It is said that India Pale Ale (IPA) beer was born in 1800 in the holds of the ships traveling towards the British colonies of distant India. As the journeys lasted several months, the merchants of the time added generous amounts of hops to the barrels, in order to ensure that the beer would remain fresh. Our friends in the Athenian Brewery decided to embark upon the journey of making a great IPA beer for the Greek beer community, so they asked us to get onboard and brand their latest love project. Creative direction — The unique aromas & the mysterious hazy appearance due to its unfiltered nature demanded an image that would convey its authenticity and bold character in every single touch point of the brand with its audience. After taking a closer look at the culture, history, and myths around the IPA category, we decided that the key elements that we should focus on are Craftsmanship, Journey, Adventure and Hops (the distinctive ingredient).

Retsina is one of the oldest kinds of wine globally, with more than 2000 years of history. Easy to make and to preserve, it was folk’s favorite in ancient Greece and continues to be one of the most popular wines in the country, especially during traditional carnivals and fairs (In Greek: πανηγύρια). But although it’s quite affordable, it seems to lose connection with the younger audience, being viewed as old fashioned and outdated. LIDL, the global discount supermarket chain, decided to re-introduce Retsina to the younger consumers, 20-35, and asked us to give them a hand. Concept The theme of the illustrations is an almost euphoric union between people at traditional festivals (that every Greek can relate to, no matter their age), as well as the strong connection between people and nature in the making of wine. Style Although the imagery of this kind usually falls under folklore, we wanted to give it a form that stretches from antiquity to the present. So we got our inspiration from great festivals of the ancient Greeks that worshiped Dionysus, the god of wine, as well as contemporary painters that transmitted the Greek allegro spirit across the world. Colors The color palette was defined by three major components of the wine itself: the heartwarming yellow of the bright sun, the earthy gray-brown of the vine bark, and the deep blue of the Greek sky. Gold - a color common to more luxurious wine varieties was used for the cap as well as the shadows that highlighted a name of humble origins, to imply the high quality of the wine itself.