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MFA Thesis of Monica Wu
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MONICA WU | MFA THESISMONICA WU | MFA THESIS
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MONICA WU | MFA THESIS
Grown and distilled in Oregonia, Ohio
OAK & GLORY
An MFA thesis project
Designed by MONICA WU
ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Joe Danzer
Kevin Kittrell
Olesya Stryzhak
Christian Vetter
To find out more, please visit
WWW.OAKANDGLORYSPIRITS.COM
View more of Monica’s work at
WWW.HELLOGRAPHICS.COM
“People want to eat well. They want to know about the
provenance of every piece of lettuce that goes in their mouth.
They want to know where their meats are raised.
Why should what they drink be any less important?”
—WARREN BOBROW , FOOD & COCKTAIL WRITER
CONTENTS
6
PREFACE
Defining an MFA thesis
8
FARM ROOTS
Background and opportunity
26
SEED TO BOTTLE
A sustainable farm distillery
68
AMERICAN SPIRIT
Implementation
108
GROWING SEASONS
Research and development
147
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
& 7
PREFACE
& 7 & 7
At its most essential, a graphic design MFA
thesis project is a problem or opportunity
that is solved through the successful use of
graphic design.
Of course, it is much more than that.
As the apex of a terminating degree, a
graphic design MFA thesis should display
knowledge and expertise over a chosen
topic. It should be well-researched, criti-
cally considered, and should be designed
with heightened craft and understanding.
A thesis is also much more than the
DEFINING AN MFA THESIS
final deliverable. It should represent the
culmination of extensive research and
development, charting our professional
growth over the over the course of almost
half our grad school careers.
Oak & Glory was not my first thesis
topic. In fact, I was already done with the
bulk of my core classes by the time I really
started work on it. However, Oak & Glory
charts the entirety of my maturation as a
graphic designer. One could really say we
grew up together.
FARM ROOTSBACKGROUND | OPPORTUNITY
& 15
BACKGROUND
T he American food chain is dominated by
a handful of disproportionately power-
ful agrotech conglomerates, who have put
profit ahead of consumers, farmers, and
the environment.
The strong pesticides and herbicides
used in modern American agriculture are
poisoning the environment. GMO-related
pesticides are contributing to the col-
ony collapse disorder in bees, which are
devastating the bee colonies vital to the
pollination of many plant species.
Since their commercial introduction
in the mid 1990s, genetically modified organ-
isms (GMOs) have come to dominate American
agriculture. They refer to crop plants cre-
ated for human or animal consumption
using genetic engineering techniques, mod-
ified on a genetic level to enhance desired
traits. About 90% of corn—the quintessential
American crop—is genetically modified.
Transgenic crops are considered intellec-
tual property, which allows a few companies
like Monsanto to control the market through
patent monopolies. They've perpetrated one
of the most aggressive patent assertion
AMERICAN AGRICULTUREAlthough food is something that we can't live without, there
is a dark side to how it's currently being produced
campaigns in history against American
farmers, with 128 lawsuits and over 700
settlements in the past 15 years.
The three largest companies control
70% of global seed sales. This market power
gives them the ability to set or influence
food prices, and also gives them immense
bargaining and lobbying power over govern-
ment food production policy-making. Using
their control of seed patents, they are able
to block independent research on the real
effects of eating genetically modified foods,
while funding flattering research “studies”.
Companies like Monsanto are actively
trying to keep normal, non-GMO seeds out
of farmers’ reach, buying up seed companies
across the Midwest and writing legislation
to make lawful seed saving difficult.
They spend tens of millions of dollars
to fight against right-to-know laws for con-
sumers, taking away our freedom to make
informed choices about what we put into
our bodies, and hinders our freedom to vote
with our wallets against damaging prac-
tices that go against our beliefs.
& 22
OPPORTUNITY
due to the rise of the food movement, more
and more consumers are paying attention
to how their food is grown and where their
food comes from. Unfortunately, this same
awareness does not extend to the hard alco-
hol that they drink, even though it is sourced
from the same agricultural system.
Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage made
by distilling a fermented mash of grain. It has
just three ingredients: grain, water, and yeast,
the same three ingredients as bread.
If corn is the quintessential American
crop, then bourbon is the quintessential
American spirit. In fact, in 1964 Congress
decreed that “Bourbon whiskey is a distinc-
tive product of the United States”. According
to most international legal definitions, only
products produced in America can even
legally be called bourbon. Three elements
make it unique among whiskies: American
corn, pure limestone water, and aging in
charred oak barrels.
During my research, I conducted an
in-depth 168-person survey of consumers
from across the United States on alcohol
and sustainable behaviors. The respondents
ranged in age from 21 to 56, with the major-
ity being in their late 20s. There were roughly
an equal number of men and women in the
study. Most were middle-class and well-
educated, with over 85% having a bachelor's
degree or above.
I found that in this young, educated
population, people are very environmentally
aware, and are actually extremely engaged in
trying to make good, ethical decisions about
their food. These are people who self-identify
as "environmentally conscious", who shop
at farmers markets and try to buy local or
organic when available.
Yet by and large, these same people have
not made the same association about alcohol.
They drink, but they don't drink well. They
don't realize that booze is made from the
same crops as their food. They haven't thought
about where the ingredients come from.
My goal is to help these consumers
realize that the same agricultural issues
that apply to food, apply to hard spirits as
well. I aim to inspire them to be mindful
about what they drink.
A MISSING CONNECTIONMost people don't think of liquor as food, but hard
alcohol nevertheless is made from the same crops
66% 63%ARE BUYING LOCAL
63% of survey respondents said they made
an effort to buy locally grown foods.
70%WANT ETHICAL INGREDIENTS
70% of respondents reported that they were
concerned about where food comes from
and how ingredients are grown. They were
worried about companies like Monsanto, and
made an effort to buy organic or non-GMO.
COULD NOT NAME A SINGLE ORGANIC ORNON-GMO LIQUOR
97%97%
ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE
66% of survey respondents said they tried
to make environmentally responsible food
purchasing decisions.
& 25
OPPORTUNITY
STRATEGY
This goal will be accomplished through the
creation, branding, and marketing of a cov-
etable seed-to-bottle distillery, where the
positives of sustainably-grown spirits will
be emphasized and integrated as a primary
part of the brand identity.
When was the last time you did some-
thing because a PSA told you to? Creating
an engaging, desirable brand as messaging
vehicle will make the topic desirable, rather
than preachy, in the eyes of the consumer. It
will also give consumers choice in the lim-
ited market of sustainable spirits.
KEY MESSAGING
× Make sustainably farmed spirits
desirable
× Help people connect that hard alcohol is
made from crops.
× Help mainstream the food movement—
as in don’t just preach to the choir.
TARGET AUDIENCE
My primary audience consists of American
drinkers who are somewhat knowledgeable
about food issues, but do not associate it
with hard alcohol. My secondary audience
consists of alcohol drinkers who are not
engaged with food issues, but are open to
learning more.
My audience are drinkers between the
ages of 21 and 40, well-educated, with a dis-
posable income. They drink alcohol at least
several times a month. They consider them-
selves environmentally aware, and do make
some effort to buy locally grown foods, but
it may not be the biggest focus of their lives.
CHALLENGES
I need to bring a working brand to mar-
ket that delivers a sustainable message
while still appealing to a broader audience.
It is important to not project a crunchy
green eco-friendly image and preach to the
already choir. I need to create a desirable
brand that will be able to win and loyalize
converts in a broader audience.
ENGAGING THE AUDIENCEGetting people to care about how their hard liquor is grown
through the creation of a seed-to-bottle farm distillery brand
SEED TO BOTTLEFARM DISTILLERY | VISUAL IDENTITY
& 35
SEED TO BOTTLE
GROWN AND DISTILLED IN OREGONIA, OHIO
Crafting exceptional spirits using the best ingredients possible.
