MAKE HEADS TURN
Table of CONTENTS
VISUAL STRATEGY
FROM THE BEGINNING
91- Coors Brewing Company heard the cries of an unsatisfied crowd. Sixty percent of American drinkers were displeased with the current alcoholic beverage options on the market.
94 - Zima.com launched. Commercials highlighting the brand’s coolness aired, Zima began flying off the shelves.
96 - Zima flourished, but only for a while. It fit in perfectly with the clear drink craze and became one of the frontrunners in the clear drink category.
1.3m barrels sold 403K barrels sold
The plunge of Zima continued as rumors that the brand advertised to minors was started. The drink had become particularly popular amongst high school students, that believed Zima couldn’t be detected by breathalyzers.
The myth arose because of its clear and odorless qualities. Coors managed to debunk the myth and spread the word to the police and high schools across the country.
00 - The formula was revised to taste more like a lemon, lime soda. Sales rose to 610,000 barrels in 2000, but it was still nothing compared to its initial success.
08 - Miller and Coors merged. But Zima was pulled off the shelves.
The end? But was it really? Think again.
IT’S BACK, AND BETTER THAN EVER
GUESS WHO’S BACK?
You’ve been screaming the name, longing for that taste. From the ripples of the body to the unmatchable coolness. Who can blame you? There is nothing else like it.
Truly unique; special; one of a kind. The others had a chance to catch up, but no one seemed to be up to the challenge. Life is a race, it just keeps winning.
IT’S ZIMA , and it’s here to stay.
Our mission
After all these years, the love for Zima still remains. We know the nostalgics love Zima, and we know future generations will love it too. How can they not?
Let’s embrace the possibilities of the future. We’re here to bring the sexy confidence of cracking open a bottle of Zima.
Brand promise MAKE HEADS TURN.
We want to turn Zima’s weaknesses into strengths so it can take its rightful place at the top of the low-ABV beverage food chain. It was the first of its kind: a clear, effervescent drink that had the potential to appeal to the masses.
In a market full of seltzers and lemonades, Zima’s rebrand will set it on top. Fun yet elegant, sexy yet mysterious, and modern yet nostalgic. It has everything; now let’s make it stand out.
We’re here to make Zima the new it-drink on everyones lips.
COOL
Zima is cool, both in temperature and temperament. All thanks to its low alcohol content, sleek bottle design, and minimalistic logo.
PERSONABLE
Kind, but still unknown, like the neighbor that always smiles at you in the stairwell, but you don’t know their name. That warm, familiar face after a long hard day.
CONFIDENT
It’s called liquid courage for a reason. Strut your stuff. We know we got it, and so do you.
SEXY
It’s alluring. The sexy design juxtaposes the warm, fuzzy feeling you get in your chest after a few sips of the cool drink. People that drink Zima are as hot in appearance as Zima is ice cold.
MYSTERIOUS
Zima is the hottie across the bar. You’ve seen them before but never dared to approach them. You can’t help but stare and admire their beauty. They’re very enticing, but who are they? Talk to them. You won’t regret it.
It’s a man’s world? Well, not anymore. Zima is sexy and mysterious, made to be enjoyed by everyone that knows what it actually means to be cool. You don’t have to be loud to be proud; you turn heads just by being yourself.
It’s no secret that young adults like to party, but what drink are they reaching for? Wine is for those that have life figured out and seltzer lacks any sense of elegance. There is no middle ground, until now. Zima is here to change the game.
Our target audience is young people from the ages of 21 to 35. Some of them might remember Zima first hand, others might have heard stories about it from their parents, and most won’t know a single thing about the drink. Our beloved brand loyalist from the 90s will always mean the world to us, but it’s time for Millennials and Zennials to take center stage. They are young and hip, just like our brand. Zima is here to kick hard seltzer where it hurts.
Designer Damien
“Honestly, I’m not that picky when it comes to my drinks. I usually just choose the bottles that I think look good and hope it tastes okay.”
Reserved Reyna
“Whenever I’m painting, a nice glass of wine (from whichever bottle had the prettiest label) helps get my creative juices flowing.”
