HOXY™ dot com
HOXY™ dot com
HOXY™ dot com
project description
project description
HOXY™ is an emerging food brand known for its bold seasonings, with early traction through Amazon and Walmart. While these third-party platforms drove initial growth, the brand lacked a digital space to express its identity and connect with customers.
This project focused on creating HOXY’s first e-commerce website, designed to establish its identity, build loyalty, and support future growth.
HOXY™ is an emerging food brand known for its bold seasonings, with early traction through Amazon and Walmart. While these third-party platforms drove initial growth, the brand lacked a digital space to express its identity and connect with customers.
This project focused on creating HOXY’s first e-commerce website, designed to establish its identity, build loyalty, and support future growth.
roles & responsibilities
roles & responsibilities
UX/UI Designer, Visual Designer
Research, information architecture, UX/UI design, branding
UX/UI Designer, Visual Designer
Research, information architecture, UX/UI design, branding
team
team
Business/marketing strategist
Business/marketing strategist
the problem
the problem
the problem
HOXY™'s reliance on third-party retailers fragmented the brand experience, limiting storytelling, customer ownership, and long-term growth potential.
HOXY™'s reliance on third-party retailers fragmented the brand experience, limiting storytelling, customer ownership, and long-term growth potential.
HOXY™'s reliance on third-party retailers fragmented the brand experience, limiting storytelling, customer ownership, and long-term growth potential.
goals
goals
01 brand presence
01 brand presence
Establish a branded digital presence that reflects HOXY™'s personality.
Establish a branded digital presence that reflects HOXY™'s personality.
02 central hub
02 central hub
Build a hub for brand discovery and purchase.
Build a hub for brand discovery
and purchase.
Build a hub for brand discovery and purchase.
03 brand storytelling
03 brand storytelling
Build customer connections by directly conveying HOXY’s story and educating them about the products.
Build customer connections by directly conveying HOXY’s story and educating them about the products.
04 marketing
04 marketing
Create marketing channels to reach and engage customers, building a foundation for long-term brand growth.
Create marketing channels to reach and engage customers, building a foundation for long-term brand growth.
research & insights
research & insights
research & insights
To inform the design, I explored competitor websites and gathered feedback through informal conversations with target users. These findings helped identify patterns and user expectations for food e-commerce experiences.
To inform the design, I explored competitor websites and gathered feedback through informal conversations with target users. These findings helped identify patterns and user expectations for food e-commerce experiences.
01 storytelling helps small brands stand out
01 storytelling helps small brands stand out
Many popular brands had clear origin stories, founder narratives, and bold brand voices, suggesting that the narrative helps emerging brands be memorable.
Many popular brands had clear origin stories, founder narratives, and bold brand voices, suggesting that the narrative helps emerging brands be memorable.
02 educational context extends brand value
02 educational context extends brand value
Competitors often used recipes and cooking guides and users expressed the desire to know how and where to use the products. This content helped products feel integrated into everyday life and encouraged purchase by showing practical and inspiring ways to use it.
Competitors often used recipes and cooking guides and users expressed the desire to know how and where to use the products. This content helped products feel integrated into everyday life and encouraged purchase by showing practical and inspiring ways to use it.
03 consistent visuals build trust and credibility
03 consistent visuals build trust and credibility
Competitors with cohesive, polished branding appeared more trustworthy and professional. For smaller brands, visual consistency and high-quality images are critical first signals of credibility and product quality.
Competitors with cohesive, polished branding appeared more trustworthy and professional. For smaller brands, visual consistency and high-quality images are critical first signals of credibility and product quality.
the design
the design
the design
the final design
the final design
A bold e-commerce experience designed to establish HOXY’s brand presence and support discovery, education, and purchase.
A bold e-commerce experience designed to establish HOXY’s brand presence and support discovery, education, and purchase.
the look & feel
the look & feel
HOXY™ already had a recognizable brand identity defined by bold colors and playful patterns. In developing the brand’s digital storytelling, I expanded this visual language with complementary elements that reinforced the brand’s personality without straying from its core identity.
