FLAVOURS REFRESH

Turning flavour confusion into a world with personality

Brand World Exploration | 2026

The previous UK Flavours range struggled with flavour navigation and shelf impact. One issue was that the “globe/dot” device used in place of fruit cues (due to stricter local constraints within the UK) was being read by consumers as generic “polka dots,” reducing clarity and recognition. The packaging refresh meant they needed a new Flavours world that felt unmistakably Pepsi while giving each flavour a stronger, more confident personality when stood alone.

My Role

This was a large, multi-designer project with many contributors and stakeholders. As a key contributor, I supported development and execution of the Flavours campaign world by:
• Proposing and refining options for the brand world and flavour personalities
• Designing how the world would come to life across key visuals and shopper applications
• Contributing to sticker device design and placement decisions
• Supporting the shopper toolkit + renders approach
• Writing the motion brief and storyboard, guiding composition, transitions, sound direction and creating supporting motion assets.
• Art directing lifestyle photography, providing props/material/lighting references and shot intent
• Developing the brand world for the new flavour, Pepsi Tropical

(Packaging was initially developed with an external partner; I supported decision-making through shelf mockups and application considerations rather than leading packaging design.)

Brand World Explore

Concept 1 | XXX

The campaign assets use a deliberately human, sketch-like visual language to create an open, participatory tone. Illustrated symbols function as conversation starters rather than definitive statements, and are paired with Fave Script Bold Pro to visually connect the typography to the illustrative style. This LTO typeface is used alongside the brand’s core type to maintain strong Heineken brand recognition.

The symbols are drawn using a continuous-line art brush at 0.5pt, reinforcing the idea of an ongoing conversation and reflecting the personal, evolving nature of individual perspectives on each topic. Each key visual features a handwritten prompt filling the blank “_____” space (for example, “homelessness”), paired with the consistent response line set in Heineken’s type style: “Let’s talk about it.”

Together, this establishes a clear and repeatable visual rhythm across all assets. The handwritten elements signal individuality and personal voice, while the brand typography provides consistency and scalability across topics, channels, and formats. The connected illustration style also allows the system to extend seamlessly across platforms, reinforcing cohesion throughout the campaign

Concept 2 | XXX

The campaign assets use a deliberately human, sketch-like visual language to create an open, participatory tone. Illustrated symbols function as conversation starters rather than definitive statements, and are paired with Fave Script Bold Pro to visually connect the typography to the illustrative style. This LTO typeface is used alongside the brand’s core type to maintain strong Heineken brand recognition.

The symbols are drawn using a continuous-line art brush at 0.5pt, reinforcing the idea of an ongoing conversation and reflecting the personal, evolving nature of individual perspectives on each topic. Each key visual features a handwritten prompt filling the blank “_____” space (for example, “homelessness”), paired with the consistent response line set in Heineken’s type style: “Let’s talk about it.”

Together, this establishes a clear and repeatable visual rhythm across all assets. The handwritten elements signal individuality and personal voice, while the brand typography provides consistency and scalability across topics, channels, and formats. The connected illustration style also allows the system to extend seamlessly across platforms, reinforcing cohesion throughout the campaign

Concept 3 | XXX

The campaign assets use a deliberately human, sketch-like visual language to create an open, participatory tone. Illustrated symbols function as conversation starters rather than definitive statements, and are paired with Fave Script Bold Pro to visually connect the typography to the illustrative style. This LTO typeface is used alongside the brand’s core type to maintain strong Heineken brand recognition.

The symbols are drawn using a continuous-line art brush at 0.5pt, reinforcing the idea of an ongoing conversation and reflecting the personal, evolving nature of individual perspectives on each topic. Each key visual features a handwritten prompt filling the blank “_____” space (for example, “homelessness”), paired with the consistent response line set in Heineken’s type style: “Let’s talk about it.”

Together, this establishes a clear and repeatable visual rhythm across all assets. The handwritten elements signal individuality and personal voice, while the brand typography provides consistency and scalability across topics, channels, and formats. The connected illustration style also allows the system to extend seamlessly across platforms, reinforcing cohesion throughout the campaign

Chosen Concept

XXX

Key Visual Variants Build

As this is the core toolkit for flavors, the key visual needed to be evergreen and extremely flexible between campaigns. Whether this is used for single flavour, dual flavour, triple flavour or if they swap for upcoming campaign headlines.

Asset Development

Key Visual Development

Flavour Personality Strategy

The packaging approach reworks Heineken’s existing pack architecture rather than creating a separate “campaign label.” Core brand structures (the familiar badge shape and design of structure, hierarchy and key cues) stay intact for instant recognition, while the content is re-authored to carry the “Let’s Start with Hi” idea - including reducing “Heineken” down to Hi as an ownable shorthand. Because the wider brand world is so established, the pack can afford that simplification without losing recognition, and it becomes a distinctive campaign signature. The same rule set then scales across bottles, cans and multipacks: fixed brand framing, layered adaptable copy and campaign assets that turns every pack into a conversation surface.

Physical Experience and non traditional touchpoints: Hi Zones

Hi Zones are modular conversation spaces designed to turn “Let’s start with hi” into something people can actually do. Built for festivals and pop-ups, the space designed as a lounge area to encourage conversation. The space is made up of multiple table setups with Hi Chairs, some arranged as 2-seat tables for private chats, others as 4–6 seat tables and lounge spaces for bigger group discussions. Guests self-select the vibe they want without any complicated check-in, keeping the experience casual and social.

Conversation prompts (card decks)
Each table has a deck of prompt cards with a range of themes/genres (e.g., Animal Welfare, Sustainability, Poverty, Inflation). Every card includes a debate-style statement designed to spark discussion and connect back to the campaign’s wider campaign of talking about the big issues. Each table is designed similar to the show ‘Agree to Disagree, where they are invited to use their bottle as a marking device how whether to agree or disagree before launching into discussion.

Example:
• ANIMAL WELFARE
“Every pet owner should need a license.”

Scalable differences:

  • Number of seats / Additional lounge areas / large groups booths

  • Merchandise wall

  • Digital screens

  • Staff / Storage spaces

  • Private Hot Takes Space

  • Toilets facilities nearby/onsite of activation

Core Deliverables

Hourly feature moment: Hot Takes

Once an hour, guests can opt into Hot Takes, a fast-paced group moment inspired by the game show ‘Surrounded’, that turns conversation into a playful, structured event.

How it works:
• A circle is formed with 10 participants.
• On entry, each person writes one statement on a card (prompted by the themes).
• Participants take turns stepping into the middle to read their statement.
• As soon as it’s read, people from the circle race to the middle to discuss it with the person who wrote the statement. Fastest gets to discuss while the others return to their seat in the circle.
• A 5-minute timer starts while the rest listen from the circle.
• When time ends, the two return to the circle and the next participant steps in.

It’s designed to be energetic without being aggressive to encourage listening as a key part of the format.

Exit: vote + leave a trace

On the way out, guests pass two participation points:

1) Bottle voting bins
Guests “vote with their bottle” by dropping empties into clearly labelled bins representing where the campaign should direct support (e.g., Poverty, Homelessness, Animal Welfare). It’s quick, tangible, and naturally reinforces responsible disposal.

2) The Hi Wall
A black wall with white chalk invites guests to leave a one-line thought, question, reflection, doodle, or new prompt, turning individual conversations into a growing collective snapshot.

Connected Digital Experience: Hi Hub & Filter

The digital layer extends this campaign beyond the Hi Zone moments through a simple Hi Hub, one landing page reached via the QR on limited-edition bottles. From the Hub, people can choose to Vote (submit what they think and view live results across locations) or Share (launch a social filter pre-filled with the “What would you change” prompt, encouraging them to discuss what they believe is the most important issues, and what they think would help improve the problem, keeping the experience clear, optional, and easy to take part in. This builds on the idea that with fresh perspectives, we can achieve a fresher world.

Overall, “Let’s Start with Hi” turns Heineken into a simple invitation people can act on: start a conversation, share a perspective, and see that collective input has weight. Using an abbreviated version of the logo (Heineken becoming Hi) makes this a truly own-able campaign that feels unmistakably Heineken. Packaging acts as the first prompt, Hi zones creates an effortless moment of participation, and the Hi Hub carries it beyond the event through sharing, voting and live results. The outcome is a cohesive system that scales across channels, and stays true to the brief’s intent, using fresh perspectives and real connection as the first step toward a fresher world.

Creative Team

Luke Gillman

Hayley Shore

Sam Wall

Rui Granjo

Cristina Yang

Aoife Hastings

Harry Popaditch

Tom Macpherson

Corinna Hutter

Kira Roberts

with initial packaging support from Red Dot Studios and motion support from Rockabye.