As a Californian, I often forget that all 50 states produce wine. The world has become such a small place, it seems there is nothing new under the sun. Just step into a Cost Plus or Pier One store and you will find chachkies from all over the world. But not so with wines. Every time I travel to another state, I’m delighted to find new wine labels that have yet to be discovered.
On my recent trip to Sedona, Arizona, we ambled into the Rock Springs Cafe to check out their world famous pie. Not only did I find about 17 varieties, pie art and local history, I found some interesting wine labels too.

Page Springs Winery - I liked this simple series of black and white sketches, plain and unadorned. The barrio is my favorite. Go to their website to see the entire collection. http://pagespringscellars.com/
Arizona Stronghold - provides strong, colorful branding for their wines.

I love these charming pie murals at the Rock Springs Cafe. And I have to say their berry pie was some of the best we’ve ever tasted.

Later in the trip I found this Dionysian Cellars label, an unexpected story of Greek heritage in the middle of the desert. No explanation on their website, but a trip to Wikipedia tells me that Dionysus is the Greek god of fertility, wine, and ecstasy, and was popular throughout much of the ancient world.

And last but not least, here’s a sweet shot for Arizona Hops and Vines. Whether drinking or viewing, the art of wine is always an adventure. I’m glad there are wines and pies to inspire us all.

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

Your logo and wine label are often the consumer’s first introduction to your brand. Think of it as your first date with your customer. A tuxedo will make a far better impression than a leisure suit and sets the tone for the entire evening. In this article you’ll have the opportunity to explore how well your own brand story works and if your wines are appropriately dressed for the occasion.

Logos that Create Distinction – or Do They?

The logo and logotype create the foundation of the visual brand story. The logotype (designer-ese for the brand name’s custom type solution) is often as important as the accompanying illustration or symbol in creating instant recognition. This is particularly true in heritage wines where etchings of vineyards and chateaus are so plentiful they start to look alike. They tell a relevant story, but are more than abundant in the marketplace. The logos above are from four well known brands. I left the names off to see how well they stand on their own. Can you name the brands they represent? Some work better than others. I could do an entire article on vineyards and chateaus and how effective they are in creating brand distinction.

The Five Languages of Design – Formula for Visual Brand Success

An effective package design attracts the consumer’s attention, inspires them to pick up the product and learn more, and ultimately put it in their shopping cart. In every case, the most powerful package designs incorporate The Five Languages of Design and not only sell wine, but create brand advocates. Here’s a brief description of each language and how they work.

Language 1 – Type, Imagery and Symbolism:

Uniquely stylized typography and illustration set the stage with visual elements composed in a language of universally understood and time tested symbols. The Cycles Gladiator wine label, modeled after a Parisian bicycle poster by painter G. Massais in 1895, is a great example. The symbols of an unclothed woman and wings conveyed the new spirit of freedom the invention of the bicycle ushered in. Nearly 100 years later, the distinctive Gladiator typography and unclothed woman attracts consumers of both genders to this very popular wine.
In fact, the stylized, art-nouveau rendition of the nude nymph violated the rules of the Alabama Alcoholic Control Board against displaying “a person posed in an immoral or sensuous manner”. In this case, the notoriety of the symbol worked in the winery’s favor. Visits to the company’s website increased tenfold when news of the ban broke and callers from across the country clamored to buy the wine.

Language 2 – Color and Texture
The Hammer and The Feather:

Color and texture create impact, connect with consumers and communicate price point. A recent Retail Touch Points report states that 90% of shoppers are still visiting physical retail stores to make their purchases. Once your product is in their hands, the likelihood of a sale increases exponentially. Brick and mortar retail stores still command the majority of shopper traffic because it allows buyers to physically (and sometimes emotionally) interact with your product.

Color – The Hammer

The language and meaning of different colors has been proven through the latest scientific studies. Did you know that red is the first color babies are able to see? Each color holds special properties and associations in your customer’s subconscious mind, influencing how they feel about your product.
Color is also used to attract attention on the retail shelf. Smoking Loon was one of the first unabashedly orange wine labels that I can remember. It resounded like a hammer on the retail shelf, drawing eyes away from less colorful competition. The imaginative concept of a loon smoking a cigar certainly contributed to its impact, but it was the orangey-red color that caught the consumer’s eyes first. The year Smoking Loon was launched, the Unified Wine Symposium named it a game-changer for the wine industry. Soon after, many other orange wine labels appeared along with a parade of critter brands.