Cool Guy Caleb
“Can’t wait to see the boys tonight. I don’t care what we do, I’m chill as long as I have a cold one and my bros.”
Mom Fiona
“Being a mom is the best job in the world, but it can be so tiring. I need my weekly gossip and drink nights with the girls to stay sane.”
Hard-working Harry
“It’s time to blow off some steam with my friends tonight, and enjoy a good drink to wind down.”
Activist Amelia
“When I lived in Rome the only thing we did was drink red wine; I’m so sick of it. But also I’d never be caught dead drinking a hard seltzer.”
Fun
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Zima is considered to be an FMB or flavored-malt-beverage. The goal of the rebranding is to make Zima seem as sexy as wine and as convenient as other FMB’s.
Its current direct competitors are other FMB’s, while most of its adjacent competitors are liquor-based RTD’s (ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages) that clearly state what type of alcohol they contain. FMB is still an unfamiliar term for most consumers, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.
In the past, customers have strayed away from certain alcoholic beverages when they knew what type of alcohol is in it. Specific target markets have been deterred by this transparency, which is why we will not disclose that Zima is an FMB to evoke a mysterious and alluring feeling around the brand.
Mark Anthony Brands
White Claw — The first hard seltzer that originally swept the market and created the current hard seltzer boom. It’s most consumers’ go-to when reaching for a lower-calorie, less-bloating alcoholic beverage. With a very similar target market, 5% ABV, and low caloric content of 100 cal per can, White Claw is a solid competitor for Zima.
Boston Beer
Truly — Yes, White Claw came first. But, both brands took advantage of the meteoric rise of the seltzer craze in 2016. Truly is often seen as just the runner up, but it’s a force to be reckoned with. The two companies now collectively control 75% of the spiked seltzer market. Truly has many flavors of hard seltzer, including iced tea and lemonade versions, but the original is more attractive to Zima’s target audience.
Costco Wholesale
Kirkland Signature Hard Seltzer — Costco does it all. From golf balls to socks, Kirkland’s signature is there for you. It’s understandable, then, that Costco’s store brand makes a worthy contender amid the White Claw-Truly rivalry, and their revenue tells the success story. The price, taste, and large quantity entice the same target audience as Zima.
CURRENT COMPETITORS
ADJACENT COMPETITORS
Ranch Rider Spirits Co.
This ranch water is much closer to the original cocktail than Lone River’s ranch water hard seltzer variation. It contains tequila instead of being a malt-based beverage. Ranch water has become an increasingly popular drink and created a lot of talk within the beverage industry and amongst consumers. If this trajectory continues, it might have similar success as White Claw.
Fishers Island Lemonade
This RTD beverage made with a blend of vodka and whiskey was listed as no.8 on Drizly’s Top-Selling RTD SKU’s in 2020. This brand is gaining in popularity, and the RTD market as a whole might pose a threat to the popularity of the FMB market.
E. & J. Gallo
High Noon is a vodka-based canned cocktail that is gaining popularity amongst younger demographics. It has become popular amongst college-aged students and will most likely compete with White Claw in the future.
ASPIRATIONAL COMPETITORS
Costco Wholesale
Kirkland Signature Ready-To-Freeze Vodka Cocktails — Like Truly Freeze’s, these alcoholic freeze pops are becoming increasingly popular, especially during the warmer months. These Costco-brand pops compete with many alcoholic beverages, especially spiked lemonades and hard seltzers. Kirkland’s version comes in a larger quantity than Truly’s and isn’t as sweet, which are two things that attract our target audience and pose more of a threat to Zima than the Truly version.
Diageo
Ketel One Botanical
Vodka Spritz — When you’re looking for something between a hard seltzer and sparkling water. At only 3.6% ABV and 73 calories per can, you can genuinely taste the botanical vodka and natural fruit essence.
Diageo
Smirnoff Ice — The long-standing favorite. What started as an innocent prank quickly became a viral Internet sensation called “#getting iced,” which is when a prankster hides a Smirnoff Ice in a creative, although bound-to-be-found spot, for an unsuspecting friend or family member to find. Once the bottle is found, the prank victim must get down on one knee and chug the entire 24-ounce bottle. This challenge now occurs at parties, friendly hang-outs, and even weddings.
