Re-creating Kahlúa

Following the launch of its on-the-go cans, Kahlúa decided to give its traditional bottle a new look as well. The restructured bottle now has a more confident posture, a metallic twist-off cap and an optimized logotype, which gives the label a sharper, more appealing look that remains distinctly Kahlúa, the company says. Kahlúa’s new, bold red shippers incorporate the brand’s signature “Delicioso” banner and a large “Rum & Coffee Liqueur” call-out below the case cut line, giving the secondary packaging an extra pop when stacked at retail, it adds. Labels for flavors such as Cinnamon Spice, French Vanilla, Mocha and Hazelnut have been given a warm, coffeehouse feel as well, Kahlúa says. 

Cool Dew

Designed especially for its limited-edition, 16-ounce cans in honor of “The Dark Knight Rises,” Mountain Dew partnered with Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) to add a color-changing element to the can’s design. When chilled to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the Batman logo on the can changes from silver to green. Using CTI’s thermochromic ink, Mountain Dew created an interactive experience for its consumers and enhanced brand credibility, it says. 

Halloween spirit

Itsko Imports Inc. launched Pumpkin Face Rum, a new line of ultra-premium rum from the Dominican Republic, in jack-o-lantern-shaped bottles by Flowdesign. Made of sculpted glass, the pumpkin’s eyes and mouth are set deep into the glass and decorated with high-quality baked-on decals, giving it a mischievous grin that further highlights the pumpkin’s role as a traditional symbol of celebration, the companies say. The bottles are available in three different colors: clear with silver eyes and mouth for the white rum product, brown organic coloring for the reserved product and black organic coloring for the aged product. Each of the neck labels uses high-quality paper with embossing and silver hot stamping, and the bottle’s pedestal base bears the product’s name embossed in the glass. Finally, the corks are custom designed, with each rum type having its own wooden color, topped off with a pewter metal medallion that reveals the embossed Pumpkin Face logo and name.

Single-serve bottle

Pom Wonderful launched its 100 percent pomegranate juice in single-serve 8-ounce bottles. The new bottle size was added to provide convenience for on-the-go consumers. It is available nationwide for $1.99 a bottle.

Star attraction

Heineken USA redesigned its signature green bottle. As the company’s first bottle change since 1946, the “Star Bottle” launched in select markets in New York state and will be available nationally beginning in March 2013. The Star Bottle will be available in 12- and 22-ounce sizes and features a taller, thinner shape, giving it a more modern and premium look, the company says. The bottle also features an embossed thumb groove that improves grip and encourages consumers to hold the bottle at a lower point, keeping the beer colder, it adds.   

Folklore in the store

Overnight Labels printed a new label for Jade Monk’s Stone Ground Matcha Green Tea Powder using flexography 175LPI, a printing process that uses a flexible relief palate to print on non-pourous substrates like food and beverage packaging. The illustrations that adorn the Jade Monk boxes and single-serve packets are intended to catch the consumer’s eye and hint at what’s inside, Jade Monk says. Each of the four flavors is represented by a different mythical character from Japanese folklore, embodying the spirit and essence of the flavors, it says. Twelve individual packets of the green tea powder are housed in branded boxes made of paper/poly/foil/poly (PPFP) heat-sealable film. The box tops flip open to reveal the 12 individually labeled powder packages, the company says. 

Timeless and tough

Duffy & Partners released a new design for Cooper Spirits International’s Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Rock & Rye Whiskey. Pulling a vintage bottle style from the Slow & Low archives, the duo added labels, packaging and secondary packaging that represent the whiskey’s decidedly tough and subtly timeless roots with a unique toast to an ageless, hardworking American spirit, Duffy says. The label’s iconography and typography balanced with clean, organized lines and colors give the packaging a 20th-century appeal, reflecting the boldness of blue-collar Americans, it says.

Growing seeds

The Chia/Vie shelf-stable chia seed smoothie line has grown into a larger bottle size. Following its distribution growth outside of California and into the western United States, the product has graduated from its 10-ounce bottles into 12-ounce bottles that bear the same brightly colored branding as the original bottles. The design also features a peep-hole that allows curious consumers to see the drink’s ground and blended contents. Chia/Vie also converted to light-weight, portable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles from its previous aluminum bottles, it says.  

Oregon pride

Big Bottom Whiskey changed the label of its American Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Port Cask Finish bourbon whiskey to better represent the company’s native state and namesake — an old forest located in Clackamas County, Ore., the company says. The front label shows Douglas Fir trees from Big Bottom, representing the new generation of spirit producers in Oregon, and a white-tailed deer from North Carolina, symbolizing the brand’s founder, Ted Pappas, who was born and raised in North Carolina. Big Bottom Whiskeys retail between $29.95 and $34.95 and are sold in Oregon, Washington, California, Tennessee, Georgia and Nevada. 

Limited-edition makeover

Rémy Martin Cognac announced the release of its Robin Thicke limited-edition bottle. The Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. bottle received a glowing makeover inspired by Robin Thicke’s sultry voice and soulful character, the company says. The new limited-edition bottle features Robin Thicke’s signature and musical stylings and is clad in red for the holiday festivities. Smartphone users will be able to check out exclusive content through quick-response technology on the gift box. The 750-ml bottle is available at wine and spirit stores across the United States with a suggested retail price of $40.