Process & Attributions

1. Strategic Foundation

From Shop to System

The "Booster Source" project is a strategic rebranding initiative designed by Mitchell Pretak to evolve Booster Juice from a legacy "smoothie shop" into a premium, transparent, and routine-ready daily nourishment system.

The Diagnostic

Analysis of the original brand revealed a disconnect between its 1999 vibrant-aesthetic and the modern consumer's expectation for functional wellness, ingredient transparency, and system-aware convenience.

The Four Pillars

The identity is built on four core strategic pillars: Daily Nourishment (routine-led), Supply & Sourcing (visibility), Responsible Operations (measurable progress), and Social Stewardship (local impact).

Identity Exploration

The visual direction was established through rigorous sketching and iterative studies, including an alternate identity direction under the "Booster Source" sketch exploration which prioritized geometric minimalism and high-contrast typography.

2. Technical Development

Interactive Implementation

This brand guidelines platform was designed and built as a web-native application to showcase the brand's digital-first philosophy. It prioritizes high-fidelity rendering and system-aware interactions.

AI Pair Programming

Developed with Antigravity

Developed in collaboration with Antigravity, a powerful agentic AI coding assistant designed by Google DeepMind. This allowed for rapid iteration of complex CSS architectures and JavaScript custom components.

Premium Design System

High-Fidelity Materiality

Built using HTML5, Vanilla JavaScript, and advanced CSS properties. The "frosted glass" effects use a proprietary 10-layer backdrop-filter stack for consistent cross-browser progressive blurring.

Continuous Deployment

Git & Vercel Ops

Managed via version control in Git and deployed through Vercel to a custom playgrounds site, ensuring the guidelines are always live, responsive, and platform-aligned.

3. Generative AI Attributions

Gen AI Contributions

Generative AI tools were used critically in the development of this Strategic Branding project. All outputs were directed, selected, and critically evaluated by the author, Mitchell Pretak.

Research & Strategy

OpenAI ChatGPT (GPT-4o/5.4 Private Beta) was used for research structuring, ecosystem/stakeholder mapping, strategic writing support, and code-assisted diagram construction.

Visual Generation

Google Gemini (Chat, Flow, Whisk) was used for image generation, campaign visualization, and interface ideation based on student-directed prompts and references.

UI Ideation

Google Stitch was utilized to generate rough UI concepts for homepage and in-app ordering screens, serving as drafts for final refinement.

Asset Collection

Pomelli supported the collection of core brand assets and visual elements, as well as AI-assisted exploration of campaign concepts.

4. Inspiration Guidelines

Guideline Benchmarks

The architectural logic and editorial presentation of these guidelines take inspiration from leading design systems that prioritize structural clarity and high-fidelity documentation.

DevRev Guidelines

Benchmark for modern, high-fidelity design systems that decomplicate intricate platforms into simple, intentional layouts.

Netflix Brand Site

Benchmark for editorial storytelling and brand consistency across diverse partner touchpoints and high-contrast digital interfaces.

Instacart Identity

Benchmark for the duality of efficiency and delight (Shop+Savor), using warm photography and dynamic Illustration systems.

Klarna Design System

Benchmark for "Bubble" materiality and strikingly relevant UI that balances bold aesthetic "offbeat" shifts with functional precision.

Starbucks Brand Guides

Benchmark for systematic brand optimism, calm confidence, and strict guidelines for preserving iconic identifiers across global markets.

5. Research Citations