ctivnan
11/25/08, 10:14 AM
Packaging: The Thought Behind A Wine Label
Ten stances on brand positioning through the eyes of a designer.
By Tony Auston
The Kama Sutra of Brand Positions:
New World:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-new-world.jpgRepresents nearly any look other than that of traditional European brands. The New World category is somewhat synonymous with the Demystifying Wine category and has led the charge in treating wine as a mass-consumer beverage.
The fun, often irreverent, wine labels and market positioning were introduced to the world by the Australian wine industry. It has been wildly successful and launched a global revolution in the wine industry with explosions of similarly positioned wines from all over the world. The effect has had such a negative impact on sales of French wines that the historically steadfast French wine industry has been forced to finally undo their top buttons, loosen their neckties a bit and try to have some fun in attempts to regain market share.
The proliferation of "critter" labels is no surprise; you know the ones--every animal possible has been irreverently depicted on a label in some way or another over recent years. You could argue that the Yellow Tail brand single-handedly changed the face of the global wine industry. Critters are on their way out now, but the ideology continues to evolve and take shape in as many directions as the imagination can come up with.
In addition, the New World position has successfully evolved with a natural migration into the use of alternative closures and packaging. In North America, folks are no longer horrified at the thought of serving a Sauvignon Blanc with a screw top; in fact, it is even considered chic to those "in-the-know." It is the same with casks (boxed wines), tetra paks, PET and aluminum containers. Consumers are much more open to these alternatives and are having fun exploring the options.
Provoking Curiosity:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-curiosity.jpg Inviting inquiry by an innate need to know. This positioning makes use of wine label artwork that may be quirky or not easily identified at first glance. It is most applicable to mid- and upper-tier brands. It is key that the design be visually striking enough to invite inquiry, either verbally or by enticing the consumer to lift the bottle from the shelf for closer inspection.
Wine lovers revel in sharing their "in-the-know" knowledge and finds with friends and family. This position empowers those folks to flaunt their behind-the-scenes knowledge of a brand beyond solely what's in the bottle.
Story Telling:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-telling-story.jpg Evoking the story behind the brand. Creatively, this is one of my favorites. Since we can't always count on a salesperson to be there to push the brand at point-of-sale, this approach allows for meaningful conceptual solutions that can clearly evoke the essence of a brand at shelf. If we do have the luxury of a salesperson hand-selling the product, the package can act as a visual aid in describing the unique attributes of the brand.
The stories are limitless but may touch on family history: proprietors' interests, be it fly fishing, symphonic music, vintage cars, etc.; the terroir of the region; specific vineyards; historical aspects of the region, etc. Illustrative components may include maps, illustrations of property or region, musical scores, symbology or whatever it takes to tell the story in a visually compelling way.
Information on the back label can help explain or reinforce the message conveyed on the front. Perhaps best suited to mid- and upper-tiers, it is effective to some degree at all price points.
Understated Elegance:
Reflect*ing the highest quality through a minimalist approach to design. The polar opposite of the More is More theory. In our studio we refer to this category as the formal announcement look or the beautiful white label look. It is best suited for mid- and upper-tier brands that have the luxury of being coveted by the consumer. They are usually found only in high-end wine shops or up-market restaurants.
With limited productions, good reputations and good reviews, these brands don't need to shout it out to the world; the world will seek them out. So the role of the package is to reinforce the consumer's confidence in their often pricey purchase and in some cases to, dare I say, show off a bit with its austerity.
These designs are often on white paper with the brand name, appellation, varietal and vintage presented in simple typography, all in one or two colors. No art, no foil, no frills. Think super high-end cosmetics or an invitation to dinner with Britain's royal family.
Contemporary:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-contemporary.jpg Presenting the perception of advanced winemaking practices through an alliance with cutting-edge thinking in art and design. Excluding the Heritage category, a modern angle could be applied to any of the above listed categories although it probably works best with the Understated Elegance approach.
In the past, due to its often classic and minimalist look, this approach was typically used only for high-end, small production brands. In this enlightened age of wine packaging, that is no longer the case. Contemporary packaging transcends price-points; and as long as the selling environment and target consumer are thoughtfully considered, it presents equally well in both grocery store and fine wine boutique.From Wine Business Monthly, 08/15/2008 (http://www.winebusiness.com/ReferenceLibrary/webarticle.cfm?dataId=59210)
:idea: :fishin: :idea:
Ten stances on brand positioning through the eyes of a designer.
