The Cider Lab

Creative Agency: Bonney Creative
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Client: Asahi Premium Beverages
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Packaging Contents: Cider

The Cider Lab is a not just another cider! Brewed in modern state-of-the art facilities in Melbourne, it is the collective ‘blood sweat and tears’ of a panel of passionate people who had an idea; something different to offer and a product that can stand on its own.

Bonney Creative were engaged by Asahi Premium Beverages from project inception to help shape the strategy, positioning and story of the brand and were part of a collaborative panel of experts who joined forces to create something superbly different. The vision from the outset was clear – “we are NOT creating another boutique, hand picked or artisan range that adds to the category clutter” – the brief focused on quality Australian ingredients, large scale contemporary brewing processes and distinctive flavours.

The visual identity for this brand is a reflection of the depth and character of each of the iconic varietals – Royal Gala, Packham Pear and Pink Lady. The surrealist inspired mixed-media montages created are an expression of the individual stories behind each of the fruits – The Pink Lady being affectionately referred to as the ‘Queen of Apples’ and the founder of the Packham Pear an avid bee keeper. Hand-drawn illustrations tell the story of the brewing process and history of each varietal. The heroic fruit and tree imagery was captured at one of the beautiful Australian orchards that supplied The Cider Lab with its superior product – it was intentionally raw and natural – not made artificially perfect in Photoshop!

The unique flavour profile system displayed on the bottle neck is designed to help shoppers easily choose the cider specific to their personal tastes based on sweetness and tartness indicators. This insight-driven solution addresses some of the key barriers to the complex and crowded cider category – helping people shop by taste and association with iconic fruit varietals they know and love.