Hemlock Goods

An Adventurous Brand Product Launch

Three smartphone screens showing Instagram posts related to outdoor adventures, with images of women outdoors, one wearing a hat and another with closed eyes and a headband, and one with bright orange background and text 'the adventure starts now.'

Problem

Hemlock’s bandanas were a hit, but business growth without direction is hard to sustain.

Solution

A clear brand strategy that led the company to the top of its industry.

Brown background with white text that reads 'Hemlock' and a white floral illustration resembling a cluster of small flowers.

Hemlock Goods was at a turning point. After a year in business, its bandanas were selling and its audience was growing. Good problems, right? But the brand lacked personality and direction, and its growth felt aimless and unsustainable. Hemlock had to make a choice: continue on its path (and hope for the best) or solidify its brand identity (and see how far the business could go). Luckily, the budding bandana brand chose the latter.

An amber glass jar with a cloth tied around the neck using a patterned cloth, set on a table with oranges, a lemon, and a bowl of assorted chips, all against a red background.

Close-up of a festive table setting with a variety of desserts, fruits, and decorative elements, including a pink patterned napkin, a small orange fruit, a bowl of creamy dessert with a dark layer, pink fluffy sweets, and gems or ornaments, against a

A decorative scene featuring a gold ornate picture frame, pink flowers, an orange-red rose, a patterned orange and white scarf, a glass bowl of tomatoes, and a glass of red wine on a wooden surface.

To find its footing before its sixth bandana launch, Hemlock partnered with us and engaged in our brand development process.

The comprehensive process gave Hemlock a distinct brand personality, but more importantly, it gave the in-house team the tools necessary to carry it out. And thanks to establishing cohesive external communication, visual direction, and internal messaging, the Hemlock team managed a successful launch on their own.

A collage of diverse people, including women and men, with a text overlay discussing embracing the future with tenacity, curiosity, and delight, and the use of bold red and black color schemes.

This new direction framed daily routines as memorable experiences and introduced Hemlock as the perfect partner for local hikes and low-key date nights.

‘For everyday adventures’ influenced every facet of the Hemlock brand — and its series six launch.

Pink background with the word 'Hemlock' written in brown text.

A yellow outline of a flower with multiple small blossoms connected to a central stem, set against a solid brown background.

A magazine titled 'New Hampshire' with a photo of a woman wearing a red bandana and a man wearing a blue bandana, surrounded by flowers and a bouquet of orange and white flowers with greenery placed on a wooden surface.

Adventure Awaits

Hemlock is tender yet tenacious, its bandanas are both thoughtfully designed and utilitarian, and its artwork is original yet affordable. The juxtaposing ideals that run through Hemlock’s veins inspired its brand identity: for everyday adventures.

From Pretty to Poisonous

Before Hemlock met Hoot, its brand voice was delicate and sweet. But Hemlock needed to sound spunky and fearless to feel adventurous — connecting with its free-spirited target audience.

The copywriting standards took Hemlock’s tone from darling to disruptive, and it provided clear resources and guidelines to enable the team to write with the right vibe. The new brand voice inspired Hemlock’s spring line, Pretty Poison, and all the messaging that surrounded it.

Decorative table setting featuring pomegranate halves with seeds, a glass of red wine, a pink and green decorative mirror, and festive wrapping paper and napkins with holiday designs.

Moments of delight

Looking and sounding disruptive isn’t enough — Hemlock had to dive deeper to really make waves. To help Hemlock with its long-term plans, we outlined marketing strategies big and small, from branded catalogs to a traveling bandana pop-up. Our recommendations ranged in cost and scale, but they were all designed to delight an audience that craves memorable moments.

Hemlock took our recommendations to heart for its series six launch, which featured custom packaging, branded stickers, and tiny bandana-wearing horses. Talk about delightful.

Digital artwork featuring interconnected chains in shades of brown, white, and orange on a black background.

A cluttered pink table with scattered pills, playing cards, and other small objects including a yellow rotary phone, a candle, and container filled with pills. Green leaves, red roses, and various colorful items decor the scene, with a yellow towel, a glass jar, and a yellow box in the background.

A cluttered surface with a glass of red wine, a bottle of REXALL aspirin, a yellow telephone, a green bandana, a box of cigarettes, a cup of capsules, playing cards, and various other objects.

Close-up of a person wearing a white knitted sweater with a cut-out detail, a pastel-colored bandana with rainbow patterns, and dark hair, against an abstract graphic background with colorful brush strokes.

Colorful abstract shapes with words: 'tenacity', 'curiosity', 'delight' on a light pink background, with a small floral design at the bottom.

The big reveal

The Hemlock team could comprehend its new brand because it got to experience it. To share the new direction with the group, we hosted an immersive brand reveal and training. Every detail was meticulously chosen, from a custom playlist to a bespoke cocktail menu, to create a branded ambiance and lasting impression. The conversational presentation was the perfect end to Hemlock’s adventure with Hoot — and the beginning of its solo endeavors.

Close-up of a gift package with various items, including a decorative green moss ball, a bag of Aztec hot chocolate mixture, and a tag with color swatches and descriptions related to Hemlock.

A person wearing a striped beige sweater is looking at an open magazine on a dark wooden table. The magazine features a woman in sunglasses and a white dress. Next to the magazine are a pink glass and a small cup filled with chocolate popcorn. There

People sitting around a table with floral arrangements, candles, and magazines, looking at pamphlets or brochures.

A table setting with a red tablecloth, featuring a small glass vase with white baby's breath flowers, a yellow plate, orange business cards labeled 'Hit Play by HD,' and a white card with a QR code and instructions for a new beginning, goal setting,

Open booklet or brochure on a dark wooden surface, with the title 'Internal Messaging'. The page shows a bouquet of small white flowers and some green leaves, with part of a yellow and gold section visible.

People sitting at a table with flowers, brochures, and desserts, wearing casual clothing and masks.

Brand growth doesn’t have to feel directionless and unsustainable. Our team is here to help.

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““What you all did for us, which was help us put words and flesh on the bones of the Hemlock brand, was invaluable. The way you handed it to us and communicated it made for such an easy process to take your concepts and make them our own and run with them. Thank you every single one of you. You’ve created something awesome in the world and given us the foundation and tools to really go out and run with it. It’s a delight to put our new brand into practice.””

— Beth Snyder, founder and artist

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