Verb is a brand started by 3 entrepreneurs with an idea to give you the energy you need in life in a simple, bite-size format. The challenge was they were not communicating their key benefit: energy. They lacked a distinct visual personality and were seen as “just another bar.” The assignment was to reposition and redesign the brand to address these challenges.

Working directly with the founders, we developed the new brand position of “Human. Energy.” and proceeded to explore how that might come to life through design. After exploring a broad range of design ideas, we quickly realized one of these options was the visual answer we were all looking for. Painting a quick, gestural repeat pattern resulted in something both stylish and energetic. The imperfect nature of these patterns would also make the design language unmistakably human. We changed the brand name from “Verb Energy Bar” to the “Verb Energy Co.” to allow the brand to expand from just bites to a bigger idea about giving people convenient, natural energy. We developed the communication hierarchy, making it clear that each 90-calorie bite contained 65 mg of caffeine, or “as much caffeine as an espresso.” From there, we developed a distinctly fun, self-deprecating tone of voice for the brand that tempered its seriousness and showed the genuine personality of its founders.

The new Verb Energy Co. bucks the bar and energy category norms with a sleek, simple brand identity that embodies “Human. Energy.” It has a distinct visual language of multiple, expressive patterns, with a single hit of modern color identifying each flavor. The high contrast black and warm white aesthetic is designed to be seen and asked about, as sharing and word-of-mouth awareness are critical. The use of grid lines and monospaced type keep information neatly organized. The result is a brand that defies “just another bar” classifications, communicates energy, and looks like a stylish, conversation-worthy accessory.