The Cheez-It "Medieval" Recipe Scrolls
Client: Weber Shandwick / Cheez-It
Medium: Tea-Stain Canvas, Archival Ink, Wood
Objective: Durable, high-quality media prop for mascot handling.
The Brief
I was approached by the media relations team at Weber Shandwick to create a set of custom, durable scrolls for a client activation. The project required a blend of old-world craftsmanship and modern brand personality: a handwritten recipe for a "Cheez-It Crusted Turkey Leg" to be used as a featured prop in a PR campaign.
The Challenge
The scrolls weren't just for display—they needed to be handled by a brand mascot. This meant the material had to be virtually indestructible while still maintaining the aesthetic of an authentic, aged manuscript. Standard paper would have torn under the physical demands of the performance, so I had to engineer a solution that balanced tactile beauty with theatrical-grade durability.
The Creative Solution
I proposed and executed a design using theatrical-grade canvas instead of traditional paper.
Hand-Stained Artistry: Each scroll was individually tea-stained and aged to create a weathered, medieval texture.
Custom Typography: I used archival inks to hand-letter the recipe, ensuring the calligraphy was both legible for the camera and stylistically aligned with a "historic" document.
Hybrid Production: To meet the brand’s specific visual requirements, I integrated custom-printed imagery and hand wrote the text finishing the pieces with decorative wooden dowels for a premium, weighted feel.
The Result
I delivered three custom 11" x 17" scrolls that were "impossible to tear by hand," meeting a tight deadline for the campaign’s launch. This project perfectly illustrates the intersection of functional prop design and fine calligraphy—creating a tangible piece of brand storytelling that can withstand the rigors of a live event.
