If someone told you 'You have big step dad energy' how would you take that? More importantly, what do you do with that?
Well, that's what happened with me at an art fair. And after much consideration and deep reflection, I arrived at the same conclusion that any of us would... say it with me now... energy drink.
Of course, I'm not a stepdad and that also implies khakis and a Toyota Camry, neither of which I have an issue with, but also, neither of which I identify with either. That said, 'Daddy' in the modern pop culture lexicon is much more open-ended and playful. And just like that, Stepdaddy Energy was born.
Now, as a non-energy drink drinker, it was crucial not to just get the product right (that's baseline) but rather, it was as or more important to get the story, the feeling, and the presentation right.
The colors had to be vibrant, fun, engaging, but not overly masculine or aggressive. Using my own art as the template, I created a label that walked the line beautifully.
The name carries initial connotations and assumptions, so it needed to be opened up in its mental presentation as well. It needed a tagline, something inviting and aspirational. If a step dad is the dad that stepped up, well... then a Stepdaddy is anyone who can 'Step Up To Life'
With the brand in hand, I used the power of the internet to find a beverage company specializing in white label production that had a formula I liked. After some back and forth, a few weeks later I had a small palette worth of cans in my studio.
It takes a certain kind of energy to take an off handed comment and turn it into your own personal beverage brand. I guess I really do have SDE.