New Hokkaido Beverage Co.
Hokkaido, Japan looms large for our client as a part of his cultural background and for its beauty: jagged mountains, deep snow, and pristine forests full of wild animals both real and fabled.
As a child in Tokyo, he heard Japanese fairy tales of supernatural creatures called Yokai. There are hundreds of different Yokai spirits who haunt the mountains, forests, and oceans of Japan—each with their own purpose of creating either good luck, mischief, or harm.
We were inspired. Together we created packaging that honors those Yokai spirits and the beer created with rice from the island of Hokkaido.
Opportunity→
Positioning this brand to create a cross-cultural connection between people and to bring its beverages to life on more than one continent. We were tasked with creating packaging design systems for their beer, hard seltzer, and sparkling tea that would stand out within the crowded retail aisle.
Result→
Our design solution was born from discovery: the family crest on the kimono of our client's grandmother provided a cultural connection as well as to the rice ingredient in the brand identity. The storytelling and imagery were inspired by the pristine beauty of the island of Hokkaido and the art of the native Ainu people.
For the primary beer design system, the typography fits within “screens” that float above the 360-degree illustration–printed on a metalized polypropylene label stock with ink knock-outs to simulate the silver can. The seltzer design system comes to life with each flavor linked to a mischievous spirit brought to life through illustrations. Daruma IPA becomes the embodiment of the Japanese icons seen in almost every establishment reminding all to persevere. Patch Robe Monk connects to the legend of the patch(ed) robes worn by Buddist Monks that embody simplicity, humility, and beauty. All beverage packaging produced by New Hokkaido has a bit of the same DNA and the intent to surprise and delight.