There’s an extraordinary number of hot sauce brands in this world. So when we embarked on this project, we needed to get to the bottom of what makes Yellowbird so special. When looking at the category, there seemed to be a split into two categories: small batch and mass produced. Small batch brands are for “hot sauce people”. Those who collect, who want to try new things, and who get excited by the thought of melting their face off with a condiment. The big league brands are ones we all know and love. They make 1 hot sauce, a classic standby ready for any occasion. And then there’s Yellowbird. A simple but unconventional ingredient list that rivals a homemade hot sauce, with approachable heat levels that make enjoying hot sauce a daily pleasure. Compared to the big name incumbents and melt-your-face-off collector items, Yellowbird takes the Goldilocks approach: A modern, off-beat hot sauce crafted for everyday use.

So we started on the rebrand. Our main goal was to simplify and amplify, creating an iconic brand that could be understood and loved by all. We reimagined the packaging in a way that positioned the bird icon (and yellow color) front and center. Afterall, the brand name is Yellowbird, so why not lean all the way in? The updated avian adds some much needed levity to the brand and the bright yellow labels create an instant head turn at the shelf.

And because the sauce is made in Austin, we were on a mission to Keep Hot Sauce Weird. From the bird eyes that follow your cursor on the website, to photoshoots featuring cowboys eating breakfast in bed, the new brand toes the line between kinda strange and perfectly normal. The new Yellowbird now sits confidently alongside both the big league and small batch competition. It’s equal parts mischief and delight, craft and casualness. Just like their hot sauce.