Creating a new craft brewery brand in this environment was
particularly challenging, it had to stand out from the crowded
market place in a credible way and build on the provenance of
its name – inspired by Kirkstall Abbey and the brewing prowess
of the Cistercian monks. In addition, the brand identity needed
to add value at a time when the market has been flooded with
microbreweries competing on price, and the price of a pint of
beer has increased considerably.
The brand design takes its inspiration from the style of manuscripts
that would have been produced by the Cistercian monks who
inhabited the Kirkstall Abbey, near where the brewery is located.
The K monogram is embellished with intertwined hops
(a key ingredient in Kirkstall’s beers).
The designs for pump clips and bottle labels use a shield device
that is inspired by the main entrance window of Kirkstall Abbey.
Despite the brand’s historical references, the overall design is
deliberately crisp and clean – the colour pallet for the brand logo
is black and silver or black and white to retain a contemporary look
and feel. The application is deliberately confident and fresh with
the use of simple typography and supporting imagery, and strong
colours – to add value and create stand out in what are generally
very cluttered and busy pub environments.
The beer market is full of visually complicated brewery brands
and one-off beer designs that lack brand integrity, this results in
confusion for the consumer and a lack of equity, in terms of building
brand reputation. The new branding for Kirkstall has been designed
specifically to address this issue.
The key objectives of the design were to deliver provenance
and build on the brewing heritage of the Kirkstall area, that
was developed over the centuries. The brand is designed to
deliver added value both at point of purchase and on branded
merchandise. Also, budgets are limited and an important factor in
the design was the ability to implement the brand cost effectively
and enable range extensions to be economically applied.
Ultimately, the Kirkstall brand design is about credibility, clarity and
craft – and creating presence on the pub bar and retail shelf. The
brand has integrity across all its applications and is immediately
recognisable, helping to build a following of loyal ale drinkers.
