BrewDog employs mythical creatures for beer launch

BrewDog, the multinational brewery and pub chain based in Ellon, Scotland has brought out a new lager offering to take the place of the recently discontinued Kingpin. The new addition to the canned rage is called Lost Lager and its visual identity has been designed by branding agency B&B studio.

Lisa Desforges, strategy director of B&B, says, “The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland where BrewDog is based. We were really keen to reinstate this more traditional relationship and release the majestic beast from its current, somewhat demeaning, role as pool inflatable and rainbow glitter dispenser. The name Lost Lager suggests the unicorn’s mythical status, as well as reflecting the product – a dry-hopped pilsner that embodies the way lager used to be made before the monoliths took over.”

Lost Lager’s brand aims to depart from the norm, eschewing BrewDog’s colour-coded canned range and typical yellow colour palette, traditionally associated with lager. Instead, B&B chose shades of red type on top of a plain white background that is completed by the illustration of a unicorn, differentiating itself not only from BrewDog’s range, but also from its competitors. Τhe new design has a stand-out quality that makes it notable on the shelf, and therefore a strong competitor within the sector. 

To avoid looking cheesy, B&B worked with artist Aga Karmol who specialises in linocut, to give an edgier, sharper spin on the unicorn illustration. Claudia Morris, design director of B&B, says, “Together we created an image that’s full of energy and edge, but has a real ghostly feel, especially when rendered in white and silver on the can. The overall effect is of a lost beast brought back to life – the perfect metaphor for a truly hoppy lager.”

With the launch of the new beer, BrewDog celebrates its ‘Unicorn Fund,’ a philanthropic initiative, through which  20% of the brand profits are equally distributed to its employees and to charities chosen by the community of BrewDog’s own charity, Equity Punk.

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