Hot sauce lovers get ready to slather The Dark Horse Hot Sauce over, well, everything. The design-forward hot sauce line pays homage to the underdog story of the Battle of Puebla (you know, what we actually are celebrating on Cinco De Mayo). The earth tones used throughout the various flavors all pair well with the Mexican taqueria hand-painted inspired typography. The horse symbol is steeped in history as well as immediately arresting to the eye. Just make sure you have a glass of water nearby when you dive in!
The Dark Horse Hot Sauce labels tell the story of the Battle of Puebla between the French and Mexican forces. Everybody loves an underdog story, a win against the odds in the face of adversity. Every year Cinco De Mayo celebrations are held to commemorate Mexico’s victory.
A rearing horse is the main graphic adorning the front labels. Equestrian portraits were used across Europe to show wealth, power and military prowess. The rider was always a hero, leading his troops to victory. Sinisterly the rider of this horse is missing, maybe a casualty of war? Appropriating this type of imagery for a Mexican hot sauce is an act of defiance and a show of dominance. Horses are also symbols of strength and swiftness. These are characteristics that the Mexican forces showed during the Battle of Puebla, which ultimately led to them retaining their freedom, another ardency associated with horses.
