Meghan Labot is the managing director of Spring Design Partners, a brand consultancy firm located in New York City that specializes in decoding cultural insight to define brand strategy and design. Spring Design Partners has more than 20 years of experience in CPG, with specific expertise in the beverage category.
It used to be that you could walk into any liquor store and, based on price and appearance, be able to quickly discern the premium players from the standard players. The codes of premium were well-established in packaging design — embellished glass, tall bottles, elaborate closures and applied-color instead of paper labels. These visual cues established an aspirational image for many brands that warranted a higher price point — and consumers bought it.