STRENGTHS
Zima helped pave the way for the current spike in the popularity of hard seltzer and the specialty alcoholic beverage market in general. In 1991, Coors surveyed its audience and opened up the line of communication between the brand and its consumers by launching Zima.com. The website created brand loyalists called “Tribe Z,” which kept the brand alive until 2008. Zima was exceptionally cheap and easy to make, which helped the brand stay afloat.
The website and 30-second commercial spots featuring groups of young, fun Gen X-ers in their 90’s glory fostered enough curiosity among consumers to make Zima fly off the shelves. None of the original advertising specified what Zima tasted like or what type of alcohol it contained, creating enough mystery surrounding the beverage to gain a one percent share of the entire alcoholic beverage market.
OPPORTUNITIES
In 2000, Coors revised the formula to taste more like lemon, lime soda. Even though sales increased to 610,000 barrels, this was nothing compared to its initial success. Making the drink taste more like soda and not disclosing what type of alcohol Zima used, was clever. The mystery that arose prevented consumers from comparing the drink to other alcohol.Tapping into the nostalgia surrounding Zima will be essential for our rebrand. We want consumers to remember its initial glory.
Rebranding Zima will help the brand move past its previous weaknesses and utilize the consumer’s excitement of 90’s nostalgia. We want to make Zima a genderless drink and focus on younger generations like Millennials and Zennials while embracing Generation Z and Tribe Z that remember Zima during its prime time. The stories of passionate Zima lovers who had their favorite drink ripped from their hands back in 2008 will help us turn up the nostalgia of this 90’s brand.
WEAKNESSES
The taste of Zima became the downfall of the brand. Not even the success of the mysterious marketing could keep consumers sipping the medicinal flavored drink, which led to a 50% fall in sales by 1996. In addition to the flavor, the marketing team was determined to tap into the predominantly male demographic of beer drinkers since they held the highest purchasing power.
Despite Coors being tenacious with their male-directed marketing, the drink became the most popular amongst young women thanks to its low-calorie and ABV content (4.7 percent), which repelled the male market even more. Zima also became hot amongst minors, damaging the brand’s image as rumors spread that they advertised to underaged people.
THREATS
We must tap into the nostalgic fondness for Zima without highlighting its previous controversies. Especially the accusations of Zima advertising to minors. We need a perfect combo of old and new.
The hard seltzer market started plummeting at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current primary consumer of hard seltzer is young adults, and as their drinking has decreased during the pandemic, so has the sales of beer and their non-beer counterparts. This could bode terribly for Zima; however, if we differentiate ourselves from the hard seltzer market, we can avoid declining sales.
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
ZIMA
The Past x The Present
You know that kid that came back from summer break looking like a smoke show? That’s Zima. Like all of us, it went through its awkward stages, especially when it called itself a clear malt beverage. And that boring blue design, what a mood killer. It’s time for the Zima’s glow-up. Zima is proud of its ripples and wants to show off its sexy body with a clear label. Then, of course, the embossed star on the bottle shows everyone what drink is the only true star on the store shelf.
LOGO
BRAINSTORMING
ROUGHS
The favorite designs were combined and further explored, leading to six final versions.
ROUGHS
After exploring the star, there weren’t any doubts: it will make Zima shine.
LOGO & MARK
The logo for Zima had to be something truly unique. The brand isn’t like anything else and the logo had to show that.
Various symbols were explored such as snowflakes, snakes, snow leopards, and stars. Even though the star was brilliant, there was still something missing. A word mark would be perfect to make the branding really pop in a modern way.
The cool form of the Z was the biggest inspiration for the sexy thin stroke word mark you see today. As soon as it was combined with the star there was no denying that greatness had been created.
SAME BUT DIFFERENT
Zima’s identity is unique, but it does have its similarities with other logos.
San Pellegrino and Zima resemble each other in multiple ways. They both have stars as their symbols and use bold, distinct fonts in their wordmarks. They both experiment with their typography, but in contrast to Zima, San Pellegrino formed an outline creating a shadowed effect.
