Aardvark is a new brand creation by B&B studio for young entrepreneur Hugo Walters, encompassing brand positioning, creative strategy, naming, brand design and packaging. A sustainable, vet approved insect-based pet food for cats and dogs, Aardvark will launch initially as a DTC brand, with a retail offer on the way.

Aardvark’s mission is to help make pet ownership more sustainable. It’s a little-known fact that pets eat an estimated 20% of the world’s meat, and feeding our pets contributes up to a quarter of the negative environmental impact of meat production worldwide. And while 66% of millennials are increasingly turning to plant-based protein sources, they continue to feed meat to their pets – particularly cats, for whom a vegan diet is inappropriate. Insect protein is a sustainable and healthy solution to that problem – but it requires a shift in perception and a change of behavior for consumers.

Put off by the bug-based puns and insect illustrations common to the design codes of emerging insect-protein products, B&B knew it had to create a compelling and desirable lifestyle brand in order to galvanize and educate consumers. While the name Aardvark, created by B&B, offers a knowing nod to the insect-protein source, it also sets the stage for a witty and characterful brand personality – vital for a contemporary DTC, digital-first brand. By shifting the emphasis from ingredient to mission – as the brand that helps pets protect the planet – Aardvark embodies revolutionary zeal and begins to build a community of pet- and planet-lovers.

The Aardvark identity is a simple but impactful combination of vibrant color, linework illustration and a bold logotype. Playing on the pointed shape of pets’ ears, the logo makes the most of the double A at the beginning of Aardvark, creating a movable icon that can come to life in a host of applications off-pack.