Sea Stalker Rum (Student Project)

Designer: Ashley Swope
Product Photography & Post Photo Production: Alisandra Pardo, Pratt ’16
Ceramic Assistance: Dulce Avila Romero, Montclair State ’15
Project Type: Student Project
School: Pratt Institute
Course: Senior Project
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Packaging Materials: Ceramic, poplar, rope, paper, cork, India ink

Developed and branded a rum line that took the concept of a squid or sea creature further.

I chose to name the brand Sea Stalker because giant squids stalk their prey while hunting. The label art is in a grotesque ink splatter style, to give the illusion of the creature inking on the label, creating the image.

The whole brand concentrates on the creature stalking pirates. The label art demonstrates the event of hunting, while the handles of the jugs mimic the movement in the label. Each jug is hand made, so they are all one of a kind. Each one is also topped and sealed with a black ink soaked cork, tying back to the theme of the creature inking.

I created cups as a promotional piece, resembling a dissection of a tentacle. The cups, as well as the jugs, are packaged in a wooden crate with the logo laser cut into the front. The handles of the boxes are interlocked nooses, referring to one of the labels, as well as the theme of death.

All pieces of this project were hand made from the ceramic jugs and cups, to the wooden boxes.

What’s Unique?
I believe the handles of the rum jugs I have created are what makes them the most unique. I have developed the ceramic jugs along side the label art for them to mirror each other. I also believe the design of my promotional cups, as a tentacle dissection, as well as the noose handles on the boxes, contribute to the unique quality of my packaging. Lastly, detail of the ink soaked cork helps tie the concept together as a whole.