Bottle Service: Award-Winning Packaging Design


The Bedlam vodka bottle is intended to act as the brand’s loud-mouthed ambassador on store shelves. The brand’s wry voice and rugged aesthetics are displayed prominently on the bottle—showcasing not only its attitude, but its history, as well. The objective of the bottle design was to stand apart on the shelf while telling the story of Bedlam’s Irish heritage and taste that are an absolute departure from the traditional “clean” vodka profile. A closer look reveals that the bottle isn’t perfectly symmetrical, nor is it crystal clear like neighboring vodka brands. This bottle was designed to disrupt mundane vodka displays while the brand disrupts the industry.

The Republik team completed the bottle design in about five weeks, while simultaneously creating the brand identity. “Such a quick turnaround forced us to work past expected answers quickly,” says associate creative director Matt Shapiro, who worked on everything from the concept to handlettering, design and art direction of the packaging design/logotype. “Working on the identity of the brand as we were designing the packaging gave us the unique opportunity to develop a package that felt truly integrated into the brand’s DNA.”

Creating a package that reflected the rebellious position inherent in the brand’s name and history posed the largest challenge during the design process. “Through that process, we landed on a design that became entirely handlettered, which had its own set of challenges, particularly balancing a raw aesthetic while maintaining correct hierarchy without feeling cluttered,” Shapiro says. But the process of handlettering was something the team came to really enjoy. “Stepping away from the computer screen and working with physical objects interrupted our normal flow and forced us to really slow down and make elements even more intentional,” Shapiro says.

The client was ecstatic when they saw the first rendering of the bottle. “This being the first product they released, it really helped solidify the attitude and vision for their business,” Shapiro says. “From there, the Bedlam bottle became a beacon for our client to turn to when making any choice for the brand.”

Title Bedlam Vodka Bottle | Design Firm The Republik, Raleigh, NC; www.therepublik.net | Creative Team Robert Shaw West, executive creative director; Matt Shapiro, art director/designer/illustrator; Brandon Guthrie, art director/designer; Luke Rayson art director; Dwayne Fry, executive strategic director; Rachel Wells, strategic director; Neil Hinson, copywriter; Luke Rayson, production manager | Client Graybeard Distillery


4 thoughts on “Bottle Service: Award-Winning Packaging Design

  1. amandachua

    Really impressive information in regards to graphic design and I am going to improve my skills for sure. Thanks for the valuable information.

  2. vincent007

    Hey Sarah this is really nice design which can attract to its consumer, and hopefully it does. Though I don’t know price of it but i think its price is high for the design than its main material. I mean how design can be versatile and beautiful may be this thing is one of the prove of that. Excellent work where included lots of ideas.

  3. petermcycle

    To me, it would not get my attention on the Vodka shelf. It would be staying on the liquor shop shelf.

    The only thing I like about the design was the lettering, but the lettering needed to be different bright coloring. Black gives it a morbid look.

    The shape of the bottle definitely did did not need to be round (or not perfectly symmetrical) but square or a prism shape, more like a decanter.

    The seal could have been a green four leaf clover, to highlight the Irish background.

    The team should have visited a liquor store or two, before sitting down and working on the design, and seen what is on the shelves.

    A colorful Irish styled Vodka, that would have got my attention.

    Just my thoughts on the product without tasting it.

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