COMPANY OVERVIEW
The best spirits require the best ingredi-
ents. Which is why at Oak & Glory we grow
most of our grain ourselves. We source the
rest of our ingredients from our neighbors,
distilling in limited batches right on our
farm in Oregonia, Ohio.
The best ingredients are ones that
don't hurt your neighbors. That’s why we
stay away from pesticides, chemical fertil-
izers, and genetically modified seeds, and
why we're working on getting our organic
certification. We want to promote agri-
cultural diversity by preserving regional
crops, while supporting local organic farm-
ers through the sourcing of our ingredients.
And frankly, we grow our ingredients
because they taste better. Creating spirits
from the ground up gives us control over
almost every aspect of the process. It’s
about the experience of making something
real—of truly knowing our ingredients
to better understand our craft. We are
inspired by the past, but we're constantly
looking towards the future.
BRAND VALUES
We created Oak & Glory to make amazing
spirits—but also to be part of the change we
want to see. Our values are reflected in our
visual identity. It’s of utmost importance
that each element of our visual messaging
be considered and meaningful
The most important element is our
farm focus. The fact that we grown our
own ingredients from seed to bottle is what
makes us stand apart. We want to put a
focus on the ingredients, on authentic stew-
ardship beyond environmental buzzwords
We are inspired by history, but we are
also crafting a new way to do things and
boldly pushing forwards. In our visual direc-
tion we may reference tradition and history,
but we do not use historical vernacular.
Finally, Oak & Glory is hand-crafted
and personal. Actual nature is not uniform.
Our flavor reflects the variability of nature,
of the terroir of our land, of the grain that
we grow each season in Oregonia, Ohio. We
want to create a personal experience with
with an authentic sense of place.
& 38
& 39
OAK & GLORY
The two combine to form a mark which is
simple, unique, and iconic. It can be easily
reproduced on a variety of materials.
OAK LEAF
Bourbon is aged in charred oak barrels. Oak
is America’s national tree. It represents both
the natural world and the American spirit.
SHIELD
Shield is glory. Glory is aspirational. We are
trying to leave a positive footprint, to set an
example, to aim for something greater.
& 42
LOGO | USAGE
Our signature is simple and iconic. We use it on official
communications. It is important that the logomark
not be overused, however. We want to speak with an
authentic voice, not a logo.
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PRIMARY LOGOMARK
This is our primary brand representation. It
should be used on main location signage,
documents, web headers, and packaging. It
should be used judiciously.
SECONDARY LOGOMARK
Our secondary logomark was created for
situations where our irregularly shaped
primary mark would not be as aesthetically
fitting. It should be used in tactile techniques
such as wood burning and embossing.
SYMBOL
The Oak & Glory symbol can be used as a
standalone mark when a simple and iconic
identifier is necessary.
WORDMARK
The Oak & Glory wordmark can be used for
standalone signage and titling. It is also used
when layout calls for a horizontal mark.
& 43
X = ampersand height
& 44
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BLACK ON LIGHT BACKGROUND GREEN ON LIGHT BACKGROUND
WHITE PAINT ON WOOD
COPPER ON BROWN
WHITE ON PHOTO
&
WHITE ON DARK BACKGROUND
LOGO | APPLICATIONS
Consistent use of our logo is a key part of our visual
identity. Our logomark should always be reproduced
exactly as they appear in our digital files. Our mark
is suitable for a variety of environments, but it should
never be altered or modified in any unapproved way.
& 45
& & &
&
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& OAK & GLORY & OAK & GLORY
DON’T WARP THE MARK DON’T ADJUST THE DISTANCE
DON’T MODIFY TYPEFACE DON’T OUTLINE THE LOGODON’T CHANGE TYPEFACE
&
AVOID POOR CONTRASTDON’T USE OFF-BRAND COLORS
DON’T ALIGN HORIZONTALLY
DON’T USE MULTIPLE COLORS
& 46
TYPOGRAPHY | SPECIMENS
Our typography should be simple and practical. Stick
mainly with Century Schoolbook and Proxima Nova.
