Sir Kensington’s
A brand refresh taking a small startup’s original spirit to new heights.
Project Type
Branding, Web Design, Content Creation
Studio
In house
Role
Lead Designer
Sir Kensington’s
A brand refresh taking a small startup’s original spirit to new heights.
Project Type
Branding, Web Design, Content Creation
Studio
In house
Role
Lead Designer
Sir Kensington’s
A brand refresh taking a small startup’s original spirit to new heights.
Project Type
Branding, Web Design, Content Creation
Studio
In house
Role
Lead Designer
Introduction
Sir Kensington’s is a premium NYC-based condiment brand that reimagines everyday staples like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Founded in 2010, their original brand leaned heavily into the lore of Sir Kensington, a mythological English gentleman of impeccable taste. Over time, the brand no longer represented the growing organization and its evolving team They became B-corp certified, expanded and diversified their products, and began leaning into the broader shift toward natural foods. It was time to reimagine the brand with a new team and new goals in a new food landscape.
Introduction
Sir Kensington’s is a premium NYC-based condiment brand that reimagines everyday staples like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Founded in 2010, their original brand leaned heavily into the lore of Sir Kensington, a mythological English gentleman of impeccable taste. Over time, the brand no longer represented the growing organization and its evolving team They became B-corp certified, expanded and diversified their products, and began leaning into the broader shift toward natural foods. It was time to reimagine the brand with a new team and new goals in a new food landscape.
Introduction
Sir Kensington’s is a premium NYC-based condiment brand that reimagines everyday staples like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Founded in 2010, their original brand leaned heavily into the lore of Sir Kensington, a mythological English gentleman of impeccable taste. Over time, the brand no longer represented the growing organization and its evolving team They became B-corp certified, expanded and diversified their products, and began leaning into the broader shift toward natural foods. It was time to reimagine the brand with a new team and new goals in a new food landscape.
Brand approach
The original brand struck a balance of integrity and charm, but needed to bring another element to the table. As a recently Certified B corp with an expanding focus on impact, the brand needed to become bolder to speak to Sir Kensington’s expanded mission, focus, and growth.
The creative solution
Integrity and charm, with courage
Brand approach
The original brand struck a balance of integrity and charm, but needed to bring another element to the table. As a recently Certified B corp with an expanding focus on impact, the brand needed to become bolder to speak to Sir Kensington’s expanded mission, focus, and growth.
The creative solution
Integrity and charm, with courage
Brand approach
The original brand struck a balance of integrity and charm, but needed to bring another element to the table. As a recently Certified B corp with an expanding focus on impact, the brand needed to become bolder to speak to Sir Kensington’s expanded mission, focus, and growth.
The creative solution
Integrity and charm, with courage
A unique and ownable logomark
One of the biggest challenges with Sir Kensington’s logo was name recognition—set in small serif type, the wordmark was not always legible and definitely not memorable. Formally, it did not work well across different mediums, necessitating multiple variations and emblems. Lastly, the wordmark did not reflect the personality of the brand as it was in 2019.
Historic inspiration
So we looked to history: the history of Sir Kensington’s, and art history with an interest in 1890s–1920s typography, as this is where the legend of Sir Kensington was born.
A memorable footprint
After iterating on logo architectures, we landed on a direction that felt unique and memorable, classic yet newly energized. This evolved into our wordmark with assistance from Jesse Ragan. We brought the logo to life through animation with assistance from Rescue Vessel.
The final logo preserves the original character of Sir Kensington with a wordmark that nods to history, while feeling warm, modern, and optimistic. Its unique footprint works across a variety of applications.
A unique and ownable logomark
One of the biggest challenges with Sir Kensington’s logo was name recognition—set in small serif type, the wordmark was not always legible and definitely not memorable. Formally, it did not work well across different mediums, necessitating multiple variations and emblems. Lastly, the wordmark did not reflect the personality of the brand as it was in 2019.
Historic inspiration
So we looked to history: the history of Sir Kensington’s, and art history with an interest in 1890s–1920s typography, as this is where the legend of Sir Kensington was born.
A memorable footprint
After iterating on logo architectures, we landed on a direction that felt unique and memorable, classic yet newly energized. This evolved into our wordmark with assistance from Jesse Ragan. We brought the logo to life through animation with assistance from Rescue Vessel.
