16 Best Illustrated Branding Examples that Hit the Right Spot

B2B Branding
16 Best Illustrated Branding Examples that Hit the Right Spot
Article by DesignRush DesignRush
Last Updated: December 21, 2022

From iconic logos to playful mascots, illustrative branding is a great way to create a memorable and unique identity for your business. Leading agencies in branding use illustrations and cartoony design elements to create an instantly recognizable brand that stands out from the competition.

A well-crafted illustration can distinguish between a successful brand and one that falls flat.

Working with leading branding agencies has always been an essential part of marketing, so it is no wonder why so many companies want to have the best branding examples out there.

These outstanding illustrative branding examples will help you figure out which one you want to apply to your business. Let this article inspire you with your future decisions.

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1. There Be Giants by Bend Industries

[Source: Bend Industries]

Standout features:

  • Vintage-themed imagery
  • Excellent typography
  • Pleasing concept execution

There Be Giants encourages people to have the best times of their lives with their line of beverages. They believe you shouldn't spend much money buying bottles and cans of expensive drinks only to leave them lying on the ocean floor.

Designed by Bend Industries, this stunning illustrative branding example focuses on environmental awareness and having a good time. Its vintage choice of visual elements concocts a scenario in the drinker’s head that they are here to have the best time.

The font choices are also intelligent and easy to read, which is a plus, especially for those who might have visual challenges reading fine print from their beverage packets.

The execution of the design concept is so good we don’t doubt that this illustrative branding example is a success.

2. Luisa Abram Chocolates by Maria Paula

[Source: Maria Paula]

Standout features:

  • Pleasing color story
  • Vibrant image choices
  • On-brand design concept

For those who crave the best chocolates in the world, look no further than Lusia Abram Chocolates. Cacao beans from the Amazonian rainforest bring the hidden flavors of Latin America to your table in just one bite.

What better way to promote and brand your Latin American products than to give them a Latin flair, right? Designed by Maria Paula, this illustrative branding has captured the essence of authentic Latin American flavors without being too overpowering.

The images of the cacao fruits, leaves, and seeds decorating the whole package are simply marvelous. The color story is vibrant and bright, allowing the chocolates to take center stage.

The concept is perfectly on-brand, and anyone can quickly identify where this chocolate came from without reading the label.

3. Cabin Fever Run by Super Creative

[Source: Super Creative]

Standout features:

  • Fun visual elements
  • Autumn-themed design
  • Comforting color palette

Illustrative branding can be on something other than food packaging. You can also use it on promotional assets, such as event posters. This is what Cabin Fever Run has done so effortlessly in advertising its cabin fun run to its patrons.

The poster is fun, quirky, and relatable, thanks to Super Creative’s wit and creative juices.

Autumn is one of the most comforting seasons for so many people. They capitalized on that and put in many drawings of people having fun autumntime activities with their loved ones.

This is a great way to show friendship and harmony during one of the best seasons of the year. Also, they used autumn colors red, brown and orange to hit the nail on the head.

Upon seeing this event poster, we have nothing left to do but sign up and head on to the best cabin fun run ever advertised in town.

4. DOGUEIROS by Valkiria Inteligencia

[Source: Valkiria Inteligencia]

Standout features:

  • Aesthetic visual elements
  • Cool color story
  • Easy-to-read font choices

Who says only humans can have fun? Our furry friends also deserve the best from illustrative branding! If you want to feed your lovely pets the best quality dog food while minding the visuals of the packaging, then DOGUEIROS might be for you.

Valkiria Inteligencia designed this for them, which looks like a work of art, to be honest. It depicts drawings of humans and dogs cuddling and having the best time of their lives without the rehearsed smiles we usually see in other dog food brands.

The visuals are aesthetically pleasing, and so are the color choices.

Most importantly, the labels are easily readable thanks to the legible font choices. You can see that they still want to ensure that every dog gets the love they deserve by reading the proper instructions.

5. Catapulta Coffee by Kropsiland

[Source: Kropsiland]

Standout features:

  • Vibrant color story
  • Amazon-themed visuals
  • Artisanal feel on the design concept

Colombian coffee is known as one of the world's most delicious coffee. With Catapulta Coffee's illustrative branding by Kropsiland, the brand remains one of the best choices for a Cali/Cartagena coffee fix!

