Background

Healthy Bear Cookware has been providing dependable cookware for families since 2000. Based out of Vancouver, Canada, they reliably ship pans, woks, ceramic pots and small cooking appliances to families across North America.

My Project

I rebranded Healthy Bear Cookware and designed the online store HealthyBear.com. My goal was to refresh their brand image for a more modern look and to engage new international direct-to-consumer customers.

Project Type

Rebranding

Duration

4 Months

Role

Brand Designer,

Web Designer

Tools

Figma, Illustrator, Shopify

Branding, Packaging Design and Web Design

01 / Logo Redesign

Redesign Process

Final Icon and Logo Mark

1. Analyzing the Original Logo

Upon analyzing Healthy Bear's original logo, I knew I wanted to change the typography for legibility and update the bear icon for a more modern look.

2. Brand Perception: Typography

While conducting research on competitors, I learned that many cookware brands use bold typefaces. For Healthy Bear, I landed on Cunia Bold as a primary font for its stand-out look and unique character.

3. Experimenting with Illustration

I created many iterations of the bear icon for client feedback. Illustrating faces that convey emotion can be changing as one stylistic change can impact overall brand perception. I aimed to convey friendliness and trustworthiness for the family-oriented brand.

4. Integrating Uniqueness: Combination Mark

I saw a creative opportunity to create a combination mark with the bear icon and word mark by using the

head of the bear as the "A" in "Healthy Bear". The white snout on the bear to mimics the arc of an "A" shape.

02 / Packaging Design

Packaging Design Process

Establishing a new logo meant completely rebranding packaging design as well. Here I bring you through my process for designing the commercial-ready box for Healthy Bear's Portable Air Fry Convection Oven.

1. Research and Design

My design references included kitchen appliances brands like Breville and Cuisinart. Upon conducting my research, I decided I wanted to boldly showcase the diverse array of dishes that users can make with Healthy Bear's Portable Air Fry Convection Oven. I did so by dedicating a whole side of the box to the food that they could fry, bake, roast and grill with the product.

2. Physical Prototypes

After mocking up packaging designs on Adobe Illustrator, I printed out my work to create 3D prototypes. This was important in ensuring accurate placement of all necessary product information and gaining a clearer perspective on how the box would catch a customer's eye on a shelf.

3. Product Testing and Finalization

After working on many design iterations in Adobe Illustrator, my teammate Flora Zhou and I conducted comparative testing on the final package designs to ensure accuracy, relevance to our target market as a family product-oriented, and differentiation from other kitchen appliance manufacturers. We gathered feedback from key stakeholders and potential customers, and I created many prototypes before the official design was finalized.

04 / Reflection

Learnings

Physical 3D Prototypes
This was my first time designing packaging at such a large scale for a commercial product. I found it super helpful to have a physical 3D model to reflect on my work as I was designing. It was easier to catch mistakes and visualize the final product.

Old and New: Striking a Balance

As I was requested to not stray far from Healthy Bear's original bear icon, I practiced integrating original design elements with new ideas of my own. I learned how valuable client feedback is for striking a sufficient balance between old and new, and from this experience I am better prepared for future rebranding projects.

Impact

My designs have been since 100% shipped and Healthy Bear is set to begin more direct-to-consumer engagement to serve customers worldwide. My rebranding work has been fully implemented and my packaging designs for Healthy Bear products are available for sale.

03 / Web Design

Web Design and Online Store Setup

A pivotal portion of Healthy Bear's rebrand included setting up a new online store. By designing the new online store, I helped make it possible for Healthy Bear to break into direct-to-consumer sales internationally. HealthyBear.com is now live.