brand identity & strategy / CREATIVE DIRECTION / DESIGN / COPYWRITING

Gist is a sparkling prebiotic beverage company, offering a line of four sugar-free drinks brewed from naturally-derived botanicals. In the winter of 2020-2021, I assembled and led a creative team to craft Gist’s distinctive brand voice and aesthetic, and position it competitively ahead of its spring 2021 soft launch. Building off the logo creation and initial packaging design by SRW Agency (Chicago, IL), our team took the first jigsaw piece of Gist to create a 1000-piece puzzle.

Highlights include:

• Creative direction for brand identity and competitive positioning

• Dynamic product photoshoot

• Illustration vector library and designed templates for all digital needs

• Copywriting for all core brand elements and products, including print and digital collateral, the updated website, and packaging

• Social media strategy and launch

• Updated product packaging and design for sampler kits

• Influencer program creation

Acting as both the project’s creative director and producer, I managed all communications, billing, and oversight for a team of five independent contractors, which included:

Neal Olson (Neal Olson Design) - Design
Kaisa Hundt - Social Media Strategy and Art Direction for Photoshoot
Sarah Reynolds (Studio Couturra) - Illustration
Hanna Agar (Hanna Agar Photography) - Photography