“A library of tea”: Playful design gives tea packs enhanced shelf-appeal, quite literally

18 Apr 2019 --- New lifestyle tea brand OFFBLAK has launched in the UK with packaging designed by London-based agency & SMITH. Looking to “redefine the tea category,” OFFBLAK targets Gen Z and Millennials and encourages the consumer to “drink tea like everybody’s watching.” The design playfully packages the tea in a way that makes it tempting to stack it on a shelf, like books.

To “break the rules of tea,” OFFBLAK’s packaging needed to be bold and stand at the intersection of quality and must-have appeal, the design agency notes.

& SMITH delivered a playful look and feel through a collaboration with illustrator Thomas Hedger, using bright colors and fun illustrations that reference each category’s mood and affect. Each sub-range owns a specific style, such as a circular graphic or figure in different poses, with each flavor profile depicted by a new illustration. 

Each slimline box, specifically designed to fit through a letterbox for a convenient and smooth delivery, features the range information on the spine. Once lined up, the full collection becomes “a library of tea that feels happier on Instagram and shelf than in the cupboard.”

Stepping away from existing category design codes, & SMITH introduced a fresh color palette and range architecture that differentiates between the four core categories: Fully Charged, Chill Out, Glow and Caff Free.

Each of these four categories reflects the touted benefits of the tea, aiding selection of the right flavor for the right need – whether it’s a detoxing tea or a refreshing flavor. On the back, each pack incorporates further information on the caffeine level and flavors, with details of what the tea feels like, for example, “Finishing a yoga session.”

“We looked at tea as we know it, how it is delivered – both visually and physically. We’ve given OFFBLAK the illustrative freedom that craft beer and coffee sectors have owned until now, with the flexibility to grow and develop the range with a truly ownable identity. OFFBLAK has an exciting attitude towards tea with an eye fixed on changing perceptions and standing out from the crowd. That’s right where we like to be,” says Dan Bernstein, Creative Partner at & SMITH.