Cleo + Coco Body Care

 

Project Description

Cleo+Coco — Wellness Brand Transformation, Packaging & E-commerce Design

A full-scale brand transformation for Cleo+Coco — repositioning a niche natural deodorant into a premium, retail-ready wellness brand.

This project brought together brand strategy, identity, packaging, content and e-commerce design to create a cohesive system that could scale across direct-to-consumer and retail environments — driving significant growth in both channels.

Services Provided

– Brand Strategy
– Identity Design
– Packaging Design
– Label Design
– Website Design
– Illustration

Client Location
— New York City
— United States

Market Reach
— Global

Retail Partners
— Erewhon
— Target
— Goop
— QVC
— Beauty Heroes
— Thrive Market
— Amazon
— Rite Aid

Project Links

– cleoandcoco.com
– Instagram

 
Black and white photo of a woman with long hair, looking down and resting her arm on her knee, with text overlay on the left side reading 'We are Cleo+Coco' and paragraph on the right describing the brand's focus on natural, safe deodorants and body
A minimalistic web page layout with a light gray background. On the left, there is a black text heading that says 'Our Brand Identity' and a white text box with black text explaining the brand's modern and fresh qualities. On the right, there is larg
A grayscale branding presentation for Cleo+Coco featuring a woman with flowing hair, logo designs including a hand drawing, a sun with a 'C' inside, and text describing the brand muse inspired by Cleopatra, emphasizing natural beauty, confidence, and
Black and white advertisement poster featuring a woman in a wide-brimmed hat sitting in a field, with text and icons highlighting environmentally friendly product features such as cruelty-free, natural, aluminum-free, SLS-free, waste-free, TALC-free,
Illustration of three plant sketches labeled as Grapefruit Bergamot, Lavender Vanilla, and Basil Mint on a light gray background with a text section describing the illustration style as raw, elegant, and modern.
Illustration style graphic showing simple black line drawings of three plant designs: Blue Tansy, Sage & Orange, and Lavender + Honey, with text describing raw, elegant, and modern product scents.

The Opportunity

When Cleo+Coco approached us, the product was already working.

The formulations were strong, the early audience was loyal, and the brand had clear potential within the fast-growing clean beauty space.

But the brand itself wasn’t keeping up.

It lacked:

  • a cohesive identity

  • clarity on shelf

  • confidence in its positioning

  • a system that could scale across retail and digital

The opportunity was not simply to redesign — but to reposition the brand for growth.

Repositioning from Niche to Mainstream

Our strategic shift was simple, but powerful:

Make natural feel normal.

Rather than positioning Cleo+Coco as a niche “natural alternative,” we reframed it as a modern personal care brand — one that delivers high-performance products without compromise.

This repositioning allowed the brand to:

  • move beyond the “eco niche”

  • appeal to a broader, design-aware audience

  • compete confidently in both boutique and mainstream retail

  • maintain its clean ingredient integrity while elevating perception

 

Brand Identity & Packaging System

The identity was designed to be clear, confident and instantly recognisable.

Key elements of the system include:

  • a bold, modern wordmark

  • assertive, highly legible typography

  • a colour architecture organised by scent

  • hand-drawn ingredient illustrations to add warmth and provenance

  • a clear icon system to communicate key product benefits quickly

The packaging system was built with retail in mind — ensuring:

  • strong shelf presence

  • fast product navigation

  • immediate communication of benefits

  • consistency across a growing product range

This balance of clarity and character allowed the brand to stand out without overwhelming.

E-commerce & Digital Experience

We extended the brand system into a custom Shopify experience — ensuring the clarity achieved on shelf translated seamlessly online.

The digital experience focused on:

  • intuitive product architecture

  • clear scent navigation

  • consistent tone of voice

  • alignment across product pages, campaigns and social content

This created a unified brand experience — where every touchpoint reinforced the same idea.

