Silver Ridge Spirits
Brief
A new company entering the alcohol market will be launching a premier liquor in time for the holidays. The launch will target three test markets: Middle America, Southern Country, and City Urban.
Overview
The task was to create brand guidelines, bottle design, a website homepage and advertisements (print and digital) tailored for each market. I selected Silver Ridge Spirits, based in the Pacific Northwest, and my liquor of choice was rum.
Timeline
November 2025
Scope
Packaging Design
Logo Design
Marketing/Advertising
Role
Graphic Designer
Moodboard, Typography, & Palette
Process (Sketches + Logo/Wordmark)
My thought process during sketching was to lean into both supernatural and coastal themes due to the name of the brand and type of liquor. From left to right, the logo drafts are a cloaked entity taking a shot, a sailboat with outlines of Pacific Northwestern states, and an illustrated coast. I ended up picking the second sketch to emphasize the region and the quality that comes with it. Upon selecting it, I changed directions once again and revamped it into a sailing patch inspired logo. By changing the positioning of the boat, it felt more like a calm cruise than an awkward descent. The final is encased in a water-filled circle with rope detailing around the edges.
Labels
Incorporating ideas from other two sketches, the background of the label includes a smoky foliage which blends the trees and ghastly feel from each option. The back features an illustration of Cascade Range, a mountain range stretching from Southern British Columbia to Northern California. By doing this, I didn’t have to abandon the original color scheme completely. For the holiday alternatives, I kept it simple, adding Christmas lights, a “Snowed In” edition, and a spiced variation.
Urban
For the bus stop advert, I chose to take the term spirits as seriously as possible. By layering blues via gradient maps and blending skin with smoke, the dominant image is a spectral hand raising a glass. As metropolitan areas tend to be flooded with advertisements, the goal was something eye-catching and memorable. My approach towards the Instagram post was to invoke a sense of nostalgia, with grainy almost pixelated texture and dreamy, glowing colors. Younger generations have genuine concerns about sustainability, climate change, and ethical practices while also being at the beginning of their careers, which is why I chose to intersect environmental and cost benefits.
Middle America
Stepping into deliverables for a suburban audience, I highlighted the functionality of the rum. The suburbs have lower population densities than cities but a stronger sense of community and are family orientated. With a more mature group, they have less time to go out and party hence the emphasis on home and holiday based events. The flyer and story post both invited the audience to use the drink for their events and offered versatile ways it can be consumed. With the wooden table and various game pieces, the flyer is a nod to the timelessness of game nights and how the right drink can help in shaping the night. The holiday themed story post featured blurred Christmas lights that confined the bottle, suspended and glistening with seasonal cocktails floating on each side.
Southern Country
As I pondered this demographic, my mind immediately associated their desires with craftsmanship and quality. Despite being a newcomer to the industry, its founders come from a long line of winemakers. In order to diversify their family business, they spent years perfecting recipes and distilling techniques, with a focus on sustainability and innovation. Society moves slower in the country, so there is an emphasis on taking your time during production and being knowledgeable in your field. They know what’s good and what isn’t, so for both of these ads I made a point to include items found through production, distillers and barrels, and utilized language that focused on expertise. Older generations love discounts and rural landscapes tend to bring in less revenue than their urban and suburban counterparts, so it felt like a no brainer to offer a decent price reduction.