By Tony Auston
The Kama Sutra of Brand Positions:
New World:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-new-world.jpgRepresents nearly any look other than that of traditional European brands. The New World category is somewhat synonymous with the Demystifying Wine category and has led the charge in treating wine as a mass-consumer beverage.
The fun, often irreverent, wine labels and market positioning were introduced to the world by the Australian wine industry. It has been wildly successful and launched a global revolution in the wine industry with explosions of similarly positioned wines from all over the world. The effect has had such a negative impact on sales of French wines that the historically steadfast French wine industry has been forced to finally undo their top buttons, loosen their neckties a bit and try to have some fun in attempts to regain market share.
The proliferation of "critter" labels is no surprise; you know the ones--every animal possible has been irreverently depicted on a label in some way or another over recent years. You could argue that the Yellow Tail brand single-handedly changed the face of the global wine industry. Critters are on their way out now, but the ideology continues to evolve and take shape in as many directions as the imagination can come up with.
In addition, the New World position has successfully evolved with a natural migration into the use of alternative closures and packaging. In North America, folks are no longer horrified at the thought of serving a Sauvignon Blanc with a screw top; in fact, it is even considered chic to those "in-the-know." It is the same with casks (boxed wines), tetra paks, PET and aluminum containers. Consumers are much more open to these alternatives and are having fun exploring the options.
Provoking Curiosity:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-curiosity.jpg Inviting inquiry by an innate need to know. This positioning makes use of wine label artwork that may be quirky or not easily identified at first glance. It is most applicable to mid- and upper-tier brands. It is key that the design be visually striking enough to invite inquiry, either verbally or by enticing the consumer to lift the bottle from the shelf for closer inspection.
Wine lovers revel in sharing their "in-the-know" knowledge and finds with friends and family. This position empowers those folks to flaunt their behind-the-scenes knowledge of a brand beyond solely what's in the bottle.
Story Telling:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-telling-story.jpg Evoking the story behind the brand. Creatively, this is one of my favorites. Since we can't always count on a salesperson to be there to push the brand at point-of-sale, this approach allows for meaningful conceptual solutions that can clearly evoke the essence of a brand at shelf. If we do have the luxury of a salesperson hand-selling the product, the package can act as a visual aid in describing the unique attributes of the brand.
The stories are limitless but may touch on family history: proprietors' interests, be it fly fishing, symphonic music, vintage cars, etc.; the terroir of the region; specific vineyards; historical aspects of the region, etc. Illustrative components may include maps, illustrations of property or region, musical scores, symbology or whatever it takes to tell the story in a visually compelling way.
Information on the back label can help explain or reinforce the message conveyed on the front. Perhaps best suited to mid- and upper-tiers, it is effective to some degree at all price points.
Understated Elegance:
Reflect*ing the highest quality through a minimalist approach to design. The polar opposite of the More is More theory. In our studio we refer to this category as the formal announcement look or the beautiful white label look. It is best suited for mid- and upper-tier brands that have the luxury of being coveted by the consumer. They are usually found only in high-end wine shops or up-market restaurants.
With limited productions, good reputations and good reviews, these brands don't need to shout it out to the world; the world will seek them out. So the role of the package is to reinforce the consumer's confidence in their often pricey purchase and in some cases to, dare I say, show off a bit with its austerity.
These designs are often on white paper with the brand name, appellation, varietal and vintage presented in simple typography, all in one or two colors. No art, no foil, no frills. Think super high-end cosmetics or an invitation to dinner with Britain's royal family.
Contemporary:
http://www.winebusiness.com/content/Image/labels-contemporary.jpg Presenting the perception of advanced winemaking practices through an alliance with cutting-edge thinking in art and design. Excluding the Heritage category, a modern angle could be applied to any of the above listed categories although it probably works best with the Understated Elegance approach.
In the past, due to its often classic and minimalist look, this approach was typically used only for high-end, small production brands. In this enlightened age of wine packaging, that is no longer the case. Contemporary packaging transcends price-points; and as long as the selling environment and target consumer are thoughtfully considered, it presents equally well in both grocery store and fine wine boutique.From Wine Business Monthly, 08/15/2008 (http://www.winebusiness.com/ReferenceLibrary/webarticle.cfm?dataId=59210)
:idea: :fishin: :idea: