The Unherd
Putting the ancient into your morning ritual
The Unherd is a conceptual alternative milk brand that reimagines plant-based milk not as a modern trend, but as a continuation of ancient ritual. Rooted in forgotten cross-cultural traditions of almond, coconut and macadamia milk, the brand brings old-world reverence into the modern coffee moment through a visual world that feels both sacred and contemporary.
Client: Self-Initiated Concept
Context: Originally developed from a teaching prompt at Shillington Education, then expanded into a full portfolio case study
Services: Brand Strategy, Naming, Verbal Identity, Visual Identity, Packaging Design, Website Design, Campaign Art Direction & Motion Direction
The Challenge
In an increasingly crowded alternative milk category, the opportunity was to build a brand with greater cultural depth, visual distinction and conceptual longevity. Rather than positioning plant-based milk as a new substitute, the idea was to reframe it as an age-old practice — rich in history, symbolism and ritual — and translate that into a contemporary brand world with both editorial character and commercial appeal.
The Approach
The concept centred on Forgotten Ancient Rituals: centuries-old traditions of plant-based milk production reimagined for modern mornings. From this came the name The Unherd — a layered idea that speaks both to stepping away from dairy convention and to uncovering stories that have long gone unheard.
The strategic direction balanced heritage with irreverence, building a tone of voice that felt intriguing, eccentric and self-aware without becoming overly serious. This foundation informed the naming, messaging and packaging system, as well as a broader rollout across website design, social content, OOH concepts, motion and merchandise.
Brand Expression
The visual identity contrasts historical influence with bold contemporary execution. Gothic-inspired typography and arched structures reference ritual, architecture and ceremony, while the vivid carton palette and oversized graphic forms give the system immediacy, confidence and shelf impact.
Each flavour is rooted in a distinct cultural tradition, from medieval almond milk to Southeast Asian coconut extraction and Indigenous Australian macadamia use, with these references woven through both the packaging and wider brand narrative.
Campaign imagery was art directed as a contemporary breakfast shrine: rich, high-contrast still lifes that elevate coffee, matcha and breakfast objects into ritualistic compositions. Across website, social and campaign applications, the brand world was designed to feel luxurious, graphic and slightly unexpected — a sacred morning routine, reimagined for now.
The Result
The result is a distinctive conceptual FMCG brand that demonstrates how strategy, naming, packaging and digital rollout can work together to build a fully realised brand world. By treating plant-based milk as a continuation of ancient practice rather than a fleeting trend, The Unherd creates a fresh point of difference within a saturated category.
The final system feels rich in narrative, visually ownable and flexible across packaging, campaign and digital execution — combining conceptual rigour with a strong sense of market relevance.