Zima’s and White Claw’s logos might seem very dissimilar. However, both use impactful yet clean type. The wave gives White Claw a laid-back look, while Zima’s star is classy.
Malibu has a recognizable logo. They use a bold font with contrasting strokes that evoke the same playfulness as Zima.
Heineken and its well-known logo share a few similarities with Zima’s. Their most prominent similarity is their shared use of a star as their mark. Heineken might be known for their star mark, but it’s time for them to step aside because there’s a new star in town.
Corona’s logo is famous. It differs from Zima’s logo both in its wordmark and symbol visually. However, the symbolism behind Corona’s crown and Zima’s star is the same. They are the best in the game, and they know it.
Absolut’s logo is well-renowned all over the globe. The slightly stretched edges of its font create an illusion of a serif giving it the similar elegant yet unique feel of Zima
VISUAL STANDARDS GUIDE
Zima is the cool kid on the block. They are confident, courageous, and outgoing. When they walk into the room, heads turn.
Zima needed to embody the feeling of being unstoppable and living life to the fullest but in your own way. Partying doesn’t have to mean being reckless and there are drinks other than champagne that can make you feel classy.
Zima is unapologetic and here to change the game.
The photography used is bold, vibrant, and thrilling. It tingles the senses and exudes confidence. The imagery keeps the viewer enthralled and wanting to read every single page.
PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVERTISING
Zima is a real tease, and so is its advertising. It’s subtle and mysterious, making the viewer think. Something extraordinary is back, but who could it be? The only way to figure it out is by solving the puzzle. Can you crack the code? After revealing Zima’s identity, the strong, bold brand voice is prevalent in its upcoming advertising. It will forever be about keeping the consumer on their toes.
Shadow Sky
Icy Freeze
Luster Liliac Spring Leaves Orange Twist
Malva
Precious Penny Lights Out Sterling Snow Barely There
Gilded Glory
Zima means winter in Slavic languages, and what screams winter more than an icy cold blue? But everyone can see that one coming. Sure, Zima’s old color was blue, but it’s time to make heads turn so the obvious route simply won’t do.
Our voice is sexy and courageous just like a fiery red. But then we would lose the cool and crisp feeling of the drink. Zima is both fire and ice, it’s blue and it’s red. With some mixing magic, purple emerged as the saving grace. It is cold, yet fiery. It’s genderless, just like the drink. It was everything we were looking for.
Then after throwing in a splash of orange and green to spice things up, the color palette was born.
HEADLINES & SUBHEADS
Zima is personable and fun. Arboria is a hybrid grotesque font with geometric forms that make it seem like that friendly face we know all know too well. The generous x-height and open apertures make Arboria’s wide characters seem modern and refined, yet still playful in comparison to other more reserved architectural sansserif designs. Zima is far from reserved or boring, and Arboria is the breath of fresh Zima needs. It embraces the hits and misses of the past, but it’s here to change history, just like Zima.
BODY & COPY
Just like Zima, Bilo is a rebel. The grotesque font challenges many common design practices, especially those that aim for smooth curves and perfect rounds. The sharp curves on the top and bottom of the round characters give Bilo that special charm and uniqueness that Zima needs. Its signature characters ‘G’, ‘R’, and ‘a’ make it easily recognizable. It’s a perfect fit for the drink: unique and challenging, with a touch of modern elegance. A match made in heaven some might even say.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?@#$%ˆ&*()
Bilo Light
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?@#$%ˆ&*()
Bilo Light Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?@#$%ˆ&*()
Arboria Bold
DISPLAY
Cazi is an attention-grabber. It’s bold, clean, and stripped down. It does its own thing yet still works in harmony with our mark thanks to its contrast between the outlined and filled shapes. The balance of the design determines which option of Cazi to use.
Cazi Bold
IDENTITY GUIDE
LOGO & SYMBOL CLEAR SPACE
Same rules apply when only using the symbol.
Keep the area around the logo clear. Minimum clear space: ¹/3 of the logo’s width. No other logos, type, or any kind of graphic elements should be placed in the space.
