Recently a challenge was presented to me: create a logo and ads for Mock & Proper, a new brand making its own line of low or no alcohol wines and fine spirits. The hook? The company is fake—it’s just a design challenge—but the result are real.
The Challenge
The first thing I did was ask myself, “who is this for?” The brief gave a pretty good idea of who the campaign is aimed at, yet I felt there was still a deeper answer here. What I came up with is this: there are likely two main types of people that seek out quality no and low alcohol beverages. First, research suggests that younger generations—in particular Gen Z & Gen Alpha—are drinking less than older generations. Then there are people that have chosen, for one reason or another, to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether. Yet both of these groups still want the connection that the ritual of drinking socially brings.
And that’s the hook here. We’re not selling the in-your-face-party-till-you-drop lifestyle. We reaching out to those who long to make real connections with friends, family, and coworkers. Yet, they don’t want the baggage a night of overindulging can bring about. For these groups it’s the social part they’re looking for; the ritual of the social drink. This means that presentation, as well as taste, is important to them. This is the plump olive in a perfectly chilled martini. The aroma of a well muddled Mojito. The tingle of tonic as it hits the tongue. In other words, it’s the little touches that mater.
The Solution
In keeping with the spirit of the brief (and my research), I’ve made the logo just a little proper, but with a touch of fun, or “mocking” if you will. The choice of slab serif keeps things professional, yet the organic curves of the “and” suggest something more fun, a chance to let your hair down. And, in some versions of the logo, I’ve turned the swash of the ampersand into an olive by including the pimento. This further enhances the mocking nature of the brand without detracting from its seriousness. It’s a wink and a smile, the “it’s OK, come out and play, you won’t regret it tomorrow” attitude. And it’s in that same vein that I took the direction of the ads. Our characters are in slightly awkward situations, but they know they can always rely on Mock & Proper to help them have a good time, regret free.
