Similarly, we’re seeing more beer bottles with crown enclosures and craft beer-inspired labelling make their way into the adult soft drinks category. The message to consumers is clear: these are sophisticated drinks for grown-ups to enjoy at all social occasions. 

For the slow-brewed organic soda brand Somersault, we also looked to the premium craft-beer market for design cues to reassure consumers about the adult nature of the product. But it needed its own ID, too, which we achieved with Insta-worthy fashion-inspired labels. It’s aesthetically different and memorable. We wanted the bottles to act as art on the shelf; something that retailers, bar and café owners would be proud to display. Retailer uptake has exceeded our client’s expectations and consumer responses have been compelling.  

ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

Sometimes doing the unexpected can grab attention, too, but it needs to be done with a strategic mindset.

Winemaker Squealing Pig has moved into the burgeoning gin market by creating a pink spirit that contains pinot noir rosé wine. The gin proudly wears its vintner heritage on its sleeve, with much of the packaging identity that we developed for the rosé (the biggest seller in Australia) making its way onto the spirits bottle.

One of the reasons Squealing Pig Rosé Gin has been so successful is because consumers have come to expect the brand to push boundaries. It’s a credible winemaker that has produced a succession of winning ranges, as well as championing new formats such as cans. We expect the unexpected so it works. This blurring of boundaries also serves to introduce gin fans to the wines on offer.

Despite using words like blur and borrow, homogenisation is not the way to capture consumers’ hearts, minds and mouths when you’re trying to tempt them to cross category boundaries. Brands need to give drinkers a reason to make the leap – and hold their hands while they do it by striking the perfect balance between new and exciting, familiar and decipherable.