Mr. Crisper

Mr. Crisper is a premium rodent food brand developed as a private label for Petshop Group, covering five product categories for hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and chinchillas. Made with natural, organic ingredients and free from unnecessary chemicals, the brand was created to bring a higher level of quality and personality to a category that had long been visually overlooked.

The project included naming, brand strategy, visual identity, character development, packaging design, and trademark registration.

The rodent food category is traditionally generic, repetitive, and visually underdeveloped. Most brands rely on the same formula: standard animal photography, muted colours, and packaging that feels functional at best and forgettable at worst. Despite the care many owners have for small pets, the branding in this space rarely reflects that level of attention or emotional connection.

The challenge was to create something that would immediately break with category expectations, a brand that felt more original, more expressive, and much more memorable on shelf.

The name Mr. Crisper was built around a simple sensory association: the crisp sound and texture of fresh, natural food. It suggested quality and appetite in a way that felt light, distinctive, and easy to remember.

The addition of 'Mr.' gave the brand a stronger sense of personality. It introduced a character-like presence from the very beginning, someone trustworthy, slightly charming, and clearly devoted to taking good care of small animals. This helped the name feel warmer and more ownable than a typical functional pet food label.

Each illustrated figure was developed with a specific role and temperament in mind, helping the species feel individual and memorable rather than interchangeable. The hamster appeared cheerful and optimistic, the rabbit more intelligent and composed, the guinea pig expressive and glamorous, the rat bold and confident, and the chinchilla soft and quietly content.

This approach gave the packaging narrative depth and opened up wider storytelling potential for the brand beyond the pack itself. The characters were designed not only for shelf impact, but as the foundation of a world that could continue growing across future content, media, or animation.

The core design decision was to move away from photography entirely and build the brand around an illustrated universe. Instead of using expected animal imagery, the packaging introduced five original characters, each representing a different species with its own personality and emotional tone.

This gave the brand an immediate point of difference and allowed the range to feel much more alive, distinctive, and expandable. Rather than acting as decoration, the characters became the central brand assets, creating recognition, emotional engagement, and a much stronger identity system across the full line.

Mr. Crisper launched as a brand that brought a completely different level of imagination to the rodent food category. With its naming, illustrated characters, and highly ownable visual system, the brand stood out immediately and transformed an often-overlooked segment into something far more expressive, engaging, and memorable.

Sonya Mudvex | Art Direction, Copywriter
Maria Khalizova | Illustrator
Vil Akhunzuanov | Desinger
Mark Kholovaed | Senior Designer