THE DESIGNER DRINKS CO
/OVERVIEW
The Designer Drinks Co. came in with a very clear ambition from the start. Sam already knew he didn’t want the business to feel clinical, overly technical, or visually generic. He wanted it to feel refined, premium, and quietly confident... more like an atelier than a consultancy.
That distinction mattered. In a category where so many competitors either lean heavily into science, production, or corporate process, there was a real opportunity to create something more considered. Something that still carried expertise, but expressed it with more restraint, taste, and depth.
The brand needed to reflect the same level of care and attention that goes into the drinks themselves. Not loud. Not decorative for the sake of it. Just highly resolved, well judged, and credible from the very first touchpoint. The project became about shaping an identity that could sit comfortably between technical rigour and creative intent, while giving the business a much stronger presence online and beyond.
/THE APPROACH
The challenge here was subtlety.
This wasn’t a brand that needed to shout. In fact, if it looked too designed, too polished in a showy way, or too obviously “branding-led,” it would have missed the mark. At the same time, relying on typography alone would have left it feeling too thin. The identity needed enough depth to feel established, but still hold onto that calm, minimal atmosphere Sam was drawn to.
That balance shaped everything. The creative direction leaned into a more tonal, restrained visual world with minimal colour, elegant typography, and a softer editorial sensibility. To stop it from becoming flat or forgettable, I introduced subtle ingredient-led motifs drawn from the drinks world itself. Not in a literal way, but through more abstract, tonal forms inspired by things like citrus peel, botanical linework, and the raw materials behind premium drinks creation. That gave the brand texture and relevance without losing its sophistication.
On the messaging side, the language needed to move away from anything that felt too clinical or generic. Instead of sounding like a technical supplier, The Designer Drinks Co. needed to feel like an expert partner... someone who understands flavour, formulation, and production, but also the nuance, balance, and design intent behind creating a drink properly. That meant building copy around trust, care, refinement, and commercial realism rather than defaulting to dry industry language.
/THE OUTCOME
The final brand feels exactly where it needed to land... considered, expert, and trusted.
There’s a calm confidence to it now. The identity feels more complete, more premium, and much more reflective of the standard behind the work. It doesn’t rely on loud cues or category clichés to create impact. Instead, it builds trust through restraint, clarity, and detail.
That shift is important. In a business like this, the website and brand aren’t just there to look good. They need to reassure potential clients that the same level of thought applied to the product itself will carry through every part of the process. The new direction gives The Designer Drinks Co. that authority.
For me, this project is a really strong example of how subtle branding can still be incredibly powerful. It shows that premium doesn’t always mean louder. Sometimes it means knowing exactly what to hold back, what to emphasise, and how to make expertise feel both visible and instinctive at the same time.
