Revolutionizing Tradition: The Nianfenyuanjiang Gu3o

Blending Ancient Legacy and Modern Technology in Alcoholic Beverage Packaging

The Gu3o is an upgrade of the Gu20, a product from the Gujing Distillery, known as the 'Baijiu Empress'. This distillery is among China's eight best liquors and was served only to the imperial family in ancient times. The design team aimed to enhance the perception of product value and broaden the consumer market with this new design. The bottle's unique properties lie in its simplicity and the sharp relief of its dragon pattern, achieved using a sarin finish coat. This lends a brighter, more transparent look to the bottle, enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

The design process involved the use of materials like glass, plastic, acrylic, and paper. The bottle measures 15.4cm in width, 12cm in depth, and 28.5cm in height. The design team, led by President Jinhui Liang, Director of Brand Management Center Keyong Dong, and Product Designer Rui Wu, worked meticulously to create a product that would appeal to a broad consumer base.

The bottle's interaction design is another noteworthy aspect. The use of the Sarin process in crafting the bottle body gives the carving details of the dragon more exquisiteness, making the wine body in the transparent bottle more transparent. This combination of modern techniques and traditional aesthetics reveals an oriental charm, providing an innovative and visual experience for the users.

The design project, which took place from 2021 to 2022 in Bozhou City, Anhui Province, China, was based on extensive research. The design team aimed to balance tradition and modernity, retaining the bottle shape and the core element 'dragon' to continue the visual assets. The use of sarin, a material commonly used in cosmetic bottles, was a breakthrough in material innovation. This material, known for its brightness, transparency, and delicateness, gave the product a stronger sense of value and style, thereby increasing its appeal to the audience.

The biggest challenge in upgrading the Gu30 was to create an innovative expression of a high-end baijiu with traditional Chinese culture. The design team succeeded in retaining the original customer group while expanding the market. The use of Sarin material in the bottle allowed for a finer rendering of the dragon texture, moving away from the previous heavy expressions of Chinese baijiu culture.

The Nianfenyuanjiang Gu3o's innovative design and successful blend of tradition and modernity earned it the Silver A' Packaging Design Award in 2023. This prestigious award is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation, technical excellence, and artistic skill. The Gu3o is indeed a remarkable design that inspires amazement and wonder.