#Moving <set color="#9cff00">from traditional craft to modern icon</set>
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Creating a packaging design for Greene King, Britain’s iconic brewery, that celebrates its 200-year heritage and the eccentric myths and legends of British history, with a modern twist.

Greene King

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#### In brief

Since 1799, Greene King has been crafting fine ales from its original brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, producing Britain’s most love ales for generations. For the past 200 years, it grew to become the country’s leading brewer, with over 3,100 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the country, offering old favourites and modern ales to beer connoisseurs.

But the fine art of beer making has changed in the past decade, with countless start-up breweries launching disruptive and eye-catching brands, seducing beer drinkers with new, refreshing experiences. With so many new beers in the world, Greene King needed to reassert what makes it distinctive, as the brand that has been at the top of the game for a while. Rather than show up like another new kid on the block, the ambition was to embrace its age and heritage. After all, what other brands have been at the heart of British culture for over 200 years? 

#### What we did

We created a design language that celebrates Greene King’s heritage and age, and the eccentric myths and legends of British history, steeped in folklore, through design.  

We created playful illustrations inspired by historic woodcuts of ancient printmaking, with added vibrant colour combinations and bespoke typographical personalities, accentuating the quirks of historic typefaces to give them a modern twist.

Instead of shying away from colour, we leaned directly into it. As a result, each beer is splashed in vibrant combinations that elevate the details of their stories. Some designs rely on recipes from the brewery’s archives; others mix lost ingredients with contemporary styles and the visual language of the ale-making magic. 

The bespoke typography system was designed to express the personalities of each beer variant, to further accentuate the folkloric attitude with a playfully abrasive, modern twist. Creating a sense of classic mischievousness paired with a contemporary aesthetic.

*Flint Eye*, a sharp, crisp lager, takes inspiration from Neolithic arrows found near Greene King breweries, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

*Level Head*, a session IPA, playfully nods to the legend of St. Edmund, who lost his head to the Vikings but miraculously found it again. The design shows his head detached from his body, portraying a perfectly executed beer.

*SubTerranea* is inspired by the story of a fiddler who loudly played his tunes to ensure that he didn't get lost in the tunnels underneath Bury St. Edmunds; the deep and intense oatmeal stout, which invites consumers to get lost in its depths.

And *Western Zeph* celebrates the West country pilgrims who set sail for America, accompanied by the refreshing Zephyr or light wind. This IPA lightly links west country hops with American west coast-style pale ale.

Humorous insight into the legends behind the beers was also delivered to give subtle clues to their strengths and flavour - telling the stories nobody else could, about the beers nobody else could brew.

Both the naming and copywriting delivered not just humorous and intriguing insights into the legends behind the beers but gave subtle clues to their different strengths and flavour profiles. Every detail has been executed, with meaning, the imperfections are embraced, and the mythology is welcomed. These aren’t your typical craft cans. Instead, Greene King is a brewery with an extraordinary sense of imagination and originality. A British institution that’s been at the heart of communities for over 200 years. And those 200 years has given it a lot of stories to tell.  



Since 1799, Greene King has been crafting fine ales from its original brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, producing Britain’s most loved ales for generations. But the fine art of beer making has changed in the past decade, with countless start-up breweries launching disruptive and eye-catching brands, seducing beer drinkers with new, refreshing experiences. With so many new beers in the world, Greene King needed to reassert what makes it distinctive. After all, what other brands have been at the heart of British culture for over 200 years?

Brand film

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Creating a packaging design for Greene King, Britain’s iconic brewery, that celebrates its 200-year heritage and the eccentric myths and legends of British history, with a modern twist.

Design Bridge and Partners | Greene King

Superunion and Design Bridge come together to create Design Bridge and Partners. Redefining what design is and what design can do for brands, businesses, people and the planet. We are a revolutionary design partnership.

Design Bridge and Superunion come together to create Design Bridge and Partners. Redefining what design is and what design can do for brands, businesses, people and the planet. We are a revolutionary design partnership.

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Greene King

Moving from traditional craft to modern icon