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When life gives you olives, make olive oil. In 2024, Esi Akaltun’s father called her up with strange news—the small family orchard had an unexpectedly bountiful season, with a yield several times the usual amount. There was one clear course of action: harvest, cold-press, brand, and bottle it, and Babaya (Turkish for “daddy oil”) was born.
Akaltun approached us to craft a logo, look, label, and packaging that felt classy, clean, and contemporary without falling victim to faceless minimalism or corporate illustration pop slop. We pulled inspiration from restaurants, wine labels, and ceramicists to arrive at an elevated but accessible handcrafted feel.
The graphic mark is fashioned after relief prints and old cookbook illustrations and features an olive tree sprouting out from the castle walls of Babakale, Turkey where the orchard was planted.
Fun fact—the choice of bright yellow (invoking bright flavor, unexpected optimism, life-giving sun) on a tin bottle predate Graza’s “Frizzle” label and refill cans. There must have been something in the oil!
When life gives you olives, make olive oil. In 2024, Esi Akaltun’s father called her up with strange news—the small family orchard had an unexpectedly bountiful season, with a yield several times the usual amount. There was one clear course of action: harvest, cold-press, brand, and bottle it, and Babaya (Turkish for “daddy oil”) was born.
Akaltun approached us to craft a logo, look, label, and packaging that felt classy, clean, and contemporary without falling victim to faceless minimalism or corporate illustration pop slop. We pulled inspiration from restaurants, wine labels, and ceramicists to arrive at an elevated but accessible handcrafted feel.
The graphic mark is fashioned after relief prints and old cookbook illustrations and features an olive tree sprouting out from the castle walls of Babakale, Turkey where the orchard was planted.
Fun fact—the choice of bright yellow (invoking bright flavor, unexpected optimism, life-giving sun) on a tin bottle predate Graza’s “Frizzle” label and refill cans. There must have been something in the oil!