NEW HOKKAIDO
BEER CAN LABEL
PROJECT TYPE
Branding | Illustration | Package Design
DATE
Fall 2023
New Hokkaido is a Bozeman, MT beer company blending traditional Japanese and craft brewing techniques. Their can designs are inspired by Yokai, creatures from Japanese folklore, and so I researched a Yokai not featured in New Hokkaido’s lineup to design a new label and flavor for their lineup. Take a look at New Hokkaido's brand!
This illustration is based on a type of Kitsune, a mischievous, shape-shifting nine-tailed fox, and messenger of the Shinto deity Inari. I named the new flavor “Kitsune Kiss Plum Stout” as a nod to the Kitsune's habit of disguising themselves as beautiful young women to deceive older men, with plum as the featured flavor, a fruit prominent in Japan and symbolic of good fortune.
The illustration draws inspiration from the visual style of New Hokkaido’s beverage line. It incorporates metallic textures, cartoon-influenced composition, using deep reds, a prominent color in Japanese culture. The label also emphasizes storytelling, introducing consumers to the nine-tailed fox through the design.
