Taste Why the Temperance Movement Didn’t Stand a Chance
Concepting | Brand Development | Creative & Strategic DIRECTION | ILLUSTRATION DIRECTION | DIGITAL UX/UI | Design & PRODUCTION
The idea for FEW’s premium small batch distillery came together by linking the connection of the Temperance Movement to Chicago’s 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, which have many comonalities. Using a Victorian aesthetic and iconic imagery from the Exposition, FEW has garnered attention as a stand out brand in the small batch spirits market — both for the quality of the product and for its distinctive design. It has appeared in countless photography sets for other lifestyle brands and even made a strong showing in the first season of Netflix’s Easy.
Fun Fact: FEW Spirits successfully reversed nearly century-old prohibition laws that were still in effect in Evanston, IL (the birthplace of the Temperance Movement). FEW became Evanston’s first distiller of grain spirits within the city limits. This was truly a historic moment for the brand and the city!
Agency: Wilburn Thomas
Art Directors: Kristen Althoff, Andrew Walensa, Guss L Tsatsakis
Illustrator: Donovan Foote
Copywriter: Ross Buchanan
Account Lead: Lawrence Neisler
RECOGNITION
Just some of the recognition received at launch:
2012 American Package Design Award: Label Design
2012 Neenah UnShow Competition: Label Design
2012 San Francisco World Spirits Packaging Design Awards, Silver: Label Design
2012 Package Design Magazine (Cover): Few Spirits
2012 Thedieline.com, “Trending: Hipster Edition:” Few Spirits
2011 W³ Awards, Gold: Website
2011 Davey Award, Gold: Website
2012 Communicator Award: Website
FEW appears in Netflix’s Easy
FEW featured in an Anthropologie catalog
Bill Murray drinks FEW
FEW hiding on Rick Bayless’s home bar cart
Packaging Design:
Hand-written information & signature highlights the small-batch nature of the product
Creative copy sets the tone for the time period of the Columbian Exposition
Digital:
The original website was a visual journey from the Columbia Exhibition in Chicago to the Distillery in Evanston
Promotional:
Letterpressed coasters for the tasting room & bar media
Golden distillery tour tickets
Posters created for different retail locations where FEW was sold
Limited Edition:
We hired a local Chicago craftsperson to create these limited edition boxes from reclaimed materials. This wood came from the floorboards of a turn-of-the-century church that was being torn down.
The inside of the boxes had laser-burned designs of the elements from the bottles assembled into a single image.