What started as the concept for a drink to help ward off the effects of a hangover, became one of our most enjoyable projects to date. The makers of Hoist trusted us to name their drink, brand it and then create the materials to sell it. Everything from the logo and packaging to the website and consumer facing materials came right out of our heads.
Firstade
Groggy Accountant
80%
Hoist
248 more names
Coming up with the perfect name involved sifting through nearly 500 versions of the wrong one. This process actually led us to create an online tool to help keep track of them, rank them, pare them down and then present them. We developed rationale behind why we liked the chosen few that included the meaning of the word, alternatives and connotations. We also checked them against available trademarks and possible urls. And measured them against consumer research that had been done earlier. From there we presented it to the client team and helped guide them to the choice that fit best.
Final Logo
Once we named it Hoist, we needed the mark to represent it. We pushed ourselves to find a logo that would best represent the benefits while speaking to the target. Sticking to black and white at first, Adam and Rob developed a variety of looks that were then bucketed into categories. For example, some focused on the uplifting definition of the word while others focused on hydration. We presented a variety of designs to the client team, leading them through the positives of each look and showing how it might look on a plain can.
Concept 1. Fluid. Uplifting. Active.
Concept 2. Power. Lift. Functional.
Concept 3. Balance. Foundation. Restoration.
A Few Can Concepts
Our color exploration and can design went into full swing after a logo was chosen. We did extensive research and competitive analysis, assuring that from the beginning, our designs would stand out from the crowd. And that meant in the bar, in hand and on shelf.
The website was almost easy. By this point we knew the brand inside and out and felt like the target were our personal friends. All we had to do was transform our knowledge into a site that would fit what we already knew. The result was a socially driven site that was built on an easily updated CMS. It lets you know what Hoist is, who drinks it, and also makes it clear that this brand is actively growing.
Leveraging Social Media
Hoist is updated everyday. Photos are pulled in from Flickr to reflect where Hoist has recently been. A Facebook feed provides a current sample of Hoist fans. Plus, Twitter messages and Eventful are used by the street team to announce events online.
Billboard
Photo Booth Cards
Sales Sheet
The ’Mino
These were our opportunities to speak directly to consumers in specific situations. The branding came through on the El Camino that cruised the streets – its progress mapped on the site. The cards were handed out after people had their picture taken in the Hoist photo booth. They had unique messages and prompted people to go online to see what they did the night before. Even the sales sheets provided a tone that would give any bar owner pause. Most industry sales materials find their way quickly into the trash but ours doubled as a poster so that it could hang around much longer than one might expect.
