The House of Beer

We looked to the roots of their brand and discovered their cornerstone in the art of Japanese craft beer making – it is all about the moments in time and uniquely Japanese approach that originates from the Kura, or house, where the beer is made. The single-minded focus on the house of beer attracts the core consumer target who respects the tradition of the Kura and its role in creating an authentic craft beer.

Playing on the word for beer house – Kura – as it sounds like “cra” in craft, we rebranded the product and “kura-fted” the concept around the authentic elements derived directly from the beer house. We even extended the idea into the brand font, or “typo-kura-phy.” All the “kura-phic” patterns and elements were actually designed with traditional Japanese techniques and ink. Applications included everything one would find at a stylish craft-beer bar – coasters, entrance curtain (noren), signage, and the labels themselves.

The outcome was the successful repositioning of the brand as hip, relevant and owning the art and mystique of a uniquely Japanese product. The “House of Beer” concept has led to the rebirth of cultural awareness in the importance of the Kura and art of Japanese craftsmanship. The motivation of the staff is record-high and media coverage has been favorable.

With over a 100-year history in Japanese sake making, our client needed our help to make their amazing craft beer relevant. The existing packaging didn’t speak to the brand’s unique heritage and the design was similar to that of mainstream, non-craft domestic Japanese brands. The brief was to rebrand to bring out the DNA of the client’s unique homemade beer.

Budget: Pro bono to support Tohoku earthquake business recovery

Project scale & volume: Rebranding of all beer products & applications; domestic sales and exports