UK – Scottish beer brand BrewDog has unveiled a single malt vodka that celebrates its Aberdeen heritage.
Its purposely humble-looking Rogue Wave brand has a distinctly anti-luxury identity, created by Manchester-based agency LOVE. The agency took inspiration from BrewDog founder James Watt’s family history and ties with the North Sea, discovering a true story about James’ cousin Alex: a one-armed sailor who lost his arm in a fishing accident.
This story provided inspiration for the brand and label design, which feature a deliberately lo-fi illustration and typography reminiscent of Aberdeen dockyards and fishing boats. As a tribute to Alex’s oilskins, the colour orange runs throughout, also setting the brand apart from the red colourway used by many vodka brands.
By avoiding the traditional luxury tropes associated with vodka branding, Rogue Wave stands a greater chance of appealing to Anti-Luxurian consumers.