Branding Version 3.0 - Ten Design Elements on P.S. Flavor!'s New Label System

In a non-specific, relative sense... I wrote an article for my namesake website curtislawyer.com not too long ago entitled "Starting In the Middle". The article outlined some of the designs that were created for a delicious spice blend product and amazing company... P.S. Flavor!™ Spice Blends by Pam Smith. The VP and Brand Manager of P.S. Flavor!™, Nicole Ramsland and I set out to not only create a brand new label system, but also do a bit of rebranding in the process. If you would like to take a quick look at my previous article (and some of the designs that led up to the final production label), click here!

After 24 sometimes major and also very minor sample variations... we have created an amazing label system and branding base that has miles and miles of practicality and growth built into it!

Before getting back to my photography project with the product... I wanted to dedicate a page to... and outline... the various part of P.S. Flavor!™'s new label.

10. The Logo — There is a new overall branding concept in the works here, although I don't really want to say too much about "the look". I don't think it's really been rolled out across enough media to be a "thing" just yet, but I'm hoping that I get to continue working on the concept with P.S. Flavor! in the coming months. Talking specifically about the logo on the label… it has received a gorgeous red metallic sheen on just about every package design label, from the premium bottles all the way over to the free sample handout packets! We have also embedded a sub header of sorts... which on product labels... is currently being used as a "blend group name" identifier.

9. The Spice Blend Name — The name of each blend has been knocked out of a solid color using a two weight font system, that just looks great everywhere. Stacked on two lines or one, the blend name is really the first place your eye goes to on the label.


It's hard to talk about the blend name, without talking about the color system… but those perfectly brilliant colors should be the subject of their own article!

8. The Seal/Stamp — is a brand new element for the PS Flavor product labeling system! On all of the labels, it gets a metallic color treatment, sometimes bright if it's a feature element and sometimes more subdued if it's more of a background art element. The seal is a callout to the fact that the brand began in 2013 and that the product is handcrafted and made in the US.

7.& 6. Feature Words and Heat Index — These kind of happen together and in a couple of different places. The heat index is a new device for the P.S. Flavor! label system… and one that's pretty important. When you have the word "spice" on anything, flavor profile and heat-level seem to be the first two things that consumers are curious about.

Where we have space, a long horizontal bar is used with a little pepper icon and the words mild or medium (currently, the only two heat levels) inside a "heat level arrow". When space is at a premium... very small vertical/square arrow is used in more of an "icon" format.

Feature words (and really... benefit words) are set in two locations on the premium bottle, just above the heat index and knocked out of the blend color bar, and also in our premium black band, which is a little more like a design element. The black band is one of my favorite design elements because it's encased by two thin silver lines. It's a super classy element that really pops on each label.

5. Recipe Action — Where there's space... a call out to the website has been set in some "brand theme" fonts… connecting the spice blend label… with some of the most delicious restaurant-grade recipes on the internet using the P.S. Flavor! blends.

4. Use By and Batch Box — The freshness of spices and blends is something you might not think is very important if you were to just look at how tiny those markings are on some big brand spice products. In so many ways… I think you really need to try any of the P.S Flavor! products in order to realize just how much better a small batch, handcrafted and fresh spice blend product can be on your food. It makes a tremendous difference... and the hand-dated and batch number system on the P.S. Flavor! product labels highlights that fact.

3. The Ingredient List — Is necessary! If the spice blend product you are using does not list all of the ingredients, and instead says "and other spices" … be suspicious… be very, very suspicious. Each and every ingredient that is USDA Certified Organic is clearly marked with an asterisk on the P.S. Flavor ingredient list.


2. Description — There is so much information packed into the words on the right side of each P.S. Flavor! bottle. Even though the blend names themselves are extremely descriptive… the side paragraph tells you everything you need to know about the delicious & nutritious product inside the bottle. I'm so happy we got to include a personal, hand drawn "Smily Pam" signature at the bottom of each description that helps consumers know that this is a product made with great care and happiness.

1. Great On Icons — Love these icons and this area. Picking up the primary color of the blend, the Great On icons let consumers know quickly what the blend is designed to taste great on. Of course… experimentation on everything is the best way to really get to know the character of any spice blend product, but our Great On icons offer a clear starting point for your P.S. Flavor! Spice Blend journey!

I am so happy with the entire project, process, product and the end results! P.S. Flavor! is a top-notch, class-act company from start to finish, and I feel simply blessed to have been a part of their rebranding version 3.0 story… a story which I hope is not finished, as there are so many more amazing things in the works at P.S. Flavor!

I am also very happy to have these new, great looking bottles and labels to continue (eventually ... in non-specific, relative terms)... with my Nine Ways to Flavor photography project! The bottles, packets and jars look stunning dressed in their new labels… and quite a bit of the "on white" product photography that has been kicking off the "Way One" of my nine part project, will actually be used in P.S. Flavor!'s ongoing marketing and sales efforts.

Here's a quick look at one of the bottle labels, from each of the three product groups. They are 5x2.5's that wrap around the bottle, with an 0.15" gap space at the back of the bottle.