McCrea’s makes some of the best handmade caramels around (no joke!) After several years in business, they had a loyal following, selling product in both retail stores, gift shops and farmers markets. They approached Westwerk ready to grow their business, understanding that this would require a complete rebrand. I began with competitor research and mood boards and utilized client feedback to come up with an initial set of packaging designs. Keeping the product in a cylinder made sense for brand continuity, however instead of a plastic tube we chose a sturdy paper tube with a surprise reveal. In place of plastic bags, we chose a paper pillow box.
The biggest shift and perhaps the most useful was the move to a multipurpose box, which eliminates the need for two separate types of packaging for loose caramels and tubes (bonus: it also holds 14 pillow boxes!).
Design-wise, I simplified the logo to a very clean, timeless type treatment with a secondary icon stamp. The circular shape resembles the caramels themselves, which have a handmade appearance.
Hand-drawn patterns were incorporated into the packaging to bring a sense of playfulness; subtle colors were chosen to complement the personality of the flavor.
The new branding has been incredibly well-received at trade shows and on shelf. Luxury retailer Barney’s New York carries several items, and other national brands have expressed interest as well.