Texture – The Feather

The visual and kinesthetic experience created by texture can be used to define product pricing. The tactile processes of varnishing, foiling and embossing describe products, encouraging customers to pick up the package and feel the detail. On varietals in the low price range, bright or contrasting colors are often used to stand out against the competition. Higher end wines are depicted in more sophisticated and muted colors like the wines they represent. Embosses attract attention with a lighter touch, more like a feather, describing the subtle nuances of special vintages. Old Ghost Zinfandel is one of the best examples of embossing that I can think of.

Language 3 – Shapes

Shape is used in many ways to describe products or draw the eye in. At Sugarman Design, we call this technique “creating a bullseye”. Everything from the shape of your logo, logotype, label and package design offers a unique communication experience for your customer. Shapes speak to all of us on a very basic level. Studies reveal that children as young as 18 months recognize product logos…long before they can read.
Liquor distillers have been utilizing interesting shapes to differentiate their brands for centuries. High powered executives recognize and relate to their favorite brands through these time tested bottle shapes and the textures associated with them.

Language 4 – Engagement Components

When you encourage people to look more closely at your brand by interacting, you are one step closer to an unforgettable brand story. Captivating design is one form of engagement, but these days there is so much more. And because wine is so personal, it’s ideally suited to social media.
Engagement components like URLs, QR codes, social media profiles and hashtags, consumer reviews, pairing menus and more to invite the buyer to participate with your brand, which significantly increases sales.
The highest performing businesses use consumer insights in 80% of sales and merchandising (GOOD Magazine, March 2010). “People want to trust their own judgment when it comes to buying wine, but realize they could get burned… particularly on higher-priced (>$20) purchases. Therefore, they look for knowledgeable advice before dropping their coin on the bottle. The advice comes increasingly from those that they consider friends (a group which can include people with whom they have only had an on-line relationship), but could be trumped by the advice of staff at the point of sale.” (Steve Bachmann, Vinfolio CEO)
In fact, 60% of retailers use customer reviews to increase product sales (Shop.org, July 2009). The more engagement opportunities you can provide, the better chance you have of relating to your customer on a viral level.

Language 5 – Visual Impact for Shelf Differentiation

Visual impact is the orientation of all of the design languages to create a package that dominates the retail shelf or web space and speaks directly to your targeted audience. Consumers define themselves by the products they buy. Speaking to them in all five languages creates a powerful visual brand message that makes sure your customers understand you as well as you understand them.

Effective brand stories have a high OOOH!-Factor because they skillfully use all 5 languages of design. In our design process, we have a list of objectives we use internally to be sure our work is hitting the mark for our clients. For the first time, we’ve made it available online for anyone to test their brand. Take the quiz and see how your brand scores.

Does your Visual Brand Identity speak in the Five Languages of Design?
Take our free quiz to find out how you can improve your design
Return-On-Investment.

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

BY: Paula Sugarman

(Originally edited and published in Practical Winery & Vineyard Journal, Summer 2012)

Buying wine can be an intimidating experience. Some wineries promote a lofty air, which sells to those who know a lot about wine. But not Swanson Vineyards (Napa, CA), whose wines range in price from $21 per bottle to $140. No matter the price point, they are about having fun and celebrating life. Here is how they do it:

All Swanson bottle designs are predominantly white, and are directly printed on the bottle or on a clear label. They cast away the concept of etched chateaus on heritage paper for a simple, clean, and whimsical style that translates to all of their wines. The results are a brand personality which is fresh, fun, and unintimidating. It seems to be purposefully unsophisticated, yet most of the wines are high-end.

