Big Surf Beer Co.

Bold Branding for Budget Beer

Big Surf Beer is a regional, budget-friendly beer brand brewed in sunny Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Their first product hit the market in 2011, providing a smooth local, craft-brewed lager to a market thirsty for a quality, affordable beer. Since then, Big Surf has grown its offerings to include a honey brown lager and a 'Tidal Wave' strong beer. One thing that hadn't changed is their brand. While their bright blue cans were recognizable and eye-catching in 2011, the beer market has changed a lot since then. In order to stand out in an increasingly crowded market, Big Surf hired BlackBean to refresh their brand and design new packaging for their flagship Laid-Back Lager, which will ship in 2020 in a new tall can format.

THe CHALLENGE

  • Big Surf brewing needed a brand refresh that could help them stand out in a crowded beer cooler
  • The refreshed brand needed to be applied to their new can size as they shifted from 355mL sizes to 473mL 'tall cans'

THe SOLUTION

The Big Surf brand, while somewhat out of date, remains recognizable within its sales regions. A proper redesign needed to retain the overall look and feel and avoid alienating existing customers. We approached this brand challenge by conducting competitor research, taking note of prominent and visible brands at local liquor stores. We applied what we learned to the new Big Surf brand, reducing clutter and highlighting the brand's vibrant colour palette. By simplifying brand elements, the logo 'pops'. The larger profile of each can presented a larger canvas that we covered in Big Surf's signature teal, ensuring that it catches the eye, even in a crowded cooler.
  • Updates to the logo improves visibility and readability while preserving the playful, laid-back nature of the brand
  • Tweaked brand colours are brighter and more contemporary, allowing the brand to stand out in a more colourful and competitive beer market
  • The updated label design makes the most of its expanded footprint, designed specifically to stand out on a shelf

THe RESULTS

Big Surf's team loved and embraced the revised concept. The new design will hit BC liquor store shelves sometime in 2020.

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