Hyphae is a line of premium non-alcoholic nightlife beverages that harness the invigorating power of functional mushrooms in combination with nootropics and adaptogens.
Collaborators: Wes Rivell, Bart Haney, Yuko Kanai
My Roles:
• Product Design & Strategy
• Digital Experience Design
• Brand Design & Art Direction
• Concept Development
• Market Research
Challenge
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence in 2019, 52% of adults in the United States are either trying now or have tried before to reduce their alcohol intake. However, many social activities are centered around alcohol because it can provide a lot of delightful things for us, but in crude and unhealthy ways. Alcohol acts as a social lubricant, eases social anxieties and reduces inhibitions, but these effects are temporary with long-term negative health effects and can lead to poor decision-making. How might we design a healthier alternative to alcohol that still keeps you, your friends, and lovers stay relaxed and engaged?
Opportunity
The current landscape of non-alcoholic drinks lack innovation and sophistication. “Mocktails” and “virgin cocktails” are too juvenile. Shirley Temples and sodas are too sweet. Seltzers can be bland and pedestrian. At the same time, Hyphae feels that the choice to opt out of dominant drinking culture is a mature one, and one’s choice of drink should reflect that.
Market Size
$208 billion: projected growth of the functional beverage market by 2024
$34.4 billion: forecasted worth of the global functional foods market, with functional mushrooms expecting a huge demand.
Product
Website
Art Direction
Branding
Visual Narrative:
Hyphae’s branding seeks to evoke an energetic and vibrant feeling that is balanced with inspiration from natural textures, forms, and the calm emotional warmth of Hong Kong cinema. Hyphae is equal parts joyful and grounded.
The colors reflect that moods that each Hyphae beverage creates—a sense of social intimacy, connection, and emotional warmth. The drinks have a quiet but potent energy to them.
Color Palate:
The primary palette distills the spectrum of psychedelia to convey a tempered curiosity that is even parts joyful and grounded.
The secondary palette serve as playful accent colors for advertisement and marketing content to add an additional layer of vibrance to the brand.
Brand Graphics:
Prints inspired by mushroom gills are the main brand graphics for packaging, website design, and marketing collateral. These prints are also used to visually differentiate the flavor offerings.
Logo & Typography:
“Hyphae” refers to the branching filaments in the root system of mushrooms. The product name is coupled with the tagline “Uplifting from the Roots” as both a play on wording and a reference to the functional benefits of the drink derived from its mushroom ingredients.
Packaging
Material Selection:
The materials selected for the bottle look as good as they feel. The cap is comprised of cork and a soap finished satin wood that evokes the shape of a mushroom. The ceramic bottle is hand made and finished with a deep crackle glaze which means no two bottles are the same. Additionally, the ceramic keeps the beverage at a cool, constant temperature.
Environmental Impact:
In terms of sustainability, ceramic recycling is possible but access to specialized recycling facilities might be limited. With this in mind, the brand will be focusing on a wash and refill system with bars.
For consumers, the beautiful bottles can have many lives beyond the enjoyment of the beverage as either functional or decor items. This leverages the fact that each bottle is a unique result of the hand crafting process.
Market Strategy
Market Launch
Hyphae will first launch within boutique bars and followed by focused sponsored events before bringing the brand into the retail market.
There is a great opportunity in producing pop-up events to attract, engage, and educate Hyphae’s customers and ride the wave of user-generated promotion.
The brand can also showcase innovations in mycelium based materials in the physical space, that will create a compelling visual experience inspired by mushroom forms. This sets an engaging stage for an educational opportunity on the many benefits of consuming Hyphae.
Community-building and education
Hyphae is as much about community-building as it is about selling a high-quality product. The website provides updates on pop-up events and monthly recipe themes that seek to inspire the Hyphae drinker, such as this month’s menu inspired by Wong Kar Wai’s films, to provide customers with a cinematic drinking experience at the club or at home.
