Braising Sauce
Before
Braising sauces have been one of the top-selling savory food items at Williams Sonoma for years. When I first started on the packaging team there in 2014, the sauces were very recently redesigned. Sales plummeted. I was tasked with the job of reinventing the collection to help sales and the overall presentation. Take a look at the images below and the progression from the original design, the previous redesign, and my reinvention. A seamless blend of new and old to create something timeless. Now, almost 10 years later, the same design has stood the test of time and is still one of the most popular classic sauces. I also created a document with all of the labels up on one document so that when a new sauce launches, the designer knows what colors and illustrations already exist.
2012
The script typeface and the overall design give off an outdated vibe. Additionally, the product name seems somewhat hidden on the right.
2014
This redesign went to extremes by eliminating the illustration and adopting an all-black aesthetic. Additionally, there is an excessive amount of type crowded in a center alignment on the packaging.
After
2016
I combined elements of both the old and the new, achieving a more streamlined typographic hierarchy. By harmonizing a serif typeface with a sans-serif one, I crafted a label that offers visual clarity and allows the eye to effortlessly transition from flavor to product to description. The solid block of color rests at the bottom of the label rather than clogging the top, drawing the eye downward. Compare this to the last two designs where the eye may feel overwhelmed, uncertain of where to focus. This design feels premium, is straightforward, and clear – an area where I truly excel!