The current logo for the Swanson core wines is an iconic line drawing of a lady who looks like a flapper from the 1920s. She’s a gadfly, on the go, having a good time. The original Swanson Vineyards logo was designed by John Blackburn in 1986. He played with many ideas including two swans swimming (swan and son), two s’s with a water ripple, and a hand drawn picture of a swan’s egg (a Swan’s son; John thought it would be eye catching on a wine shelf).  While attending an opera, Mr. Blackburn noticed a poster of Jean Cocteau’s Le Testament d’Orphee. He was inspired to incorporate the concept of Mr. Cocteau’s profile with a swan and the Swanson logo was born. Twenty years later, Alexis Swanson Traina collaborated with Mr. Blackburn on a brand refresh. They reworked the logo by softening the profile/swan and updated the logotype for a more contemporary look. The original label was printed on paper.  With the 2005 vintage, they changed to screen-printing for a sleeker look. It cost a little more to print directly on the bottle, but the results were a cleaner and simpler design that better fit their brand.

Jean Cocteau’s Le Testament d’Orphee Poster provided the original inspiration for the 1986 logo which eventually became the logo you see today.

At the other end of the Swanson spectrum is Angelica, a very special wine that is sold only in the tasting room. Only 30 cases per year are made, price tag: $140 per bottle. The word Angelica is handwritten in a casual, even playful style that fits with the Swanson brand personality. The clear, thick glass and exquisitely simple bottle shape, topped off with a sexy wax seal, communicate the richness of the product. In design, less is more, but every element needs to be perfect. Angelica, a fortified dessert wine created from Mission grapes grown in the Sierra Foothills, is a great example. 

In 2010, Swanson Vineyards launched the Modern House Wines at $25 per bottle. I love the concept of a red wine for every occasion. Designed so simply that you need only read the name on the bottle and you know what to do. If you’re in a quandary for a gift, there are bound to be solutions here that will make you look smart, classy, clever, and always appropriate. This is a great marketing concept that rounded out the Swanson portfolio and is mostly purchased by women. By contrast, the Swanson branded wines (Merlot, Cabernet, Sangiovese, etc) are purchased by men.

Many may know the Swanson name for the frozen, prepared food company, W. Clarke Swanson’s grandfather created in the early 1950’s, then later sold to the Campbell’s Soup Company in 1955.  It was in 1985, that W. Clarke Swanson, returned to his family’s agricultural roots, by purchasing a small vineyard in the Oakville appellation, and became pioneers in the wine industry by producing Merlot as a “stand alone” variety. Prior to that, Merlot was mostly used in blends to soften more tannic varieties. Their portfolio has grown to include a broad variety of wines.

In a quirky way, the mission of both companies is connected. With TV dinners, Swanson Foods introduced an easier way of life for families. TV dinners were a special treat at my house. Swanson took the convenience of frozen food and connected it to the television, the newest, hottest enhanced lifestyle activity. That’s marketing at its best. Similarly, the Swanson Vineyards mission is “to celebrate the simple pleasures in life, made better with wine.”

The Swanson Vineyards website carries on the theme of easy-going panache that characterizes the Swanson branding. It’s filled with helpful tips. A blog by Alexis Swanson Traina called Napa Valley for the Curious and Eccentric shares the lifestyle of the San Francisco Bay Area and Napa Valley including hidden gems on the drive to Napa. There are even a variety of travel itineraries suited to any traveling style from Bon Vivant to Bohemian: http://www.alexisnapa.com/

And since this is a blog about design and wine, I must mention the wonderful illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme, who also does commissions for such clients as Bon Marché in Paris, Barneys in New York, and other well-known curators of lifestyle.

The Swansons have successfully created a brand that is welcoming. It makes us all feel smarter, cooler, and connected to the good life in some way. Creative Director Alexis Traina sums it up most aptly:  “We take our wines very seriously and passionately believe in glorifying everyday rituals, every way we can.”

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

By Paula Sugarman

Some labels are good, some bad, and some are like tacky neon thongs that even the most respectable stripper in Vegas wouldn’t be caught dead wearing. In my last entry, I wrote about a few of those labels, but I’m not sure I gave them a fair evaluation. Today we’re highlighting two more screen-printed designs and the costs associated with large and small print runs in that medium.

A great example of high volume screen-printed wine branding is the very clever Dearly Beloved produced by HDD Wines. It launched last fall (2011) in Trader Joe’s in time for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Teresa Mengali at HDD Wines told me their winemaker came up with the idea while admiring a Dia de los Muertos statue in her home. Inspired by the holiday’s Mexican folk art imagery, British design agency Stranger and Stranger created an elegant and hip version of skulls and flowers that drew lots of attention on the shelf. The proprietary wine name, Forever Red, plays on the words Forever Dead. The copy digs further into the macabre, ending with the words “back to the earth”.

