Beer: who doesn’t like to sit back on the couch and pop a nice cold one? Once a manly man’s drink, beer has evolved to become much more than just that. Today, there is a beer out there to suit everyone’s taste buds, and the emergence of craft beer has got everyone hops-crazed. With so much great beer around, there has naturally been an increase in the amount of great design that we see on the bottle shop shelves too. Our June 2017 Trend Edit showcases three of the latest beer packaging trends from around the globe to be inspired by – and hey, maybe you’ll even find a few new beers to try along the way.
Minimalist
Typography
At a time when so many beer labels are quirky, loud and attention grabbing, the trend towards minimalism really helps brands to stand out on shelf in a visually cluttered retail environment. To achieve a clean, minimalist look, typography will be your champion. Some brands have gone with white ink screen printed directly on to brown bottles, others simply with black text on white labels. By bringing mundane details front and centre, like alcoholic content – or even calories in the case of Shower Beer, the utilitarian look and feel becomes fresh again in an unexpected channel.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
- VROLIJKHEID BY TYPICAL ORGANIZATION [GREECE]
- AND UNION BY AND UNION [EUROPE]
- RUSELØKKA MICROBREWERY BY NICKLAS HELLBORG [NORWAY]
- OLD FRIENDS BREWERY BY THE DISTRICT [UK]
- SHOWER BEER BY SNASK [SWEDEN]
Playful
Illustrations
From clean and geometric, to abstract and quirky, illustrative beer labels really put the ‘craft’ in craft beer. Pumped full of personality and character, there are a few amazing examples out there that catch the beer-loving eye. Our favourites include the playful iconic Bionic bunny, Lillevik’s Nordic geometry and Steampunk’s innovative design which utilises all sides of the beer can to reveal a full character when stacked. Whatever your brand story, illustrations are a great way of telling it with complete uniqueness and small-batch appeal.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
- STEAMPUNK BY MAGNIFICENT BEARD [USA]
- BIONIC BREW BY HELMS WORKSHOP [USA]
- LILLEVIK ALPINE CIDER BY MAKEBARDO [NEW ZEALAND]
- BIERE DES MARAIS BY ANTHONY CHERBUIN [SWITZERLAND]
- FORGOTTEN BOARDWALK BREWING BY PERKY BROS [USA]
Contemporary
Artworks
One trend that we are excited to see gaining traction in the beer category is the sophisticated use of original artworks, not dissimilar to what has been popular in wine labels for many years. Brands such as Cloudwater are taking the work of contemporary artists and placing it on the humble beer bottle, elevating craft beers to premium status.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
- CLOUDWATER BREW CO. BY TEXTBOOK STUDIO [UK]
- 69 SPICY CRAFT BEER BY THINK BOLD STUDIO [PORTUGAL]
- O/O BREWING BY LUNDGREN+LINDQVIST [SWEDEN]
We hope you enjoyed reading about these up and coming trends as much as we enjoyed uncovering them. If you’re a start-up beer label or a beer brand in need of a refresh, we’d love to chat over a cold one. Don’t forget, if you liked this trend report and want to see more, feel free to let us know of any themes you’d like us to tackle next.
TREND REPORT BY ARIANA JANJUA JARM
10/04/2017