Veneer may be used as an occasional impact face.
Handlettering is used as a display accent.
PRIMARY | CENTURY SCHOOLBOOK
Morris Fuller Benton (1919)
USAGE
Text | Italics
Like Oak & Glory, Century Schoolbook is
plainspoken and practical, and rooted in
years of American heritage and history.
An unpretentious workhorse typeface, its
Clarendon-like features hearken back to
the American farmland.
SECONDARY | PROXIMA NOVA
Mark Simonson (2005)
USAGE
Headings | Mouse type
Proxima Nova is a modern creation, but
Oak & Glory isn’t bound by retro nostalgia.
We chose Proxima Nova because its high
x-height and round legibility pairs it well with
Century Schoolbook.
Have nothing in your houseABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890
that you do not know to be usefulABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890
OR BELIEVE TO BE BEAUTIFULABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890
& 47
IMPACT | VENEER
Ryan Martinson (2012)
USAGE
Headlines | Impact type
Veneer is used in instances when we need a
condensed impact typeface. Use sparingly.
IT’S THE PEOPLE’S DRINK. IT DOESN’T GET MORE AMERICAN THAN WHISKEYab cdefghijk lmnop qrs t u v w x y z 123 4 56 7 8 9 0
& 48
ACCENT | HANDLETTERING
Handlettering is used as a display face for packaging. It is the typo-
graphic representation of Oak & Glory at its essence: hand-crafted,
personal, and rooted in tradition. In order to maintain its visual
impact and provide contrast, handlettering should be limited to
packaging and promotional materials.
& 49
ACCENT | OAK & GLORY PATTERN
Although we don’t use it often, our accent pattern is another exam-
ple of our attention to history, craft, and detail. It may look like
just a texture, but the pattern is based on the traditional American
quilting pattern for the oak leaf.
& 50
PALLETE | MATERIALS
We heavily incorporate a tactile palette of rustic and
natural materials to emphasize our farm origin. The
selection of wood and copper coloring should be eclectic
rather than rigidly uniform.
PRIMARY | ECLECTIC DARK WOOD
Use a variety of dark, aged wood. Rough
texture, not too red, not too finished.
PRIMARY | COPPER
Try to use actual copper metal whenever
metallic elements are needed.
SECONDARY | CANVAS
When using cloth, use canvas whenever
possible or available. If not canvas, then
choose for natural, unbleached fabrics.
SECONDARY | GLASS
When using glass elements, do not be too
decorative. Choose for plainness, straight
cylindrical shape, and a thick base which
echoes our glass bottles.
SECONDARY | PALE WOOD
Although dark wood is primary, occasional
touches of unfinished pale wood can be used
as a contrast element, especially if contrasted
against copper.
& 51
PALETTE | COLORS
We use Oak & Glory Green as our trademark color
accent, but its use should be subtle and judicious. Our
brand colors echo the coloring of materials palette.
TERTIARY | RED CURRENT
PMS 7426C | C5 M99 Y44 K22
R164 G18 B63 | #a4123f
ACCENT | OAK & GLORY GREEN
PMS 3292C | C0 M43 Y90 K0
R243 G139 B60 | #F38B3C
PRIMARY | COPPER ORANGE
PMS 144C | C0 M43 Y90 K0
R243 G139 B60 | #F38B3C
PRIMARY | DEEP WOODS BROWN
PMS 411C | C30 M42 Y34 K75
R94 G81 B77 | #5E514D
SECONDARY | BLACK
Process black | C0 M43 Y90 K0
R243 G139 B60 | #F38B3C
SECONDARY | WHITE
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255 | #FFFFFF
SECONDARY | CANVAS BEIGE
PMS 7528C | C0 M43 Y90 K0
R243 G139 B60 | #F38B3C
TERTIARY | FOLK ARTS BLUE
PMS 2718C | C65 M45 Y0 K0
R92 G136 B218 #5c88da
PHOTOGRAPHY
Because we are trying to both highlight and create
an authentic sense of place, photography is extremely
important. Having a consistent photographic style
gives a visual setting for Oak & Glory and helps con-
vey our story. We use a palette of photographic styles
and subjects to evoke our emotional vision of a small
farm distillery in the American midwest.
