Delta 88 Case Study
THE CHALLENGE
A small business in Austin approached me to brand their start-up company. They asked for a complete company brand identity and strategy which includes: logo, business cards, letterheads, various packaging solutions, branded slideshow presentations, vending machine wrap, email marketing campaign design, social media templates, print marketing assets (banners, flags, brochures, fliers, stickers, window decals, etc), merchandise, and more. The challenge was creating a brand identity that stood out from all other CBD companies, especially the growing number of CBD companies here in Austin, Texas. The goal for my clients was to attract the interest of as many people over 21 as possible to spread awareness about the positive benefits of CBD to as many people as possible. Their company goal is to make CBD accessible to all who need it and to create a modern VIP experience for all who buy their products.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The target audience is anyone 21 and up who already enjoys the benefits of CBD products or people who don’t yet know about the benefits. Their audience enjoys the finer things in life and loves to be treated like VIP members. The target audience’s income can be anywhere between 1K to over 100K. Anyone can afford these products, and anyone 21+ can reap the benefits.
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
There’s no doubt that the CBD industry has exploded quickly since hemp first became federally legal in 2018. In fact, the movement to CBD e-commerce has already begun. In the United States alone, cannabinoid (CBD) sales in the e-commerce channel are forecast to increase to more than six billion U.S. dollars by 2026. According to the study by CBD Oracle, around 51% of people who use delta-8 do so for medical purposes. Of these, the study also offers a breakdown in terms of the specific conditions they were using delta-8 to treat:
Anxiety/panic attacks: 69%
Stress: 52%
Depression or bipolar: 46%
Pain: 41%
A survey conducted by CBD Oracle surveyed people who’d heard of or used delta-8 in Texas, and the results were 57.6% men and 42.4% women. At the same time, the age range who have tried CBD is as follows: 18 to 24 years: 14.5%, 25 to 34: 31.5%, 35 to 44: 39.1%, 45 to 54: 10.9%, Over 54: 4%.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
There are an array of CBD companies out there. The ones that stood out to me were companies selling CBD products online, companies selling in Austin, Texas, and companies focused on educating the public about the positive benefits of cannabinoid products. Here are a few top competitors: Restart CBD, Mary Jae, 3 Chi, Hometown Hero, and Ocho.
Many of the competitors have similarities in how they present themselves in their branding, such as focusing on health, the color green, and focusing on the marijuana leaf symbol. There are a few companies out there that are focusing on specific demographics. For example, Hometown Hero honors and aims to serve people in the military, and Mary Jae caters to the younger portion of the target audience with its fresh, hip designs. Mary Jae primarily targets the audience that values gender and identity inclusivity. I used my competitive analysis to inform my designs to ensure we stood out from the crowd while creating that modern VIP experience that the clients wanted.
Many of the logos and company branding for CBD products needed more refinement, innovation, and general good design. Many packaging designs have readability issues, poor layouts, and poor typography choices. Some companies had some good designs (such as 3Chi and MaryJae). Still, there was a growth opportunity to create something fresh and new with a good design, logo, and branding. I saw the opportunity to stand out by simply creating excellent designs.
MOODBOARD
After an initial client intake, I was able to gather that the client wanted a modern, clean, bright, and regal look and feel. I created a few mood boards and in this one, I explored color, typography, and a modern, out-of-this-world feel.
LOGO SKETCHES
Here are the initial logo sketches I made. It took a while for us to understand and formulate the exact look and feel of their logo & brand so naturally we spent a long time in these initial stages exploring all the possibilities.
Packaging Sketches
For their packaging, they wanted 3 SKUs of Delta 8 gummy bags & jars. It was important to them that the bags would look cool and glow under black light while also maintaining elegance and a sense of regality to give that VIP experience to all their customers. We went through several rounds of sketches for these bags to find the right fit.
Logo DIGITAL DRAFTS
OPTION ONE
This logo gives off a sealed symbol look. It is a highly adaptable logo that can fit well on T-shirts, merchandise, and other brand assets. It also looks youthful and fun and would be versatile on all product packaging.
OPTION TWO
This is a clean earthy logo that leans more towards the feminine side. Instead of the overused marijuana leaf, I used the idea of the hemp bud to create this symbol-based logo. It looks organic and healthy which is great for promoting the idea of wellness.
OPTION THREE
This logo is symbol based and has a hidden easter egg with the name of the company spelled out. It would look good under black light, it looks clean, memorable, and out of this world at the same time. It is a powerful symbol that is easily recognizable.
FINAL Logo Design
The geometric shapes of this logo make it look modern, clean, and out of this world. It also has a likeness to the Fibonacci spiral or the Golden Spiral, a sacred form found in nearly all living things. It is often called “nature’s secret code.” The Sequence keeps unfolding in a never-ending pattern representing beauty and growth. This is very closely connected to the company’s goals of growth, secret codes, nature’s medicine, and beauty. This logo can be used as a bat symbol to call all CBD lovers near and far!
Final Packaging Design
TYPOGRAPHY & COLOR
Display & Logo Type: BN Grimer
Header: Voltdeco
Decorative: Bon Vivant
Body: Moderat
REFLECTION
I am very proud of all the deliverables I created for Delta 88. I am still on contract with them, so I will continue making graphic elements and building their marketing strategy to help attract more customers. I’m also refining the website I created for them and implementing digital advertisements. With this company, I’ve built out an entire company’s brand identity & strategy, brand guidelines, business plan, marketing strategy, branded slideshows & presentations, email marketing campaigns, and various packaging and print elements. There has been so much I’ve created for this company that there is no room to show here. This complete company identity branding is one of the most extensive branding projects I’ve ever done and is still a fantastic learning experience that keeps honing my skills as a communicator, a graphic designer, and a web developer.
Please visit their website here to view what they’re currently up to: www.delta88.vip