o'ya

A Pop-Art Twist on Libyan Tradition

Year

2025

Industry

Branding . Packaging

Space of work

Portfolio

Harees (North African chili paste) is deeply rooted in Libyan culinary history. The challenge was to take a homemade recipe typically associated with tradition and modesty and introduce it to a younger, modern audience.

The brand needed to honor its origins (named after the Oya region) without feeling dated. We needed to visually communicate "homemade quality" while screaming "bold flavor" from the shelf.

Brand Strategy · Visual Identity · Packaging Design · Tone of Voice · Copywriting

Logo
Principal

The logo centers on a typographic twist: the apostrophe is replaced by a stylized chili pepper, turning a grammatical mark into a flavor cue.

This simple substitution creates an ownable icon that instantly communicates the product's fiery nature.

Logo Mark form

We extracted the chili motif from the wordmark to create a versatile symbol a 'punctuation mark of flavor' designed for social avatars and stickers.

We turned the chili icon into a rhythmic 'confetti' pattern, visualizing the explosion of flavor found inside every jar.

Packaging System

We abandoned traditional heritage cues for a color-blocked system that demands shelf space. The 'O'ya' wordmark hugs the curve of the jar, creating an infinite loop of typography that encourages consumers to pick up, turn, and interact with the product. Each SKU gets its own electric monochrome palette to signal its distinct flavor profile.

Pop Jars

The Shelves Stand-outs

For the flagship Original Flavour, we shattered category norms by swapping standard chili reds for a shocking electric pink. This bold choice serves two purposes: it acts as a high-contrast stage for the red logo to pop, and it instantly differentiates the product on crowded shelves. It’s the visual equivalent of the spicy kick inside unexpected, vibrant, and impossible to ignore.

Instantly differentiates the product on crowded shelves. It’s the visual equivalent of the spicy kick inside unexpected, vibrant, and impossible to ignore.

Expanding the system. We translated the rich, salty profile of Parmesan and Olives into a vibrant yellow-and-green identity that feels fresh, modern, and distinctly Mediterranean.

Translating the texture of avocado into a flat graphic style required a bold approach. We used smooth, matte green tones to evoke creaminess, intersected by sharp yellow typography that acts as the 'acidic' visual cut. The result is a packaging design that looks exactly how the product tastes: smooth, bright, and full of punch.

Pop Jars

Louder Than
Appetite

We turned the volume up on every asset. By pairing the maximalist packaging with a quirky, motion-inspired photography style, we ensured that O'YA feels less like a condiment and more like a lifestyle. It’s colorful, it’s loud, and it’s impossible to scroll past."