Buck's BBQ

Barbecue pitmaster Al “Buck” Remillard makes a homemade BBQ sauce so good it pairs with anything, from pig roasts to peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. To prove it, we cooked up an illustrated brand identity and campaign designed to stand out in the hot sauce aisle.

Role

Design
Art Direction
Packaging Design
Illustration

Objective

Establish a consistent, recognizable brand identity for Buck’s BBQ starting with a new label for “Sweet Sneaky Heat” Sauce.

Approach

Consumers face an overwhelming number of BBQ sauce options on the shelf, all competing for attention. We elevated Buck’s brand to stand out and better reflect its humble story through playful, contemporary-retro illustration and typography, a punchy red palette, and the Food's BFF brand campaign.

The Label

The packaging design reflects Buck’s BBQ’s no-frills origins. There’s no heirloom recipe handed down through generations or fancy culinary credentials—just a humble pitmaster who makes a good sauce. The hand-drawn mascot injects instant personality that mirrors Buck himself, while the big, offbeat logo letterforms add an approachable, comic-style charm.

The Campaign

The maker of Buck’s BBQ said his sauce goes with everything and he wasn’t kidding. That idea sparked the brand campaign: Buck’s becomes a character who pairs perfectly with any food. Their best-buds dynamic is a delight to our taste buds.

Recognition

The design won Silver in the packaging and point-of-purchase category at the 59th Hatch Awards, which annually recognize New England’s creative branding and marketing excellence.

Team

CD: Sam Pitino
Copywriter: Doug Murphy