The branding features various species of birds, insects, and other animals roaming freely in the Amazon and Colombian forests. Nature's allure never fails to fascinate customers into getting an otherworldly experience with their coffee.

While the vibrant color story reflects the brand’s Latin roots, the overall design exudes an artisanal feel. It looks expensive and high-quality, which can also be said for the coffee inside the packaging.

The design communicates the brand messaging without trying too hard to blend into the crowd.

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6. Winter Illustrations by Kien Studio

[Source: Kien Studio]

Standout features:

  • Expressive imagery
  • Latin-themed concept design
  • A variety of personalities

Illustrative branding examples also work great in multiple creations with one unified message. The Winter Illustrations provides us with a tour around the world with the help of their enthusiastic, artistic, and provocative drawings.

Designed by Kien Studio, the artists perfected giving each illustration its personality. Still, they managed to have a single identity when presented as a group. This is harmony at its finest.

The Latin flair of the drawings is quite evident even though it depicts other places like Russia and the Wild Wild West. They always retained their cultural identity while keeping artistic levels in business.

This is one great example of visual elements that harmonize so well, even though each component looks imposing at first glance.

7. Outer Range Beer Co. by Vicky Hughes

[Source: Vicky Hughes]

Standout features:

  • Pastel color story
  • Oversized typography
  • Comical design theme

Outer Range Beer Co. offers a niche variety of craft beers made from various grains, such as barley, malt and rice. They aim to introduce a refreshing way of drinking and having fun with friends and family without feeling guilt caused by calories and empty pounds.

Vicky Hughes’s artistic mind has given us a charming packaging line for these specialty beverages. They seem to be marketing towards the younger generation, making it look as appealing to the said demographic as possible.

The pastel colors remind us of summers along the beach, while the oversized font choice looks like clouds in clear summer skies.

The images used are also quirky yet balanced. They complement the other aspects of the design, which is very trendy and youthful. Some people might even choose to display their empty cans just because they’re so beautiful to be put on display.

8. VeRve by Atul Charde

[Source: Atul Charde]

Standout features:

  • Zodiac-themed design concept
  • Interesting use of images
  • Aesthetic color story

VeRve is not your ordinary energy drink, as it provides you with the right amount of energy without making you feel burned out at the end of the day. They offer various flavors patterned after the zodiac signs -- an exciting concept for their packaging designs!

Atul Charde designed the energy drink cans with the zodiac's astrological symbols, then painted the inside with the same shade of the planet corresponding to the zodiac.

It is all set on a black backdrop, which instantly gives us that celestial, heavenly experience they have wanted to achieve.

With so many people interested in zodiac signs and astrology, the packaging design is a massive hit to their target market and an incredible conversation starter.

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9. Great Surprise by Pixenite

[Source: Pixenite]

Standout features:

  • Childlike visuals
  • Vibrant color story
  • Harmony between various visual elements

Seeing a packet of Great Surprise gummy bears brings you to Monsters Inc. Pixenite knows that children are the primary target market for this product, so they had to make it as appealing to them as possible without looking like someone had put a bunch of images on the packaging and called it a day.

The colors are vivid yet not too striking, enough to catch children's attention when they go to the supermarket with their parents. The fun and quirky animated faces showing the gummies are also cute and pleasing.

It’s as if you can already taste what the flavors inside the packages would be like even though you are just seeing the packaging for the first time.

10. F*CKOFFEE Coffee Roaster by Willo Designs

[Source: Willo Designs]

Standout features:

  • Tongue-in-cheek design interpretation
  • Pastel color palette
  • A creative take on ordinary holders

Nope, we are not flipping you off. The brand name is spelled like that because they want to give the coffee roaster the carefree, bad-ass personality that many caffeine lovers typically possess. The illustrative branding in this packaging has taken it up several notches.

Thanks to Willo Designs, we now have this packaging that proudly proclaims the brand name, being true to its personality. They incorporated pastel colors to balance the design and impose brand names, like creamer on black coffee.

They also added images of flowers, leaves, and animals, such as a bear perched at the center of the packaging, to show that they also have a soft side to their dark and bold exterior.

The interpretation of the design is impeccable and witty. This is how design agencies should get the job done.

11. Zaad Farms by owect

[Source: owect]

Standout features:

  • Seed of innovation
  • Natural color palette
  • Unique typography

Zaad Farms focuses on a singular idea - that food is the basis of human presence; pure food leads to a healthy life. This fundamental principle prompted the company to act and to set a clear goal - to inspire genuine change in agriculture.

