MACHAS

Tea Time: Olaf Hajek creates evocative visuals for the re-branded packaging of YuYo 

In thinking of rich colours, vibrant blossom and escapist symbols, no-one more than Machas artist Olaf Hajek can inspire such vivid imagery. So when hot drink company YuYo looked to rebrand themselves with a Latin-American influenced identity, Olaf’s arresting illustrations brought their vision to life. 

Moving away from the brands’ original name as TeaTonics, YuYo hoped to evoke the idiosyncratic flavours of their ‘Yerba Mate’ drink. The change of name called for transformed packaging, and Olaf’s designs became the visual voice of YuYo’s spirit. Characters embellished in bold botanicals, curled cornucopia and quixotic creatures declare YuYo as a brand bursting with pungent aromas. Instead of the muted monochromes used by many tea and coffee competitors, Olaf’s curvilinear paintings announce the brand’s tagline ‘Escape the Ordinary’. 

Indeed it was YuYo’s founders’ Rosie and Charles’ own escape to South America that enabled them to discover Yerba Mate and create their brand. Building YuYo’s story around the sights, sounds and experiences they gained on their own travels, Olaf created original artwork that invites audiences to share the discovery of YuYo’s distinctive tastes. Olaf worked directly with Rosie and Charles to translate their photographs into stand-out visuals. Surreal shapes collide in an explosion that recalls the dynamism of South American artwork and the continent’s wild plants and animals. Olaf’s detailed brushwork and saturated colour pigments ignite curiosity as the packaging’s revitalised into an atmospheric festival of flavours. Yuyo’s new brand position as a unique blend distinctive from everyday tea and coffee is announced loud and proud with Olaf’s vibrant invitation to escape normality.
Discover more of Olaf’s work here