While GenZ catches a lot of flack, as all generations do, there are more than a few good things about the technology-addicted, socially aware, climate-conscious age.
One of the most admirable aspects of the GenZ group is the fact that they’re unafraid of disrupting and changing, well, everything. Inspired by their leadership, Studio Blackthorns, the design consultancy specializing in spirits and better-for-you beverages, rebranded with innovation in mind.
Blackthorns partnered with Christophe Szpajdel, a leading figure in the rock music scene, to create an unexpected logo reminiscent of inspiring graphical elements from recent works that have incorporated elegant typefaces with irreverent illustrations to create a branding system that’s unmistakably metal.
“There are some striking examples of this, including celebrities: Kanye West wears Cradle Of Filth t-shirts, Willow Smith prefers Anthrax, Rihanna has rock and metal patches on her stage outfits. On the fashion side, we noticed the British band Bring Me The Horizon’s clothing line at H&M. The occult fascinates, and the irreverence piques our curiosity,” says Ludovic Mornand, founder and brand strategist at Studio Blackthorns.
Blanding, the process of creating generic brand identities that follow trends and exist to blend in, is no longer. Instead, studio Blackthorn is working to make this happen by creating a brand that values authenticity, boldness, and a willingness to impact rather than fit in.
The resulting logo represents the brewers, distillers, and winemakers’ grit, as well as the value of nature, with thorned roots that plant themselves in the viewer’s eyes. In a bold statement, the studio declared, “For most people, marketing is the branch of a company that aims to trick the consumer. We strive to reverse this perception. Our new logo embodies this allergy to bullshit marketing.”
Furthermore, the brand created conceptual mockups with their identity system that showcase the dynamic capability of the visual system and help speak to the demographic and brands that the studio often represents. Specifically, the brand created mockup beer cans that beautifully highlight the intricately-designed metal logo, visually showcasing the brand’s adept eye in the beer and spirits category.
Blanding is out, and standing out is in.
