Finding the spritzier side of hard cider

Hard Cider Spritz by Brick River Cider Co branding & packaging

The hard seltzer trend had been hitting hard for over a year with a promise of low calorie, low sugar and light taste. But that taste is too light for many drinkers who want more flavor without the guilt. That reality sparked the idea for a lighter cider product for Brick River Cider Co’s founder. Vigor was tapped to bring it to life.

Location

St. Louis, MO

Year Completed

2020

Team Size

Vigor 4 / Client 2

Services

Concept Development, Narrative, Naming, Identity Design, Packaging
Brick River Cider Co Hard Cider Spritz branding and packaging design

Creating an effervescent sub-brand

The Brick River Cider Co brand had been well established in St. Louis for years with great brand recognition. Creating a new product without confusing the public was the biggest challenge. Secondly we had to answer the question of how do you explain what this lighter hard cider is in a way that people can quickly grasp.

Finally, we knew we had to rapidly communicate the features that were on par with competing products like hard seltzers while positioning the product as something more flavorful and worth trying out.

These three challenges combined created a unique path forward for what would be Brick River Cider Co’s newest product offering: Hard Cider Spritz.

A refreshing, crisp design solution

Vigor’s solution to the challenges was to create a name that would evoke the experience of the product. However, the word “Spritz” wouldn’t be enough to drive it home. We had to quantify it with “hard cider” to ensure people quickly got the idea.

The word “spritz” has a light, airy feeling and it implies a less intense flavor. As a result, it lends itself well to being associated with a low calorie and low sugar product.

We created an identity that pulled elements from Brick River Cider Co’s core visual language, and built upon it with new colors and a hero typographical treatment for the main brand name.

Results

The product launched in June 2021 to a lot of positive chatter on social media. While sales numbers aren’t in just yet, we do know that the client is already considering a second, larger run to accommodate the demand.

To alleviate the cost of printing multiple shrink sleeves, Vigor worked with Brick River Cider Co to make this packaging more modular. The wavy lines can be printed direct to can in large quantities and the rest of the design can be printed on pressure-sensitive labels to make expanding or shifting the flavors less costly.

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