Once a local beer goes global, marketing teams face a challenge: to localize it in the global markets where the suds are newly being sipped.
And that tends to introduce design challenges, namely in the form of consistency.
That was the case for Amstel and its 115 markets, and Elmwood London was brought on to brand a solution—which took the form of a strategic framework that local markets can customize with just the right amount of expression. (But not too much.)
The team strategically tweaked the color and shape of the logo, and produced two main options, alongside three brand narrative stories. The first, “Born from better beer,” is complemented by illustrations championing the brewing process; “Born in Amsterdam” features illustrations of the Amstel River; and “Born from friendship” features the founders’ signatures.
“We wanted to create a visual identity system that local marketing teams could own and design,” Elmwood global provocation officer Greg Taylor says. “Having identified the evergreen assets of the Amstel roundel and its red-and-white split, our job was then to ensure we created a brand world that was forever iconically always new, embracing the beautiful tension between being global and local.”
Check out the system in action below.
Associate creative director: Kyle WhybrowGlobal provocation officer: Greg TaylorClient partner: Mark BaxterAccount director: Charlotte FountainAccount manager: Amy ElliotSenior designer: Tim Wood