shelf break
Gourmet Tinned Seafood
SCOPE: full BRAND
INDUSTRY: Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Health Food, Snack Food
ENNEAPLAN®: achiever
Challenge
Brand a globally curated startup CPG tinned seafood company. Shelf Break needed a comprehensive brand identity that would appeal to both health-conscious consumers and seafood aficionados, while standing out on both digital and physical retail shelves. The challenge was to create packaging that communicated the high-end, gourmet nature of the product, which featured globally sourced, premium seafood preserved with high-quality ingredients, such as wild caught fish, extra virgin olive oil and kelp chili crisp.
Services
WaterKress Creative developed a unique brand for Shelf Break in the growing tinned seafood (conservas) market, targeting health-conscious consumers and fitness enthusiasts who want high-quality, shelf-stable food that doesn’t require cooking. To stand out, WaterKress conducted a competitor analysis, examining seafood packaging at high-end retailers. Realizing that most competitor packaging had already monopolized common colors, WaterKress and Shelf Break chose a bold purple as the brand’s signature color complemented by a bright contrasting color palette, textures inspired by Japanese ink prints and commissioned custom watercolor paintings of fish species. The project included a comprehensive style guide, covering brand strategy, brand voice, colors, typefaces, and packaging for herring, mackerel, and salmon.
Results
Although the product’s launch is still a few months away, Shelf Break’s founder is thrilled with the brand’s outcome. The bold, distinctive design has successfully positioned the brand for future success in a competitive market. The branding elements function cohesively across various touchpoints, from digital platforms like Amazon to physical retail shelves, giving the entrepreneur confidence that the product will make a strong impact upon release.
Achiever Enneaplan®
As an Achiever brand, Shelf Break helps customers reach their goals—whether it's feeling good or being the tastemaker among friends with high-quality, sustainable seafood. Shelf Break offers a delicious, nutritious pause in your day, inspired by the rich fishing grounds of the continental shelf. Our curated global collection of shelf-stable seafood is packed with Omega-3s and micronutrients, perfect for health-conscious individuals. Safe for the planet and the body, Shelf Break delivers excellence with every bite."
Full BRAND PLATFORM & VOICE
EnneaPlan® type
Strategy
Customer Personas
Audience Insights
Position
Keywords
FULL BRAND IDENTITY
Logo
Palette
Typefaces
Textures
Photography library
Brand Book (20 page)
BRAND COLLATERAL
6 Product Packaging Design: 3 cartons, 2 cans
Branded Merchandise
Special thanks goes to Amy Kress Youssef for her brilliant brand design, packaging design, and overall emotional support as we literally created the look and feel out of nothing but an idea and some enthusiasm. Amy is a wizard designer and brand strategist - couldn't have done it without her help!
—Sam Wiley, Founder and CEO, Shelf Break