Turning Candy

into Culture:

The Branding Behind

Berry Strange’s Breakthrough

A young man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a light pink T-shirt with the word 'CREATIVE' written on it, standing outdoors against a modern building with horizontal white slats.

Client spotlight:
berry strange

Berry Strange is a whacky candy company that brings joy and excitement to candy lovers by crafting uniquely delicious bite-sized taffy with whacky fruit flavor combinations, creating an unforgettable and playful candy experience.They envision their brand becoming a cultural phenomenon that is synonymous with creativity, joy, and surprise.

A person raising their hand in front of a large screen or projector at a crowded event or concert.

the challenge

Berry Strange was facing difficulty breaking into a highly competitive candy landscape with classic candy giants. If Berry Strange could not find a way to differentiate themselves, they risk falling into the sea of noise eventually fading out of business.

HOW WE SOLVED IT

Mascot-led branding: Instead of following competitors' lead with a simple wordmark, we introduced a lively mascot supported by a cast of fun side characters.

Expressive, playful typography: We swapped "safe" sans serifs for more dynamic, warm, character-rich fonts, building immediate emotional engagement.

Bold color palette: We broke free from industry-standard reds, blues, and browns, and embraced high-contrast purples, yellows, greens, and oranges to command shelf attention.

Merchandise as memory: We designed a small line of merch to serve as take-home mementos, reinforcing brand loyalty beyond the initial purchase.

Future-proofed storytelling: By creating characters and lore, we opened the door for future expansion into animated shorts, comics, or collectible campaigns.

Diagram illustrating branding concepts for Berry Strange, including various related words such as 'Smiles,' 'Sunshine,' 'Youthful,' and 'Original,' with sections highlighting company values, branding archetypes, and creative ideas.

We crafted a full brand identity system rooted in the Creator and Explorer archetypes, using playful mascots, expressive typography, and a bold color palette to spark emotional connection and future-proof Berry Strange’s brand storytelling.

bRANDING DESIGN

We developed a strategic positioning that reframed Berry Strange as not just another candy company, but as a cultural phenomenon, empowering their team with a brand guide and one-page cheat sheet for consistent, engaging marketing execution.

BRAND STRATEGY

Pink candy bag labeled "Berry Strange" with sour strawberry flavor, featuring a lemon, cherry, and strawberry illustration and a yellow banner that says "Tear here to start your new adventure!"

PACKAGING DESIGN

To captivate shelf attention and differentiate from legacy brands, we designed vibrant, high-contrast packaging featuring whimsical characters and dynamic layouts that instantly communicated the playful spirit of Berry Strange.

Navy blue beanie hat decorated with three colorful sticker characters on a wooden surface

PRODUCTION DESIGN

We expanded the brand experience beyond the candy itself, concepting a merchandise line that turned customers into brand ambassadors and helped deepen emotional attachment through physical, collectible mementos

A diverse group of women in business attire sitting around a conference table during a meeting, with laptops, tablets, and bottled drinks visible.

THE RESULTS: BRAND IMPACT

The new brand identity sparked a real buzz among both Berry Strange’s team and its customers.

Initial feedback from staff showed more excitement and a deeper emotional connection to the brand story — a huge boost for team morale and content consistency. With a fun, easy-to-follow brand guide and a simple one-page cheat sheet, the Berry Strange marketing crew now feels confident in creating engaging, on-brand content without any hesitation.

By focusing on storytelling and building a world of characters that can grow, Berry Strange didn’t just stand out in the market — they also set the stage for future campaigns, merch lines, and even potential animated projects. Most importantly, Berry Strange is no longer at risk of blending into the background — they’ve boldly claimed their spot as the imaginative challenger brand in a crowded industry. A strong, story-driven brand isn’t just about design — it’s a smart business growth move.