Premium spirits company Beam Suntory has introduced an old-fashioned cocktail kit carrying case for its Knob Creek whiskey. The eye-catching pack, produced by Supremia International, incorporates logistically challenging elements to help the brand stand out on crowded spirits shelves.
According to Supremia, the concept for the promotional package is decidedly throwback: woodgrain features pay homage to the white oak barrels in which the whiskey is aged and, in addition to the liquor bottle, the case also holds an old-fashioned cocktail kit consisting of a muddler, bitters, and sugar cubes.
Among the challenges faced by Supremia was fitting the packaging platform to the desired design features. Knob Creek wanted the package insert—which holds all of the package’s contents in place, including the bottle—to have a slatted, dark wood-grain effect to attractively contrast with the light wood-grain pattern on the trim and handle. While this is relatively easy to achieve by printing on paper, a stronger substrate was required to keep the case’s contents adequately secure.
To achieve this requirement, Supremia worked with thermoform packaging supplier CMI Plastics to develop a customized, wood-textured thermoform capable of holding all components safely. To ensure the most authentic appearance possible, prototypes were drawn over actual slats of wood, which were hand carved to accentuate the grain. Notes Supremia, this hands-on approach added to the effect once the packaging piece was thermoformed over it.
As Supremia shares, the result was a carrying case so compelling it won an award at the most recent Thermoforming Conference.
