Client: Monster Brewing Co.
Role: Lead Designer
Services: Brand Identity Design, Packaging Design
Agency: Monster Brewing Co.
Industry: Beverage
Market: North America
Credits: Character Design & Illustration in collaboration with Shawn McGowan (Monster Brewing Creative Director), Photography: Joe Mellentine
THE LEGENDARY HERO
Bringing together the bold spirit of lucha libre and the refreshment of classic micheladas, Michi is a beverage brand I developed from the ground up—from brand world-building to illustration, packaging, and rollout. Each flavor stars its own masked character, inspired by the color and mythology of Mexican wrestling posters, creating a flexible system for future line extensions. Michi launched nationally with a suite of playful, collectible designs—inviting drinkers to choose their fighter and discover something new with every can.
Michi is a brand I built from the ground up, starting with the original concept and character system inspired by the mythology and spectacle of lucha libre. Working closely with Monster Brewing Co.’s Creative Director, we further developed the world of Michi together—creating a suite of character sheets, stances, and poses that brought each masked persona to life while keeping their true identities a mystery, just like classic luchadores.
Throughout the process, we refined the balance between traditional comic book heroics and authentic lucha libre culture, ensuring the brand’s energy felt both fresh and rooted in tradition. The final character illustrations are the result of genuine creative collaboration: based on my original concepts and sketches, refined and drawn by the CD, with ongoing illustrated versions from both of us for different brand touchpoints. I led the packaging and visual identity design for Michi, iterating through multiple rounds to deliver a bold, playful, and instantly recognizable look.
The current lineup—tomato michelada and lime chelada—is just the beginning for Michi, with a flexible system built for future flavors and new characters to enter the ring.
