Morton®
Brand Standards Manual

INDUSTRY
Food + Drink

DISCIPLINE
Booklet Design, Copywriting

Celebrating the Morton® legacy

Designing the Morton® Brand Standards Manual was an experience far beyond simply assembling colors, typefaces and imagery into a neat layout. It was a deep dive into what Morton truly represents – its essence, its personality and the story it has been telling for more than 175 years. The challenge was not just to create a toolkit, but to distill the soul of a brand that’s been synonymous with salt, trust and reliability, and to share that essence in a way that feels fresh, modern and genuine.

When I started this project, it was clear that the existing Brand Standards Manual was outdated. A lot had changed since then – new leadership, new brand messaging and a renewed focus on our rich history in the salt industry. The world had changed, too, and Morton needed a new way to communicate – not only through memorable visuals, but through the language we use and the feelings we evoke.

This manual wasn’t just a guide to design. It became a blueprint for how Morton would communicate, forever anchoring us to our roots while embracing the exciting future ahead.

The need for a refresh was clear. Outside agencies had been struggling to provide deliverables that felt truly on-brand, and over time, the Morton identity had become diluted. The imagery was fine, but it didn’t feel like Morton. Complicating matters further, the words didn’t tell the story of a legacy that had survived for almost two centuries. What was missing was the ability to capture that proud history while embracing the new dynamic energy the company had adopted.

I wanted to weave together our past, present and future in a way that felt cohesive and purposeful. It wasn’t just about having a color palette or a set of rules for logo usage. It was about creating a guide that would allow Morton to speak with one voice in a way that resonated with both the legacy Morton cherishes and the modern world they hope to shape.

The Brand Standards Manual itself became an expression of this duality – modern yet timeless. Morton introduced a contemporary color palette and dynamic typography that would be bold enough to capture attention but still rooted in the brand’s long-standing identity. Every design choice was intentional – reflecting our story through visuals that weren’t just compelling, but authentic. And the words, carefully selected, weren’t just there for aesthetic; they were there to build trust, evoke memories and spark emotion.

It was a big task, but ultimately, the manual became more than a toolkit. It became a narrative. One that would guide not only Morton’s internal team but also our partners and third-party agencies, ensuring that everyone, from marketers to designers, could tell the Morton story as it should be told. It was a crucial step in re-establishing Morton’s voice in the marketplace and ensuring that every touchpoint whether a product, a campaign or an experience was unmistakably, unapologetically Morton.