When we first had the opportunity to work with an ambitious entrepreneur with a vision to elevate jerky from the truckstop favorite for the quintessential balls scratching cowboy, to something fit for a busy, health-conscious, and conscientious female consumer - we jumped at the chance.

Who doesn’t like jerky? After all, it’s delicious, low-carb, gluten-free, high in protein, portable, and extremely satisfying. Unfortunately, It’s also packed with salt, artificial flavours and chemicals galore. What’s more, the category seems to be dead set on appealing exclusively to an ultra-masculine clientele with branding ranging from bullhorns to matadores, to more bulls*#t.

Armed with this insight, our client envisioned a more premium jerky experience, with artisan flavours, crap-free ingredients; diet-friendly sustenance for urban pursuits. Pick it up at the boutique, coffee shop, or health food store and store it proudly in your clutch for on-the-go, guilt-free, sustenance.

And so, Uptown Jerky Co. was born.

Working with my partners at Swank Collective, we developed the brand name, tone of voice, brand story, positioning, logo and packaging for this Alberta-based start-up. The antecedent to the ‘ball scratching cowboy jerky’, we took the farm uptown. Uptown Jerky Co. branding is softer, friendlier, lively and premium. With a modern and inviting colour palette, playful line drawings and typography, we aimed to tell a story and to create a brand personality unlike any other brand in the category.

Keep your eyes out for Uptown Jerky Co. in shops across Alberta. While we’re very proud of the brand we created, the jerky speaks for itself. It’s delish!