Amrita

Amrita: A Honey-Apple Soft Mead

Including:

Product Design

Brand Identity

Illustration

Overview —

The idea for Amrita came out of curiosity and wonder towards the alcoholic drink: mead. Not many people know of it, and those that do have rarely tried it (myself formerly included). It was something I only read about in books such as Harry Potter and knew I wanted to get my hands on some. Alas, I was not yet of legal drinking age so I had to wallow in misery for years on end. Well no longer will anyone endure the pain that I did, for Amrita is the very first non-alcoholic Honey-Apple Mead. Enjoy!

My goal was to create a unique and harmonious beverage with an elegant design and rich features

Challenges—

Veering away from the overused bee and Viking designs
Creating a unique bottle and package that appeals to both young and old audiences

An unusual drink needs a unusual design

Development —

Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to man, a simple yet elegant process of fermenting honey with water. It was produced in ancient times throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, and has played an important role in mythology and continues to do so.

I wanted to reference this history in my design and also have a fresh, new look that would appeal to my target audience of adolescents (12-21) and adults who prefer non-alcoholic drinks. The inspiration came from beverage companies such as San Pellegrino Soda, Martinelli's, and Humble Honey Soda. As I began to ideate, I leaned towards making a drink that would be comparable to ambrosia and nectar, the food and drink of the gods. The term Amrita translates to "immortality" and is often referred to in ancient Indian texts as nectar, the perfect name for this Honey-Apple Mead.

Sketching Exploration —

I drafted multiple concepts, ranging from Viking-inspired horns, honeycomb shapes, and a wineglass cut in half with a cork top. I decided a Honeybee based design would be more familiar to my audience since my drink was already peculiar enough. However, I focused more on the geometry of the honeycomb to guide my designs.

Digital Concept Sketching

Experimenting with bottle shape and additional physical features. A classic hexagonal bottle was decided on.

Sketched Label Design

The style draws inspiration from botany field illustrations and traditional Indian embellishments.

Initial Digital Label

This label was too busy and the styles were too different. However, both were effective and could be incorporated in a more successful way.

Final Label Design —

To refine the above design I separated the two styles to the front and back. This solution allowed the outside to be elegant while the inside contained a refreshing surprise for the viewer.

Visual Elements —

The front of the label is reminiscent of a honeycomb, complimenting the hexagonal shapes in the bottle and package. The 'Amrita' typeface is fantastical yet refined with soft friendly swooshes. The simple bee designs are found throughout the label and add another hint towards the honey theme.

The small details —

The wax-sealed lid with a bee embellishment adds another feeling of richness and uniqueness that tells its holder that this is truly a one-of-a-kind drink.