Tipple Hard Seltzer
Challenge: Create the next big hit, hard seltzer
Problem: The drink market is oversaturated with hard seltzers with the promise of a buzzin’ good time. We don’t need just another hard seltzer. Grocery stores and corner markets have an array of non-alcoholic drinks that serve different purposes, from simply quenching your thirst to aiding in gut health. There’s a lack of alcoholic beverages that serve a purpose other than a buzz.
People want to have a good time and unfortunately, a good time can’t last forever. There’s people to see, places to go, and tasks to get done. Someone’s gotta pay the bills. The pressure to stay focused and get work done is tough, especially on a warm, sunny day. Work doesn’t stop. So how do you choose between work and play?
Project Goals: Create a hard seltzer that allows you to balance work and life. To give focus and fun in a can without the waste of the day. We noticed within the booming hard seltzer market there was little differentiation between drink brands and what they had to offer. We saw an opportunity to create a hard seltzer with purpose. We aimed to create packaging that reflected a brand that was elevated and a little bit more grown up.
Project Details
Timeline: 6 weeks
Roles: Research, Branding, Visual Design, Copywriting, Packaging
Skills: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
Collaborator: Joe Loughlen, Jenny Flick
PROCESS & RESEARCH
Demographic
Summer of 2019, the market for hard seltzers, White Claw in particular, was booming. To figure out where the market was headed next, our team began researching who was the target demographic, what Whiteclaw as a brand represented, drinking trends, the competitors, and what the current hard seltzer market was missing.
Our team dove into understanding our target demographic to better understand their needs, hoping to find purpose for our seltzer. We discovered our target demographic, Millennials and Gen-Z, to be highly work driven and educated which allowed us to better understand what they would value in a drink company and what their need for a hard seltzer would be. We found that Millennials and Gen-Z value authenticity, are not brand loyal, are health conscious, and are informed consumers.
Caution: Healthy habit forming
Focusing on health and consumption habits, we discovered our consumers preferred organic, all natural, and sustainable products/foods. By integrating natural ingredients that provided beneficial properties that other hard seltzers didn’t offer, we discovered what the market was lacking.
We expanded our research on the benefits of natural ingredients and focused on botanicals, already present within drink culture. In the process, we discovered the benefits of adaptogens, substances that naturally exist in plants and herbs. These substances combat stress mentally and physically. Diving deeper into our research we discovered nootropics enhance cognitive memory and improve mental performance. By combining the two, they become a power stimulant of focus and adaptability.
SOLUTION
Make better decisions
A “smart” hard seltzer. A drink with functional purpose. How? By the addition of nootropics, adaptogens, and botanicals with only 5% alcohol. Our mission wasn’t to create just another hard seltzer option. We created a better decision.
Branding & Visual Design
Most hard seltzer cans are brightly colored and visually, Instagram worthy with its summer vibes appeal. We wanted our brand to be visually appealing, but to stand out and be recognizably different from our competitors. We chose to use colors reminiscent of summer and colors recognizable to associated fruits, but toned down to appear matte. A solid colored can made our brand stand out on the shelf next to rows of competitors. Illustrated images of cropped fruit allowed customers to quickly associate fruit taste and gave our brand the elevated, grown up look we wanted.
Logo
Tipple is a nod to drinking culture. We brainstormed words that were suggestive of drinking that weren't so obvious and words that were energetic. Our strategy was to come up with a word that would draw people in aside from visuals because we wanted consumers to associate our brand with a lifestyle, balance between work and life. We wanted a name that was fun, refined, and sparked curiosity.
Advertising: Balance with a little buzz
Our goal was to show the management of work life balance. We wanted consumers to see another side of “adulting” that doesn’t have to be all work and no play. We wanted to showcase Tipple as a lifestyle of being able to balance work and fun without having to sacrifice one for the other. (show billboard, banner ads, posters)
Desktop
Bringing every aspect of Dot together all on one platform to introduce who we are, what we represent, and how we can help. Our goal is to inform customers about the uses of CBD to manage pain, present options, and for them to feel simultaneously supported and empowered because our values are their values.
Next steps
Advertising, social media campaign, and more products. More to come!