The Bottle As A North Star
Turner Duckworth has crafted a new visual identity system for Maker’s Mark, a premium bourbon brand from Loretto KY. The Maker’s Mark bottle has remained virtually unchanged since 1958 – its red wax top is s recognizable element in the bourbon aisle. Building upon this element, Turner Duckworth developed a rich visual language that evokes a handmade feel and celebrates the history of the brand.
“The bottle acted as a North Star that we held all our creative work up to,” said Jared Britton, Creative Director. “Setting our direction, we wanted to contemporize the identity in a way that felt reflective of the original source, and ultimately create a foundation for Maker’s to become a true global icon.”
The identity flexibly reinforces the brand’s core equities – leaning into its red and cream color palette, the introduction of a wax icon to graphically represent its most unmistakable asset, and abstract representations of the ‘red dip’ throughout the system. Assets were handcrafted using traditional wood etching techniques, while two custom fonts were created based on the imperfect language found on the original label. The end result is a system that lives and breathes the idea of “hand-made.”
“When my grandparents had the vision to create Maker’s Mark more than 60 years ago, it was my grandmother Margie Samuels who knew capturing our distinctive character on the outside of the bottle was just as important as the purposefully crafted whisky on the inside,” said Rob Samuels, Chief Distillery Officer. “I think she would be proud to see how we’re bringing her eye for design forward in every aspect of our brand as we introduce Maker’s Mark to more whisky fans the world over.”