Since we are focused on portraying authentic farm
origins, it is doubly important that we use our own
photography whenever possible. It would be dishonest
to our brand to pass off a stock photo of a random farm
as that of our own.
& 54
PHOTO STYLE | DRENCHED IN LIGHT
Impressionistic use of light. Warmy, dreamy, nostalgic afternoon
sunlight, like in a perpetual state of indian summer. Natural light,
especially golden hour sunlight, is preferred.
& 55
PHOTO STYLE | SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD
Shallow depth of field, in some instances more dramatic than in
others. Dynamic compositions with a strong sense of perspective.
& 56
PHOTO SUBJECT | CRAFTSMAN AT WORK
Feel of craft, focus, attention to detail. No looking at or acknowl-
edging camera, no posing, always be in the middle of some sort of
action. Must look naturalistic, not posed. Prefer single person in
each photo, not two people crowded together, unless necessary.
& 57
PHOTO SUBJECT | HANDS AT WORK
Hands in action. Shallow depth of field. Shots from a variety of
angles—front, side, even top-down. The feel is personal, intimate,
and somewhat anonymous, with great attention paid to detail and
craft. The focus should be on the action, not the hands.
& 58
PHOTO SUBJECT | FARM LANDSCAPE
Broad and nostalgic mood with a strong sense of place. Straight
horizon line. It’s okay to show weather or change or seasons, as
that’s the natural way.
& 59
BUSINESS SYSTEM
Our business system is an example of our visual iden-
tity in action. It reflects our materials, our sense of
craft, and our attention to detail. It also displays the
tactile quality and textural motifs that help make up
the Oak & Glory brand.
AMERICAN SPIRITIMPLEMENTATION
& 70
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PRODUCT | BOURBON
Our Fire Roasted Corn Bourbon is our primary and
flagship product, distilled with corn that we grew on
our farm. The plain-spoken name reflects our dedica-
tion to transparency and authenticity, and focus on
farmed ingredients. We think what’s inside the bottle
should speak for itself.
& 73
PRODUCT | FARM SPIRITS
While Fire Roasted Corn Bourbon is our flagship
product, we also have several other spirits in the
works. These include Apple Jack, distilled from heir-
loom apples grown in our organic orchard, and a line
of infused vodkas based on our founders’ authentic
Russian recipes. Each product’s name reflects the
nature of its ingredients.
& 76
A PINT OF GLORY
Our entire product line also comes in 375mL “minis”. Our small
bottles are designed to be used with promotional packaging, so the
bottle shape is standard across the line so that we can purchase
greater bulk when ordering custom packaging.
& 77
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THOUGHTFULLY WORDED
Like many other liquors, our bottles are marked with our batch and
barrel identifier. Ours are hand-stamped in custom Pantone Oak &
Glory green, and emphasize how small our batches are.
On packaging, our ability to talk about the quality of our
ingredients is limited due to strict TTB COLA (Certificate of Label
Approval) regulations. For instance, we are not allowed to mention
either the presence nor absence of GMOs.
Although we employ organic farming methods in every sense
of the word, we cannot use the word organic on the bottle because
we are still working on our certification. This is why only the vod-
kas are labeled “organic”, as we actually be sourcing the primary
ingredient from a neighboring organic farm.
& 82
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PROMO | TRADE SHOW DISPLAY
When launching a brand new spirit, our first stop is
to actually find distribution. Our trade show setup is
designed to emphasize our farm origin and to high-
light our ingredients. Also, to look pretty darn cool.