The final logo preserves the original character of Sir Kensington with a wordmark that nods to history, while feeling warm, modern, and optimistic. Its unique footprint works across a variety of applications.
A unique and ownable logomark
One of the biggest challenges with Sir Kensington’s logo was name recognition—set in small serif type, the wordmark was not always legible and definitely not memorable. Formally, it did not work well across different mediums, necessitating multiple variations and emblems. Lastly, the wordmark did not reflect the personality of the brand as it was in 2019.
Historic inspiration
So we looked to history: the history of Sir Kensington’s, and art history with an interest in 1890s–1920s typography, as this is where the legend of Sir Kensington was born.
A memorable footprint
After iterating on logo architectures, we landed on a direction that felt unique and memorable, classic yet newly energized. This evolved into our wordmark with assistance from Jesse Ragan. We brought the logo to life through animation with assistance from Rescue Vessel.
The final logo preserves the original character of Sir Kensington with a wordmark that nods to history, while feeling warm, modern, and optimistic. Its unique footprint works across a variety of applications.
Building a visual world
The broader visual identity also needed a facelift. We looked to build the world where Sir Kensingotn’s condiments could exist, beyond the competitive landscape or everyday design inspiration. We looked to create balanced core elements of the logo, type, and palette, with the ability to flex the illustrations and photography styles for different needs.
Building a visual world
The broader visual identity also needed a facelift. We looked to build the world where Sir Kensingotn’s condiments could exist, beyond the competitive landscape or everyday design inspiration. We looked to create balanced core elements of the logo, type, and palette, with the ability to flex the illustrations and photography styles for different needs.
Building a visual world
The broader visual identity also needed a facelift. We looked to build the world where Sir Kensingotn’s condiments could exist, beyond the competitive landscape or everyday design inspiration. We looked to create balanced core elements of the logo, type, and palette, with the ability to flex the illustrations and photography styles for different needs.
Packaging Approach
As part of the rebrand, Sir Kensington’s also needed new packaging. There were several challenges we wanted to address:
Brand Recognition
The cramped, overlong wordmark impacted brand recall and readability and could not compete on shelf.
Hierarchy
The dominant product name created an unbalanced messaging hierarchy that worked harder for the category than for the brand. Additionally, many of the elements had the same scale, creating visual clutter.
Illustration
The packaging did not lead with taste—variant illustrations were marginal and did not pay off on taste or premium promise.
Color Palette
The cream-colored labels offered low contrast and differentiation within the product line, especially on products like mayonnaise, mustard, and ranch dressing.
Packaging Approach
As part of the rebrand, Sir Kensington’s also needed new packaging. There were several challenges we wanted to address:
Brand Recognition
The cramped, overlong wordmark impacted brand recall and readability and could not compete on shelf.
Hierarchy
The dominant product name created an unbalanced messaging hierarchy that worked harder for the category than for the brand. Additionally, many of the elements had the same scale, creating visual clutter.
Illustration
The packaging did not lead with taste—variant illustrations were marginal and did not pay off on taste or premium promise.
Color Palette
The cream-colored labels offered low contrast and differentiation within the product line, especially on products like mayonnaise, mustard, and ranch dressing.
Packaging Approach
As part of the rebrand, Sir Kensington’s also needed new packaging. There were several challenges we wanted to address:
Brand Recognition
The cramped, overlong wordmark impacted brand recall and readability and could not compete on shelf.
Hierarchy
The dominant product name created an unbalanced messaging hierarchy that worked harder for the category than for the brand. Additionally, many of the elements had the same scale, creating visual clutter.
Illustration
The packaging did not lead with taste—variant illustrations were marginal and did not pay off on taste or premium promise.
Color Palette
The cream-colored labels offered low contrast and differentiation within the product line, especially on products like mayonnaise, mustard, and ranch dressing.
Serving the brand versus the category
With these challenges in mind, we set out to redesign the packaging. We tested packaging concepts parallel to logo development to determine what logo architecture and footprint would work hardest for us on shelf, and use packaging as a platform to test use of color and illustration.
Brand Recognition
A bold, readable wordmark with Sir Kensington embedded, marrying our working equity with the new. We held onto the character, because many recognize our most known and loved asset even when our name isn’t.
Hierarchy
We reduced the prominence of the product name to reduce competition with the brand name and improve recall. We kept the front-of-pack info essentials only to drive clarity and confidence, reinforcing the simplicity of our ingredient panel.
