Anyone who’s even the slightest bit aesthetically observant will have noticed that the wine, craft, and spirits industries have blossomed into rich sites of design splendor over the last decade. The design and branding studio Makers & Allies is leading the charge in these spaces, exclusively working with wine, craft, and spirit brands to bring their libations to the next level.
Located in coastal California wine country in San Luis Obispo, Makers & Allies is perfectly situated for their expertise. The studio works with brands of all sizes, from those with a national presence to boutique makers with limited production runs. They offer services ranging from branding and packaging to digital and advertising.
Makers & Allies boasts a lengthy list of impressive client work, but here’s a sample of three of some of their most noteworthy recent projects.
Camille
The packaging Makers & Allies created for Camille taps into the multifaceted woman behind the wine. “Camille wines are meant to inspire, crafted in honor of the strength, bravery, and courage of women,” writes Makers & Allies on their website.
The elegant labels feature hand-drawn illustrations that mix photography with oil painting styles and strength with softness. Each woman pictured presents as mysterious yet relatable, drawing in wine drinkers of all sorts. The packaging uses carefully selected paper paired with gold foil and embossed accents to achieve a sophisticated and luxurious feel.
Gaslighter Wine Co.
Gaslighter Wine Co. is all about amplifying wine’s fun and spunky side. Makers & Allies met that challenge in the packaging, digital assets, and advertising they executed for the provocative brand. “Creating a world for this brand to exist in has been a wild ride, but one we’d gladly go on again and again,” said Makers & Allies about the project.
Makers & Allies started with Gaslighter Wine Co.’s rosé since that’s their highest production varietal. Looking at the current lay of the rosé land, they decided to go in the opposite direction of what was dominating the market (soft, subtle, floral, pink). The team turned to matte black screen printing and sharp lines. If this rosé were a person, expect the one who wears thigh-high leather boots to a pool party.
Makers & Allies then extended that rosé packaging to Gaslighter’s pinot and cab to maintain a clean and cohesive collection. The result was a dark and sophisticated range that’s party-ready. “Like our consumer, this is a package meant to turn heads, yet still belong in whatever room they walk into,” said Makers & Allies.
Freakshow in the Dark
Michael David Winery turned to Makers & Allies for their annual fall Freakshow promotion, which started with packaging and expanded into a digital campaign.
The winery tasked Makers & Allies with enhancing Freakshow Cabernet’s existing branding with a glow-in-the-dark label concept. They did so with careful strategic planning, a custom set build, and a plentitude of black lights.
