Sake, Japanese rice wine, has been an integral part of everyday life in Japan. It has been used for ceremonial purposes for Shintoism, supporting the economic growth of independent breweries, and simply being a suitable conversation catalyst for somewhat reserved Japanese people.
Today, the Japanese lifestyle has become more Westernized, and they enjoy diversified lifestyles with plentiful choices available. Consumption of sake is gradually decreasing in the domestic market due to the impression that drinking sake is outdated and the younger generation does not enjoy alcoholic beverages as much as previous generations. Sake breweries also need help with aging skilled craftsmen and securing their successors. Without reaching out to new global audiences and regaining the popularity of drinking sake culture within Japan, the beautiful culture of making sake will be obsolete.
The founder of Kinmi, Nao Kohara, wanted to tackle this challenge by partnering up with 6 different local breweries in Japan. Making sure that makers of sake, employees at breweries, and rice farmers are appropriately rewarded and helping their businesses grow by tapping into new markets.
Our challenge was creating a brand that retains authentic Japanese-ness while resonating with a broader global foodie audience. Look at most sake brands at the store. You will soon realize that many bottles are decorated with expressive traditional Japanese calligraphy, which is the mainstream of communicating authenticity and the brand's rich history. However, we wanted to approach this project from a different angle to modernize the expressions of Japanese sake culture.
We created a new brand identity and a series of packaging designs that highlight the uniqueness of each region by getting inspiration from local customs, anecdotes, terroir, and architecture.
