Designing a culturally informed brand experience for Damn!, a ready to drink cocktail created for a live client through New Genre Design Studio in London. The goal was to develop a vibrant visual identity, packaging system and advertising direction that would stand out in the Nigerian beverage market while remaining culturally respectful and commercially viable. The primary user interaction focused on shelf discovery and brand perception. The design aimed to capture attention quickly, communicate flavour and personality, and create an emotional connection with young Nigerian consumers seeking a fun and expressive drink experience.
Sector:
Graphic Design
Industry:
Food & Beverage
Duration:
6 weeks
My Contributions
End to end UX thinking and visual design contributions within a collaborative team environment, including:
UX and cultural research
Competitor and market analysis
Pattern design and illustration
Packaging design exploration
Brand identity development
Advertising and social media visuals
Photo editing and mockup creation
User persona and journey mapping
Collaboration with live client feedback
Tools used included Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Adobe Dimension.
The Design Process
After defining the brief with New Genre Design Studio, the team explored how Nigerian youth culture, colour and language could inform a bold but authentic brand direction. Research focused on understanding local visual trends, cultural symbolism and the importance of shelf presence in a highly competitive drinks market.
User journeys were developed to understand how a consumer might discover and choose a new beverage after work. Low fidelity explorations focused on layout, pattern density and brand hierarchy. As the project progressed, feedback from the client encouraged a simplified typographic approach to balance the intensity of the patterned packaging.
High fidelity outcomes combined vibrant Ankara inspired visuals with clearer typography to maintain usability while preserving cultural energy.
Design System
A cohesive visual system was developed to ensure consistency across packaging, social media and advertising outputs. Establishing visual rules early allowed the brand to remain recognisable across multiple touchpoints.
The system included structured guidelines for pattern application, typography hierarchy, colour balance and layout composition. This helped maintain clarity while allowing the brand to feel expressive and energetic.
Typography System
Heading Hierarchy
Typography was refined to avoid visual overload alongside bold patterns. A simpler font choice helped maintain legibility and ensured the product name remained clear at a distance.
Body Text
Supporting text styles were designed to communicate flavour and messaging without competing with the vibrant background visuals. Hierarchy focused on quick readability in retail environments.
Brand Text and Labelling
Text placement was considered carefully to align with packaging usability, ensuring important information such as flavour and branding remained easy to scan on crowded shelves.
Colour Palette
The colour palette drew inspiration from Nigerian cultural vibrancy and the symbolism of the national flag. Bold greens and energetic tones supported a lively brand presence while reinforcing authenticity and connection to place.
Colour decisions were guided by competitor analysis, ensuring the packaging felt distinct from brands such as Orijin, Arizona and Tomi while still resonating within the existing visual landscape.
Conclusion
The final outcome is a bold, culturally grounded brand concept that blends UX thinking with graphic design and packaging strategy. Through vibrant pattern design, simplified typography and user focused storytelling, Damn! positions itself as a fun and expressive cocktail that captures attention both on the shelf and across digital campaigns.
