The energy drink market overflows with hyper-aggressive designs and neon colors, leaving a gap for a disruptive brand identity. With MadVibes, I channeled a rebellious retro spirit, targeting bold young urbanites who crave individuality.

A mischievous skater demon mascot, a grayscale palette with halftone accents, and a blend of graffiti-inspired and minimalist fonts create a distinctive aesthetic that speaks directly to their streetwear sensibilities, love of vintage, and desire to defy expectations.

The energy drink market's reliance on neon colors and hyper-aggressive designs caters to a narrow vision of youthful energy. This creates an opportunity for a brand that resonates with bold young urbanites seeking a more nuanced, retro-inspired form of self-expression.

MadVibes defies convention with a rebellious retro aesthetic. Its skater demon mascot embodies a playful defiance of authority. The grayscale palette with gritty halftone accents rejects the market's reliance on neon. Street art-inspired typography balances raw energy with contemporary cool, directly appealing to young urbanites seeking a bold and distinctive form of self-expression.

I wanted to connect with young people, and understand their visual preferences, so I used a two-pronged research approach:

Online Survey (20 respondents, ages 16-22): This survey focused on gauging interest in retro aesthetics, preferred visual styles (bold, playful, edgy), and opinions on current energy drink designs. I targeted online communities frequented by young people, such as streetwear forums and social media groups dedicated to skate culture.

In-Depth Interviews (4 participants, ages 18-23): These interviews allowed for deeper exploration of motivations and preferences. I asked participants from local skate parks and alternative clothing stores, seeking those who embodied the bold, urban aesthetic.

Retro with an Edge: Interest in retro elements was strong, especially when executed with accuracy to the classic Disney or similar styles.

Bold & Individual: There was a clear desire for designs that feel unique and allow for a sense of individual expression. "Bold" and "rebellious" were frequently used descriptors.

Disrupting the Norm: Participants expressed frustration with the repetitive visuals found in the current energy drink market, expressing a thirst for something unconventional and impactful.

Playful Attitude: While playful elements weren't universally embraced, a mischievous, counterculture vibe resonated strongly with participants.

The research I conducted showed that people want something different from the regular neon-energy style. They want the design to be bold, but playful. They want to see the sense of individuality in it.

I understood that I could use some bold, graffiti fonts to emphasize the urban style of the design, still making it look modern by adding a secondary, sans-serif font.

To make my project look different from the competition, I used a retro illustration which shows the bold, urban life of young people, and would be a good addition to the graffiti font. This would add some uniqueness to the design, making it stand out from typical energy drink designs.

Before I jumped into the ideation phase, I wanted to understand my target audience even more, so I started creating an ideal client persona.

This was my main question. Although I had an image in my head of how it should look, I wanted to see how it would look in reality. I started sketching my character and quickly understood that a skater would show urban life and aesthetics pretty well.

I also wanted to give a little bold feel to it and show that every young person might sit a little demon that makes them want to live a little bit more unconventional life. That's where my idea with devil horns was born. It looked cool, and most importantly, gave more sense to the design.

When it comes to typography, I tested a lot of urban fonts, and some script fonts (that you may usually see on 90s rap album covers), but a regular, graffiti bubble font matched the desired illustration style more.

To create an even more retro-style image, I used a halftone gradient, that gave this old feel to the design. I also added some little stars to my design and a retro background. I wanted it to look old, but modern at the same time

I decided to use only the B&W palette, with some grays. This would easily give the retro look I wanted to achieve. It also gave a huge contrast to the image, making it more appealing.

MadVibes energy drink gives people something new they haven't seen before. Instead of buying boring drinks with minimal text-based design, or some neon energy drinks with lion, or tiger illustrations, or whatever animal is illustrated on them, customers can buy a cool product that matches their aesthetic. Bold, but unique.

This design easily drives impulse purchases by people who appreciate this aesthetic and individualistic, yet playful concept.

This project demonstrates my expertise in creating energy drink designs. It shows that I can look for inspiration everywhere, even in old Disney movies, still providing an appealing result that drives sales and increases brand recognition.