Borrowing from the beautiful simplicity of Danish design we created ‘The København Collection’. Each pack embodies an abstract interpretation of Carlsberg’s most iconic ingredients beginning with barley, descended from the earliest varieties cultivated over 10,000 years ago.
Our second pack heroes hops which create Carlsberg’s iconic fragrant yet pleasingly bitter taste. And last but definitely not least, we celebrate Carlsberg’s legendary brewers’ yeast – the world’s first purified yeast, which remains the basis of the majority of today’s lagers.
It’s not only a collection of essential ingredients but a collection of Danish-inspired illustrative designs that hero what’s at the heart of Carlsberg’s offering – premium beer from Denmark.
The Strategy
Carlsberg UK needed to grab the attention of 25 – 29 year old males whose main driver of choice is taste with limited edition packaging that demonstrated their new Danish-centric strategy.
To help this core group of drinkers begin to see Carlsberg through chic-Scandinavian rather than football-fanatic eyes we needed bold, impactful and standout designs that celebrated Carlsberg’s unique taste.
The Execution
Our creative idea surrounding ‘beautiful simplicity’ carried through to our choice of colours, as we made the decision to elevate Carlsberg’s two most iconic colours: white and green.
Our abstract interpretations of the three core ingredient used crisp, clean lines in keeping with a Danish aesthetic but also alluding to a piece of art in both style and content.
The designs were rolled out across primary packaging (bottles, cans, boxes), POS and smaller touch points like beer mats.
Above all else we chose the design elements that were minimal, sleek and Danish.
Overall, our designs have boosted the brand’s perception with consumers, elevating its premium beer credentials and establishing a tangible link to its Danish provenance. The brand now has permission to have a more elevated and intelligent conversation surrounding the ingredient story with an increasingly discerning drinker But it’s not just about what consumers think, because internally these limited edition packs have created a hugely positive reaction within Carlsberg UK that has had a massive effect on the levels of pride and promotion of the Carlsberg brand amongst their staff.
Designed By: Taxi Studio
Art Director: Spencer Buck
Designers: Steven Yendole, Matt Hitchcock, Jonathan Turner-Rogers, Christie Gray
Illustrator: Sam Hadley
Client: Carlsberg UK
Other: Lynsey Wood, Darren Morris
Location: UK
