Glow Soju
Brand Identity
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Packaging
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Environmental Graphics
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Brand Identity · Packaging · Environmental Graphics ·
This brand, Glow Soju, aims to explore new ways to bring my korean culture to a global stage through a universally appreciated source: alcohol! Soju is the #1 best selling spirit in the world, and yet most people have never tried it. Current soju branding leaves little to be desired and is inaccessible to most people. Glow explores alternative packaging, branding, and a new home for soju and soju lovers.
Project Year
2023
Instructor
Soonduk Krebs
Glow Soju X 2 Hands premium soju
The Glow brand houses many different components, including two different packaging explorations. Glow Soju is the original soju branding, and 2 Hands is the specialty offshoot under the same parent brand. The different bottles allowed me to explore two totally different concepts for what Glow can be, each successful in its own way. Below you can get to know both of the brands separately.
choosing the NAME
The name Glow is a humorous take on the phrase “Asian glow”. Many asians (including myself) get rosy cheeks and a warm flush when drinking alcohol. Rather than trying to hide this, I decided to repurpose this as a brand element that will interest newcomers to soju and share an inside joke with soju experts.
LOGO
The logo started in different directions, all trying to evoke a feeling of approachability, quality, and the sensation of glowing. The initial concept selected was bold, friendly, and flowed with an organic shape that simulated the feeling of a buzz. After honing in on this design, I ended with a fluid yet structured logo mark that defines the continued branding throughout the various elements of the overall brand. The red-orange circle is a call to the rosy cheeks me and many others get when “glowing”, and this color is integrated into the rest of the Glow brand.
Glow Soju
Meet Glow: a flavored soju that will be sure to get you glowing! All aspects of the packaging of these bottles is designed with the intention to attract the eye of newcomers to soju and stand out among the “competition” of the typical green glass soju bottles you see in the store now. The package maintains a simple and effective design that is adaptable to expanding upon, such as other flavors.
Label Design
Bonding both function and style, these labels seal the bottle while promoting the Glow brand. The organic shapes at the base of the label are formed from repurposing the “W’ in the original Glow logo, and the type ties into the typography on the base label of the bottle.
Base label
At the forefront of the label is the Glow logo- this is intentional. Since there are many elements that fall under the Glow name, it was important to bring the attention to this product as the main Glow soju. The typography combines new-classic serifs with a clean sans-serif that is visually exciting and easily accessible.
Frosted Glass
I love the look of frosted glass- It brings a new visual and physical texture that elevates the design. I was inspired by packaging that caught my eye while doing research at the liquor store, and added a personal touch by having the frosted glass cut off halfway. The cutoff imitates liquor, and the organic shapes falling into the frosty haze is a visual representation of how you should feel after indulging in these sojus.
Expanded Packaging:
New glow soju flavors
Glow soju would not be complete without some fruity flavors! Soju can be drank simply in its original form, but it shines when combined with other flavorings. I chose to use strawberry and blueberry for the expansion of this product since they are universally appreciated flavors while still being relatively new to the liquor field. The colors selected evoke a similar tone of the red-orange Glow while still shining on their own.
2 hands premium soju
For those who take their soju very seriously, enter Two Hands Premium Soju. The luxury offshoot of Glow soju, Two Hands takes an elevated approach to what alcohol packaging can be. The name originates from the Korean culture: When taking shots, it is custom to hold the glass with both hands as a sign of respect. I designed this packaging to present a bottle and shot glass set that could be collector’s items, all under the name of Glow. All packaging was designed in Illustrator and built in Stager, which was one of the biggest hurdles of this process for me. Learning to use Stager taught me more about 3D modeling than I had previously known, including lighting and forming the physical models.
Glow Bar + Lounge
The Glow Bar + Lounge presents a fun new go-to spot to indulge in great flavors and buy soju from the source. Serving as both a bar and store for Glow Soju, this conceptual branding was a fun way for me to show the flexibility and complexity of the brand.
Menu design
This menu set includes Drinks, Happy Hour, Food, and a stamp card. I found creating these elements to be challenging, since most of the brand until this point uses very little type. I wanted the brand to feel contemporary and inviting, with nods to asian typography. The vertical type sets that in motion, utilizing typefaces previously established in the branding. The colors remind the viewer of the main branding of Glow Soju, with the introduction of a warm green. This green is inspired by the green glass of traditional soju bottles.
Other Collateral
These elements help to finalize the development of the brand. These final details were fun for me to produce, creating a full series of elements of Glow and solidifying the style.
Conclusion
Glow allowed to me to delve deeply into 3D modeling, packaging, and the branding of multiple concepts housed under one name. I am particularly passionate about the end result of this project, as I feel it reflects my personal style and is centered around elements of myself as a person. The challenge of the packaging forced me to define a clear style that was strong and fun to integrate throughout the rest of the brand. I look forward to the future of soju and hope that one day I can impact the market with products like this.
