Section Styles portfolio-hero
5E is a wellness startup based in Santa Cruz, California that creates herbal products rooted in Chinese 5 Elements philosophy. Founded by three women who are passionate wellness entrepreneurs – collectively with over 10 years of experience as health coaches, acupuncturists and herbalists – they came to Alinea Collective as a new brand ready to launch their premium organic product line inspired by the Chinese 5 Elements (earth, wood, water, air, and metal). They needed support building a brand from the ground up, including developing a launch strategy, visual identity, and an online e-commerce experience that could scale with their growth.
Services
Brand Strategy & messaging
Brand identity Design
Web Design & development
Packaging design
Email Marketing
launch Strategy
Photography Direction
Section Styles portfolio-copy
The brand creation:
During our 18-month partnership, we took 5E from initial concept through to successful a product launch timed with the fall equinox. We began by developing their complete brand foundation – from brand strategy and messaging and bridged that into creating a user experience and website design. This strategic groundwork ensured their brand would resonate deeply with their target audience while differentiating them in the crowded wellness market.
Section Styles portfolio-2
Section Styles portfolio-3
Here’s what happened for 5e:
Their vision for a premium brand came to life with a cohesive visual system to match.
Working closely with the founders, we designed a sophisticated brand identity that could flex across a growing product suite while maintaining a boutique, luxurious aesthetic. This extended to custom packaging design, print materials, and brand photography direction.
They launched with a custom e-commerce experience.
We designed and developed their website with unique features like a "Find Your Element" quiz to generate qualified leads. The site was built to scale, accommodating their expanding product line while maintaining a premium shopping experience.
We streamlined their operations while maintaining a luxurious product.
We supported 5E in sourcing and coordinating with packaging vendors, developing product label copy, and supporting their fulfillment processes. This operational foundation was crucial for their successful launch.
Section Styles portfolio-2
What the transformation meant for 5E:
By weaving elemental concepts throughout the customer journey, we created a cohesive brand ecosystem that transformed ancient wellness philosophy into a modern luxury experience. The result was:
A completely built-out brand and e-commerce presence ready for launch
Clear positioning in the premium wellness space
Scalable systems and processes for growth
Marketing infrastructure to acquire and retain customers
Operational efficiency from production through fulfillment
Their investment in a comprehensive brand development gave 5E everything needed to enter the market as a premium wellness brand with both immediate sales capability and long-term growth potential.
Section Styles portfolio-2
Section Styles sticky-inquire