Blue Goose: A Packaging Design Triumph

SID LEE's Award-Winning Design for Organic Food Brand

Blue Goose is a unique entity in the Canadian food industry. They practice "vertical integration" in their cattle operations, controlling each step from birth to grocery store. This commitment to quality and ethical practice was the inspiration behind the packaging design. The design team's visit to a Blue Goose farm in British Columbia, where they witnessed the care and respect given to the animals, sparked the idea for a design that would reflect the brand's story.

The packaging design stands out for its use of hand-drawn illustrations. The cow, chicken, and fish serve as the focal point on the packaging, providing a rich and detailed representation of their natural environment and the conditions they were raised in. This visual storytelling approach is a testament to Blue Goose's commitment to their animals and the environment.

The design also reflects the brand's premium and artisanal positioning. The soft and stylized design approach conveys the care that Blue Goose provides when rearing its animals. It brings the brand promise to life in a unique manner, without making the brand appear stuffy or extravagant. The choice of blue, a color not traditionally associated with food, separates the brand from competing marques and beautifully juxtaposes the healthy pink color of the meat.

The design was a collaborative effort by a team of talented individuals at SID LEE Toronto. The team included Dave Roberts, Tom Koukodimos, Flavio Carvalho, Anna Sera Garcia, Oleg Portnoy, Emily Patterson, Pip Scowcroft, Laurent Abesdris, Ryan Spelliscy, Ben Kwok, Emily Patterson, Karla Ramirez, Johnlee Raine, Eve Remillard-Larose, Gabriel Sit, and Jonathan Bonnell. The project was completed in June 2013 and launched nationally in Canada.

The design's success was recognized with a Platinum A' Packaging Design Award in 2014. This prestigious award recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that showcase unmatched professionalism, genius, and contribute to societal wellbeing. It is awarded to the defining aesthetics of an era, advancing the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology, exhibiting transcendent excellence and making the world a better place.