After nearly a decade without a significant packaging refresh, Brown Cow partnered with Little Big to reconnect the brand with its heritage, product quality, and cream-top yogurt tradition.
Founded in upstate New York in 1973 by two entrepreneurs and their Jersey cow, Lily, Brown Cow built its reputation on cream-top yogurt, where a layer of cream naturally rises. Associated with a richer, more traditional yogurt experience, the brand sought to bring that story back into clearer focus on shelf.
“The opportunity was to reestablish Brown Cow as a brand known for creamy, indulgent yogurt and communicate that clearly through the packaging,” said Ben Glotzer, senior creative director at Little Big. “We wanted to highlight the brand’s history and craftsmanship in a way that felt immediate and approachable, and returning to Lily, the Jersey cow at the center of the brand’s origin story, gave us a strong foundation.”
Lily was reinterpreted through a custom hand-drawn illustration designed to feel both familiar and contemporary, evolving from mascot to storyteller. Combined with updated typography for the Brown Cow logo, the identity aims to reinforce the brand’s traditional character. The broader visual system emphasizes appetite appeal and ingredient recognition through custom photography, layered backgrounds, and tactile textures.
Rather than reinventing the brand, the redesign focuses on clarifying and strengthening existing equities tied to its history, simplicity, and distinctive yogurt experience. “More than a redesign, it’s a reclamation of identity. A return to glass-bottle nostalgia … Because when your story is this rich, you don’t need to reinvent it. You just need to bring it back to life,” said Glotzer.