Mengali said, “We played with various substrates, but at the end of the day it was all too clear that the only way to do justice to the artwork would be to screen-print.” Printing directly on the bottle allowed them to make the image larger than they ever could with a paper label.

At that point, they called Mike Bergin, director of sales at Bergin Glass Impressions. They wanted the vintage to retail exclusively at Trader Joe’s for $6.99, with an initial launch of 20,000 cases. In this case, screen printing turned out to be über economical. Bergin said they were able to offer a very aggressive price due to the high volume and time of the year it was ordered. According to Mengali, the outcome was “AWESOME!” Sales were massively successful and the wine sold out in about two weeks. Kudos go to Stranger and Stranger for their arresting work. Mengali said she couldn’t have done it without them.

It costs a bit more to screen-print smaller runs. Eight Arms Cellars is a gorgeous specimen of maximizing the impact of screen-printing. Iian Boltin started the winery in 2006. He quickly learned that running a small winery required eight hands, and thus, he named it Eight Arms Cellars. His first vintage was in 2008 with a run of 150 cases. The cost for screen-printed bottles was about double what printed labels would have been, but he felt it was worth the investment to make a statement and develop distinction for his brand. At their current quantities, screen-printing costs only a few cents more than paper labels and creates a powerful draw on the retail shelf. I asked Iian if the additional cost of screen-printing has been worth it and he responded with an emphatic “Yes!” He’s certain the decision has been pivotal in increasing the value of his brand.

Iian confided that wine sales are stronger for them in California. Other states may find their branding style a little too “out there”. White tablecloth restaurants have also been slower to adopt, usually looking for wine labels of a more traditional nature. This probably has more to do with the subject of the art than with the medium of screen-printing. I have only seen Eight Arms Cellar’s Tentacle and Argonaut in photos, as they aren’t yet available in my area. I can’t wait to see the real thing; I have a feeling they’ll end up in my shopping cart.

Both vintages from Eight Arms Cellars are stunning examples of highest and best use in screen-printed design. They win the “Wish We Designed That” award and are great ambassadors for screen-printed wine label art. The octopus imagery in Tentacle Syrah and Argonaut Sauvignon Blanc exemplifies the benefit of using the full bottle as a canvas. Simple, yet detailed, the illustrations are captivating and both work well in only one color.

When I began these articles about screen-printed wine art, my opinion was that the additional cost was an expense to be reserved for large volume wineries or high dollar wines. But I’ve changed my mind. The value in brand recognition for a boutique winery can far exceed the few more pennies per bottle spent on screen-printing. In either case, however, it’s the power of the design that creates shelf presence and memorability.

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

As package designers, my team and I love the way silkscreened wine bottles look. We love the freedom from the confinement of a label and the ability to take advantage of the beauty of the glass itself. But there are pros and cons to silk screening on wine bottles.

Advantages: Screen printed labels can trump paper labels in three ways; the ability to use the entire bottle as a canvas, the textural qualities of silk screening, and saturated colors that can only be achieved with silkscreened inks. Less than 1% of wine bottles are screen printed today. With a clever design, silk screening can create distinctive, memorable branding that really stands out in the retail setting. Screened bottles are more durable than labels removing the hassle of scuffing and shelf wear.

Disadvantages: Silkscreened bottles cost more than paper labels and wineries have to pay twice to ship the glass, once to the screen house, then again to the winery.

But when the design is right, the return on investment makes it worth it. So, what makes a great silkscreened label?

Silkscreened wine bottles are kind of like thong underwear. On the right person, there’s something really cool and svelte about having no panty lines. But in the wrong conditions, thong wearing can backfire. Imagine slipping a short, miniskirt over a sumo wrestler… the fact that there are no panty lines does little to lessen the scariness of this image. It’s the same with silkscreened wine bottles. There are some beauties out there that create distinction for their brand. Other times the additional cost of silk screening is squandered due to unremarkable design. And some designs are effective simply because they are compelling design, not because of the medium in which they are printed.

