Butcher & Gundersen celebrates craft beer innovation with the creation of the new identity for Marston’s nano-brewery.
DE14 is not just the Burton postcode, it’s the name of a new experimental nano-brewery set in the heart of Burton-upon-Trent, the spiritual home of brewing. Built in the heart of Marston’s Albion Brewery, the 2.5 barrel brew-house is Marston’s innovation hub, where new products are developed to fulfil the brewery’s on-going commitment to creating unique and exciting new products.
The DE14 nano-brewery acts as a brewers’ playground for their more creative ideas. In terms of brewing, the plan is to ensure the town remains an innovation hub for unique beers and alternative brewing techniques. The brewery also helps DE14 to engage with the local home brew community, hosting the Burton Home Brewers Club and encouraging local amateur brewers to develop their skills.
Brewing roughly 600 pints of new beer in any one run, DE14’s beer innovations are then sent to specialist beer festivals & events throughout the country, as well as supplying a small number of the UK’s finest craft bars. DE14 is inspiring craft beer aficionados with the excitement of what’s brewing, as well as clearly demonstrating the innovation and the decades of experience at the brewery.
As much an exercise in inspiring consumers as it is for R&D purposes, the feedback from DE14’s consumers on social platforms such as ‘Untappd’ give confidence in their approach; if well received, a new beer can become a more permanent addition to the DE14 portfolio; DE14 is a working example of innovation by trial and error.
Butcher & Gundersen was tasked with creating an authentic and credible visual identity system to bring the brewery’s proposition and new products to life for consumers across the UK.
Part science, part art, all magic, DE14’s identity leverages a pre-modern perception of innovation and experimentation. Positioning brewers as the “mad scientist” at work, with all the brewing calculations and techniques that beer innovation involves, DE14’s design celebrates the experimental attitude of Marston’s master brewers, with the first national releases End Point, Flight Suit and the soon-to-be… (you’ll have to wait and see!), DE14 brings a fresh new energy and excitement to the three barrels.
“The DE14 brief is one of the most exciting kinds of brief that a designer can receive; create an identity from scratch for a brewery that is all about the new, the unique, the untried and the untested. Of course, it helps to have a fearless client like Marston’s, who gave Butcher & Gundersen the freedom to do exactly the same with the design. No rules, no restrictions, we managed to capture the experimental heart of DE14 in a quirky, tongue-in-cheek visual expression that celebrates the unexpected nature of the products. If it’s been done before, DE14 isn’t interested, and we felt the same about the design. Butcher & Gundersen is thrilled to help DE14’s new products come to life; we have enjoyed every minute of working with Marston’s masters of brewing and look forward to helping DE14 continue to disrupt the craft beer space”
Zeffy Dougekou, Creative Director and agency owner of Butcher & Gundersen
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About Butcher & Gundersen
We are a creative consultancy with an insatiable appetite for conquering complexity through the magic of design. For over 35 years we’ve lived with the same creative philosophy – uncomplicated by design.
Our client roster is built on strong, long relationships forged with an attention to detail and the love of discovering new solutions for any brand issue our clients face.
From packaging to communications, information design to corporate brochures, we service our clients’ strategic and creative needs with passion, purpose and panache.
www.bgundersen.com