Q&A on drinks design with Denomination

Rowena Curlewis and Margaret Nolan from wine packaging and branding specialists Denomination share their views on the sales impact of good design and the challenges of creating a new look for wine.

Denomination’s Rowena Curlewis (left) and Margaret Nolan (right)

What type of services does Denomination provide?

Rowena Curlewis, CEO, Denomination (RC): Anything for a drinks brand: the expression “the whole box and dice” pretty well sums it up. From a strategic side we work with clients to develop their brand positioning or help map out a clear brand architecture. From a creative side we virtually do everything from naming to packaging, brand movies, advertising, gifting, brochures, websites: anything to do with the brand we are working on.

Does the design agency have a specialism?

Margaret Nolan, Creative Director, Denomination (MN): Yes we do: we are a drinks specialist and work across wine, beer, cider and spirits. Within that I would say that wine is the most complex and therefore our most specialised area. Wine is a very difficult consumer category for people to understand, and a lot more difficult to design well. I think that’s why a lot of wine packaging isn’t working compared to say beer and spirits because it is a very different discipline. We design major global brands such as Penfolds and Wolf Blass as well as small boutique/craft brands such as Enfant Terrible and Les Adventures de M.Pierre.

And how has its business changed over time?

RC: While we’ve always been in drinks, the business has changed in terms of its size, location and name! We have grown slowly and organically since to our current size of 17 across our two studios in London and Sydney. At each growth phase we’ve had to refine our systems and processes to take into consideration the increase in staff numbers, the global locations of our clients, plus the complexities of running two offices. The toughest challenge is finding the right team members of the calibre we need to ensure that the quality of our work – and our reputation – is maintained. It’s often a long process to do this but for us it’s imperative that we continue to offer our clients a smooth, proactive and enjoyable service, and designs that are imaginative, unique and – most of all – effective.

The name of our business changed from The Collective to Denomination in November 2015. Expansion to the UK meant trademark issues for The Collective, and so we decided to rename the business. Denomination is unique and defendable in the design market, and aligns to our focus on the wine and greater drinks industry.

Are the design requirements different for drinks as opposed to other FMCGs? And if so, why?

MN: I always inwardly shrink a bit when I hear wine described as an FMCG product. Whilst it’s readily available in supermarkets there is so much involved in the purchase of a bottle of wine no matter what price point. For many people having a glass of wine is their “me” time: a little luxury at the end of the day. Or else it’s something they are sharing with friends: taking a bottle of wine to a dinner means they think and choose carefully as it is a reflection of them. That’s why the psychology behind wine purchasing is so interesting: it doesn’t fit neatly into a normal purchasing pattern and therefore the FMCG approach doesn’t always work. With FMCG the bigger the brand appears to the consumer the better but often in wine it works the other way around. Whilst lots of supermarket wines are produced in industrial sized tanks, the consumer still has the mental image of wooden barrels and a cellar. Wine has a romance and mystery attached to it that FMCG brands don’t have.

What’s been your hardest brief?

MN: The hardest briefs are brands that don’t have a reason for being.

What design are you most proud of?

RC: That question is like being asked which child is your favourite! We always find this almost impossible to answer as every brief has been different and we are so proud of all our work. From a time and production perspective, Georg Jensen Hallmark Cuvée was incredibly challenging but the end result is stunning. It was a fantastic team effort working with the client and Georg Jensen, and the response from consumers was incredible. Our client Heemskerk Wines had trouble keeping the product on the shelves, and within three months of launch this sparkling wine became Australia’s 3^rd largest sparkling wine brand.

But Friday’s Child has to take the prize because of the effect our design had on the winery’s business. This project was briefed in to us as a final attempt to keep the vineyard afloat.  As our client, Bryan Horskins, puts it: “Our vineyard had a very sad history over 12 years of financial difficulties and agricultural events. With a desire to start afresh with a new image, an associate, Ros Ritchie, suggested an assignment with Denomination, for a new image for our premium range – Friday’s Child.  Following a consultation and a brief, the presentation was way beyond expectations. We chose a design which not only provided a new image for our winemaker, but also injected the business with a great feeling of inspiration: it gave us a new direction. The packaging created an immediate increase in local sales and confirmed a lucrative export agreement for the next three years. Winning the Australian Boutique Winegrower’s Association award for Best Red Wine Packaging was the culmination of a great partnership with Denomination.”

Where do you look for inspiration? 

MN: The brief! The problem to be solved is usually the inspiration.

How important is packaging to the success of a drinks brand?

RC: Incredibly important! However it’s getting the three Ps right (price, packaging and product) that makes a brand successful. The product must live up to the packaging. A great label is only as good as what’s in the bottle: it will get consumers to buy but the quality of the product will seal the repeat purchase. Robert Oatley Signature Series is a case in point. We revolutionized the existing packaging and, in the process, reduced their label COGs by 52% and, with recommendations to downgrade their bottles, we reduced glass costs by 36%. Additionally with the reduced complexity of both labels and bottles, our client was able to increase line speeds which had a significant effect on margin. With no change to pricing, distribution, product or any promotion, the sales tripled in 20 months to become Robert Oatley’s highest selling range. The results of this redesign won the notoriously difficult DBA Design Effectiveness Award in 2014.

What are the current trends in drinks design?

RC: The retro trend has been around for the past 5+ years and it shows no sign of abating just yet. I think it’s tapping into millennial’s desire for brands with authenticity, and these consumers are making the link between a retro brand and authenticity. However, given that a lot of these brands don’t have real authenticity, I believe the retro trend will eventually have its day.

The US, particularly the West Coast, has seen a proliferation of dark/evil inspired brands. Our design for Take it to the Grave fits into this genre but also incorporates a touch of light heartedness. Inspired by The Day of the Dead, which we knew was having a renaissance globally, the design features skeletons, but their macabre nature is modified by their light-hearted playing of musical instruments as well as their hats and scarves. Gold foiling highlights the accessories of the skeletons and contrasts with the raw content of the illustration. The detailed capsule featuring Mexican-inspired graphics acts as clear differentiator on shelf.

Why would an emerging designer choose the drinks industry?

RC: Surely the drinks industry is the most exciting industry to work in? Where else do you find such a rich source of storytelling and the ability to design a whole range of brands at different prices, with different personalities and from different countries? The wine industry particularly allows you to delve deeper and deeper into the category, to the point where you are still learning every day even after 20 years in the industry.