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amazon_77's avatar

Need help with a design assignment designing a alcohol beverage label?

Asked by amazon_77 (46points) February 20th, 2010
19 responses
“Great Question” (2points)

Hey Everyone

Need a little guidance on a design assignment. I have to design a beverage label and advertising poster for my “alcohol range” and can’t decide what to do….I would like to do something french or romantic as the mock “Brewery” is located in France. Was thinking either french maid “La bonne”(target audience more male orientated) or “Frog Prince” more targeted at females. I am designing a lager label not an alcopop. I am leaning towards “Frog Prince” Maybe a little sexy catchphrase or a better name for the drink if anything comes to mind. My head wont get into design mode as I can’t make up my mind. I can imagine girls going to the bar and ordering frog prince’s all night haha, because as always girls are always looking for that elusive prince charming/mr right. Any ideas or suggestions would be awesome. Thanks

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Answers

PandoraBoxx's avatar

First, you need to do a better job defining what the product is. Beer? Wine? What does “alcohol range” mean? Before you design anything, the first step is to understand how your client sees their product, and document that, because ultimately more than labeling hangs off of the product. Secondly, in terms of alcohol products, and especially beers (I assume that’s what the assignment is, since you said French brewery), you need to think in terms of series of products. Whatever you design needs to be extendable across a series of products.

The actual graphics of the label is the last thing you do. In terms of concept, you need to do the logistics and head work first, then provide your client with a series of concepts to choose from. The Frog Prince idea works if the creative strategy is tied to fairy tales. Would fairy tales extend out across of line of beers- IPA, lager, porter, etc.? How? What language would describe beers? Write a creative concept brief first, then design.

jaytkay's avatar

Q. you need to do a better job defining what the product is. Beer? Wine?
A. “I am designing a lager label”

Q. What does “alcohol range” mean?
A. ”...you need to think in terms of series of products…line of beers- IPA, lager, porter, etc…

amazon_77's avatar

Thanks guys…. just letting you know this is an assignment so I have to decide myself what design I will go with thats my problem I CAN’T. I don’t have client to choose for me. The alcohol is a lager beer brewed and bottled in Versaille France. I could either choose to design a label for lager beer or for a designer drink. I chose lager. I would think it would be a challenge to design a lager label targeted at women as they I assume from my own observations that they would more likely go for a designer alcopop label rather then a Masculine beer. I thought that every woman looks for their prince charming or hopes that Mr right is just around the corner and wanted to design a beer that women would drinks so therefore my prince charming/frog prince concept. I also have to come up with a name for the drink, design a label, a full colour a4 poster and also a coaster along with like 2 pages of questions…I work all day as a graphic designer and when I come home I think my creativity streak well has struck out and just need a little inspiration.
thanks Sel

Seek's avatar

Well, I don’t know how much it will help, but here’s a brewery I started buying from solely because the bottles were pretty. I kept buying because the stuff was awesome, but the initial purchase was totally marketing.

amazon_77's avatar

Yeah I sometimes just buy stuff because of the way it is designed and its packaging…I checked out that site it was good. I sorta have ideas in my head about the design but don’t know if I want simple and muted or vibrant and full colour. I just can’t make up my mind.Budweiser seemed to do pretty good with frogs in there ad need to start brainstorming its so hard with just one person. all I need is a spark and then its like an explosion and my head just fills up with ideas

sakura's avatar

I like the frog prince idea! You could tie it in with all sorts of different fairy tales, just be careful though as you don’t want to alianate your target audience, especially as Disney are Frog Prince-ing at the moment! If you want long term advertisment strategies where people will stay true to the brand then gimmicks are ok to begin with, but soon wear thin. Maybe this is something you need to consider, as it is part of an assignment, I am assuming you will have to weigh up the pros and cans

How about a cross gender idea? You know a “man” walks up to a bar and orders a beer, but it’s really a woman?

How about going the other way… foxy lady – foxy lager?

