Summary: Mesozoic Mixology is a canned mocktail brand made by dinosaur lovers, for dinosaur lovers. The brand is marketed more towards adults rather than children, and incorporates trivia as a central part of its brand culture.
⭐ 2026 Gold ADDY Packaging Award, AAF Orlando
⭐ 2026 Student Judge's Choice, AAF Orlando
The brand name, Mesozoic Mixology, was crafted to appeal primarily to adults. I could have called the brand “Dino Drinks,” but no one above the age of twelve would probably want to engage with a brand named that. Instead, I named the brand after the Mesozoic era, the age of reptiles. The word mixology perfectly captures the artistry and refreshing taste of the drinks.
Research and Ideation
In the sketching phase, I knew I wanted the wordmark to be bold and thick to resemble rock formations. The flower icon is based on the King Protea, a prehistoric flower with an imposing and ornate form. I used the flower for the combination mark instead of a dinosaur to create a more elegant look. However, I did explore using dinosaur illustrations for an icon mark that would be separate from the wordmark.
Brand Development
The illustrations on the cans are inspired by 19th century
scientific lithographs. I drew them with Micron pens on a large sketchpad and then converted them into vector images using Adobe Capture. This allowed them to retain their rough, hand-drawn feel and be scalable to any size.
scientific lithographs. I drew them with Micron pens on a large sketchpad and then converted them into vector images using Adobe Capture. This allowed them to retain their rough, hand-drawn feel and be scalable to any size.
Final Products
The can labels are the shining stars of Mesozoic Mixology as a brand. They are meant to be the hook that grabs the attention of consumers on store shelves and social media feeds. The detailed illustrations paired with the natural, earthy colors speak to our target audience of older dinosaur fanatics. If they decide to pick up the can, their attention is held as they read the facts about the fossils, igniting their curiosity and creating a memorable experience.
App Interface
For the brand's app icon, I made a playful illustration of a raptor balancing a chalice on its back to serve as a mascot for the app's trivia minigame.
Photo Gallery
