Viva Brighton Issue #56 October 2017

DESIGN
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of beer, we now favour something novel but of
reliable provenance.”
The boom in small drinks producers has
undoubtedly created new business, but the
downside, says Lee, is that “we’re in a transient
stage where brands live and die very quickly.”
The trick to creating one that lasts, he says, is
to recognise the difference between building a
brand and just trying to be different. “You can
shock quite easily. You can create something
new, unusual, but it isn’t necessarily something
that will seep into your consciousness. A brand
that is created properly will do that.”
“We always say the first sip is taken with the
eye,” says Sally, who explains a little about
the magic of successful packaging. “We pride
ourselves in our craftsmanship and experience,”
she says, “because brands with integrity and a
story to tell stand the test of time.”
The secret, they say, is to “find a truth”, but
sometimes you need to dig deep to get that.
“Very often,” says Lee, “when we say to clients,
‘can we look in your archives?’, they are like
‘no, no, no, we want to go forward not back’.
It’s often difficult to explain, but we want to be
inspired by something real rather than try to
concoct something. If you can get something
that looks contemporary and is built on something
original, in drink branding, you’re onto
a winner.”
I wonder if they have a favourite example. “I
really like Lyle’s Golden Syrup,” says Sally, “It’s
amazing packaging because it’s such an odd
thing…” You’ll see what looks like flies, but
are actually bees, buzzing around a dead lion’s
head - not something you would expect to see
on food packaging.
“But haven’t they been brave to keep it?” says
Sally. “Brands are always changing, but it’s unnecessary.
People are brave to keep something
that’s working. Good design should stand the
test of time.”
Interview by Chloë King
cookchick.com
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