Illustration
A fresh elevated use of ingredient illustrations inspires interaction and reflects the elevated taste and premium quality Sir Kensington’s is known for. We worked with illustrators to take this one step further for a new line of everything sauces, with abstracted illustrations that spoke to the ingredients, cooking process, and experience of each flavor profile.
Color Palette
A strong brand color offers a high contrast, premium feel and a brand-blocking effect across SKUs and categories.
Serving the brand versus the category
With these challenges in mind, we set out to redesign the packaging. We tested packaging concepts parallel to logo development to determine what logo architecture and footprint would work hardest for us on shelf, and use packaging as a platform to test use of color and illustration.
Brand Recognition
A bold, readable wordmark with Sir Kensington embedded, marrying our working equity with the new. We held onto the character, because many recognize our most known and loved asset even when our name isn’t.
Hierarchy
We reduced the prominence of the product name to reduce competition with the brand name and improve recall. We kept the front-of-pack info essentials only to drive clarity and confidence, reinforcing the simplicity of our ingredient panel.
Illustration
A fresh elevated use of ingredient illustrations inspires interaction and reflects the elevated taste and premium quality Sir Kensington’s is known for. We worked with illustrators to take this one step further for a new line of everything sauces, with abstracted illustrations that spoke to the ingredients, cooking process, and experience of each flavor profile.
Color Palette
A strong brand color offers a high contrast, premium feel and a brand-blocking effect across SKUs and categories.
Serving the brand versus the category
With these challenges in mind, we set out to redesign the packaging. We tested packaging concepts parallel to logo development to determine what logo architecture and footprint would work hardest for us on shelf, and use packaging as a platform to test use of color and illustration.
Brand Recognition
A bold, readable wordmark with Sir Kensington embedded, marrying our working equity with the new. We held onto the character, because many recognize our most known and loved asset even when our name isn’t.
Hierarchy
We reduced the prominence of the product name to reduce competition with the brand name and improve recall. We kept the front-of-pack info essentials only to drive clarity and confidence, reinforcing the simplicity of our ingredient panel.
Illustration
A fresh elevated use of ingredient illustrations inspires interaction and reflects the elevated taste and premium quality Sir Kensington’s is known for. We worked with illustrators to take this one step further for a new line of everything sauces, with abstracted illustrations that spoke to the ingredients, cooking process, and experience of each flavor profile.
Color Palette
A strong brand color offers a high contrast, premium feel and a brand-blocking effect across SKUs and categories.
Designing engaging social content
We partnered with a variety of illustrators, photographers, and designers to create unique and engaging social content. This included: photoshoots with Chelsie Craig to highlight a new line of everything sauces, illustrations by Julie McLaughlin to visualize new recipes, and animated photography with Hargreaves + Levin for seasonal campaigns. We let the brand flex, allowing artists to imbue each project with their own mark, while still upholding the core brand values of warm, witty, clear, intelligent, bold, and quirky.
Designing engaging social content
We partnered with a variety of illustrators, photographers, and designers to create unique and engaging social content. This included: photoshoots with Chelsie Craig to highlight a new line of everything sauces, illustrations by Julie McLaughlin to visualize new recipes, and animated photography with Hargreaves + Levin for seasonal campaigns. We let the brand flex, allowing artists to imbue each project with their own mark, while still upholding the core brand values of warm, witty, clear, intelligent, bold, and quirky.
Designing engaging social content
We partnered with a variety of illustrators, photographers, and designers to create unique and engaging social content. This included: photoshoots with Chelsie Craig to highlight a new line of everything sauces, illustrations by Julie McLaughlin to visualize new recipes, and animated photography with Hargreaves + Levin for seasonal campaigns. We let the brand flex, allowing artists to imbue each project with their own mark, while still upholding the core brand values of warm, witty, clear, intelligent, bold, and quirky.
Getting the message out locally
As a NYC-founded and based brand, we seized the opportunity to do a last-minute local media buy to promote Sir Kensington’s in the Union Square subway station and locations throughout NYC. Over a period of ten days, we conceived, shot, designed, edited, and produced a set of out of home assets to reach folks across New York City. Both the constraints of time and being in the middle of the rebrand process forced us to deliver work that was dead simple, but ultimately to our benefit, netting an increase of unaided brand awareness from 12% to 40% in NYC.
