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Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Bottles on Ice

Ellis Island Tea

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A well-traveled tea

Ellis Island Tea has a fascinating, compelling brand story: a century-old family recipe brought to New York City from Jamaica. A young female owner employing a team of Detroiters. Unique, all-natural ingredients. Our task? Bring this story to life on a label.

Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Packaging Employee

Our team conducted an in-depth competitive branding analysis of the ready-to-drink tea space. After extensive first-person and secondary research, we crafted a brand strategy that would set Ellis Island Tea apart from the pack while driving home its authentic origins and hand-brewed quality.

Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Bottles Logo and Label

With Caribbean roots and Detroit soul, Ellis Island Tea is a delicious cultural fusion.

Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Bottle Label Vintage Travel Tags Inspiration
Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Bottle Label Jamaican Dance Hall Posters Inspiration

Throwback inspiration

Our preliminary design research spanned space and time, from hand-painted Jamaican signage to vintage travel tags. Drawing on the tea’s rich heritage, we crafted a fresh brand story, tagline, and packaging design.

Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Packaging Label Logo Pencil Phone
Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Packaging Label Logo Pencil Phone
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The results

Founder and owner Nailah Ellis-Brown was featured on MSNBC’s “Your Business” and the show called on us to overhaul the tea’s brand identity and packaging for wider distribution.

After the redesign, sales went up 800%—a success both Nailah and Sam’s Club credit to the new packaging. Ellis Island Tea went from a small start-up to a national brand almost overnight.

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Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Packaging Label Logo Pencil Phone

You guys are the most strategic creative agency I’ve ever worked with.

—Scott Miller, MSNBC Branding Expert

Ellis Island Jamaican Sweet Tea Bottled Bliss
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