Before & After: Lionshead Beer

Before:

After:

The Lion Brewery, one of the oldest remaining breweries in Pennsylvania, tapped Little Big Brands to overhaul their signature Lionshead brand. Lionshead, a popular East Coast college beer received a complete packaging makeover with authentic graphics, tongue-in-cheek neck labels and “paw holes” on the six-pack. Higher quality materials were sourced, while considering environmental impacts. The smaller labels, which use 40 percent less paper than previous labels, and unbleached kraft stock for baskets and cartons.

“Lionshead was just good fun to work on. It’s a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously and lends itself to creative thinking,” said John Nunziato, creative director, Little Big Brands.

"This redesign was about lightheartedly peeling back layers and viewing them through a youthful lens with an eye to bringing back the heritage, quality and quirkiness that the brewery has represented for more than 100 years," said Ron Hammond, CEO, Lion Brewery. "We're excited to introduce our new, improved brand to the world, and to continue restoring the brewery to its former glory."

Thoughts?

Comments

[John B]

I appreciate all the detailing. But it reads Honshead to me at first glance.

[Prescott Perez-Fox]

A well-executed evolution. I like the updated wordmark and the use of scale for the Lion illustration. Very sharp indeed.

I would never guess this comes from Pennsylvania. My first thought is that it's Scottish or English. Most of Pennsylvania's heritage aligns with German ancestry. But that's just me digging too deep.

[w]

I don't see how this is a "complete makeover" - the slight difference does not support it. And the new design lacks cohesiveness - the top and bottom are two different directions...the old actually works better and makes a more powerful statement.

[Chrissy B]

The new design is much more upscale, but maintains the equity of the original label. Reminds me of a premium Belgian beer. I would definitely try it.

Very well executed new look - bravo!

[Melissa Peterson]

This redesign is great. It's thoughtful and beautiful. I especially like the letterpress look.

[john smith]

It doesn't do it for me, especially Lionshead LIGHT. It doesn't look light at all... light products need to have clean look and different color code than others.

[pete]

The use of white type, and the colored shadow behind it, were good choices—the name really jumps off the kraft label. As John B previously posted, however, I find it difficult to read the name. (My eye wants to make the "h" into an "F")

I wish there was a closer detail of the neck label. At this distance, it feels like it belongs on a different bottle—perhaps something more "upscale"

[Dan]

I agree, I don't think the neck label matches the rest of the design. I do, however, very much like the smaller size main label. The fact that its so dramatically different in proportions compared to most other beer labels makes it noticeable and differentiates it. And I'm not having any trouble reading it as Lionshead.

[Wine Videos]

Never tasted this beer, but the packaging update looks pretty good.

[Hans Vaijärvi]

I enjoy the neck label's relationship with the smaller well positioned front label in that they both enhance the basic bottle shape. Love the mis-registered print technique. The holes in the six pack are brilliant.

[Kristan Hoffman]

Isn't it amazing what a different crop and some color coding can do?!

I think it's a great evolutionary step, although I agree that the "i" could probably use a dot, because it sort of reads "honshead" as John B mentioned...

[Concerned Carlislian]

Ah! Did they get rid of the rebus' (rebi?) on the back of the caps??! Oh god I hope not, that was the best part--that is, besides the crunk.

[Alexey Feldgendler]

The red and especially the blue letters in the picture “before” are hideous. The new design sort of halfway fixes it.

[dahoos]

As proof to what packaging can do...according to a local distributor in Philly, this beer is really becoming the drink of choice in the Manayunk and Old City (often yuppie areas) where the bars do great business. Quite a turn around from what was considered lo-brow beer.

[Rakel]

I think it looks great. I especially like the new red and blue colors, it really fits with the brown much better now. The type and placement is a lot better... and I also like the redesigned lion. All around improvement, I think. I didn't notice the "honshead" thing until it was pointed out, but I supposed a dot on the i wouldn't hurt.