Case Study: Lucky Day Allergen-Free Hemp Ice Cream
Client: Lucky Day
Service: Advertising Campaign Illustration and Graphics | Merchandise Design
How It All Started: Animation to Ice Cream
This project kicked off with an introduction through the incredibly talented Cat Hong, who I worked with on a personal animation project. A year later, Cat kindly introduced me to Sam Lejfer, the founder of Lucky Day—an allergen-free, hemp-based ice cream company that’s all about good vibes and inclusivity. Sam had a Kickstarter campaign in the works and needed help bringing his brand’s vision to life with some fresh, creative visuals.
The challenge? Create a visual identity that’s as playful and imaginative as the product itself. And fun fact: Sam’s Kickstarter hit its funding goal in just 11 days and got featured on Kickstarter’s “Projects We Love”. Talk about a lucky day!
The Vision: A Little Moebius, A Lot of Retro Whimsy
In our early conversations, Sam and I were drawn to the otherworldly style of Jean Giraud, bettre known as Moebius, known for his surreal, futuristic work and for contributing his ideas to iconic movies like Alien, The Fifth Element, Tron, and The Abyss.
But we didn’t want to lose sight of Lucky Day’s beachy, chill, retro vibe either. There, we landed on our inspiration — think 1970s surf culture meets a dreamy sci-fi world we dove into mood boards, pulling in influences that felt fun, fresh, and a little out-of-this-world. We wanted the illustration style to reflect that perfect balance of playful nostalgia and the unexpected.
The Creative Approach: One Illustration, Many Uses
Instead of creating a bunch of smaller pieces, we decided to design one large illustration per ice cream flavor This allowed for flexibility—we could use the full illustration for big-impact visuals or break it down into smaller pieces for specific campaign materials. This approach ensured consistency and kept the visuals cohesive across the entire Kickstarter campaign.
From digital ads to social posts, the elements flowed seamlessly, capturing the fun and adventurous spirit of Lucky Day.
Expanding the Artwork: From Campaign to Swag
As big fans of merch ourselves, we knew it would inspire people to support our campaign. So, as the Kickstarter gained momentum, we took the opportunity to expand the illustration into something even more exciting—merch! Using the same visual elements, we designed custom hats and sweatshirts for various reward tiers, giving backers a piece of Lucky Day they could wear with pride. The merch became more than just cool swag—it was a symbol of support for those who helped bring the brand to life, all while reflecting our beachy, laid-back vibe with a playful twist.
The Result: Fully Funded in 11 Days!
With the campaign fully funded in just 11 days, it was clear that the fun, bold visuals hit the mark. The creative direction helped tell Lucky Day’s story in a way that resonated with backers—combining retro nostalgia with futuristic charm to match the allergen-free ice cream’s innovative approach. What’s more, we’re still developing new marketing materials as interest in the brand continues to grow!
Working with Sam and the Lucky Day team was a blast. It was an incredible process of being able to translate Sam’s unique vision for the brand into something tangible for the world to see and be excited about.
