Pearlfisher New York has created new non-alcoholic aperitif brand and packaging for Æcorn Aperitifs. It is a sister brand of Seedlip, a popular alcohol-free spirit used in making cocktails that was previously branded by Pearlfisher. Traditionally, aperitifs have been enjoyed as a before-dinner drink to increase the enjoyment of food. Æcorn Aperitifs offers three varietals – Dry, Bitter and Aromatic — and since the aperitif expresses the art of nature through its botanical ingredients, Pearlfisher was inspired by 17th century herbal remedies — as well as lepidopterology (the study of moths and butterflies) — to create “a refined brand world in which Æcorn Aperitifs can develop.”
Explains Hamish Campbell, Pearlfisher Creative Director: “The identity crafts details of mimicry and mirroring much like the markings on a butterfly’s or moth’s wings. In the logo, the ‘A’ and ‘N’ reflect one another in angle and character, while the ‘O’ is embellished with a subtle dip on its base, hinting at the silhouette of an acorn.” He continues, “The bottle label matches the dip of the ‘O’ and is abstractly designed like symmetrical wings.” The spelling of the brand name Æcorn Aperitifs is influenced by the old English word for acorn while the dipthong (Æ) pays homage to Carolus Linnæus, the father of botany.
Pearlfisher performed extensive research on the aperitif space and leveraged these foundational elements to develop original cues for the category as a whole. “We took all the elements provided by the Æcorn team and wove them into a story of duality – the levity of the butterfly and the foundation of the oak, a key ingredient in each varietal,” said Pearlfisher Design Director, Priyanka Krishnamohan. “The team at Æcorn shared an aphorism with us that says, ‘From small acorns, mighty oaks grow’ and this set us on the path for the brand to cover new territory as a nature company, establish brand world touch-points and breathe new life into the aperitif drinking occasion.”
Part of making Æcorn Aperitifs relevant today is how best to introduce non-alcoholic offerings to the consumer without compromising brand integrity. Pearlfisher created illustrations for each varietal with changing butterflies and/or moths and oak leaves – crafted with dimension, iridescence and an imperfect geometry. The labels are printed over pearlescent paper. “It’s hard to summarize how proud we are of what we created and how grateful we are for Pearlfisher helping to articulate our vision in such a beautiful and distinctive way,” said Claire Warner, Managing Director at Æcorn Aperitifs. “We hope that the introduction of Æcorn Aperitifs will now give everyone who is not drinking, a seat at the table.”
