Awestruck is a premium hard cider range from Gravity Ciders. It was created to offer America’s craft brew fanatics a refreshing alternative to beer. Awestruck is made from 100% fresh-pressed New York State apples and infused with unique flavours that reflect the company’s enthusiasm for experimentation. The range includes Lavender Hops, Hibiscus Ginger and Eastern Dry. Design studio Buddy were commissioned by Gravity Ciders to communicate Awestruck’s ‘surprising flavours’ and ‘delicious punch’ through a bold and iconic brand identity and packaging treatment.

Based around a clever observation and comfortable fusion of character and punctuation, a good eye for negative space, bold sans-serif characters enhanced by finer and broadly spaced type, the identity delivers high impact and communicative value through a typographical efficiency. The sliders add a distinctive way to communicate flavour and a horizontal contrast to a predominately vertical design, and while the type on the reverse is perhaps absent the personality of the front, works in brand story and product profile.

These details are effectively layered with the familiar craft cues of uncoated laid paper, the perceived high quality of a copper foil print finish, and the subtle personality of a character across the caps. The colours are bright and contemporary, elevated by the black, however, and as is frequently the case with dark ink across light paper, appears to be wearing a little along the edges and over the ribs of the paper.

Design: Buddy
Opinion: Richard Baird