Sonoma Brothers Distilling

CF Napa Brand Design

2787 Napa Valley Corporate Dr, Napa, CA 94558, USA

Design Agency: CF Napa Brand Design
Creative Principal: David Schuemann
Creative Director: Kevin Reeves
Art Director: Antonio Rivera
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Client: Sonoma Brothers Distilling
Location: Windsor, CA USA
Packaging Contents: Spirits

Challenge:
As twin brothers born and raised in Sonoma County, Chris and Brandon Matthies have dedicated their lives serving the community as a firefighter and a police officer. In 2012 the two launched Sonoma Brothers Distilling, an artisan distillery, focused on crafting handmade spirits in small batches. With their original packaging, the brothers realized some early success, but always felt the label fell short on communicating the brand story, and the quality craftsmanship that went into each bottle. Furthermore, as the craft spirits space became more competitive, they started receiving mixed reviews from distributors and consumers on their “look”. When they reached out to CF Napa, the challenge for this project was to develop a branding solution that more effectively conveyed the unique, small batch quality of the product, the premium position of the brand, and its humble Sonoma roots.

Solution:
CF Napa incorporated a nostalgic, turn of the century look to give the brand an authentic, and genuinely Sonoma craft feel. It was important to ensure that the new designed looked premium, and small batch, yet approachable and inviting to the consumer. CF Napa adjusted the label hierarchy to make the brand name “Sonoma Brothers Distilling” the primary read, allowing for greater readability from behind a bar or on the retail shelf.

To give the brand a more proprietary look, we removed the barrel icon which didn’t have a strong tie to the product, the distillers, or the brand position, and instead incorporated an illustration of the two brothers, which better communicates the core of the brand story. Intricate detailing and gold foil treatment elevate the quality perception and communicates the detailed care that goes into the product itself, while a color system differentiates product SKUs, allowing for better product identification with the target consumer.