2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
Background
Stonecloud is a local brewery in Oklahoma City known for its bold, eye-catching beer labels—something I admired growing up nearby. During my senior year of college, the brewery partnered with our program and challenged us to design a label for an unreleased beer. The winning design would be featured on the final product. As someone who had always dreamed of designing for a brewery, I was determined to stand out—competing against 32 students and several professors for the opportunity.
Core Problem
From the start, I knew my design had to stand out—especially with so many talented illustrators in the mix. The challenge was designing for a Double IPA, a bold, hop-forward beer known for its strong, bitter flavor. It’s not something you chug—it’s meant to be sipped and appreciated. I wanted my design to reflect that experience: something that invites a closer look, just like the beer itself.
The Approach
My approach was a bit unconventional, but I believed it could make a strong impact. I designed the label as a playful, illustrated city—inviting the drinker to explore the scene and search for a hidden character while they sipped. Inspired by a “Where’s Waldo” style, the goal was to create a visual experience that unfolded over time. Before moving forward, I validated the concept with a social media survey to confirm that most people drink IPAs slowly—giving them time to enjoy the interactive design.
Steps Taken
I began by running a short social media survey to gather qualitative insights on how and why people drink beer—helping to inform the experience I wanted to create.
Next, I entered the exploration phase, sketching early concepts and developing characters for a fictional “Stonecloud City.” I carefully placed a hidden character—my version of “Waldo”—to create an interactive element.
Before finalizing, I printed the label on basic sticker paper to simulate the material used by the brewery. My goal was to keep production cost-efficient while still delivering a thoughtful, engaging design.
Key Insights
Gained hands-on experience designing a label for a local brewery.
Conducted my first user survey to gather qualitative insights that directly informed the design.
Results and Impact
After all the research and design work, my label was selected as the winning design and featured on the final beer. It was a proud moment early in my career—proof that trusting my instincts and pushing through uncertainty could lead to real results. The best part? The beer, Where’s Vic, was later served as the groom’s drink at my wedding—a full-circle moment I’ll never forget.
2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
Background
Stonecloud is a local brewery in Oklahoma City known for its bold, eye-catching beer labels—something I admired growing up nearby. During my senior year of college, the brewery partnered with our program and challenged us to design a label for an unreleased beer. The winning design would be featured on the final product. As someone who had always dreamed of designing for a brewery, I was determined to stand out—competing against 32 students and several professors for the opportunity.
Core Problem
From the start, I knew my design had to stand out—especially with so many talented illustrators in the mix. The challenge was designing for a Double IPA, a bold, hop-forward beer known for its strong, bitter flavor. It’s not something you chug—it’s meant to be sipped and appreciated. I wanted my design to reflect that experience: something that invites a closer look, just like the beer itself.
The Approach
My approach was a bit unconventional, but I believed it could make a strong impact. I designed the label as a playful, illustrated city—inviting the drinker to explore the scene and search for a hidden character while they sipped. Inspired by a “Where’s Waldo” style, the goal was to create a visual experience that unfolded over time. Before moving forward, I validated the concept with a social media survey to confirm that most people drink IPAs slowly—giving them time to enjoy the interactive design.
Steps Taken
I began by running a short social media survey to gather qualitative insights on how and why people drink beer—helping to inform the experience I wanted to create.
Next, I entered the exploration phase, sketching early concepts and developing characters for a fictional “Stonecloud City.” I carefully placed a hidden character—my version of “Waldo”—to create an interactive element.
Before finalizing, I printed the label on basic sticker paper to simulate the material used by the brewery. My goal was to keep production cost-efficient while still delivering a thoughtful, engaging design.
Key Insights
Gained hands-on experience designing a label for a local brewery.
Conducted my first user survey to gather qualitative insights that directly informed the design.
Results and Impact
After all the research and design work, my label was selected as the winning design and featured on the final beer. It was a proud moment early in my career—proof that trusting my instincts and pushing through uncertainty could lead to real results. The best part? The beer, Where’s Vic, was later served as the groom’s drink at my wedding—a full-circle moment I’ll never forget.
2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
2022 - 2023
Stonecloud Brewery
Bringing an Interactive Experience to Canned Beer
Background
Stonecloud is a local brewery in Oklahoma City known for its bold, eye-catching beer labels—something I admired growing up nearby. During my senior year of college, the brewery partnered with our program and challenged us to design a label for an unreleased beer. The winning design would be featured on the final product. As someone who had always dreamed of designing for a brewery, I was determined to stand out—competing against 32 students and several professors for the opportunity.
Core Problem
From the start, I knew my design had to stand out—especially with so many talented illustrators in the mix. The challenge was designing for a Double IPA, a bold, hop-forward beer known for its strong, bitter flavor. It’s not something you chug—it’s meant to be sipped and appreciated. I wanted my design to reflect that experience: something that invites a closer look, just like the beer itself.
The Approach
My approach was a bit unconventional, but I believed it could make a strong impact. I designed the label as a playful, illustrated city—inviting the drinker to explore the scene and search for a hidden character while they sipped. Inspired by a “Where’s Waldo” style, the goal was to create a visual experience that unfolded over time. Before moving forward, I validated the concept with a social media survey to confirm that most people drink IPAs slowly—giving them time to enjoy the interactive design.
Steps Taken
I began by running a short social media survey to gather qualitative insights on how and why people drink beer—helping to inform the experience I wanted to create.
Next, I entered the exploration phase, sketching early concepts and developing characters for a fictional “Stonecloud City.” I carefully placed a hidden character—my version of “Waldo”—to create an interactive element.
Before finalizing, I printed the label on basic sticker paper to simulate the material used by the brewery. My goal was to keep production cost-efficient while still delivering a thoughtful, engaging design.
Key Insights
Gained hands-on experience designing a label for a local brewery.
Conducted my first user survey to gather qualitative insights that directly informed the design.
Results and Impact
After all the research and design work, my label was selected as the winning design and featured on the final beer. It was a proud moment early in my career—proof that trusting my instincts and pushing through uncertainty could lead to real results. The best part? The beer, Where’s Vic, was later served as the groom’s drink at my wedding—a full-circle moment I’ll never forget.