While many food brands lean on cultural heritage, HOXY™ targets a broader audience that may be less familiar with Korean cuisine. The design needed to feel inclusive, and fresh, bridging the gap between cultural authenticity and mainstream accessibility.
HOXY™ already had a recognizable brand identity defined by bold colors and playful patterns. In developing the brand’s digital storytelling, I expanded this visual language with complementary elements that reinforced the brand’s personality without straying from its core identity.
While many food brands lean on cultural heritage, HOXY™ targets a broader audience that may be less familiar with Korean cuisine. The design needed to feel inclusive, and fresh, bridging the gap between cultural authenticity and mainstream accessibility.
photography
photography
I led the art direction for HOXY™'s first official photoshoot, defining the visual tone, styling, and lifestyle context that would anchor the brand.
Research and user feedback revealed that cohesive, branded visuals build trust which was something the previous reliance on doctored stock imagery failed to achieve.
I led the art direction for HOXY™'s first official photoshoot — defining the visual tone, styling, and lifestyle context that would anchor the brand.
Research and user feedback revealed that cohesive, branded visuals build trust — something the previous reliance on doctored stock imagery failed to achieve.
landing page
landing page
Research reinforced that high-quality visuals are often a customer's first signal of brand credibility. So the hero section was designed to lead with imagery that communicates flavor, quality, and personality instantly.
Research reinforced that high-quality visuals are often a customer's first signal of brand credibility. So the hero section was designed to lead with imagery that communicates flavor, quality, and personality instantly.
product page
product page
With a small but growing catalog, I designed a product page layout that puts HOXY™'s colorful packaging at the center. User feedback revealed that customers wanted to know how and where to use the products, so each page includes flavor profiles, usage ideas, and ingredient transparency, giving customers the information they need to feel confident and inspired before purchasing.
With a small but growing catalog, I designed a product page layout that puts HOXY™'s colorful packaging at the center. User feedback revealed that customers wanted to know how and where to use the products, so each page includes flavor profiles, usage ideas, and ingredient transparency, giving customers the information they need to feel confident and inspired before purchasing.
recipes
recipes
Users expressed a desire for guidance and inspiration around how to use the products. The Recipes page directly answers that need by building confidence, encouraging repeat use, and turning the seasonings into something that feels like part of their cooking routine.
Users expressed a desire for guidance and inspiration around how to use the products. The Recipes page directly answers that need by building confidence, encouraging repeat use, and turning the seasonings into something that feels like part of their cooking routine.
H
all about HOXY™
all about HOXY™
Research showed that origin stories and founder narratives help emerging brands become memorable. The About page communicates HOXY™'s mission, the meaning behind the name, and the values that drive the brand, giving customers something to connect with beyond the product itself.
Research showed that origin stories and founder narratives help emerging brands become memorable. The About page communicates HOXY™'s mission, the meaning behind the name, and the values that drive the brand, giving customers something to connect with beyond the product itself.
outcome
outcome
outcome
Since launch, HOXY™ has seen consistent orders, a growing newsletter audience, and active email engagement, demonstrating how cohesive design and a strong brand presence can directly drive business growth.
Since launch, HOXY™ has seen consistent orders, a growing newsletter audience, and active email engagement, demonstrating how cohesive design and a strong brand presence can directly drive business growth.
reflection
reflection
This project taught me how much design is shaped by real-world constraints. While I started with a wide range of ideas, I had to adapt to platform limitations, development capabilities, and scalability concerns. I also stepped into the code to ensure the design translated with integrity, which deepened my understanding of the gap between design and implementation.
Art directing HOXY™'s first photoshoot was one of the most valuable parts of this project. Seeing how cohesive photography and a consistent visual system could transform a brand's presence reinforced something I'll carry into every project: design isn't just about aesthetics — it's about how people feel when they encounter a brand.