Southern Distilling is a fun one. A family business started with a few lofty goals in mind - reignite North Carolina’s rich whiskey tradition and build a sustainable economic sector in Statesville while doing it. The owners from the outset stated that they needed the brand to be able to scale to meet their ambitious plans and we did just that.
What I loved about working with Southern was the trust they had in us, especially after we nailed the brand foundation and character. Rob Brooks and his team spun gold as they built a creative direction that feels timeless, as whiskey should, and stands-apart from the market as a proud product of North Carolina.
From the Foundation Up
As is often the case in my career, my team was challenged with building this brand from the ground up. They had some existing logos and labeling, the beginnings of some values, and a passionate idea of where they wanted to go. Once we cracked the brand promise of “Savoring the Moment” and paired it with a brand character we dubbed the Deliberate Dreamer, we were off to the races.
Southern Distilling didn’t just need a brand foundation, they needed a complete set of brand guidelines and creative assets in order to start telling their story. For the next year, we built those tools, a library of assets, and established a growth plan to aid Southern as they expanded to more and more states.
Building a Whiskey Soaked World
After spending time in Statesville, our Creative Director Rob Brooks developed “Modern Folklore” as the overarching design ethos for the Southern brand. From there he and the team created something that really articulates what it feels like to savor a moment down there.
Creative Director Rob Brooks
Associate Creative Director Chase Stevens
Senior Designer Andrew Langford
Brand Strategy Courtney Catterton & Chris Fedorczak
Photographer Paul King