Vern’s Cheese branding

A new look for a Wisconsin classic: Vern’s Cheese

When Ben and Lindsay Novak purchased Vern’s Cheese in 2023, they knew they wanted a fresh logo that represented the iconic brand and their family history. At the time, multiple versions of the logo were being used on packaging and delivery trucks. There was a disconnect. Our goal was to integrate Ben’s rich history in cheese without making a big departure from the current logo and branding. Maintaining customer recognition was paramount.

We started the design process by learning what Ben and Lindsay thought of the old logos and what kind of branding they wanted for something new. Lindsay showed us branding from an apparel company they loved. While we didn’t end up using similar colors for Vern’s Cheese, we did get a better understanding of their vision. After discovery, our designers mocked up sketches, followed by narrowing down to favorites and finally going tight with design in black and white.

Once a final design was chosen—one that incorporated a farm landscape with Ben’s grandma’s barn—we went into color exploration. The Novaks opted for red, white and blue for an Americana feel. Today, it’s prominent on packaging and makes a statement.

As the logo was being updated, our content and web team started on the Vern’s Cheese website. This was a unique job where the copy on the site was accurate but didn’t represent the humor and cheekiness the Novaks bring to cheese. We updated the site to reflect that. Today, there’s a photo of a cow staring right at the user in the hero spot with revised copy throughout, such as: “If you don’t know Vern’s, you don’t know Wisconsin.” We also added a historical timeline, a cheese locator by zip code, and a pop-up introducing the new Green Bay location near Lambeau Field.

The Vern’s Cheese Green Bay store opening coincided with the 2025 NFL Draft. Vern’s purchased a spot on our mobile billboard truck to educate people walking around that they had a new, convenient location. The messaging encouraged people to pick up Wisconsin cheese. (What’s more Wisconsin than cheese and football?) Sales during the draft exceeded expectations. The new website matches the design and tone of Vern’s, and the new logo is displayed on Vern’s products and trucks across the state.