ABOUT

Once a category trailblazer, New Holland Brewing Co. had lost its way in the ever-changing and fiercely competitive craft beer market. Our New York Studio worked with the brand to revitalise its unique Dutch and Midwestern heritage, bringing its stories to life in a contemporary way to connect with today's discerning beer drinkers.

The creative idea behind our new visual identity is rooted in the concept of 'gezellig’ - an all-encompassing feeling at the heart of Dutch culture that spans comfortable to relaxing, enjoyable to gregarious - something we were reminded of on a trip to Holland, Michigan to explore and get a sense of the place. The brewery has made a big impact on the area and its people, and we found all sorts of inspiration whilst cycling around - from Delft pottery to hand-painted signs, and the many windmills dotted around the landscape.

Embodying the brand's spirit of togetherness, the idea of 'gezellig' perfectly complements the Midwest’s traditional yet progressively pioneering attitude, and this inspired our modern twist on the traditional Dutch-American design aesthetic for the new brand world.

At the heart of our striking new visual identity is a fresh interpretation of the brand’s unique windmill equity - a symbol of Dutch national pride, but also a nod to the windmills near the brewery - re-connecting New Holland Brewing Co. to its roots whilst establishing a new sense of local pride in the brand. A bold new colour palette, custom typeface, and new illustration and photography styles all add to the cohesive new branding.

When it came to the packaging, we noticed that craft beers were usually shelved higher than regular beers in stores, with only their top faces showing. To ensure that New Holland Brewing Co.’s products truly stood out, we created a new design system that incorporates a large primary beautifully rendered on a simple color background to highlight each product and flavor, creating consistency and shelf visibility among the top panels of each variant’s packaging.

Consistent, bold and unmissable on shelf, New Holland Brewing Co. have already seen an average +36% increase in rate of sale for the rebranded beers compared to the same time last year, proving that that it's not just beautifully crafted design, it's effective design, too.