Brand Refresh

When taking on the Counter Assault rebranding project, I knew that Counter Assault developed the longest-distance bear spray on the market (40ft), a key differentiator in the space. On the old packaging (left), this key information was buried in the hierarchy under other features. The old color scheme appeared to be dated. There were also contrast/ readability issues in a few areas.

For the new packaging (right), I cleaned up the color selection and made the 40-foot range callout a primary element. The icon also matches the brand name’s color (which is trademarked), so those three items are more synonymous. I added a more intimidating grizzly bear and cleaned up the secondary feature callouts.

Results: Due to EPA registration timelines, we were first able to release the new look in Canada, and we received plenty of excellent remarks from sales representatives and buyers. The new branding is rolling out to outdoor stores in the US starting in 2024.

Advertising Campaign

Notes:

We created an ad campaign for multiple publications, including Yellowstone Magazine and Backpacker Magazine.

Because of the long EPA label approval process, we couldn’t roll out new packaging, but we still wanted to better emphasize the clear distance benefit offered by Counter Assault in the meantime.

This campaign ran for a few years and remains a cornerstone for ongoing digital and print advertisements.

Notes:

The previous bear spray accessory packaging (not shown) featured excessive amounts of plastic.

We moved to design new accessory packaging that not only significantly reduced the amount of plastic used but also did a better job of showing the accessory in use.

Accessory Packaging

Retail Displays

Notes:

We created several different displays for vendors. The largest of those is for Scheel’s (Left), which has reordered new displays for the last four years. This display features language and typography similar to the ad campaigns and includes the “measuring tape” line motif.

The other display is a POP option for Canadian drug stores where the bear spray is held behind the counter. This small display highlights the product well and instructs shoppers on how to purchase Counter Assault.