label design
&
Azahara – the blossom of the orange
Fifty Design owner Teri Cooper graduated from The Surrey Institute of Art and Design (UK) with a degree in Packaging Design and Graphics. She then went on to live in Chicago for two years, where she worked for a highly regarded design firm, gaining first-hand experience on projects such as Jim Beam brands and Geyser Peak Winery. On returning home to the UK, she set up her own business, producing label designs for a collection of UK wine importers which include brands such as Cranswick, Freixenet and Wingara. Today, Cooper works from a little arts and crafts cottage near Stonehenge, where she lives with her family and various pets. The answers below have been supplied by Teri Cooper, in relation to the label design of Azahara, by Deakin Estate.
Have you seen many trends in label designs over the past decade and what labelling trends do you see emerging into the future?
What inspired you to work in design and what aspect of label design do you enjoy the most or derive the most satisfaction from?
To what extent do countries respond differently to labels and or wine marketing images?
With more wines emerging from many wine regions around the world with great label designs, it has become more difficult to differentiate between brands. This has given rise to more niche-driven, themed and concept-oriented labels to the boutique handcrafted wines with hand-finished labels. Wineries are now working with designers to carry the art of winemaking onto the outside of the bottle and engage the consumer. Technology is also playing its part in diversifying the label market, with huge strides being made in the innovation of new inks, papers, printing, sustainability and the introduction of consumer interaction with smartphone technology.
The Deakin Estate Brut was frequently voted best sparkling in the $10 price point in Australia, but consumer uptake was still low. It needed a new direction to stand alone as a premium quality, highly regarded sparkling wine. The Deakin Estate vineyards grow alongside several orange orchards and the inspired name Azahara (meaning blossom of the orange) was given as a starting point. I was given creative licence and, like a child in a sweet shop, I got to work.
History is playing less and less of an important role in the world of wine label design, as there is a general trend toward a more image-led, consumer-controlled market. Even in France and Italy, where the country was the brand, there has been a noticeable shift away from the traditional legacy-driven style to a more contemporary label. The UK and US markets are split in two directions – the older generation leaning to the more stately, prestigious designs, and the younger, more experimental consumer looking for a more edgy and eclectic style. The Asian market, despite recent rapid growth, remains quite immature, with customer preferences being driven by advertising and top producers running huge campaigns to build brand awareness. Consumption here mainly centres on entertaining and gift-giving, with purchase power given to those labels representing suitable levels of prestige, status and respect.
In your opinion, what are the most important labelling concepts to impact on wine sales and marketing success?
How can label designers overcome the challenge of helping a wine bottle stand out as the market becomes increasingly congested?
It has been said that a wine label is not only the voice of the wine, but the voice of the winemaker, the estate workers and the winery as well. It is vehicle to tell their story. Just as a dust jacket can persuade us to read the book, a label must persuade us to drink the wine.
The label is the most important variable in the success of marketing the wine to the consumer. Distribution will put the bottle on the shelf but, if it is not attracting the right attention, that is where it is going to stay. There is so much visual noise when you stand in
I collected packaging from an early age and was inspired by my grandfather, who would often place in my hands some wonderful little package of massproduced art. It intrigued me how someone would be compelled to choose one object over another when placed next to it on a shelf. What was the inspiration or key branding message behind this particular label?
October 2012 – Issue 585
www.winebiz.com.au
front of a shelf in a supermarket or your local wine retailer it is difficult to stand out from the crowd. It is a designer’s job to create a label that attracts attention, has brand equity and is also memorable. Once a consumer picks up the bottle, decides to buy and then takes it home, the design also has to be such that they will remember it for next time.
Grapegrower & Winemaker
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