Earthling Studio infuses nostalgic fun into iced tea brand HALFDAY

In a drinks market overflowing with kombuchas, seltzers, and adaptogen-laced elixirs, where health-conscious consumers are becoming increasingly selective with their choices, being the go-to brand is no easy feat. But for HALFDAY, a ready-to-drink iced tea brand aiming to balance nostalgic flavour with modern-day wellness, standing out was exactly the goal.

Enter Earthling Studio, which was tasked with overhauling HALFDAY's visual identity and brand world. They gave it a bold new look rooted in '90s nostalgia, carefree escapism, and a hefty dose of maverick fun.

HALFDAY, known for its prebiotic iced teas with all-natural ingredients and reduced sugar, already had a product that ticked all the functional boxes. However, according to Earthling Studio's managing partner, Tom Bruce, its visual identity was playing it far too safe and blending into a sea of worthy, functional wellness drinks instead of proudly owning its playful personality.

"With the better-for-you drinks category becoming increasingly crowded, HALFDAY needed to ensure its functional benefits were clear, but also that the great classic taste of the liquid shone through," Bruce explains.

At the heart of the rebrand is a simple but evocative idea: "Make a Break for It." More than just a tagline, this phrase encapsulates the brand's whole attitude and is inspired by the blissful feeling of sneaking out of work early or ditching your responsibilities for a sunny afternoon with friends.

As Bruce puts it, "HALFDAY is all about capturing the buzz of ditching something boring and making the most of the time we've got. No worries, just potential."

To dial up this sense of carefree fun, Earthling Studio rooted the brand refresh firmly in the golden era of iced tea—the 1990s. At that time, brightly coloured bottles lined the shelves, brands embraced loud design, and iced tea was more about indulgence than wellness.

"The classic taste sitting at the heart of HALFDAY's product was inspired by those '90s brands," Bruce says, "so it felt natural to capture that spirit but modernise it for today's audience."

The new HALFDAY logo is the centrepiece of the rebrand. Earthling Studio worked closely with renowned lettering artist Rob Clarke to develop a design that merges retro flavour with modern punch. The result is an arched wordmark that nods to '90s brand typography while remaining contemporary and adaptable across touchpoints.

Bruce notes that two secondary logo variations—a wave and a repeat version—provide added flexibility for merch, social content, and other applications.

Typography was another key ingredient in capturing the right balance of nostalgia and modernity. The team chose Strippy Regular as the headline font, embracing its bold, square shapes reminiscent of '90s editorial design.

Museo Slab, a more refined typeface that adds a touch of craft and credibility, complements this. Together, they create a typographic pairing that feels bold, expressive, and confidently different from the category's softer, earthier aesthetic.

Colour, too, plays a starring role and Earthling Studio leaned hard into bright, clashing hues, referencing both the product's sweet, fruit-forward flavours and the unapologetic vibrancy of '90s fashion. "We chose an unashamedly bodacious mix of contrasting colours," Bruce says, "a visual shorthand for the kind of fun and flavour HALFDAY brings."

To further embed the brand's playful spirit, Earthling Studio commissioned illustrator Ana Moreno to create a suite of vibrant illustrations and patterns that bring the Make a Break for It narrative to life. "We wanted a style that felt natural, joyful, and authentic but a little offbeat," Bruce adds. The result is a visual language that feels both welcoming and distinctive, avoiding the overly earnest visual tropes so common in the wellness category.

The combination of vivid colour, charismatic typography, and playful illustration means HALFDAY doesn't just stand out on the shelf; it leaps off it, beckoning shoppers to leave their responsibilities behind and grab a can for the ride.

Of course, this brand isn't just about good vibes as it still needed to clearly communicate its functional benefits, which Earthling Studio achieved through careful hierarchy and messaging design. "The biggest challenge was ensuring it's clear what we're selling—a new-era iced tea with less sugar and prebiotics—without losing the fun and escapism that defines the brand," Bruce says.

HALFDAY's new packaging balances clean design with a bold personality, signalling both health credentials and irreverent charm. Functional claims are clear, but they're framed in a brand world that feels more like a road trip than a health retreat.

The brand's tone of voice has also been carefully shaped to match its visual personality. Phrases like 'Out of Office in a Can' and 'HALFDAY State of Mind' turn everyday moments into mini acts of rebellion, encouraging people to take a well-earned pause. According to Bruce, the goal is to "inspire people to enjoy a little time out—whether that's cracking a can at 3 p.m. for a pick-me-up or hitting the beach boardwalk with friends."

This playful rallying cry will extend well beyond packaging, with Earthling Studio working on plans to bring the HALFDAY spirit to life across social content, activations, and brand partnerships. "It's about building a community around those moments," Bruce hints. "Always with a can of HALFDAY in hand."

Ultimately, HALFDAY's refresh is about more than updating its look—it's about carving out a clear identity in an increasingly saturated market. Functional benefits and carefree escapism are blended seamlessly together through a brand that feels as refreshing as the drink itself, proof that you really can Make a Break for It and still feel good about what's in the can.