Beer brand 1664 has launched a vibrant collaboration with French artist Camille Walala, coinciding with this month’s Lunar New Year celebrations. A subtle yet striking homage to the occasion, the campaign puts a distinct twist on festive tradition, bridging the gap between French and Asian culture.
While there are no strict rules for creating standout packaging design, bold is best if you want to stand out from the crowd. With bright colours, abstract patterns and a clean contemporary flair, 1664’s new limited edition packaging is a subtle blend of heritage and modern design.
While 1644 has been available in Asia for 8 years, its impression on the region has been humble, prompting the brand to immerse itself in the culture to reach its new audience. Guided by its ‘Good Taste with a Twist’ platform, the new collab with Camille Walala transforms festive tradition into abstract packaging design, “to move fluidly between beer, fashion and art.”
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(Image credit: 1664/Epoch)
Created in collaboration with Epoch Design, at its core, the project is a fusion of culture. “Walala took inspiration from her French roots and deep love of Paris, from memories of festive family gatherings and from the seasonal son et lumière shows of her youth”, explains the official press release. From bottles to boxes, the branding features “contemporary and abstract symbols with joyful, geometric patterns,” that mix sophistication with playfulness.
(Image credit: 1664/Epoch)
While I appreciate the joyful spirit of Walala’s artwork, I don’t get a distinctly Asian feel from the design (naturally, since she’s a French artist drawing from her experience). While the designs are inspired by Asian tradition, their graphic style makes the design feel a little too abstract. It also begs the question as to why a Chinese artist wasn’t commissioned for the project to tie the brand more towards its target demographic, rather than its own strong heritage.
For more design inspiration, check out Sol’s sunny rebrand or take a look at the BrewDog design refresh that bites back.