The bottles shown on the left and below make my point:

Klinker Brick creates distinction with its brick pattern and full bottle coverage. The typographic elements are deftly handled with sophistication. The folks at BevMo say people come back and ask for Klinker Brick a second time, more because it is memorable, not because it is silkscreened.

Driven tells a dramatic story with its tire tread pattern contrasting in matte/gloss ink for texture. Sorry about the photo, I drank all the wine and threw the bottle away before we decided to do an article on silk screening. So much for the theory that silkscreened wine bottles get saved more often.

Terra d’Oro. I still prefer the original version of this label but the winery illustration they added was impressive to me because of its simplified and modern styling rather than the business-as-usual etching of a vineyard and chateau. Both are shown here. What I like most is the contrast of matte texture on the title block with the buildup of gloss on the vines.

Kenwood’s Jack London Vineyard Series. This art still mystifies me. Something about it must be working because the wine sells successfully between $25-$30 per bottle. But the design is unremarkable and the additional expense of screen printing adds nothing to it.

Valley of the Moon. This label gets divided opinions in the studio. I am non-plussed by the design, but two of my designers like it. I don’t see that silk screening has increased its elegance in any way.

There’s a lot of discussion about the merits of silkscreened bottles. Bottom line the question is still whether it does a better job to inspire consumers to buy wine. A killer label design will draw lots of attention to be sure, but I remain skeptical. In my next article, we’ll read about some silkscreen success stories.

Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

Touring through Tuscany last month was an amazing experience. My husband and I are both incorrigible travel bugs. If there’s a hilltop citadel in the distance, we are driven to see it, no matter how late it is or how far we’ve already traveled that day. We just can’t help ourselves. Whenever possible I grab a moment to scout wine labels. I’m always on the hunt for fun or unusual art. And, of course, we have to slake our thirst from time to time too. Here are some wine label designs that sparked my interest.
(story continues below photos)

To see more of my paintings from Italy, go to these links:
Italy 1 and Italy 2

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

* Thank you to Paul Wagner and AllExperts.com for their information on Italian wine bottles.
AllExperts.com

The best part of traveling is when I get a glimpse of how people really live in other countries. Enough of the visits to sacred churches and venerable museums, I want to know how people earn a living, how the garbage service works and how their wine labels differ from ours. On our recent trip to Tuscany I learned that in Italy there’s another option for wine shopping, and it doesn’t involve a label at all. Now, that’s not good news for a wine label designer, but it is an interesting idea.

While in Arezzo, we accompanied our new friend Michael to a neighborhood wine shop called Bacco In Toscana*, a place where the locals go. It’s been in the same family for at least a couple of generations. It is pleasantly crammed with nicely displayed wine bottles and boxes. And there’s a dusty photo of a younger, buffer version of Fiorenzo, the owner, in the same shop with his father thirty years ago. While Michael and Fiorenzo were steeped in an intense discussion about different vintages, I poked around, admiring wine labels. Such an ample opportunity made me lightheaded. But the most interesting part was the room to the side with seven or eight stainless steel tanks. They were small in comparison to the large tanks I see in California wineries, and each sported an industrial sized nozzle much like one you would find on a gas pump.

It turns out that in addition to selling oodles of higher priced Super Tuscans, all sporting beautiful package design, Bacco In Toscana* is also kind of like a service station for wine. A constant stream of locals came in and handed their empty jugs to Teresa, Fiorenzo’s partner, to tank up. For those who came without jugs, Julia produced a mylar bag, which she adeptly filled, burped and prodded into a cardboard container. Voila! Wine in a box. Many Italians drink these wines as a reasonably priced option for their every day beverage. The wine we saw sells for about $2.59 per liter in your own jug. (Slightly more to get it in the box.) That’s about the same as a bottle of Two Buck Chuck, only more profit for the winery since there is no expense for labels and glass.

Of course I saw many beautiful labels and tasted some primo Italian wines that were to die for. But the “bring your own bottle” approach was something new to me. Such a tidy little solution for both the winemaker and the consumer, I’m lovin’ it.

I asked my buddy Pooch Pucilowski, Chief Judge for the California State Fair Wine Competition and nationally known wine consultant, “Why aren’t wines sold like this in the U.S.?” He told me there are a few wineries and wine shops that do, but in general, the industry doesn’t want to sell wine on tap since that’s too much like beer is sold. That’s good news for wine label designers.

Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

* Bacco In Toscana – Bacco In Toscana’s website is down right now, but if you are ever in the Italian hill country, you should stop in Arezzo for a visit to their wine shop. www.baccointoscana.it        http://www.facebook.com/Baccointoscana
twitter.com/baccointoscana

** Poggio del Drago - And here’s a link to a really great bed and breakfast which is central to many Tuscan hill towns and wineries. We highly recommend it. www.poggiodeldrago.it

Just for fun, our design team took a field trip to Bevmo for a little visual spree. The assignment was to come back in 20 minutes with the wine label that caught our attention the most then tell us why in the blog. Like three kids in a candy shop, we ran from one aisle to another looking for the most of the most. Interestingly enough, one winery won kudos two out of three times. Here’s our take:

Sofia Riesling by Francis Ford Coppola Winery
This bottle was my favorite. It’s not so much the label, but the shape of this beautiful vessel that captivates my interest. No other Riesling on the shelf shows off the golden liquid in such a beautiful way. I had this bottle on my desk for about a week and people kept coming in and saying, “ooh”. There’s just something simple and beautiful about this shape that just draws out a visceral reaction.

Jodi Goes for FFC Too
A trip to the local wine shop is always good for inspiration. I like to see which wine labels jump out and which sit back quietly on the shelf, keeping their treasures hidden. Today’s most intriguing wine label would have to be Francis Ford Coppola’s Votre Santé. I’m always a sucker for a clever die cut. This one is beautifully crafted to perfectly wrap around the bottle. The intricacy makes it distinctive and memorable. The dainty whispering grape leaves suggests a light bodied wine. The French words Votre Santé mean “to your health”, a nice toast to French traditions.

Jen Says “Meet Paco & Lola”
A label for an Albariño from the heart of Spain’s Rías Baixas region, this is a party on the bottle. Polka dots at a party are generally more of a clown/balloon animal kind of party, but here it’s good, clean, modern fun. The blue applied to the capsule (very custom) really completes this package. It jumped out at me from the shelf, and I’m always attracted to a label you can see from across the room.

If you brought this in the box as a gift to a friend, they would wonder whether it was wine, hard liquor, or even perfume. Is this a communication fail or an iconoclastic packaging win? Either way, guaranteed you would have a conversation about it. How many designs can you say that about?

So there you have it, three designers, three different labels. Which one do you like the best?

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

Over the past few months I’ve run across a couple of marketing success stories with some clients in the wine industry. These are great examples of using wine label package design to give a boost to brand awareness.

A Bountiful Box
Here’s a wine shipper carton from Cline Cellars which was designed by their in-house marketing department. I just love the cheerful flowers and bright colors. It’s sure to attract attention when used for display on the retail floor. Consumers are responding well to it.

Brand Refresh
Increases Sales
Several years ago Sugarman Design created new branding for CSU Fresno’s award winning winery, which is part of the Department of Enology and Viticulture. It included wine label design for three price tiers and labels for other foods produced by the University’s Department of Agriculture.

Recently Sugarman Design was assigned to refresh the University’s Tailgate brand giving it a more collegiate look. The Bulldog Foundation required the school mascot’s entire body be used rather than just the head. At the same time the label size was increased. Greater product differentiation for varietals was achieved with color-designated banners. These changes, some playful, some practical, resonated with students, alumni and employees. We heard there was a sales increase of 39% that made tails wag.

Since then, new shipper cartons have been introduced which are helping to increase shelf presence even more. Shown below are the labels before and after the brand refresh.

More Fun Stuff
I can’t resist sharing a couple of other concepts for CSU Fresno, which didn’t make it to press.  As with many design assignments, a lot of fun work gets left on the table. I love the idea on the left, which has the bulldog carrying the bottle between his teeth.

Keeping Pace with Wine Label Design
This is a fast moving world we live in; wine label design is no exception. In order to keep up, wine marketers are freshening their labels every three to four years. New design enlivens brands, gives wineries something to talk about, and invigorates sales.

