Earthling Studio develops new Cuddle Sleep Health brand

Earthling Studio has developed the brand positioning and created the visual and verbal identity for Cuddle Sleep Health, a new entrant into the sleep supplement category that marries credibility and scientific rigour with an elevated lifestyle aesthetic.

The discourse around sleep health has increased in the last few years, and as a result, products in the sleep supplement category have reached record numbers. From viral teas and mushroom hot chocolates to fruity gummies promising a restful night, the options are seemingly endless.

However, Cuddle Sleep Health founders Hugh Thomas and Poppy Jamie were frustrated with the lack of natural and effective sleep solutions on the market and set out to close that gap. Alongside Dr Russell Foster, a globally renowned sleep scientist from Oxford University and expert in circadian cycles, the team spent two years developing a science-led, industry-first formula made up of 11 natural ingredients, delivered as a cinnamon and cocoa beverage.

The design team at Earthling all really believed in the founders and their mission of 'better sleep health for all by following the science' and saw a great opportunity to build a credible, trusted brand that would help consumers navigate this already saturated category.

The studio's managing partner, Tom Bruce, says: "Sleep is nature's panacea, more powerful than any drug in its ability to restore and rejuvenate the human brain and body, and it is emerging as a potent factor in achieving better health.

"Researching the category and engaging with the science opened our minds to the misunderstood power of sleep, debunking the belief that we simply shut down at night when the opposite is true."

In fact, a whole number of things that help us function in our waking hours happen when we're asleep. Waste products and toxins drain from our brains, removing toxins, nerve cells reorganise so they can communicate better, and our immune cells activate, to name a few.

This scientific insight into our biology, coupled with the main benefits of the product—relax, restore, replenish, and rebalance—led to the brand idea, 'Drift into Remarkable Sleep'. It summarises the brand as calm and supportive yet dedicated, curious, and science-led.

To ensure that the brand Cuddle Sleep Health experience was elevated in its category, Earthling benchmarked it against leaders in parallel categories. This project marked the first time that the studio has worked in both the sleep and the supplements space, which is why they were able to draw on knowledge and tactics from other sectors to inform the brand.

According to Bruce, the existing brands in the space came across as "passive with little authority or credibility", with "lots of softness, pastel colours and lilacs". He says, "This project provided a great opportunity to flex our thinking and bring some emotional impact to the category."

A suite of four unique rhythmic patterns was created to dramatise the mesmerising natural rhythms that sweep through our minds and bodies during sleep. Working with visual artist Damonxart, Earthling refined the patterns' aesthetic and brought them to life in motion.

"Damon's work with organic shapes, like those found in our bodies, and his unique use of hypnotic motion made him the perfect partner to bring an elevated feeling to these new distinctive assets," Bruce explains.

Colour was key in bringing confidence to the brand and standing out in a sea of subdued tones. The hero hue is "a serene yet bold blue", says Bruce, adding that it is used consistently throughout the brand to deliver "an ownable balance of calm and authority".

In collaboration with typographer Rob Clarke, Earthling also developed an elegant custom wordmark that is authoritative and tranquil, inspired by sleep cycles. The family of accompanying fonts—TT Ramillas Roman and Maison Neue—was selected to complement the logo.

Bruce says, "When done properly, brands in this space have an inherent complexity, which requires a methodical, consistent approach to development to ensure cohesiveness.

"Design is ultimately about problem-solving, and this was a great problem to tackle. We're very proud of the result and confident the brand has a bright future."