Obviously, we want to create impact and leave a dis-
tinctly memorable impression.
& 85
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HIGHLIGHTING THE INGREDIENTS
Our little ingredient jars are designed to allow the audience to
really interact with our ingredients. They can touch them and
smell them and truly know that goes into their Fire Roasted Corn
Bourbon. Each tag lets them know a little bit about the origin story.
Malted barley is sprouted barley. The little
leaves on the seeds contain enzymes that
help with the fermentation process.
MALTED BARLEYBriess II Row
Non-GMO, grown without use of pesticides
or chemical fertilizers. Chosen for highest
sugar content amongst non-GMO corn.
HEIRLOOM CORNOak & Glory Farm
Certified organic and locally grown on a
family farm outside of Oregonia. Selected
to give added sweetness to the bourbon.
WINTER WHEATGurneyville Farms
& 90
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PROMO | MODULAR PRESS KITS
When we launch a product, there are times when we
want to make a great impression, and there are times
when we want to pull out all the stops and make the
best impression of all.
That’s where our promotional press kits comes in,
with a sample bottle, an informational booklet, and
something to house the two in. The book and bottle
are designed to fit perfectly in both the bag and the
rigid setup box. At the product launch, you get a bag. If
you’re a potential investor, we’ll give you a box.
As a startup microdistillery, we operate on the
absolute lowest end of wholesale. It is extremely
cost-prohibitive to get custom packaging when one
can barely buy in bulk. This has been designed into
the equation: Although our larger bottles are differ-
ent, all of our miniature products use the same bottle,
so we can order our bags and boxes at a greater bulk
discount and use them across the product line.
& 94
MEDIA | WEB PRESENCE
As a small startup with limited distribution, we rely
on the miracle of the internet to help get the word out
through our website and Facebook accounts. On our
site, consumers can learn more about us, as well as
sign up for email updates about upcoming products.
If you’re looking to ever purchase from our
website—you’re out of luck because that’s legally
impossible. However, you can find out where we’re sold,
and even take a virtual tour of our farm
& 95
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MEDIA | VIRTUAL TOUR
Consumers can take a virtual reality tour of our farm
distillery via desktop or smartphone. This unique and
novel experience helps them further engage with our
brand. It also serves to emphasize our farm-focused
messaging, and helps reinforce our sense of place.
& 100
& 101
MEDIA | PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
Our audience can view our spiffy promotional video
online, which does a pretty good job of introducing
our company. Even better, it summarizes my thesis.
I edited the audio and video myself, so I do have the
capability to create an actual commercial in the future.
FUTURE | TASTING & TOURS
Consumers can content themselves with taking the
virtual tour now, but eventually we plan on having
tours and tastings directly at our farm in Oregonia,
Ohio. They will be able to see the entire process of how
their spirits are created, from seed to bottle, straight
from the source. They will be able to experience the
changes of the season, the cycles of the crops, depend-
ing on what day, what month, or year they visit. They
will really, truly know where their spirits come from.
GROWING SEASONSRESEARCH | DEVELOPMENT
& 111
DEVELOPMENT
A farm. A distillery. A girl. And a thesis.
You may have guessed by now that Oak
& Glory might be slightly more real than
the average thesis, or else I’m just really,
really good at Photoshop. Both, actually.
I’ve been told that a thesis’ success
has little to do with how “real” the finished
project is, but rather, how successfully
the chosen problem was tackled using the
magic of graphic design. I hope my project
can stand on its own, even if everything
turned out to be mockups and mirrors.
But yes, Oak & Glory is a real com-
pany. It exists in the green hills of Oregonia,
Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. You can visit
it sometime. Or you can visit it online,
because the virtual tour is very much real
as well.
