For the past 20 years, London-based design consultancy Pemberton & Whitefoord (P&W) has been honored to craft distinctive wine labels for Secoma, one of Japan’s premier retailers, to mark the annual release of the celebrated Beaujolais Nouveau. This year, P&W elevated its creative process by integrating cutting-edge AI technology to create a trio of striking, vibrant designs that capture the essence of Beaujolais like never before.
Drawing inspiration from breathtaking imagery of France’s Beaujolais region, P&W utilised Adobe’s AI-powered tools to transform photography into captivating digital paintings. These dynamic designs form a stunning triptych of labels that celebrate the vibrant spirit and heritage of Beaujolais Nouveau, underscoring P&W’s ongoing commitment to blending artistry, technology, and storytelling.
Beaujolais Nouveau Day, an eagerly awaited event in Japan, coincides with the third Thursday of November each year and celebrates the release of this iconic French wine. For P&W, it marks an annual creative challenge: to craft designs that stand out in the competitive wine market while remaining true to the tradition and character of the wine itself.
“Every Beaujolais project is an opportunity to push creative boundaries,” says Adrian Whitefoord, Co-Founder of P&W and Creative Director for the project. “We don’t impose a ‘house style’ on our design solutions and instead, we typically collaborate with talented artists and illustrators to deliver bespoke, innovative design solutions tailored to each brief. This year we used a totally new approach and embraced the power of AI.”
P&W’s partnership with Secoma has been a cornerstone of this approach, with each year’s Beaujolais Nouveau collection reimagining what is possible in wine label design. This year’s labels feature:
Beaujolais Nouveau (£12.50), Beaujolais Villages Nouveau (over £14) & Beaujolais Rosé Nouveau (over £13)
These variations are available across Secoma’s extensive network of 1,200 Seicomart stores, predominantly located in Hokkaido, Japan’s agricultural heartland. Through collaborations like this, P&W is proud to support Secoma’s dedication to quality and provenance, while creating designs that reflect their brand values and celebrate the artistry of winemaking.
P&W’s incorporation of AI technology for the 2024 collection exemplifies the studio’s commitment to innovation. “This year’s fusion of creativity and technology showcases our dedication to staying at the forefront of design,” adds Adrian. “As we celebrate another successful Beaujolais Nouveau launch with Secoma, we’re excited about the possibilities AI brings to future projects.”