Level Studio redesigns River Cottage beer range
Stroud-based design agency Level has redesigned the River Cottage beer range, putting the brand positioning #foodtoinspirechange front and centre. The rebrand advocates the endeavors of River Cottage’s ethical brewing partner Stroud Brewery.
The River Cottage brand has been a vehicle for promoting an ethical food ethos since 1999, when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall launched ‘Escape to River Cottage.’ Since then it has aimed to be a symbol for ethical food sourcing and production, healthier eating and environmental issues.
After their initial range originally launched without success in 2020, River Cottage and Stroud Brewery approached Level to help them understand how to improve the design of the range.
In the saturated beer category, any new entrants have to bring something new to the space, especially when targeting the lesser spotted ethical beer drinker, explains Jenny Patton, head of insight at Level.
“The proposition ‘food to inspire change’ couldn’t be a hashtag sign off, it needed substance, something real and meaningful behind it if it was going to resonate with both customers and consumers,” she says.
Level encouraged Greg, the Stroud Brewery founder, to invite River Cottage into this conversation and the brewing team got thinking about how a hop theme might play out.
“The flavour concepts the brew team came up with translated brilliantly into a visual and verbal identity firing up the organic hops message” Adam Hinks, creative director at Level says.
Levels developed designed an on-pack system to give equal prominence to the voices of Greg and Hugh, with space to reinforce the ‘food to inspire change’ message. The illustrations on the trilogy of ethical beers aim to drive home the importance of pollinators and bio-diversity on UK farms.
“We enjoyed working with Adam and Jenny at Level,” says Hugh, “they have a keen eye for detail a collaborative attitude and a clear understanding of the environmental issues relating to farming and food production.”
