It doesn’t matter if you’re a lawyer cranking out 80 hour work weeks, an entrepreneur launching your first business or a server at the restaurant down the block. Every once in a while, you’ve got to slow down with a good drink in hand and enjoy the stillness of a moment as the ocean sings its melody to you.
For Tara Jasper, founder of Sipsong Spirits, mother earth and enjoying life are two of the values behind the company. Although the inspiration behind the gin itself began with the creation of a few fruit liqueurs, it became something else entirely when she read a book about long-lost liqueurs and gins.
“I have a long history of following my super sensitive palate and figuring out what do with it,” starts Jasper. “It feels wonderful to finally know what I’m supposed to be contributing to the food and beverage industry, and my goal is to share my gin with people around the world who appreciate fine quality goods.”
“Sipsong is made up of 10 times the botanicals of other gins and is also grape-based,” says Jasper. “The coriander is toasted to perfection before placed into the still with the botanicals that are blended with the intention of touching every part of your palate.”
With a gin of that caliber, you need the right design agency to bring the branding to life. So, Jasper brought on San Francisco-based firm, Noise 13 because they prioritized getting to know her and her vision.
“I’m not just making Spirits,” says Jasper. “I want my brand to be the light through the darkness, to be the change I want to see in the world. Noise13 really listened, and with each meeting, we got closer and closer.”
The biggest goal was to have the gin stand out visually on a shelf, just as it did with flavors in your mouth.
“The personality of the brand needed to feel rooted, communal, inspiring and feminine,” states Dava Guthmiller, founder and chief creative for Noise 13. “From the illustrations and label shape to the color and tagline, Distilling the Moment, we feel we captured that.”
Noise 13 kicked off with discovery and audit, prior to creating the platform and brainstorming Sipsong’s clever and catchy tagline. From there, moodboards were crafted to display the variations in visual directions until narrowing down it down to one.
“The product is the main touchpoint for the brand, so the logo must work in this placement above all others,” shares Guthmiller. “During this portion of the process, Jasper brought in a photo of a painting from a local Healdsburg artist she is close friends with. Since we did have a few floral illustrations in our designs, we explored how the watercolor floral from the artwork would fit in the direction we were working on.”
It’s that painting by Jessica Martin that serves as a focal point for the design against the orange background.
Another notable aspect of the design is the curvature of the label, as well as the curve of the R in “spirits.” “Both reminded us of her welcoming and supportive personality,” chimes in Guthmiller. “We also loved the idea that Sipsong was all about their community and the founder and distiller is a woman.”
They’re not the only ones, as Sipsong has received praise for both its smooth flavor and eye-catching design.
“There isn’t a day that goes by that someone doesn’t comment on the packaging,” begins Jasper. “I hope that converts into more people purchasing, slowing down and sipping gin. Really, slowing down and savoring life – that’s what this product is all about.”