I didn’t start the company. Gene and
Alex did. I am, however, the creative direc-
tor and a junior partner. I did the naming
and branding and packaging and copy-
writing. When I first signed on, Oak &
Glory didn’t exist yet. It was “Old Grizzly
Spirits”—so named because Old Crow and
GROWING SEASONSYes, it’s a real company. How creative directing
a startup made a real designer out of me.
Old Grand-Dad and Old Forrester and Old
Anything were perfectly good names for
bourbon, and especially because the domain
name happened to be free.
I wasn’t a real designer back then
either. At least, I don’t think I was. By that
time I was already done with most of my
core classes, but I was half-sure and half-
hearted and had never released anything
into the real world.
While my classmates were getting
internships, I learned the ropes with Oak &
Glory. I learned about budgets and learned
to love sourcing. I learned to solve problems
with high stakes and real limitations, and
to project manage getting a brand off the
ground. I learned to design with meaning
and obsessive consideration.
Although all the products are mock-
ups and we’re only distilling bourbon at the
moment, everything in this book has been
designed for production, with very practical
considerations. The following pages contain
a brief sampling of my process.
& 112
ORIGINS | OLD GRIZZLY SPIRITS
This was the original logo. It was bought using a spec work contest
on 99Designs (before I was around). Back then, it was a farm and a
distillery, but being a “farm distillery” wasn’t part of the brand nar-
rative. I actually did a semester’s worth of work using “Old Grizzly
Spirits” until I realized that in order for this to work, the name had
to be changed into something with real meaning.
& 113
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PACKAGING | CORKS
Designing premium packaging for Oak & Glory meant trying to
compromise between budget and added value, while working
around the limitations of our extremely, extremely small scale.
Designing unique packaging at the absolute bottom end of
wholesale presents a couple of particular challenges. The most
obvious one is that any additional packaging element adds much
more to our unit cost, because the less you order the more it costs
per unit. I got pretty good at hunting for vendors and suppliers and
striking the right balance to create the most value for the least
amount of money.
Another challenge in customization was finding ways for us
to be able to even qualify for minimum orders in the first place, as
our numbers are so small. I found solutions by designing as much
use for each element as possible.
Having a wood cork adds significant value to our product over
having a having a screw top. Having a cork that is varnished and
printed also sends a much more premium message than using a
generic indie natural wood cork. In order for us to qualify for our
cork manufacturer’s minimums, I designed all our products with
bottles that have the same neck diameter.
CARAMEL VARNISH
CHOCOLATE VARNISH
NATURAL VARNISH
NATURAL FINISH
UV LASER LASER GOLD TAMPOPRINT GOLD TAMPOPRINT
UV LASER GOLD TAMPOPRINT GRAY TAMPOPRINT GOLD TAMPOPRINT
BLACK TAMPOPRINT LASER LASER PRINT LASER PRINT
BLACK TAMPOPRINT LASER LASER LASER PRINT
CARAMEL VARNISH
CHOCOLATE VARNISH
NATURAL VARNISH
NATURAL FINISH
UV LASER LASER GOLD TAMPOPRINT GOLD TAMPOPRINT
UV LASER GOLD TAMPOPRINT GRAY TAMPOPRINT GOLD TAMPOPRINT
BLACK TAMPOPRINT LASER LASER PRINT LASER PRINT
BLACK TAMPOPRINT LASER LASER LASER PRINT
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PACKAGING | BOURBON
Our Fire Roasted Corn Bourbon boasts packaging that is a balance
of investment versus budget. Since the bourbon is our first and
flagship product, we really wanted to give it some standout pack-
aging. The label is screen-printed, using a distinct bottle exclusive
to our French supplier that has never been used amongst bourbons.
The Long Island Bottle is relatively pricey and due to its shape,
cannot be decorated in-house. Our side product lines are so small
that it would be too cost-prohibitive to use this bottle, so for the
time being this is limited to our main bourbon product.
