Tepaluma

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Branding

Go big or go home. An ambitious couple from Antwerp took the plunge to transform an old farmhouse in Chile, Patagonia, into a charming B&B. The twist? Their plan also involved running a craft gin distillery on-site. Despite the fact that this drink was hardly known in the region, the duo has been successfully distilling a London Dry Gin since 2017, using local ingredients such as crystal-clear glacier water and aromatic leaves and fruits from the tepa and luma plants. Their brand, Tepaluma, helped spark a gin culture breakthrough in South America, according to The New York Times. Since then, they’ve released several variants and put Chilean gin on the world map. Their ‘Patagonia in a Bottle’ earned them multiple awards, including a gold IWSC Spirit Award.

Tepaluma was looking for a label design with ample space for area-specific symbolism. When designing their new label, we had to consider the complexity of local regulations, with mandatory information varying from market to market. Furthermore, the labels had to be adaptable, not only for changing regulations but also for expansion into new bottle sizes and language variants. As the first batches were still hand-numbered, there was a need for a scalable and flexible design that reflected the craft essence but remained practical and efficient for broader distribution. A creative balance between grounded and future-proof design.

The brand name was already settled. We were given carte blanche to design a meaningful label. Together, we decided to subtly stylize the ‘T’ of Tepaluma into the silhouette of a condor, a mythical bird that soars high above the Chilean mountain tops and symbolizes the untouched nature of the region. By making the label transparent, we also drew a connection to the pure glacier water, the rich flora and fauna and the rugged landscape that gives the gin its unique character. What started a pioneering story in a country where wine reigned supreme and gin was barely in demand, grew into an internationally recognized, award-winning success. By creating meaningful branding and design with growth potential together, Tepaluma was able to establish itself with a refreshed label on the Chilean market and far beyond.