HERE’S TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY, HANGOVER FREE TOMORROW
102
rounds of labels submitted and resubmitted for TTB approval
17
hours of happily volunteering for taste testing
5
hand drawn scenes illustrated to bring the cans to life
63
hours spent rendering the can into scenes while waiting on final approvals to print
KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS. ELEVATE YOUR SPIRITS.
KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS aren’t simply an evolution of the classic cocktail, they are an improvement. They provide consumers with an all natural, organic, lower calorie, better tasting twist on the classic cocktails consumers have come to know and love. These canned cocktails make it possible for health-conscious drinkers to enjoy a convenient and refreshing alcoholic beverage they can feel good about.
The founders of KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS came to us in search of a partner to help bring their idea to life. From the foundation of the brand essence through to the logo, can design, packaging and supporting brand assets, we created a brand that was both impactful on shelf and true to the roots of the original mission of the brand. So what’s the story? Well, here’s where we landed.
THE BRAND STORY
KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS is the culminating work of genius that happened when four friends with a passion for craft spirits decided to throw some ginger kombucha into a classic Dark & Stormy. That was our lightning bolt moment. A light and refreshing drink that is also low in calories and sugar? Yes, please! Finally, a way to enjoy a cocktail without disrupting the balance of living your best life. We knew others (YOU) would also appreciate the brilliant alchemy of KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS, which is why we perfected our recipes and packaged them into individual cans for you to enjoy anywhere you want.
Why kombucha? Well, unlike other mixers, kombucha is full of probiotics and antioxidants. Our small batch brewed kombucha is not only gluten-free, but it’s also free from added sugars, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors. Pair all of this with some premium craft spirits and you have a cocktail that tastes good now and feels good tomorrow.
Our killer cocktails are packed with incredible natural flavor, and since they come in trusty cans, you never have to compromise. (If only the rest of life was this easy.) On the boat. In the golf cart. On the beach. Into a hangover-free tomorrow. You can enjoy KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS wherever life takes you.
Look, you’ve evolved. You’re a responsible, exercising, bill-paying, dinner-partying, standup person who just wants to feel GOOD…even after a drink (or two). Isn’t it time that your cocktail caught up to you? We think so.
ESTABLISHING THE BRAND IDENTITY
After aligning on the brand story and refining our target consumers that we truly wanted this brand to engage with, we set out to create the logo that would serve as the visual foundation for the brand.
We wanted to create a logo that was bold, easily recognizable and that contained a little “aha” moment…. oh and of course that you could read!
We landed on the logo you see here. The “U” in the logo mark represents the Tab on the can (that we would later color to match the logo). The logo is designed to be bold with subtle organic edges within the typeface. The ratio of kombucha to cocktails is intentional, representing the 2/3 to 1/3 ratio that is found within the canned cocktails. 2/3 kombucha 1/3 cocktail.
At the end of the day, we landed on a strong mark, with a solid back story.
BRINGING THE BRAND TO LIFE
This brand’s success ultimately lies in the quality of the product, the taste consumers will have when they crack into a can. But, in order to allow that moment to be possible, we needed to create a design for the can and the package, that would stop a consumer’s scan, make them pick up a can, and ultimately toss it into their shopping cart. After that moment, we knew we had a win. So the challenge : Create a can that consumers can’t resist picking up and taking home.
We ultimately landed on a matte black can with neon accent colors. This was paired with etched drawings that were created to pair with each flavor. Those etchings are cut through the label, revealing the metallic can lying underneath.
CUSTOM ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE WIN
This brand is offering something unique to its audience, an experience that is crafted just for them and the lifestyle they live. That notion ultimately landed us on the idea of hand drawing the illustrations that would bring to life the scenes on each can, those idyllic scenarios where enjoying a KOMBUCHA COCKTAILS would be the perfect addition.
We tried out several illustration styles and ultimately landed on this raw, wood cut meets hand etching look that would come to life on the cans as a reveal through the matte black label onto the silver can beneath adding a subtle shine to the designs that make the cans pop on the shelf.
STUDIO PHOTO + VIDEO
From static imagery to vibrant video, it was important to capture the personality of the brand in simple imagery and video that could function as product assets for the web. This landed us in studio for this brand allowing for a set with controlled lighting to keep the product and branding as the hero and minimize any reflections that might normally occur.
DESIGNING FOR WEB
Once the can was final and off to TTB for approvals, we set out to generate designs for what the digital presence of this brand would embody. From wire frame sketches to XD mock ups we brought the essence of the can design to life in the digital world.
Pairing subtle animations with photo-realistic renders and subtle overlays, we created a presence for the brand that was ownable and engaging for consumers.
LET’S GET SOCIAL
For this brand, teasing the market prior to the official launch was key to getting in retailers. The proof of concept at this stage lie in both the samples we were able to allow retailers and distributors to try for themselves and the community we had generated online. By showing the engagement potential consumers already shared with the brand, we increased the chances of retailers allowing us a space on the shelf.
With sample cans in hand, we set out to capture imagery for the brand. We paired these shots with 3D renders and graphic content to create the feed you see here.