SIZING
There is no maximum size. Scale and proportion are determined by available space, aesthetics, and function.
0.5 inches | 48 pixels 1.2 inches | 115 pixels
0.4 inches | 38 pixels
RULES
DON’T DO THIS
Don’t use the old logo
Don’t use colors that are not part of the brand’s color palette
Don’t outline
Don’t change the tracking
Don’t stretch or compress
Don’t use gradients
Don’t rearrange
Don’t change the proportions
Don’t use effects
The rules for the logo also apply to the mark.
Don’t fill the mark
Don’t use gradients
Don’t change the spacing
Zima is proud of its new visual identity. Every design decision was made with passion and should be respected. The set guidelines shouldn’t be seen as limitations but as reasons for its brilliance. It makes heads turn and shines like a star on every shelf.
Rethink. Rebrand. Relaunch.
Zima is as fun as it is mysterious. That’s why our footprints are here to stay. Find them and you’ve dug deep enough to unearth liquid gold. Let the clues guide you.
Our rebrand aims to make heads turn. To foster customer engagement and stimulate curiosity, we won’t reveal our cards. Poker face on.
Time to tease
Underground Party
Cryptic Social Posts
Guessing Game Campaign
It’s showtime, baby
Silver & Gold
Zima Zero
Zima Magazine
No guts, no glory
Art gallery
Zima Building
Zima Safety Menu
Time to tease
Phase one is all about the tease. They’ve waited long, and they are going to have to wait a while longer. Zima is proud but not loud. It’s time to become the talk of the town and for the mystery-solving to begin.
Guessing games are fun. We’re here to get those auditory senses tingling through social and radio spots that allow listeners to guess who we are The answer is Zima.
We are stronger together. We will collaborate with local food trucks, entertainment, and artisans to create a 21 and over carnival featuring a Zima bar on wheels.
It’s time to break the internet. We will create Zima memes with viral qualities to bring awareness to the brand.
We’re taking this one to the streets to give people a taste. Let’s see how many loyalists we can convert through this blind test . Zima tastes better and we’re here to prove it.
There’s a strong tie between alcohol and domestic violence. Zima can’t ignore that. We are partnering with the NCADV (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) to teach our employees the signs of abuse and take action to form healthier relationships
Caring is cool. We will donate to AA and collaborate with D.A.R.E. to sponsor alcohol and drug abuse prevention education programs in schools.
Zima is the new influencer in town. We will create social accounts for the brand and bring the relaunch into the topic of conversation across Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok. We want to show the tone of voice by commenting on posts involving partying and drinking in a fun and cheeky way.
Who doesn’t love a good party? We will host an underground relaunch party at a secret location (cave/basement/abandoned building/other mysterious location) in large US cities where the attendees must find the event’s location, date, and time through an online or physical scavenger hunt
Let’s make people talk. Influencers will post a cryptic, blurred image of the Zima logo to create curiosity around the brand. They will also receive gift baskets to announce the relaunch and coordinates and clues to the underground event.
Nothing gets people more intrigued than a secret. To evoke mystery around the relaunch, we will create billboards across metropolitan cities containing blurry images of Zima bottles. On each billboard, there will be clues where people can guess what it’s for on social media. By solving the puzzle, you will receive a surprise gift.
Phase two, the secret’s out. We’re Zima, and we’re here to stay. The competition is fierce, but Zima has a trick up its sleeve; Zima Zero. Let’s reinvent what it means to drink.
It’s showtime, baby
Toss a penny, remove trash from our oceans. Zima is collaborating with artists to design wishing wells made out of ocean-cleanup trash for public spaces. Each penny thrown into the fountains will go towards cleaning up our ocean.
It’s all about keeping the mystery alive. We will create Zima mystery variety boxes. Inside there will be unlabeled bottles for people to guess which types of Zima they received. They will submit their guesses by scanning the QR-codes on the bottles, and if correct, they will enter a giveaway for a chilly winter wonder vacation.
One of the best ways to gain traction on social media is by going viral . We want Zima to create its own viral challenge, for example, who can eat the most ice cubes in a minute.
