructure that allowed us to scale more quickly than traditional distribution

• DTC-to-Wholesale Evolution: While we initially focused on DTC, our distinctive branding and product photography helped us stand out on wholesale platforms, leading to a strategic pivot toward wholesale dominance

• Education is Critical but Must Be Streamlined: Making functional mushroom benefits clear and approachable was essential, but information needed to be concise and immediately valuable

• Design System Scalability: Creating a well-structured design system from the beginning allowed us to maintain consistency while scaling across new products, channels, and touch points