Can you provide some background on VYBES. What went into creating the first beverage formulation and what space in the market needed addressing?
Seven years ago I lost my tech startup to a lawsuit, leaving me in one of the worst mental spaces I had ever been. For the first time in my life, I had to confront my mental health because I was in a pretty bad place. Around this time, a close friend introduced me to CBD oil. This was 2016 before anyone had heard of CBD, but I was pretty desperate and willing to try almost anything.
CBD worked. Within days, I was starting to feel less anxious, and was able to focus better. I became obsessed with CBD, learning everything that I could.
That led me to the conclusion that CBD could help others if in a format that was more acceptable, so I started thinking about what that could look like, and I kept coming back to beverage. Six month later, VYBES was born and Peach Ginger & Blueberry Mint flavors started hitting stores in Los Angeles.
VYBES was never just a beverage, it was and is supposed to be a lifestyle brand for mental health. I tried to incorporate design, taste, and science into the product, hoping that people would find it, understand it & want it.
The branding and art direction of VYBES is spot on. Talk to me a bit about the creative choices behind the branding of the product and company.
A friend in the design world introduced me to a very talented packaging designer named Steve Reinmuth of Some Days. Steve brought my vision to life.
It was a big design challenge. We were creating a brand in a new beverage category that didn't exist. VYBES was the first CBD beverage to come out. How do you communicate to someone what something is in a split second when they're in a store? Design played a big part of it.
Beverage packaging uses imagery, colors and big fonts to yell at you and get your attention. We went the opposite direction - Steve designed a label that was subtle and minimal. The VYBES logo on the front of the label is small, has a ton of empty space around it, and uses color and copy to communicate what we are. A design like this was the antithesis of everything else on the shelf.
The design has to communicate:
- Premium / Quality
- Healthy
- Holistic / Medicinal
- Trust
The entire aesthetic of VYBES originated from this idea of how to communicate "Los Angeles" as the epicenter of health and wellness, while introducing a visual aesthetic that felt timeless and approachable. Steve was influenced by Ed Ruscha, a photographer who came to popularity in the 1970's. I can see Ed's influence across our brand.