Let us know how you get on!

amazon_77's avatar

Yeah I know I try and do a search and all that comes up 99% of the time is Walt Disney stuff. I like the Art Nouveau style of design and renaissance. Also I just remembered I have to design a ligature logo with a c and a v.I think the two worst letters to try and combine…UNGH!!!! Should I call my lager.“Frog Prince” or “Charmed” (the tv show sorta ruined that one for me) maybe someone out there has a better name. I am so used to doing inhouse stuff for a company my brain just wont branch out and create. I would love to do a whole range on fairy tales but just have to design one to make my teacher happy and to pass. So the Frog Prince is it. Should I go for a comical or serious appeal? Simple or complicated. Raunchy or Romantic…...???

laureth's avatar

In a bar, you’re likely to find a lot of frogs. Go for the one that’s a prince in disguise. ;)

amazon_77's avatar

That’s sounds really good. Starting to get the clogs turning. A little bit of tongue in cheek would be good with a catchy little phrase. Have the bar filled with frogs and toads and have the radiant like alcohol bottle waiting there to meet his princess which would obviously would be the target market and consumer of the product. Any other ideas just let me know…..

sakura's avatar

you could have the girl drink from the bottle and slowly but surely the frogs all turn in princes… thats what usually happens on a friday night when you have had a bit too much anyway!!!
only joking! the bottle could be a prince amongst theives?

Mitchell_Lewis's avatar

Research breeds ideas. Walk into a liquor store, look at labels. Bring a sketch book, sketch ideas while you’re there. It’s rare for a designer to be able to work well in a vacuum. I’m not saying you should copy a label, but when hundreds of years of label creation already exist there’s a precedence you can draw from. Why re-invent the wheel? Clearly there are styles that already work well. Use that information.

CyanoticWasp's avatar

“Frog Prince” for a beer to be marketed in France? Yeah, good luck with that. The French just love to be insulted with derogatory slurs in their own country. Why not just call it “We Surrender” beer, or “At Least We’re Not English” beer?

PandoraBoxx's avatar

I do think the Frog Prince is a good idea, especially if, in addition to the label design, you think in terms of how the label extends out into other materials that could work as on-premise collateral for marketing the product. Think it extends out well into companion products “Rapunzel” (let down your hair), “Rumplestiltskin” “Troll Under the Bridge” (higher alcohol content). The draft tap would be awesome as a frog with the gold crown. Coasters, glassware, back bar pieces.

The whole “you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince” describes a lot of bar experiences.

amazon_77's avatar

Thanks you guys I really appreciate your feedback. I appreciate your time and effort! The Troll under the bridge idea is AWESOME!!! Sakura thanks for that Link!!! Will let you guys know how I go…

As for the cyanotic wasp you must be that annoying thing that keeps bumping into my window at work bumbling around miserable and just looking to sting anything….not much luck there mate. There are two french alcohol labels that I know of include frogs that are MUCH more “derogatory” then mine…..“The Arrogant Frog” and “Frogs Piss” and are also products of FRANCE, made by french, drunk by the French and they seem to be doing very well for themselves…...

http://www.winelabels.org/labels16.htm

http://menknowpause.fooyoh.com/?mid=menknowpause_lifestyle_living&document_srl=4224819

There are also other wines and beers etc that have tongue in cheek names that are really quite clever and sell very quickly and have been amazingly designed so Waspie what you said c’est rien que de la merde!!!!

Plus its just an assignment and not getting marketed ANYWHERE so easy there its just getting marked by my teacher you knocker!!!

Thanks!!!! :)

PandoraBoxx's avatar

It may be just an assignment, but the point of the assignment is to learn. And in my case, I spent 20 years marketing liquor for international companies, in ad agencies. Shredding creative. If you expect to make money as a designer, you have to be able to turn a profit for your client with your work. Otherwise, it’s just a pretty picture.

amazon_77's avatar

Thanks Pandora I’m just letting old waspie learn to not take it so serious! I want to learn as much as possible and would want it to work in the real world and hate people that try and squash creativity. I understand I can’t make everyone happy. I would be glad to show you Pandora my finished product for you to have a look at!!! You sound like you know your stuff!!!! :)

Sel

PacificRimjob's avatar

Remember to save plenty of room for the state to include their stupid warning labels.

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