Reviving History Through Design: Ecgberht of Kent Gin

5IVE's Award-Winning Packaging Design Marries Heritage and Modernity

11 Wells Spirits, founded on the historical Hamm’s brewery site, combines modern craft with local heritage to develop spirits that never run dry. The challenge for 5IVE was to design a packaging that would reflect this ethos. The result is a label design that incorporates textures, geometry, and graphic embellishments, inspired by local history and iconic architecture.

The colors were selected to complement the brand and stand out on the shelf. Architectural influences were combined with organic botanical shapes to reflect the subtleties, detail, and craft of the distilling process. A final touch of silver foil and embossing brings a modern shimmer to the bottle, pushing the brand credo – Embrace your history. Create your future.

The label was printed on a digital press and enhanced with embossing and silver foil, measuring 100 mm x 55 mm x 265 mm. The design project started in January 2015 in Minneapolis and was completed by May 2015. The design team included Creative Director Boriana Strzok and Designer Andi Jordt.

The design was inspired by traditional midwestern architecture with art deco motives. The preliminary design stages explored the unity between geometric shapes, symmetry, and the organic shapes of the botanicals. After carefully studying these elements, the design team applied the required elements into the bottle grid to determine the size and scale of the label.

Designing a fresh and timeless look for this new American Style Gin made from Minnesota grains presented a creative challenge. However, 5IVE successfully overcame this challenge, resulting in a design that is a testament to the brand's commitment to embracing history while creating the future.

This design is not just a winner of the prestigious Golden A' Packaging Design Award in 2017, but also a reflection of the designer's prodigy and wisdom. It is a venerated product and a bright idea that advances art, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with its desirable characteristics.