Getting the message out locally
As a NYC-founded and based brand, we seized the opportunity to do a last-minute local media buy to promote Sir Kensington’s in the Union Square subway station and locations throughout NYC. Over a period of ten days, we conceived, shot, designed, edited, and produced a set of out of home assets to reach folks across New York City. Both the constraints of time and being in the middle of the rebrand process forced us to deliver work that was dead simple, but ultimately to our benefit, netting an increase of unaided brand awareness from 12% to 40% in NYC.
Getting the message out locally
As a NYC-founded and based brand, we seized the opportunity to do a last-minute local media buy to promote Sir Kensington’s in the Union Square subway station and locations throughout NYC. Over a period of ten days, we conceived, shot, designed, edited, and produced a set of out of home assets to reach folks across New York City. Both the constraints of time and being in the middle of the rebrand process forced us to deliver work that was dead simple, but ultimately to our benefit, netting an increase of unaided brand awareness from 12% to 40% in NYC.
Telling authentic impact stories
The rebrand was also catalyzed in part by a recent B Corp certification and creation of an impact partnership program within the organization. To drive this home, we wanted to clearly tell the story of Sir Kensington’s values, ingredients, and sourcing strategy. We worked with photographer Lucy Hewett on a supplier visit to Iowa to document educational resources about the value and impact of Certified Humane eggs.
Telling authentic impact stories
The rebrand was also catalyzed in part by a recent B Corp certification and creation of an impact partnership program within the organization. To drive this home, we wanted to clearly tell the story of Sir Kensington’s values, ingredients, and sourcing strategy. We worked with photographer Lucy Hewett on a supplier visit to Iowa to document educational resources about the value and impact of Certified Humane eggs.
Telling authentic impact stories
The rebrand was also catalyzed in part by a recent B Corp certification and creation of an impact partnership program within the organization. To drive this home, we wanted to clearly tell the story of Sir Kensington’s values, ingredients, and sourcing strategy. We worked with photographer Lucy Hewett on a supplier visit to Iowa to document educational resources about the value and impact of Certified Humane eggs.
Outcomes
From 1% to 6%
Recognition in brand awareness post rebrand in the United States
300% increase
In branded digital content across platforms over one year
From 12 to 40%
Recognition in unaided brand awareness in New York City following OOH-campaign
4× increase
In label artwork production efficiency from product development to print
Credits
Project Team
Kimiyo Nakatsui, Creative Director
Ursula Prinz, Photographer
Sharon Taylor, Design Director
Partners
Chelsie Craig, Hargreaves + Levin, Beena Mistry, Deb Lee, El Boum, Julie McLaughlin, Marisol Ortega, Jesse Ragan, Starting Now, Rescue Vessel
Typefaces
Mission Gothic, Trevor Baum
Silva, Blackletra Type Foundry
Outcomes
From 1% to 6%
Recognition in brand awareness post rebrand in the United States
300% increase
In branded digital content across platforms over one year
From 12 to 40%
Recognition in unaided brand awareness in New York City following OOH-campaign
4× increase
In label artwork production efficiency from product development to print
Credits
Project Team
Kimiyo Nakatsui, Creative Director
Ursula Prinz, Photographer
Sharon Taylor, Design Director
Partners
Chelsie Craig, Hargreaves + Levin, Beena Mistry, Deb Lee, El Boum, Julie McLaughlin, Marisol Ortega, Jesse Ragan, Starting Now, Rescue Vessel
Typefaces
Mission Gothic, Trevor Baum
Silva, Blackletra Type Foundry
Outcomes
From 1% to 6%
Recognition in brand awareness post rebrand in the United States
300% increase
In branded digital content across platforms over one year
From 12 to 40%
Recognition in unaided brand awareness in New York City following OOH-campaign
4× increase
In label artwork production efficiency from product development to print
Credits
Project Team
Kimiyo Nakatsui, Creative Director
Ursula Prinz, Photographer
Sharon Taylor, Design Director
Partners
Chelsie Craig, Hargreaves + Levin, Beena Mistry, Deb Lee, El Boum, Julie McLaughlin, Marisol Ortega, Jesse Ragan, Starting Now, Rescue Vessel
Typefaces
Mission Gothic, Trevor Baum
Silva, Blackletra Type Foundry