anything but flat

North American Breweries in Rochester, N.Y., saw an opportunity for a clear, flavored alcoholic non-carbonated water positioned as a lighter, gender-neutral offering for young adults wanting a better-for-you malt beverage. The company came to CSB for help in making this perceived opportunity a reality.

After extensively auditing flavored vodka, hard seltzer and sparkling water, CSB helped the client vet the best brand architecture, brand name, and visual territory with consumers, and then developed a distinctive brand identity and packaging. As this was to be the first product of its kind on the market, CSB felt it needed to convey adult flavor cues, lightness, and still water to clearly differentiate the brand.

CSB developed a brand identity that conveyed a powerful sense of refreshment through a bold, highly visible logo anchored around a water droplet: white for simplicity, fruit photographed on wood for appealing natural flavor, and a clear calorie callout and alcohol content. The resulting pack generated extensive press coverage at launch, and the brand went on to introduce Coconut and Watermelon flavors one year after the original launch.