Following on from our recent article on beer packaging, we’ve been looking to see how the trends identified in our annual Trends Analysis report are distilling into the world of spirits packaging.
Take a look below at the top five emergent design trends we can expect to see this year in the packaging design of hard liquor.
01. Machined
Rem Koolhaas might have had a hand in inspiring this trend, which kicks out the friendly, human curves and skeuomorphism of times past.
Unashamedly technological, this trend is defined by aggressively chamfered shapes with a distinctive sci-fi feel. In spirits, that code is used by AnestasiA Vodka to communicate a crisp, pure taste.
02. Art Deco Revived
Moving from a forward-facing trend to one which looks back. Art Deco Revived takes the baton from the well-underway 50s retro revival and rewinds a few more decades to puts a modern spin on an era of classic design.
Diageo has refined the glamour of the period in its new bottle for Tanqueray No.Ten, which uses the trend to reflect the booming desire for classic cocktails, such as the Martini.
03. Drawn Freeform
A trend which is also surfacing in the world of brewing is the use of drawn idiosyncrasies which add individuality and character to products.
In brewing, it’s largely limited to small craft beer brands, but in spirits it’s growing across both the smaller brands, such as Tomoka and 3R Tequila to larger global brands including Absolut Vodka.
04. Monochrome
The bold, attention-grabbing combination of black & white (which has momentum in fashion via Issey Miyake & Chanel) is being used in spirits to convey an intriguingly understated message suggestive of hidden potency.
Lock, Stock & Barrel whiskey and Black vodka both use this to powerful effect.
05. Black Magic
The Guillermo del Toro of design trends, this movement sees the darker side of fairytales come bubbling to the surface through graphics that promise the adventure and excitement of potions, spells and witchcraft.
Evil Spirits vodka, Coven vodka, The Empiric gin and The 3 Howls all exemplify this most wicked of trends.
Words: Stuart Chapman
Stuart Chapman is associate director at The Big Picture.
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Have you spotted a packaging trend we should be covering? Let us know in the comments!
