Vitacost
Digital Design Specialist II
I have devoted nine years to Vitacost, during which I have cultivated and honed my expertise in marketing, branding, and production. My journey with Vitacost commenced in 2014, where I was instrumental in facilitating the launch of a new brand. Among my achievements, I conceptualized and crafted the logo currently in use, resulting in substantial savings by circumventing the need for external agency and legal expenses. Additionally, I have consistently maintained the visual appeal and functionality of the website and email communications. Notably, my recent endeavor involved leading the development of a new blog platform, which has yielded a notable increase in Click-Through Rate (CTR) by approximately 15%. Below, I outline some of the key projects to which I have lent my expertise and made significant contributions.
Trial by Logo
At Vitacost, my foremost objective was the development of the new logo, a responsibility I have enthusiastically undertaken throughout my tenure with the company. When Vitacost encountered challenges in defining its new visual identity, I was entrusted with the task of crafting a solution. This project marked my initial foray into such a significant endeavor, and despite initial apprehension, I embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly. To my delight, the outcome exceeded expectations, eliciting high satisfaction from the stakeholders. Following several iterations and refinements, the resulting logo became synonymous with Vitacost’s rebranding initiative, known colloquially as Vitacost 2.0, representing a rejuvenated image for the health and wellness brand.
The Return of the Blog
A long time ago in this exact galaxy, there was a blog and that blog wasn’t doing so hot. Vitacost had adhered to the same blog format for approximately 5-6 years, with minimal updates beyond content additions. At the behest of the art director and lead copywriter, I was enlisted to breathe new life into this digital platform. Initially daunting, my exhaustive exploratory efforts led to a harmonious fusion, maintaining fidelity to the Vitacost brand while infusing a refreshed, more engaging aesthetic. Leveraging Vitacost’s established color scheme, I adjusted hues to create a softer ambiance within the modules, strategically employing dark gray accents to draw attention to key elements. The overarching objective was to cultivate a welcoming atmosphere, encouraging prolonged engagement with the content while subtly guiding readers towards featured products on the main site. Thus, ‘The Upside’ version 2 emerged—a revitalized iteration of the blog. Through meticulous analysis and the removal of redundant plugins to optimize performance, we witnessed a remarkable 15% surge in user interaction, effectively channeling numerous readers towards Vitacost’s exceptional product offerings.
A Tale of Two Packages
It was the worst of times it was the best of times, for Vitacost’s corporate brands. Many product lines had languished unchanged since the inception of our new logo, while the once-promising Vitacost Tea range struggled to carve a niche in the market. Faced with this reality, we approached the task with cautious optimism, embarking on a journey to rejuvenate our existing, moderately successful food line and introduce a premium corporate offering.
Drawing upon my affinity for illustrative package design, I championed a clean and visually appealing aesthetic, incorporating hand-drawn illustrations to breathe new life into our primary food brand. This approach resonated immediately with stakeholders, earning swift approval. For our high-end vitamin line, Root2, I meticulously crafted the logo by hand, sketching it in my notebooks and meticulously building the design from scratch, employing traditional methods to create 3D mock-ups for enhanced visualization by our management team. Following iterative feedback and refinements, both product lines were launched to resounding success.
Root2 emerged as our flagship corporate brand, quickly becoming the top-selling line on our platform, while the innovative redesign of our Coconut Oil food product, coupled with strategic marketing initiatives, propelled it to the number one spot for the ensuing year.