New Hokkaido Beer

Sally Morrow Creative on 04/30/2020

Nimble tree spirits? A phantom with icy breath that freezes victims solid? The elusive mountain echo that takes the form of a monkey-dog? We’ve got stories to tell. The New Hokkaido beer collaboration brings together the traditions of Japanese brewing with a unique craft approach from the Pacific Northwest. Each legend comes to life with an inventive micro-prose that guides each tale. Our design solution was born from discovery: the family crest on the kimono of our clients’ grandmother, the pristine beauty of Hokkaido, Japan’s northern-most island, and the culture and art of the native Ainu people. We chose an Illustration studio in Tokyo, whose work is a synthesis of ancient woodblock prints and a bold, modern, Japanese aesthetic. The typographic design works within “screens” that float above the 360-degree illustration–printed on a metalized polypropylene label stock with ink knock-outs to simulate the silver can.