Client: Billy Brew
Project: Wild Betty Label Design
Local Noosa brewing company Billy Brew are on the hunt for their next IPA beer label design that captures the spirit of the area and the drinking culture of Australia.
A broad and ambiguous brief, create something fun that represents the name Wild Betty and emulates the taste, requires a unique but focused solution. The subject of the label and the one given the title of Wild Betty had to be cool because IPAs are cool and people that drink IPAs are cool. What better Australian bird to determine who's cool than the magpie? Magpies can create friendships with humans that can span generations. They tell their offspring which humans are cool, and which are not. Lifelong friendships are created through Australia's drinking and beer culture, so I chose the magpie to capture that spirit. The colours were chosen to capture the taste and summer air that surrounds Noosa year round.
Initial concept sketches for this project. I was trying to think of ways that I could make the magpie look cool. Sunnies, leopard print, a necktie. I was initially thinking of a design where the magpie would be in flight but ultimately felt that a position that oozes cool, is a simple calm position.
In the first digital iterations of my Wild Betty design, the magpie looked a little more like a pigeon. So I went back and did some research on the markings and colourings of a magpie.
Another iteration, really played on what made Betty wild, so I added some spikes and excessive jewellery, to play on that idea.
