the project
Envision a snack brand born from a crypt with a mission as bold as its flavor
Create a visual identity and packaging system that screams “limited drop from a cult that meets under a blood moon.” We wanted every bag to look like a Special Edition and stand out from everything else on the shelf.
Design a mascot & packaging that bites back
From gravestone shaped elements to deliciously fanged mascots, we crafted a packaging experience that balances horror nostalgia, high-end snack appeal, and cheeky, spooky rebellion. It's a snack you can build a cult around.
Craft messaging that dares customers to join the dark side
Built brand language that feels like a witty goth friend on a hot take rant — dripping with sarcasm, camp, and just enough “wtf” to make it irresistible. Trust your customers. Take risks. Stand out. Repel normies.
Build launch assets that don't play nice
From social media teasers to a high-drama product drop countdown, we positioned Bat Snacks as the snack of choice for the snack-obsessed who also might hex their ex and own a taxidermy collection.
how to start a cult
case studyMatt came to me with a killer recipe, a placeholder logo that was very What We Do In The Shadows and a vision for a snack brand that didn't suck.
Literally.
This was not going to be your mom’s Goldfish.
It wasn’t going to be a Whole Foods wellness-wrapped guilt-cracker either.
It was going to be Bat Snacks: punk, bold, unapologetically alternative, and cheekily gothic.
He wanted a brand that bit back.
Something that would appeal to hot sauce freaks, retro horror nerds, nostalgic alt kids, and anyone who’s ever loved a crunchy cheddar bite and wanted it to come in a bag worthy of shrine status.
We needed to build a cult.
This wasn’t just about cheese crackers. This was about building a snackable subculture.
As anyone with eyes can see, we succeeded.
But if you're hoping to launch your own cult-like brand, you've likely got that burning question: How the fuck did you do it?
attracting cult members
the strategyBefore I even opened my sketchbook, we spent hours sinking our teeth into strategy—because you don’t build a snack empire by slapping a bat on a bag and calling it a day.
Matt had a killer recipe and a vibe.
I had the unholy trifecta: my unique brand strategy framework, vampire jokes, and too many opinions about Cheez-Its.
We started by defining five core brand values—not just some fluffy words to slap on a pitch deck, but actual decision-making filters.
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Rebellion: because fangs out, always.
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Quality: the snacks are made with real ingredients, not orange dust and lies.
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Conservation: we stan bats. Period.
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Playfulness: not cheesy, but clever.
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Originality: this brand doesn’t cosplay as edgy—it is edgy.
Then we built out a target persona that felt deeply personal: the hot goth at your local punk show who knows all the lyrics to AFI and owns a Hello Kitty lunchbox.
Someone who grew up on Hot Cheetos and Monster energy but now shops small, supports bat sanctuaries, and isn’t here for brands trying to sound cool—they want a brand that is cool.
We dissected competitors.
Dragged the color palettes of every “artisan cracker” brand on the shelf.
Defined what professional actually means (spoiler: not corporate blandness, but “looks like we hired an entire design team even if it was just me on a Tuesday at midnight”).
Imagined comic books.
Discussed the cultural implications of the word “spooky.”
Talked about foil bags, Instagram trolls, and selling snacks that taste like childhood nostalgia—if your childhood was spent watching Buffy and getting detention for drawing upside-down crosses in your notebook.
Sound like a cult you want to join?
the making of a mascot
the visualsOnce we nailed the brand vibe—
part monster cereal, part horror comic, part punk zine—
it was time to make it look as dangerous as it tastes.
Just kidding.
Time to make it cute as hell.
This little bat was actually hard as hell to draw.
This was my first attempt:
Can you see any issues?
LOL.
Here's a real bat:
I drew a literal demon.
Bat anatomy aside, our bat mascot isn’t just a cute critter—it’s the gateway drug to a whole brand universe.
Matt and I talked about potential comics, collectible stickers, easter eggs. (if you look close you might find some)
We’re not just selling snacks, we’re building lore.
Then we moved to color.
From the beginning, I wondered if we could get away with an all-black bag.
What resulted was a snack bag where every flavor looks like a special edition.
It wasn't just “designed,” it was built to stop you in your tracks in the snack aisle.
The design looks like a gravestone got possessed by a cartoon bat, without having to be text-heavy or rely on gimmicky food photography.
That’s how you know I care too much.
My main love language is complaints, but my second love language is putting the devil in the details.
Like how the hand drawn logotype is a Bat, too.
we killed Ozzy osborne
the launchIn mid-July, Bat Snacks launched.
And then they immediately sold the fuck out.
The first drop of Bat Snacks disappeared in 12 hours.
Twelve hours.
Into the mouths of the spooky and the snack-starved.
Matt had to sprint back into the kitchen like a goth Cinderella, apron on, hair up, cranking out more Wicked Cheddar and Hellfang Heat just to keep up with demand.
And then—
because the brand is chaos incarnate—
I AI-generated a photo of Ozzy Osbourne holding a bag of Bat Snacks like it was the bat he famously bit the head off of.
It was hilarious. It was perfect.
It was cursed, apparently.
Because Ozzy fucking died like three days later.
We’re not saying Bat Snacks killed Ozzy Osbourne.
We’re also not not saying that.
(Too soon? Probably. But it happened. We were there.)
The second drop? Gone in days.
The reviews started rolling in to our inboxes:
“These are addictive.”
“Holy shit, I finished the bag in one sitting.”
“I’m hiding them from my kids.”
They’re delicious as hell. Crunchy. Real cheese. No weird aftertaste.
No lies. Just vibes, fangs, and flavor. And a curse.
Anyway, the launch was a smash.
People are obsessed.
We release more, they sell out, and we get emails begging for more.
They’re not just customers.
They’re early cult members of what’s shaping up to be a full-blown spooky snack revolution.
Bat Snacks isn’t a joke.
It’s not just a vibe.
It’s a damn good product with branding that makes people throw money at the screen.
I live for small businesses like this—feral, brilliant, unapologetic—that claw their way from side hustle to empire.
And Bat Snacks?
They’re just getting started.
You’ve been warned.
wanna start your own cult?
it all begins with a brandLook—Bat Snacks didn’t blow up overnight because of luck.
They blew up because Matt had a killer product, and we built a brand around it that was so sharp, so weird, and so damn magnetic that people couldn’t look away.
We didn’t chase trends.
We didn’t play it safe.
We built a snack cult with custom lettering, edible sarcasm, and a bat mascot worthy of merch.
If your brand feels half-baked, too vanilla, or like it’s trying to please everyone and thrilling no one—let’s fix that.
And maybe we'll kill a celebrity by accident for you, too.
We offer free 20-minute strategy calls where we’ll help you:
Pinpoint what’s flat or confusing about your current brand
Show you how to stand out without selling your soul
Give you one actionable thing you can do to unf*ck it
No pressure.
No pitch deck.
Just a smart, slightly unhinged creative who loves turning chaos into cult-worthy branding.
let's taco bout it
whether you're ready to take the plunge, you have a million questions, or just want to see how we vibe—let's set up a free 20-minute chat and see where you're at.
