Cannes Lions
LANDOR, Tokyo / SEKINOICHI / 2020
Overview
Entries
Credits
Background
From our own backyard
Every season, Iwate Kura Beer looks to its community, its farmers, its own backyard in Japan`s Northeast coast of Iwate to think up the next best thing in craft beer. Given the brands authentic connection to the community, we sought to create a brand design that was true to the region, celebrating the unique ingredients that give life to our beer.
Idea
From farm to bottle
The ingredients that inspire Iwate Kura Beer, equally inspired us. We wanted to bring drinkers as close to the raw ingredients as possible, so we used them to create a unique graphic language that we called: “From farm to bottle.” The final design represented a love for the land, but more, the inherent innovative spirit in our client’s DNA.
Execution
To create the seasonal brand language, we rolled up our sleeves and used the actual ingredients to make playful patterns and expressions, representing the ingredient story in a whole new light. Using oyster, pumpkins, sakura, and passion fruit as stencils and stamps, we hand crafted each seasonal design to authentically represent the wholesome and fresh taste that sits within every bottle of Iwate Kura Beer.
These ingredient expressions made their way across offline touch points like scented coasters, creating a unique ritual to compliment the beer, allowing beer drinkers to experience Iwate through scent and taste.
Outcome
Since the rebrand and launch, Iwate Kura Beer has gone global, exporting to the U.S., New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with 110% growth since 2019. More importantly, we have been able to take a piece of Japan to drinkers around the world, reaching people far and wide, transporting them to the place we love, Iwate.