Brand Design
Zeal Optics builds the highest quality eyewear for those who love adventure. The design aesthetic is based off their founding principles: Use Less, Give Back, Explore More. Defining our passion for the outdoors is often just as important in the creative direction as the product itself. When producing each piece of media we begin by identifying how each product will allow us to connect with the natural environment and see the world through a better lens.
Case Study
The Meridian Goggle + Define Your Line Campaign
The Zeal Optics team wanted to develop a new medium-fit goggle that would grow their line of award-winning products and innovate a new design that leveraged their new lens and frame technologies. We were challenged to design the product, marketing, and packaging for the new Meridian in a cohesive campaign for their Winter ‘25/26 season. Our process led us to research, develop, and build their most ground-breaking product and marketing to date.
Phase 1: Research + Strategic Insights
Audience Focus: Women and individuals with smaller facial structures who struggle with oversized goggles. Target demographics include skiers, snowboarders, and outdoor enthusiasts who prioritize comfort and fit, as well as style.
User-Centric Insights: Ergonomic fit study to understand the preferences of women and those with smaller faces to highlight fit and comfort in our design.
Market & Competitor Analysis: Position Meridian by including a nod to their innovative lens technologies and sustainability initiatives that are unique to Zeal.
Visual Connection: Understand how visual elements will align design work with the theme of precision and clarity in defining one’s line.
Phase 2: Design & Visual Direction
The process began by sketching over 50 thumbnails to get some inspiration and iteration for lots of different styles. We researched past Zeal designs, as well as market trends to see what would fit together and stand out. Functionality was foremost and the product had to perform and fit comfortably in any condition. The team chose their top four designs and the detailed final sketches provided a technical blueprint to be delivered to the manufacturing team.
Linear Geometric Aesthetic: Use clean, sharp lines, inspired by mountain ridges and the defined paths of skiers & snowboarders.
Color & Material Story: Play with subtle blush tones, high-contrast accents, and reflective elements that evoke the Sakura theme while ensuring high performance.
Typography & Graphics: A modern, structured typeface with linear elements to reinforce the campaign theme.
The first product samples gave us great feedback and confirmed that we were moving in the right direction. The Zeal team loved the new shape as well as the new RLs lens design. Overall, changes needed to be made in the ventilation and frame top to allow for a better visual profile and fit.
After another round of samples, the final product was approved and testers were thrilled with the overall performance. The mid-size fit was perfect for smaller faces and the downwards-tilted lens expands the vertical field of view by 20%, giving an eagle’s-eye-view of the slopes. With the product finished it was time to move on to the marketing campaign for the winter season and final launch.
Phase 3: Messaging + Narrative
Tagline & Storytelling: "Define Your Line" should reflect both the personal and technical aspects—precision in sport and individuality in choice.
Lens Innovation Spotlight: Showcase how the Sakura lens enhances visibility and contrast, possibly tying in cherry blossom colors into lens tints.
Athlete & Ambassador Alignment: Collaborate with female athletes who embody precision, boldness, and self-expression in winter sports.
Sakura blossoms and softer colors lend a feminine yet refined touch that align with Define Your Line. We used a hand-drawn look from Japanese Ink styles to the illustrations and the herringbone pattern for the accent. Clean lines and typography tie everything back to the Zeal brand guidelines and ensure quick recognition.
Our approach to the creative design for the winter marketing was to capture the sense of light, subtle beauty of Zeal’s Define Your Line campaign. It's a call to embrace and express your personal style. From sleek silhouettes with nods to timeless patterns and bold colors, every frame and strap is designed to let you slay the slopes in clean winter fashion. We took inspiration from Japan, the Alps, and the light purple colors of the new “Sakura” lens.
The Result
Zeal Optics’ collection of meticulously crafted goggles combines performance with elan, ensuring you look and see as incredible as you ride. With a 360° approach from product, print, social, and retail, the Meridian goggle and Define Your Line footprint are a cohesive and unique design collaboration. Get ready to step into your freeride mode and join us as we redefine winter fashion.
ZEAL x Pat Milbery
ZEAL Optics partnered with local Denver artist Pat Milbery to produce a limited series sunglass and goggle that would represent the vibrance of the Colorado mountains. We were challenged to create a product line as well as end-to-end marketing using Pat’s geometric style artwork. In order to create a complete package, we did a deep dive to learn more about Pat Milbery’s LoveTap artwork series and his drive to give back to the future generation of outdoor stewards.
The Result
Inspired by Milbery’s uplifting color palette and energetic patterns, we incorporated his artwork into the frame’s design, ensuring a seamless fusion of art and fashion. Using high-quality materials and precision printing techniques, the sunglasses became a wearable canvas, reflecting Milbery’s vision of positivity and movement. The result was a striking, limited-edition accessory that not only protected the eyes but also showcased a bold artistic statement, blending functionality with creative expression in a truly original way.
We followed up with the ZEAL x Pat Milbery signature Lookout goggle, but this time our approach centered around a darker and more adventurous style. The artwork was reconstructed to feature the snow-capped mountains, and the sunrise elements matched the phoenix lens. The result was an edgy, bold, and uplifting vibe to align with a culture of thrill seekers.
The Open Hearts collaboration was a huge success for ZEAL, quickly selling out and receiving millions of impressions within the first few months of launch. Thousands of dollars were raised for Pat’s two charity organizations to improve the lives of under privileged youth all over the country. The geometric, colorful, and aesthetic marketing drove a measurable impact that aligned with ZEAL’s mission to build sustainable eyewear through community.
Illustration
This part is FUN. Whether the request is for a sketch, multi-page catalog, or a new brand tool. Adding to the library of beautiful artwork for an active team like Zeal is an exciting opportunity to design your outdoor dream. Want the perfect wave? No problem. Maybe it’s the steepest couloir in the greater ranges of your mind. Either way, we hope it inspires you to explore more.
Print Media
Seasonal catalogs, learning materials, and sales tools are important parts of the Zeal Optics brand marketing. We are there to help create simple and effective designs that come to life with beautiful colors, layouts, and images that draw you in and move the eye exactly where it needs to be. Need help working with the printer or delivering files to spec? We have you covered.
Product Design
Goggles, sunnies, you name it and we love to make it come to life. Every season Zeal comes to us for their new collection of strap designs, packaging, and technical drawings for prototyping.
Digital Media
Retail + OOH
Zeal Optics’ flagship retail store in Boulder, Colorado is a wonderful display of the newest and most sustainable collection of sunglasses and goggles in the outdoor industry. Each season we design and deliver all retail POP, signage, and digital assets that will bring their space to life. The collection is also available to all their wholesale partners including REI, Christy Sports, and many more.
