by A new logotype now interacts with the brand’s bespoke illustrations on the bottle, each featuring a specific character.
Oat has rebranded Kiki Cocktails with a new identity inspired by the visual language of magazine covers and mastheads.
Each cocktail now has an illustrated character overlaid on a new logo, coming together to resemble a magazine cover and masthead.
Kiki wanted to represent inclusivity and shared moments through the brand, moving away from “stuffy traditional notions of cocktail hour,” says Tori Phillips-Walmsley, Founder and Creative Director of Oat.
Oat had previously worked with Kiki’s founders Tommy and Bobby Mizen on the interior design and signage for the family’s Good Hope Cafe in London’s Hither Green (now the Found Hope Store). After launching their brand of pre-mixed cocktails, the brothers decided that while they loved Nathan Brenville’s bespoke illustrations, they weren’t convinced the product would have enough shelf presence.
On the previous packaging, according to Phillips-Walmsley, the brand name was “relegated to the side of the bottle” and not visible when viewed directly. She knew immediately that such aspects had to change, which she says was “confirmed and investigated later in a thorough research phase”.
The logo is an adapted version of the PiePie font, a display sans font published by Dharma Type. Phillips-Walmsley says they were drawn to the letter I “with the playful curve of the tittle,” which “gives a playful feel to very expressive lettering.”
Originally, Oat was looking for “more edgy and expressive” logotypes, but Phillips-Walmsley says the founders were keen to have something that could be both “trendy and timeless.” The new headline font has a clean look and should also be easy to read from a distance.
PangramPangrams Aggrandir is the supporting font, with quirks to match the leading logotype. Phillips-Walmsley explains that each cocktail mix has its own “typographic slogan lock-ups” on the labels, using a variety of fonts to create “a varied feel.”
Since the founders wanted to keep their bespoke illustrations from the original branding, Oat made slight changes and cropped them to fit the space. “Extraneous shapes and details” were also removed, says Phillips-Walmsley, but otherwise remained the same.
She adds that one of the harder design challenges was making sure the branding and illustrations always worked together and “didn’t overshadow each other,” especially after the visibility issue with the original identity.
Kiki’s new color palette includes hot pink, bright orange and deep blue on a cream base. It aims to reflect the personality of the brand by being “warm, inviting, powerful and fun” according to Phillips-Walmsley. She says opting for a “distinctive, high-contrast palette” meant guaranteed impact on the shelf while “maintaining a fresh and premium feel”. It also sets Kiki apart from competing brands, which Phillips-Walmsley says often use “pastel, muted, or dark/black” hues.
Previously, Kiki had no way of selling directly to the public. To rectify this and expand its customer base, Oat also designed a simple e-commerce website for Kiki.
Kiki’s new identity is currently being shared across social media, website, tote bags and drink coasters. The brand will be launching a range of canned cocktails in the near future, which Oat will be co-developing with them.
