Since the original Mike’s Hard Lemonade was cracked open in 1999, the beverage manufacturer has offered seasonal flavor variations of its malt beverage. Watermelon, the ultimate summer fruit, was introduced this summer as a limited edition flavor to quench thirsts on hot summer days. Mike’s challenged Perspective: Branding, the San Francisco-based brand design firm, to create a distinctive look for the new flavor while also visually linking it with the recognizable Mike’s brand line-up. “Our goal was to help it stand out among its competitors by focusing on the uniquely refreshing visual elements of a watermelon,” says Simon Thorneycroft, Founder/CEO, Perspective: Branding.
A watercolor-like illustration depicting large slices of the fruit adorn both the bottle label and the outer cardboard packs to cue the refreshing quality of the beverage. “The Mike’s brand has a great sense of humor, so we carried that through by depicting a small ladybug walking off with a huge slice of watermelon. I’ve always been fascinated by extreme scale juxtapositions in nature and design: the enormity of a wave to a surfer, or an ant carrying a leaf. I love to bring that into design when I can,” adds Thorneycroft. Green watermelon rind illustrations on the neck label allow it to stand out on the shelf along with the familiar white type on black signature Mike’s logo and black caps.
