HAZZAH!

Bench Top Innovations Competition, November 2024

For the third annual University of Richmond bake-off competition, teams of VCU Brandcenter students were asked to create the brand identity for dressings that University of Richmond undergraduate students had made.

This included background research, conducting interviews/surveys, as well as creating a brand name, brand story, and a bottle design for the dressing.

University of Richmond students came to our Brandcenter team with a harissa-based dressing, and we had 3 weeks to figure out how to show it off in the best way possible.

Online research:

Researched the popularity of spicy condiments and what makes people get attached to spices.
Learned about the lack of milder dressings in the market.

Methodology

1-on-1 interviews/Online survey:

Discussed likes and dislikes of spicy dressings.
Explored the types of dressings people are drawn to when shopping.

Problem

People are not aware of harissa, and tend to opt for mainstream spices in their dressings.

Our research showed that people tend to stick with familiar spices like chipotle and paprika when picking dressings, mainly because they’re everywhere and easy to grab. As a result, harissa gets overlooked, even though it’s packed with a bold, unique flavor.

Chipotle and paprika are everywhere.

People are unaware of other options.

Target

Heat haters.

When consulting people through interviews and a survey, we found that there are a lot of people who can’t stand the burn of spicy items. They feel annoyed by the heat of dressings they try, and therefore desire an alternative option.

Many are not keen on heat.

Insight

Not everyone needs the heat.

With harissa’s mild spice level and full flavor, we landed on a real opportunity: a perfect dressing for people that want a little kick, but don’t like their mouths on fire.

A harissa dressing would provide the ideal balance for those who want to change things up without overwhelming their taste buds, making it a go-to option for a wider range of people.

Harissa is not as hot as chipotle.

People are open to trying harissa.

Strategy

All of the flavor, none of the regrets.

Creative Idea

HAZZAH!

Our dressing, HAZZAH! showcased how a lower spice level can still pack in a beautiful, rich taste — and we think that is something worth celebrating in every meal.

Design Choices

We wanted a name as bold and balanced as the dressing’s flavors, so we came up with HAZZAH! It’s a name that’s fun to say, can be said in reverse just as easily, and sounds like another one of our favorite words, “huzzah”.

HAZZAH’s logo features warm colors to highlight the spicy (but not hot) qualities of our dressing.

Packaging Choices

For HAZZAH’s packaging, we aimed for a design that felt modern and classy, without being overly upscale. In a market flooded with bold hot sauce bottles and generic salad dressings, we opted for a simple glass bottle with clean, straightforward labels that clearly show what you’re getting. Our packaging reflects our brand’s core values: transparency and authenticity.