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com

A wine industry journalist recently asked me for some wine label horror stories. I’m knocking on wood as I say this, but we don’t really have many printing nightmares. Maybe it’s because we have a thorough and systematic checklist for the process of wine label design and production. This assures that our vision and the client’s expectations of the beautiful or sassy wine label will come to life on the bottle as planned.

1. Drive with a Design Brief
We’ve written other articles on this subject, but it’s important enough to bring up again. The process of creating and generating a wine label is a journey and the design brief is the road map to success. It establishes a clear direction at project initiation and keeps us working in a straight line, avoiding costly and complicated detours. The design brief includes: project parameters, scope of work, early design directions the client has in mind, information about the company, the wine, sales & distribution details, long term goals and printing budgets.

Writing a design brief is fairly straightforward, for more information see Design Brief Questions at:  www.sugarmandesigngroup.com/our-studio/press.html

2. Plan the Printing and Invite a Navigator
Now that design direction and budget are established, we amass our project team, sharing our preliminary work and vision with a single printer, our trusted advisor. Printers make great partners – they help determine whether a design is appropriate for digital printing or rotary offset. They have good ideas for getting the desired effect and identify problem areas before the art gets too far down the path. They love to be included on the ground floor of the project. They are also generous with their label samples, which to a designer is like Christmas morning is to most other people.

An array of wine labels with unusual die cuts and value added treatments. One of the above has received numerous awards for printing and embossing excellence.

3. Include Bottling Specifications Early
To eliminate issues with labeling application at bottling time, we connect with the bottling line manager early in the process for guidelines and specifications. Label size relates to design. Roll diameter and rewind position are critical information for the printer.

4. Develop Clear Print Specifications
Clearly written specifications are a communication roadmap which accompany the art file to the printer. This written document identifies information such as label quantities and instructions for overs and unders, paper stock, delivery dates and locations. We match the printer’s specs and bottling line requirements with the design brief. Now we have a clear path for realizing our label.

During this process, many alternate printing options come up – sometimes a dizzying number – varnish and foils and embossing. It’s important to keep your eye on the path, staying close to your vision and budget. That’s why initial planning with only a single printer is helpful.

5. Avoid Drive-by Bidding
Now that your specs are solid and consistent, they’re ready to send out to bid. At this point, we choose three printers, each quoting on exactly the same specs for an apples to apples comparison. If changes to the specs are recommended, we wait until the project has been awarded, then have that chosen printer re-quote the project with changes included. This will save the time of talking with three printers about the same changes…again and again.

For the bidding process, choose printers who have a proven track record with your type of project or come highly recommended. The choice should not always be based on price, rather on printing presses, ability to achieve a desired effect and experience within the scope of the project at hand.

6. Send the File for Preflight
Once the art is well on its way and a printer is chosen, we send preliminary production art over for a preflight check. This is a chance for their art department to review the files and ensure there will be no difficulties in the printing or value added effects (foil, emboss, die cut etc.) This step can often be done while waiting for the TTB approval process, thus keeping the schedule on track.

7. Splurge on the Good Proofs
One great advantage of printing digitally is seeing a press proof which is literally run on the same stock and equipment the actual labels will print on.

With rotary offset, it’s often difficult and expensive to accurately proof how the printed label will turn out. High resolution proofs can run $150 to $200, But it’s a wise investment to see how close your vision will be to reality and avoid costly changes while the job is on press.

Work with the printer in the early stages of the job to learn proofing options and factor them into the print cost. This includes dot-matched proofs, ink draw downs and test runs for embossing or foils. In addition, attend press checks whenever possible.

8. A Couple of Additional Tips:
• Require that printers do scuff tests to keep the package from looking shopworn before it gets to the shelf. Every good wine label printer will include a protective varnish to avoid scuffing.
• Specify “wet strength” stock for white & sparkling wines so the label will still look good after standing in water for a long time.

The process of printing a label is a little like taking a road trip. If you map out your destination and plan out how to get there in a straight line, you can avoid unnecessary and costly detours. With a clear vision, a good solid team, and clear communication throughout the project, your wine label can be a dream realized.

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Paula Sugarman is owner and creative director of Sugarman Design Group, a California graphic design studio specializing in brand identity, wine label design and food package design.

- www.sugarmandesigngroup.com