“The goal was to target a market that wasn't being targeted,” says Vanderpool, a longtime tea drinker herself. “Everyone thinks of ladies with hats sitting around drinking tea, or the medicinal qualities of tea, so I wanted to develop something fun that would appeal to a younger market.”
According to Todd Baer, creative director, Baer Design Group, the illustrations help to convey a contemporary vibe. “We really took this rebel approach with progressive graphics for a food item,” he says. The B.F.F. blend, for example, shows two girls on a moped. “It's a case of going against the grain and being an individual.”
Each blend is packaged in a custom-made tin measuring 4”Wx4”Hx4”D. “It's a perfect cube,” says Vanderpool. “There isn't a tin of its size and shape on the shelf currently.” The tins will contain 6 oz of tea for four of the blends and 2.5 oz of tea for the white tea blend (Shhh). The tins are manufactured and printed in China, and will be shipped to a contract packager in Canada. Vanderpool declined to provide the suppliers or additional details about the packaging. The product has a two-year shelf life and will be packed in a plastic bag and sealed with a plastic tie to preserve freshness. Once packaged, the tins will be sealed with a tamper-evident seal.
