Ivy Hermit is a cold brew tea company that crafts exceptional tea to delight the senses. Their vision is for every bottle to serve as a connection point for tea lovers—a celebration of flavor, history, and community. The founders approached me for a logo and packaging rebrand because their existing logo was difficult to read, and their packaging was experiencing production issues. The new logo and packaging design highlights the nuanced experience of tea.
Ivy Hermit
Services
Logo Design
Packaging Design
The previous logo (left) is overly stylized and lacks legibility. The drip element is too tall, which creates challenges in its application. Although the drip is intended to represent the letters "I" and "H" in Ivy Hermit, it is too abstract to be easily recognized. Given that tea's history and origin are important to the founders, I decided to move away from the Art Nouveau aesthetic in favor of a design that blends traditional and modern styles. Tea has a long history and is typically consumed hot, while cold brew tea offers a newer way to enjoy it. This consideration for both heritage and contemporary appeal influenced not only the logo but also the label design. We explored a few rounds of design, experimenting with various graphic ideas related to tea, its origin, and ink painting textures.
For the bottle, I proposed using a standard champagne-style instead of their initial unconventional shapes as it is better suited for small-batch pasteurization. This essential process ensures the cold brew teas remain shelf-stable. Additionally, it is more cost-effective, which is crucial given the budget constraints. I also recommended adding a neck label and a custom-printed crown cap to enhance the overall presentation.
The history of tea drinking and the beverage itself is rich and complex. Since both are important, we decided to include ancient Chinese characters from the Qin Dynasty. These characters have a unique aesthetic and translate to "cold brew tea." Additionally, we have illustrated hillsides and mountain slopes, which are favored locations for tea cultivation. The brush-like textures create a gradation of colors that highlight the evolving and nuanced taste experience of tea. With each sip, the flavor of the tea deepens and develops.
