Project Type
Client-commissioned

Agency
Bakery Agency

Client Name
Yayhound

Client URL
https://www.yayhound.com/

My Role in This Project
We were briefed to help the founder of Yayhound (formerly Pupcycle) develop her brand of eco-conscious dog toys and market them to a millennial audience. I helped in the naming brainstorm that got us to Yayhound (referencing the founder's upbeat greyhound who was the muse for the brand). I worked with our partner design agency to help develop a brand book, including a logo, color palette, fonts, and illustration style. Internally, we curated seasonal toy collections around themes that were relevant to our audience, kicking off with "The Texas-Sized Hangover"--an idea I had because of Yayhound's home in Austin, and an adorable Bloody Mary toy.

We then developed a launch strategy and our creative platform: Yay days ahead. The brands relaunch was at the top of 2021, where everyone was hoping the near year would be better than the last (also coinciding with the rise of pandemic puppies). Our strategy was constrained by a tight budget, so we led with a social campaign that reintroduced the brand and launched the e-marketplace. I led the team in ideating and creating 30+ ideas for social content, which we captured with a photographer and some furry talent. Our small but mighty team designed, animated, retouched, and wrote all of the assets. I also collaborated with our design agency to create a "Where's Waldo" style illustration to teleport people to the weird world of Yayhound. Throughout the launch, I worked really closely with the founder and the extended team.

Project Description
Making its debut on the market, Yayhound wanted to differentiate itself from every other dog toy brand. Because dog toys aren’t just for dogs, we decided to appeal to the interests and ideals of today’s pet parents: sustainability, flexibility, and toys curated around themes like “A Texas-Sized Hangover,” “Bachelorette in the Bayou,” and “Hipster Ex-BF.” We developed a name, a look, a voice, a world that would remind pet parents of the chaos, color, and unconditional love that their dogs bring into their lives.

Each season, Yayhound releases a curated collection of toys. It launched with the “Texas Sized-Hangover” to pay homage to Yayhound’s Austin roots, and teased the drop with a "Where’s Waldo-esque” illustration. We brought the world of Yayhound to our feed and launched with a social-first campaign at the top of the new year with the #YayDaysAhead.

A key touchpoint for our consumer is receiving the toys. I helped design the packaging, which in addition to the toys included a fun, informative, and carbon-neutral postcard from Yayworld. We developed the brand's design elements to be used in perpetuity, a playful mix of illustrated graphics, typography, and photography.