Crooked Mouth

[Crooked Mouth × Gu Yi Design]
Wuliangye “Crooked Mouth” Clear Bottle Liquor Packaging Design

Project Name: Wuliangye · Crooked Mouth
Client: Wuliangye Xianlin Ecological Liquor Co., Ltd.
Scope of Services: Overall packaging design for Crooked Mouth clear bottle liquor
Design Team: Gu Yi · Brand Packaging Design Department

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Design Deliverables by Gu Yi:
Product concept development, clear liquor bottle shape design, bottle cap design, outer carton design, finished product prototyping, and product image rendering.

Project Background

With the wave of consumption upgrades, the infused liquor category is breaking away from tradition and embracing fashion-driven innovation, rapidly capturing the attention of a new generation of mainstream consumers and becoming a rising star in the liquor industry. Driven by this trend, leading liquor brands are actively entering the infused liquor segment.

On January 22, Wuliangye Xianlin Ecological Liquor officially launched its strategic flagship product for the next decade—the Crooked Mouth Minimal Luxury Series large clear bottle liquor—marking a new phase in the brand’s development.

Product Strategy & Brand Upgrade

The launch of the Crooked Mouth Minimal Luxury large clear bottle is not a simple product iteration, but a carefully refined creation that integrates quality, culture, and distribution across multiple dimensions.

Looking back at previous products, although they adopted the large clear bottle format, the distinctive “crooked mouth” form was not sufficiently emphasized. This resulted in weak memorability and a lack of brand exclusivity and perceived value.

In response, Gu Yi took “amplifying the product’s core selling point” as the design origin. Anchored in a visual tone of “light luxury” and “timeless elegance,” the design redefines the premium image of the Crooked Mouth brand. The goal was to create a large clear bottle that truly embodies the Crooked Mouth identity, establishing clear differentiation in the highly competitive clear bottle liquor market.

At the same time, the product forms a combined strategy with Crooked Mouth mini bottles—“mini bottle + large clear bottle”—to comprehensively cover consumption scenarios and strengthen overall brand influence.

Design Philosophy

During the upgrade of the Crooked Mouth large clear bottle, in-depth analysis revealed its strongest asset: the endorsement of the Wuliangye brand. Consumers’ strong recognition and trust in Wuliangye became the central pillar of the design strategy.

Bottle Design Concept

Building upon the original bottle structure, the design further accentuates the “crooked” form language. The bottle body features an elegant twisted silhouette, breaking away from traditional symmetry. Flowing lines simulate the gentle rhythm of the Min River, creating a smooth yet tactile texture that conveys a sense of continuous natural vitality.

This twisted form not only establishes a unique visual signature exclusive to Crooked Mouth and enhances product recognition, but also aligns with ergonomic principles—improving grip comfort and stability.

Bottle Cap Design

The bottle cap echoes the overall form through a wave-like twisted circular design, creating an asymmetrical visual beauty. The Wuliangye brand logo is engraved on the top, subtly expressing rhythm and vitality.

The cap is intentionally designed so that “no side is perfectly straight,” reinforcing the playful and memorable concept of “crookedness.” In real usage, the twisting motion of opening the cap forms an elegant curved movement, with no need to worry about “aligning it straight.” From any angle, the cap maintains its crooked aesthetic—truly achieving “every side is crooked, every side is beautiful.”

Base Design

The bottle base introduces another layer of thoughtful detail. An innovative “diamond-cut texture” is used, with precisely sculpted starburst patterns encircling the Wuliangye logo. As light passes through, the base produces intersecting light and shadow effects—brilliant and radiant, as if releasing beams of light.

This design significantly elevates brand exclusivity and perceived value, while adding rich visual depth and a delightful moment of surprise when the bottle is lifted or opened.

Color Strategy

Gold and silver were chosen as the primary color palette.
Gold symbolizes luxury, nobility, and timelessness; silver represents modernity, refinement, and a sense of technology.

The combination of gold and silver reinforces the premium positioning of the product while maintaining continuity with the brand’s previous “Golden Crooked Mouth” line—reactivating consumer memory and strengthening brand recognition.