Sonic Winter Packaging 2022
Role — Art Director, Designer, Illustrator
Services — Packaging Design, Photoshoot Direction
Challenge — Sonic Drive-In’s annual winter packaging is asked to embody the holiday spirit and excite consumers.
Concept — Our creative team worked with strategy and created packaging which makes each consumer feel like they’re unwrapping or giving their own special cup shaped present.
Initial concepts included simple illustrated scenes and a Sonic food themed winter wreath, but the final concept chosen was the wrapping paper design!
The creative team learned from previous packaging seasons for Sonic that consumers are prone to post packaging with the logo front and center, so we included the logo with the artwork so people were sharing both the wrapping paper designs and logo together on social media.
The Photoshoot.
Sonic Winter Packaging 2022 — Photoshoot
Role — Art Director, Photoshoot Direction
The Ask — Create a unique set of shots to show off Sonic’s winter packaging.
Concept — Tell a gift giving story hero-ing Sonic’s wrapping paper themed packaging.
Each sketch to final shot is part of a larger gift-giving story, from the cup and Sonic mini brands stocking stuffer and cheersing under the mistletoe, to a faux soda stream made of ribbon.
Special thanks goes to
Everyone on the Signal Theory Production studio team, including Brian Yates (photographer), Mari Bligh (producer), and Matthew Ogutu (BTS + talent)
Eric Liles for being on set and seeing all ideas were followed through on the photoshoot when I couldn’t attend
Micah Barta and Joe Wilper for help with concepting and organizing the packaging and photoshoot ideas
Chloë Cloud for their lovely design on the 44oz cup size
Elia Hernandez and Mary Corcoran Crawford for their brainstorm help
And all the many many people who touched this project, including account and project management, and final artists