About
Over the course of 2 years I helped lead the design and art direction for Zacapa across deliverables including brand development, digital and print. We acted as a design partner delivering content as well as managing external agencies to create consistency and deliver beautiful results.
Brand guidelines
In 2018 Zacapa wanted to introduce themselves into the dark spirits market around the world. To do this they needed updated brand guidelines to create a premium brand system that all markets could adhere to. I worked closely with the client team to build a useable system that finally allowed them to articulate what Zacapa should look and feel like.
Typography
As part of the brand guidelines I commissioned Fontsmith to create a brand new typeface based on customised characters from the existing packaging. We wanted to highlight Zacapa's key points of difference around modern production methods that still embrace hand craft. I worked closely with Fontsmith to create letterforms that kept some hand made imperfections alongside more modern refinements.
Key visual
As Zacapa wanted to reposition in the new dark spirit market, they needed a key visual to demonstrate Zacapa's key points of difference alongside its luxury credentials. We chose to bring the brand to life through handcrafted paper art, inspired by the hand made petate bands around each bottle.
We commissioned a paper artist from the Makerie Studio to bring the final concept to life, using a warming mandala sun to reflect it's Guatemalan heritage. We used clouds as a frame work to support the product, referencing their ageing facility in Guatemala at an altitude above cloud level.
Website
I designed a new website that showcased the new brand elements and helped re-establish Zacapa as a true luxury spirit. I managed a team of designers to develop the UX and personally created all the design templates across desktop and mobile.
