UK-based microbrewery Vocation joined forces with branding agency Robot Food to create a brand strategy for a range of new craft beers, each named and designed to highlight their unique flavor profiles.
The craft beer industry is an industry divided, with brands either opting for a traditional identity that emphasizes heritage, or otherwise embracing a more eccentric aesthetic. Vocation is definitely in the latter category, with a bold typography and quirky illustrations that immediately stand out.
The illustrations on the bottles almost resemble a sleeve of tattoos, and the themes within them speak to the rebellious, adventurous nature of the brand itself: ships, islands, skulls and waves. But perhaps the crowning jewel of this range of new craft beers is their titles: Bread & Butter, Heart & Soul, Pride & Joy and Divide & Conquer. Printed in bright colors against the monochrome bottles, those are names that won't be soon forgotten!
Quirky Craft Branding
Vocation Introduces a Line of New Craft Beers with a Bold Brand Identity
Trend Themes
1. Eccentric Branding - Opportunity for brands to embrace a quirky aesthetic in order to stand out in a divided craft beer industry.
2. Unique Flavor Profiles - Opportunity for breweries to create craft beers with distinctive taste profiles that highlight their brand's identity.
3. Bold Typography and Illustrations - Opportunity for brands to use eye-catching visuals like tattoo-like illustrations and bold typography to make their products memorable.
Industry Implications
1. Craft Beer Industry - Craft breweries can differentiate themselves by adopting unique branding strategies, contrary to the traditional or heritage-focused approach.
2. Branding Agencies - Opportunity for branding agencies to work with craft breweries in developing distinctive brand strategies that align with their unique flavors and identities.
3. Packaging Industry - Opportunity for packaging companies to create innovative and visually appealing designs for craft beer bottles that reflect the brand's eccentric identity.