Jones Knowles Ritchie designed this super striking limited edition packaging for Budweiser’s 2017 Holiday campaign. The design pays tribute to the history of the company while also making sure the brand maintains a sense of modernism at the same time.
Assignment:
Since 1876, Budweiser has been committed to uncompromising quality and a larger-than-life presence. This boldness doesn’t just apply to it’s beer, it applies to everything the brand touches, including how it celebrates the holiday season. The brand has a long history of dressing up for the holidays.
In 2017, Budweiser wanted to pay homage to its storied history and brewing credentials with the re-release of a Prohibition-era recipe: 1933 Repeal Reserve Amber Lager.
To compliment this launch, our team’s task was to launch limited edition Holiday packaging that pays tribute to Anheuser-Busch’s past.
Approach:
The aluminum bottle was inspired by the Anheuser-Busch eagle; an icon that adorns the original brewery in St. Louis, Missouri as well as the brand’s glass bottle. The eagle has been a foundation of the company, and the brand, since its inception in 1876.
The eagle illustration takes center-stage on the bottle, interwoven with a large A and topped with a star to symbolize the holiday season. We had the eagle re-drawn to feel modern while still ensuring the wood-cut look of yesteryear.
The typography on the bottle is also inspired by the brand’s heritage. The “Anheuser-Busch” and “Budweiser” was lifted and re-crafted to be a modern interpretation of the type founds on the wooden holiday crates that Budweiser has historically released during the holiday months.
Adorned and framed with grain flourishes and linework from Budweiser’s original label, the entire bottle design comes together to celebrate Budweiser’s brewery history and the holiday season.
Results:
Budweiser’s 2017 holiday campaign was a commercial success, garnering media attention and consumer appetite for the limited edition liquid.
Designed By: Jones Knowles Ritchie
Executive Creative Director: Tosh Hall
Senior Designer: Mike Perry
Designers: Charlotte Jackson, Mike McQuaid, Cody Hoerauf
Illustration: Filip Yip
Managing Director: Sara Hyman
Typography: Ian Brignell
Senior Account Manager: Josh Griffin
Account Director: Phil Buhagiar
Location: New York City, New York
