A person holding an orange box with an illustration of a reindeer and a person sitting at a table. The person is wearing a beige sweater and red clothing is partially visible on the side.

OULA (Dubai): Creative Story

A cartoon boy pulling a wagon with a large ice cream cone in a park setting, with trees and a fence in the background. The ice cream has black dots and is in a pot with an orange label that has a black 'O'.

Sometimes the strongest part of a brand already exists.

For OULA, it wasn't the logo or the packaging. It was a small character.

The founders had already created a simple, slightly awkward and undeniably lovable mascot. Rather than redesigning it, I wanted to answer a different question:

What kind of world would this character live in?

Instead of treating the mascot as a decorative illustration, I imagined it as the main character of its own story.

A collection of bakery and packaging items, including orange and white boxes and bags with the logo 'OULA,' two cups of whipped cream topped with mini chocolate chips and reindeer antlers, a cake or bread wrapped in clear plastic, and decorative illustrations of people and reindeers on the packaging, set against a light blue background.
Two holiday gift bags, one orange and one white, with festive illustrations of animals, trees, and holiday scenes, labeled "OULA".

The project was developed for the winter season, when Dubai becomes a completely different city. The weather softens, people spend more time outdoors, and cafés become gathering places once again.

The illustrations were inspired by the park where the café operates, transforming it into a quiet winter world filled with gentle companions, soft light and small moments of discovery.

The animals weren't designed as decorations, they became friends.

Together they turned a simple seasonal campaign into a story people could emotionally connect with, while allowing the original mascot to grow into a recognizable personality.

People don't build relationships with packaging. They build relationships with characters, places, and stories they want to return to.

A cartoon scene of two characters, one sitting at a table and the other standing with a drink, in an outdoor park setting with palm trees, street lamps, and a bench.
A cartoon boy with brown hair, wearing a checkered shirt and brown pants, is happily looking through a telescope against an orange background.
A cartoon reindeer wearing a red scarf, jumping over a pumpkin with the word "OULA" on it. A girl with big hair, plaid shirt, and checkered pants holds the pumpkin.
Peanuts characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy riding on a flying doghouse, with Snoopy dressed as a reindeer, against an orange background with fireworks and trees.
Stacked orange travel and storage containers with the brand name "OULA" and cartoon illustrations of animals and trees, against a light blue background.

Recognition

The project received Behance Project of the Day and was featured by Behance on its official Instagram account, becoming one of my most recognized illustration-driven branding projects and leading to new collaborations from clients looking for narrative-led visual identities.

A cartoon illustration of a boy roller skating and holding a large bottle labeled "Oula" while a girl pushes a large flowerpot with a plant labeled "Oula." The scene is outdoors with trees and a gazebo in the background.
Close-up of a coffee packaging labeled 'Topology, No 590, Ground Coffee, Vanilla Bloom' with floral and natural elements in the background.

What if a coffee brand was defined by texture instead of graphics?

Next: Topia

As we ventured into uncharted territories, my mission remained clear - to bridge cultures, embrace diversity and craft experiences that resonate on a global scale.