It’s time to get down and dirty. Zima employees get five days of paid leave each year to volunteer at a non-profit of their choice. We’ve got our hearts and hands in it now.
It’s time to get back to what’s important. With Zima 1.5 liter bottles, we can do more sharing and caring with those we love most.
Is there anything sexier than denim? We don’t think so. Zima is teaming up with Levi’s to create a sexy, sustainable fashion line. A percentage of the profits will go towards aiding domestic abuse survivors.
Zima hires sustainability resource managers that aim to reduce company carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions
Print isn’t dead. We will create a editorial pictures of the bottle and Zima-inspired art. There will be written articles about the brand in general and its efforts to promote recycling and sustainability.
There is a Zima for every mood. We will launch with a lower alcohol percentage and Zima Gold higher alcohol percentage, both with added electrolytes.
No guts, no glory
Phase three is when Zima puts its heart on its sleeve and shows everyone that it cares. We stand for something. No one can deny the dangers of drinking, and Zima doesn’t sweep anything under the rug. It’s here to take full responsibility and make the world a better and more sustainable place one sip at a time.
Let’s make them compete. We will host competitions for artists to create Zima-inspired art that promotes social change. Winners have the chance to be included in the Zima magazine and gallery.
Games get people going. We will team up with escape room companies to design a Zima-inspired escape room.
Zima looks good and does good. We will collaborate with 4Ocean to make recycled glass products from the ocean, Zima style.
Food is as important as drinks. We will collaborate with Trader Joe’s to create charcuterie boards and donate food to their food recovery partners.
Let’s reuse and reduce. We will collaborate with a recycling center where Zima bottles can be reused.
The recycling won’t stop there. A collaboration with IKEA to create a line of recycled glassware with our signature Zima ripples is just the beginning.
Zima will publish a sustainability and social impact report that outlines the successes of the relaunch and objectives for the future. We will set clear timelines for our internal and external goals.
Let’s get to building. Zima will hire architects to design an eco-friendly, low carbon footprint building inspired by the rippled bottle. The building will later be donated and used for alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs.
Zima isn’t just about the environment; we’re for the people too. Zima will launch a campaign of posters placed in bar and club restrooms providing a menu for what to order to signal the staff that you feel unsafe. Let’s create an environment where everyone feels comfortable enough to show off their inner wild child.
Art is sophisticated, just like Zima. We will collaborate with artists to create Zima art for the Zima art gallery.
We will host an auction selling the pieces where the proceeds are donated to AA.
We respect the intellectual rights and copyright claims of artists and composers. Therefore, we want to give credit to those that provided the photographs used on this book. The used pieces were either from Unsplash or Pexels. We appreciate the artistic style of photographers and other talented artists submitting their work on those platforms.
Unsplash
Use
Stock art
Website Unsplash
Photographers
Alexander Popov
Ashim Silva
Chang Duong
Dannie Jing
Gabriele Ibba
Gabriel Rissi
Helena Lopes
Jakayla Toney
Jeremy Bishop
Jochen Van Wylick
Kimson Doan
Ryan Loughlin
Toa Heftiba
Valliant Made
William Moreland
License
https://unsplash.com/license
Pexels
Use
Stock art
Website Pexels
Photographers
Aleks Magnusson
Anna Shvets
KoolShooters
License
https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/
©Copyright 2021 Catharina Brant, Clara Speckhart, and Isabella Nilsson.
All content for Zima: Brand Guidelines was conceived, designed, and produced by Catharina Brant, Clara Speckhart, and Isabella Nilsson. Strategy and editing by Clara Speckhart. Copywriting by Isabella Nilsson. Art Direction and Design by Catharina Brant.
Design Consultation
Roger Muller, ADV 370 Brand and Branding Academy of Art University
Some of the photographs and images were downloaded from Unplash and Pexels and are used in accordance with each website License.
License the book is a non-commercial work produced as a student project for educational purposes, and as such is considered a derivative work under the Fair Use Clause of the US Copyright Law.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
SO STEP ASIDE, THERE’S
A NEW STAR IN TOWN
