Package Design - August 2013 - 14

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Southern Charm
Whisper Creek creates a new category
with Tennessee Sipping Cream.

he amalgamation of two iconic American designs—the classic
milk bottle and the infamous moonshine jug—is described as
the inspiration behind Whisper Creek’s inimitable custom glass
bottle. The cream liqueur made with aged Tennessee whiskey is
marketed using the trademarked term, “Tennessee Sipping
Cream,” creating a new category in the spirits industry.
Speakeasy Spirits chief marketing officer Jenny Pennington
hand-drew a sketch of what she envisioned the bottle to look like.
After an engineered 3-D rendering was created, Speakeasy Spirits
CEO and husband Jeff Pennington began the process of talking to
glass manufacturers that could create the design in a quality
amber glass; enter TricorBraun (www.tricorbraun.com).
The Penningtons strove for, “an authentic southern look. Something that was a real classic that could continue to appeal to consumers year after year,” explains Jenny Pennington. A color palette
of oranges and creams was selected for the logo to pop against the
true amber glass bottle. “We wanted to match the
color of cream we used in our logo design with
the color of our product.” says Jenny Pennington.
Challenges the Penningtons had to
address include: the inclusion of the
finger loop on the custom glass bottle
and decorating the unusually shaped
structure. Jenny Pennington explains,
“On most bottles that you see on the
market, the handle is connected at the
neck and then connects to the shoulder of the bottle.” The Whisper Creek
design features a finger loop connected
from neck to neck. “The neck of the
bottle was actually being weighted
down by the handle,” she recalls. A
solution was devised by slowing down
the process and letting the glass cool
longer, as to not compromise the integrity of the neck. Decorating the broad
shouldered and tapered waist bottle
provided issues; screen printing was
not a viable option because of the
shape. Not wanting to compromise the
size of the Whisper Creek logo, a decaling process was ultimately used.
Topped off with a tamper-evidence
seal, paying homage to an old tax stamp
with a modern day twist, leaves Whisper Creek with options for potential
marketing opportunities.

AUGUST 2013

A Maya Marvel
Rare Yucatán honey receives
artisanal design treatment.

mperial Yucatán Dzidzilche Honey, poised as being one of
the rarest honeys in the world, features a production process that dates back to the pre-Columbian era—when the
Maya Empire skillfully mastered the art of apiculture. With
only an eight-week cultivation period per year, the Dzidzilche (zee-zeel-chay) bush provides a perfumed white
flower that completes the ancient Maya process. Such a rarity deserves a package design of equal splendor, enter Marc
Balet, principal and creative director, Mixed Business
Group (www.mixedbusiness.com).
Crediting his education in art, life, marketing and business to the 11 years spent working in “The Factory” for Andy
Warhol; Balet’s credentials include, creative director of Interview magazine and “Andy Warhol’s 15 Minutes” TV show.
Aptly qualified to create a packaging design to house the succulent honey, Balet approached the project with the idea of
making honey as collectible as perfume or jewelry. The inkwell-shaped bottle, created from an original cast, manufactured in Mexico, by Pavisa (www.pavisa.com.mx) can be
used as a serving dish. Balet explains the design decision to
choose glass, “I wanted a heavy glass that really had some
weight to it, in a kind of thoughtful way and also an obvious
way. That when you held this in your hand it had meaning,”
Copy is silkscreened in white and gold on pack; restructured Maya symbols add, “a hint of where this originates
from without beating the consumer over the head with it,”
and a sans serif typeface evokes elegance and universality.
The bottom of the inkwell-shaped bottle features a narrative
depicting the honey’s origin, adding appeal. “It’s a little bit
more of an emotional connection, which people have
towards clothing and towards fashion and towards perfume
and cosmetics that’s what I was looking to do, to get more of
an emotional attachment to the product.” comments Balet.
The 100% pure, certified organic Yucatán Dzidzilche
Honey’s glass bottle is accented with a gold colored screw
top lid. The limited-edition, 12-oz. bottle includes a hand
crafted wooden spoon, constructed by Maya artisans, and is
sold online for $58.

Package Design - August 2013

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