Art Direction, Branding, Creative Guidelines, Can and Box Design
Brand Photography, Food Staging & Lifestyle Photography
As Art Director for Phocus, I helped reposition the brand from a typical energy drink to a functional sparkling water focused on mental clarity and balance. After completing the initial branding, I led the creative shift in brand image to target health-conscious consumers seeking an alternative to other energy drinks. Messaging centered on feeling uplifted without the crash, promoting enjoyment over performance.
As Art Director for Phocus, I helped reposition the brand from a typical energy drink to a functional sparkling water focused on mental clarity and balance. After completing the initial branding, I led the creative shift in brand image to target health-conscious consumers seeking an alternative to other energy drinks. Messaging centered on feeling uplifted without the crash, promoting enjoyment over performance.
Art Direction, Branding, Creative Guidelines, Can and Box Design.
Brand Photography, Food Staging & Lifestyle Photography
The strategy behind the lifestyle photography for Phocus was to visually represent the core attributes of its primary audience: the “Balance Seeker.” These images were designed to reflect moments of clarity, connection, and everyday wellness, aligning with the brand’s positioning of Energy + Focus = Wellness. By featuring diverse, joyful individuals in relaxed, outdoor settings, the photography supports key persona traits like being growth-oriented, present, and thoughtful. The natural lighting, casual styling, and real-life scenarios were intentional choices to make the brand feel approachable, aspirational, and aligned with the values of introspection, mindfulness, and personal fulfillment.
The lifestyle photography for this audience segment was crafted to embody the traits of the “Perfection Chaser” persona, a driven, focused, and goal-oriented individual. The visuals capture high-performance individuals in moments of ambition and self-discipline, such as post-workout recovery, active sports, studying, and reflection. This supports the brand’s positioning of Energy + Focus = Performance, visually reinforcing values like determination, forward momentum, and achievement. Clean, bright compositions and athletic or aspirational environments help associate Phocus with progress, productivity, and success, making it a compelling choice for consumers who equate wellness with measurable performance.
When developing point-of-sale (POS) materials for Phocus, the strategy was to clearly communicate its unique value proposition as a functional sparkling water, not an energy drink. By emphasizing the psychoactive benefits of focus and mental clarity rather than traditional stimulant-based energy, the POS messaging aimed to attract health-conscious consumers seeking balance and mental sharpness without the crash. Visuals and copy focused on flavor and lifestyle cues: a different kind of energy to differentiate Phocus from more aggressive, performance-driven brands.
The POS materials included a large branded cooler for retailers and a smaller, portable cooler for brand activations. I also created printed materials for billboards, pop-ups, and event displays to extend brand visibility, reinforce Phocus’s positioning, and target our launch focus groups.
As a creative I’m always excited about unique ideas and projects. If you have something in mind let’s connect and get it done!