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PACKAGING | APPLE JACK
For the Apple Jack, I played up its frontier heritage using the
Moonshine bottle and a more rustic-style hand-lettering. Both the
Apple Jack and Vodka are only going to be produced in extremely
limited quantities. Their packaging has been designed with that in
mind. They utilize cheaper (though more generic) cylindrical bot-
tles that can both be affordably purchased at sub-wholesale rates.
Because the bottles are cylindrical, these bottles can also be quickly
and affordably decorated in-house using an Easy Labeler.
The bourbon bottles are screen-printed, but that would be
much too cost prohibitive for the Apple Jack and Vodkas because
of scale. Nevertheless, I wanted to products to not only look eclec-
tically cohesive, but also be transparent to showcase what is
actually in each bottle. In production, these bottles would be deco-
rated using transparent adhesive labels that emulate the effect of
screen-printing.
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PACKAGING | INFUSED VODKAS
The vodkas use the Nordic bottle, which you see very commonly
amongst craft and indie spirits because it is both attractive, and
attractively priced. It is by far the cheapest good-looking bottle,
and has no order minimums. Although I would not use this bot-
tle for our main line because it is so common, it is well-suited for
quick releases of small limited-run products. In production, the
label would be a clear adhesive label applied in-house on an Easy
Labeler. Though the bourbon is limited to all-white printing due to
screenprinting costs per color, here I took advantage of the afford-
able color and foil capabilities of clear adhesive labels.
Both bourbon and apple jack are singular products that exist
solidly in the American heartland. The vodkas are an example of
how a product line, with an extremely different product, would be
able to live and express itself in the Oak & Glory visual system.
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AMERICANA MEETS SLAVIC FOLK ART
Both the founders are Russian, and the infused vodkas are made
with authentic Russian recipes. The challenge of this packaging
series was to design a product line that looked cohesive next to
the rest of the Oak & Glory brand, while still remaining true to
its authentic Russian narrative. I accomplished this by marrying
elements of Americana and Slavic folk art.
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REVISION 1
RESUBMIT WITH MARKED CHANGES
APPROVED WITH MARKED CHANGES
APPROVED
//Date:Signature:
www.signs-cincinnati.com
CLIENTWork Order#
DESIGNER
LOCATION
CONTACT
NAME DATE
This design is the property of Sign-A-Rama Tri-County. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013.Colors are not exact. Be sure to review all spellings, numbers & colors. Sign-A-Rama is not responsible for errors once approved.
1 OF 1
YUSHI MAEDA
4211MONICA WU650-919-3871 / [email protected]
03/10/2014
OAK & GLORY FARM DISTILLERY1865 MURRAY ROAD, OREGONIA, OH
A DOUBLE-SIDE SANDBLASTED WOOD SIGN W/ RIDERINCLUDING 6x6 POSTS W/ CAPS (WILL BE STAINED DARK WALNUT)
24.25"
~44.0"
30.0"
8.0"
36.0"
5.0" 5.0"
STAINED DARK WALNUT
METALLIC COPPER
STANDARD WHITE
PMS 3292 C
DESIGN | BUSINESS SIGN
When everything is up and running, the distillery will only be open
for tours about half the year. The sign is designed with that in
mind, with a removable hang-sign.
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THANKS
I would like to thank and acknowledge the following people,
without whom this would not have been possible
First and foremost, my awesome husband
Rob, for his endless love and support,
through years of all-nighters and tears and
putting up with a house constantly explod-
ing in design school madness.
My Oak & Glory business partners,
Eugene Pyatigorsky and Alex Matsukevich,
for their teamwork and dedication, and for
letting me run amok creatively with Old
Grizzly Spirits.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My friend and mentor David Hake, for
his faith and guidance.
I would also like to thank: Song Yuhan,
for watching my back in China. Rebecca
Sanders, for using her company to distrib-
ute my research survey. Rami Geller, for
his early advice and input. Joe Danzer, for
going out of his way to take on our small
photoshoot. And finally, Olesya Strysek, for
her incredible product photography.
&
&
MONICA WU | MFA THESIS