While the Maker's Mark bottle has remained virtually unchanged since 1958, the brand's overall identity was visually disconnected from the packaging. Additionally, following traditional whisky category codes of barrels, rich wood, and dark rooms would not achieve the client brief of building a global icon and appealing to the next generation of bourbon drinkers.

Through a unique red and cream color palette, the use of abstract red dips and transitions, as well as a new graphic icon, the brand's unmistakable wax dip is semiotically reinforced throughout the system – to build global familiarity and recognition, all while challenging whisky conventions.
A crafted approach to design stayed true to the core values of the brand, while ensuring consistent focus towards modernity and freshness. Assets were carved using traditional wood etching techniques and two custom fonts were created based on the beautifully imperfect language found on the original 60 y.o. label. The end result is a system that lives and breathes the brand idea of ‘hand-made,’ reflecting the bourbon-making process the distillery has pioneered since its founding.

As our client Rob Samuels – Chief Operating Officer at Maker’s Mark and grandson of the founders – commented, “When my grandparents had the vision to create Maker’s Mark more than 60 years ago, it was my grandmother Margie Samuels who knew capturing our distinctive character on the outside of the bottle was just as important as the purposefully crafted whisky on the inside. She was the visionary behind our iconic label and logo, our bottle design, and of course, our red wax, and I think she would be proud to see how we’re bringing her eye for design forward in every aspect of our brand as we introduce Maker’s Mark to more whisky fans the world over.”