A promotional image of six colored deodorant containers arranged in a row, with a black and white photo of two smiling women on the left side. The text reads "Deodorant Packaging" and describes confidence, modernity, and earthy colors.
Image of deodorant packaging labeled "Sweet Surrender, Lavender Vanilla" in muted mauve color, with three deodorant sticks and two circular caps, set against a light background with faint botanical illustrations.
Image of deodorant packaging with three green containers and two lids, featuring a minimalist design with leaf illustrations and text about the product's scent and ingredients.
Image showing blue deodorant packaging with three cylindrical bottles aligned side by side and two round caps, background of white with outline floral design, label text indicating 'Deodorant Packaging,' 'Blue Moon, Blue Tansy,' and 'Dusky Blue' scen
Image of deodorant packaging called 'Great Expectations, Grapefruit Bergamot', featuring three cylindrical containers in a muted earth tone laid side by side, with one container turned upside down showing the bottom. The background has a light grey a
Image of deodorant packaging with three green cylindrical containers labeled 'cleo+ coco,' featuring white text and leaf illustrations, set against a light background with white line drawings of citrus and leaves, and descriptive text on the left sid
Images of three deodorant containers in brown packaging on a gray background, with the text "Deodorant Packaging", "Orange You Sage, Sage & Orange", and a descriptive paragraph about the deodorant scent and branding.
Black and white photo of a woman with curly hair, standing outdoors with her eyes closed and one hand on her head. To her right, two bottles of powder spray labeled 'cleo + coco' in pink and purple. Text describing the product features on the right s
Image of three pink powder packaging bottles labeled Cleo + Coco. The bottles are titled 'Dry Shampoo + Body Powder Spray' and feature white text and icons on the back. The background has a light grey and white grapefruit illustration with text descr
Packaging for Powder Packaging in Lavender Vanilla scent, including a dry shampoo and body spray bottles in muted mauve color with pump tops, accompanied by printed information and icons.
A black and white photo of a woman with long, wavy hair, partially covering her face with her hand, next to a color image of a soap packaging box labeled 'cleo coco.' and a description of its features. The words 'Soap Packaging' are written over the
Display of deodorant packaging with five boxes in warm honey color, featuring minimalistic white illustrations and text, alongside a description about honey's qualities.
Advertising layout for deodorant bar packaging featuring a black-and-white photo of a woman with long hair wearing a backless dress, standing in the ocean, with product packaging and descriptive text to the right.
Image of lavender deodorant packaging in mauve color with brand name "cleo coco." and product description, including a bar-shaped box and additional packaging elements, all set against a light background with white botanical illustrations.

From Brand to Growth Platform

The impact of the transformation was immediate.

The rebrand didn’t just change how Cleo+Coco looked — it changed how it performed.

  • Retailers who had previously hesitated began engaging

  • The brand moved into national and international retail channels

  • Direct-to-consumer sales strengthened through clearer positioning and messaging

The first QVC airing sold out in 10 minutes — a clear signal that the brand was now connecting at scale.

The Outcome

Cleo+Coco is now positioned as a leading clean body care brand within the US market.

The brand system supports:

  • retail expansion across 100+ stockists

  • strong direct-to-consumer growth

  • product line extensions

  • ongoing brand evolution without losing consistency

Key milestones include:

  • 10× sales growth in 2020, surpassing $1M revenue

  • revenue doubling again in 2021

  • retail presence across platforms including Goop, Target, Neiman Marcus and Amazon

  • nationwide Whole Foods Market launch (2025)

 
A social media layout featuring a grid of images and product photos for a brand called cleo & coco, showcasing skincare products, color palettes, and models, with a side panel text reading "Social Media" and "Elegantly pared back."
Close-up of a woman with long hair hugging someone, with the text 'cleo+co co.' in white on the right side of the image.

Why It Worked

The success of Cleo+Coco comes down to a simple principle:

Clarity creates confidence.

By aligning strategy, identity, packaging and digital experience, the brand became:

  • easier to understand

  • easier to trust

  • easier to buy

The system balances:

  • sensory appeal (colour, illustration, texture)

  • functional clarity (icons, hierarchy, typography)

This allows the brand to perform equally well:

  • on shelf

  • online

  • across marketing and campaigns

A Living Brand System

Since the initial rebrand, Cleo+Coco has continued to evolve — including a recent packaging and digital refinement using more sustainable materials and elevated finishes.

The strength of the original system is that it allows for this evolution without losing recognition.

This project demonstrates our approach to building brands as living systems — designed not just for launch, but for long-term growth.