Through its ability to provide its integrated agricultural experience, Zaad Farms has been keen to consolidate this idea and embody it with the new logo, courtesy of owect.

Drawing and designing the logo, owect made sure to integrate the agricultural experience, starting from the seed, the water point by which it’s irrigated, and its growth into a leaf of a plant, to the packaging, shipping, and export of products. Hence, the connected, curved logo symbolizes the journey and natural growth. Zaad is an Arabic word that refers to abundance and growth - the essence of the company's visual identity.

12. Garden Flowers by Studio Tabarelli

[Source: Studio Tabarelli]

Standout features:

  • Unique floral pattern
  • Merger of opulence and minimalism
  • Neutral tones

Now, this is a beauty! Basically, Studio Tabarelli painted a set of beautiful illustrations that combine a set of vintage flowers to create a delicate flower garden - a stunning arrangement of organic shapes and colors.

Alongside the equally amazing packaging and typographic logo design, these drawings make up a distinct and memorable pattern that can be used for various branding purposes. It is ideal for endless repetition as it makes the brand's namesake even lusher.

13. Treasure Chest by Natalia Gubanova

[Source: Natalia Gubanova]

Standout features:

  • Pirate treasure-themed concept
  • A bright and on-brand color story
  • Typography with personality

Who doesn’t love treasure games? Everyone loves how we try to solve puzzles and find answers to problems while getting excited and reaping prizes. Treasure Chest has successfully used this tried-and-tested technique with their personality to the mix.

Designed by Natalia Gubanova, this poster is inspired by treasure maps, particularly the ones used by pirates. The bright color story of yellows, greens, and reds complement each other in the illustrated branding example.

The font choices are also well-thought-out and on-brand. The words are easy to read, and the styles set the mood of the whole event. Overall, the typography adds a cool identity to this creative promotional asset.

14. Crazy Shawarma by Tribal Duck

[Source: Tribal Duck]

Standout features:

  • Adaptive branding
  • Energetic
  • Evocative logo design

Established by a man with a crazy love for food and a dream to share it with the world, Crazy Shawarma offers a refreshing take on traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. This concept of "crazy" refers to serving a fulfilling experience with an amazing menu that targets consumers' playful side.

As he would put it: "You can order a shawarma not only to fill your tummy but your heart and soul too"!

Original ideas shine bright, which is why Tribal Duck (ideal partner for this project) translated it into a zany design that doesn't reveal anything but an experience, a sensation of tasting Crazy Shawarma! And does so perfectly with a distinct typographic logo and jolly illustrations.

15. Holy Bean Coffee by Stephanie Denig

[Source: Stephanie Denig]

Standout features: 

  • Monochromatic
  • Sinister imagery
  • Bold typography

There's no denying that coffee has almost magical properties that nowadays we almost take for granted. Coffee is widely accepted as a quick, easy, and enjoyable way to get a daily hit of caffeine, but besides boosting your energy and clarity, it can also invigorate your mental prowess. 

One man's "nectar of gods" however was deemed a "Satan's drink" in ages before. In fact, before Pope Clement VIII who "blessed" it, the "black, bitter, boiling and addictive brew" was viewed as a hellish substance.

In a playful twist, Stephanie Denig accentuated this dark history with a slew of witty and sinister illustrations and bold typography to showcase the "most evil coffee bean on the market" - Holy Bean!

16. Tiger Beer by Publicis Brazil

[Source: Elias Carmo]

Standout Features:

  • Vibrant color palette
  • Typography encourages brand identity
  • On-brand characters

Tiger Beer’s design is straightforward but impactful. It blends vibrant colors, orange and black, immediately catching the eye. The iconic tiger creates a solid link between its roots and adds authenticity to its overall vibe.

While you won’t see much copy on the design, Publicis Brazil did a fantastic job of making the text just as readable. The Tiger logotype is in a blue or orange font that separates it from the graphic imagery. It’s a bold design and incorporates everything you want to see in liquor-focused branding. The overall branding is impeccable, from sleek and modern design elements to a mix of old-school and street styles.

Overall, the layout is visually appealing and effectively communicates the brand’s identity. No one would miss this beer on the aisles, for sure!

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