We recently stumbled across an industry report curated by Nihilo Agency – The New Rules Of Brand Building in Beverage & Alcohol. As lovers of branding and beverages, most of the team stopped what they were doing to have a read.
The report unpacks the branding strategies of different beverage businesses, each with its own triumphs, nuances, and clever breakthroughs – so clever, they made us wish we’d started our own distillery and done them first. Long story short, the rules of branding have changed. Short story long, these examples explain why.
Mal Bien – Poor Man’s Tequila
Mal Bien puts out their Mezcal exactly how it’d be found in its earliest conception – thrown into the closest available bottle and hastily labelled somewhere in the jungle. Embodying a ‘product first’ ethos, Mal Bien’s bottles feature masking tape and marker pen in ranging colours, mirroring the way agave farmers label their freshly distilled batches.
“We’re not design guys. We knew we couldn’t compete in that space, so we embraced simplicity,” said co-founder Ben Scott. That authenticity paid off. Mezcal’s reputation as ‘poor man’s tequila’ suddenly became a brand asset rather than a liability. Mal Bien’s branding speaks directly to that unrefined, earthy charm of the spirit – their rough-and-ready approach a reminder that good branding isn’t about beautiful design, but telling a story with authenticity.
OLGA – The Anti-Vodka Vodka
While most vodka brands are still stuck in a perpetual Russian winter, OLGA has personified confidence, freedom, and “sex appeal”. Without an ice-capped mountain in sight, their bottle features sleek minimalist text, a lipstick red ‘O’ shaped bottle cap, and a symbolic tear seal labelled ‘FREE THE SPIRIT’ – brilliant on so many levels. Their philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: “Vodka is fun; not everything has to be about saving the world.” True, until the night reaches its end and you have to navigate your way down a flight of stairs.
They actually do help save the world though – profits support Rainbow Railroad, helping LGBTQ+ individuals escape persecution. Brands don’t need to scream about their values – they can just embody them. OLGA’s branding speaks for itself: effortlessly cool, undeniably confident, and 100% self-assured.
Wandering Bear – The Bear That Ate the Label
The Wandering Bear icon has become a visual landmark in the U.S. beverage space – not quite Mount Rushmore, but certainly on its way if their packaging keeps expanding. What started as a modest bear icon on their cold brew coffee has grown to dominate three-quarters of the front panel, like one of those dinosaurs that keep expanding in a bowl of water. This singular focus has paid off – when people spot the bear, they know exactly what’s inside.
“A brand is a promise,” says founder Matt Bachmann, and Wandering Bear’s promise is unmistakable. They’re parlaying this recognition into a broader strategy, expanding from cold brew into wellness-forward beverages that blend coffee culture with health trends. We’d hazard a guess their famed bear will play a role in getting their next ventures up and running.
BREZ – If Tame Impala was a Drink
BREZ is refusing to dumb things down in the THC space. While other brands go for the obvious – sans serif logos, high-contrast colours and probably a hemp leaf somewhere, BREZ deliberately leans into the ethereal. Their holographic cans and dream-like branding create something you can interact with. For a brand that looks like a Tame Impala album cover come to life, it’s fitting – considering that’s probably what you’ll end up listening to after drinking it.
Rather than positioning themselves as “alcohol minus,” BREZ aims higher, referring to themselves as a “next-gen social tonic” that represents a cultural shift. It could sound pretentious, but it works because they’re actually helping define an entirely new category in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill. When you’re creating a new market segment, you get to write the rules. The brand knows exactly what it’s doing – and what its audience is probably listening to.
Makku – The Challenges of Inventing a Category
Makku is bringing Korea’s makgeolli to the U.S. Just one problem – it doesn’t fit into any of the traditional alcohol categories. Though regulations require it to be labelled as ‘IRC Beer’ – it’s not beer, wine, cider, or sake. Makku’s challenge wasn’t just selling a drink, but creating an entirely new category in the American market.
Part of their solution? A white can that hints at a white drink. Sometimes visual shortcuts are the best way to manage expectations when you’re essentially saying, “trust us, you’ll like it.” If your product doesn’t fit a category, you have to create the category yourself. And that takes patience, education, and relentless brand consistency.
The New Rules of Beverage Branding
The new ‘rules’ of beverage branding show that perfection has given way to personality, category norms have become opportunities for disruption, and authenticity has become more valuable than polish. Good branding isn’t about beautiful design or following conventions – it’s about telling a genuine story in your own voice, even if that voice happens to be a bit rough around the edges. We think these tips extend far beyond the beverage space, so have a read of the report yourself and get inspired (or thirsty).