Opinion BY Armin

B is for Blue, Beer and Bavaria

Brewing beer since 1719 — a good hundred years before its main competitor, Heineken — Bavaria is the second largest producer of beer in The Netherlands. I’m not a beer connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination but I drink enough of it and any kind of it, that I’m somewhat familiar with plenty of large brands but, for whatever reason, I had never heard of Bavaria. Or maybe I had and I may have even drank it, but the reality is that its existing look is so beer-generic and non-distinctive that I wouldn’t be able to pick it from a beer line-up if a party depended on it. Last month, Bavaria introduced a bold, cohesive new look for its range of beers that spans everything from the glass you drink it in to the crates you use to haul it home.

A sampling of the old Bavaria look.

Sexy product shots of the new look.

One of the main distinctions of the new look is its adoption of blue as the brand color, a decision probably aimed straight at gaining some territory against Heineken’s green and, as it attempts to grow in the 129 countries it is available in, it can sure use any kind of distinction. The other new element that plays a big role is a compass in a rounded-edge triangle — which is, apparently, a nod to the three Swinkels brothers that founded the brewery — that also points South. There must be something lost in translation, because the meaning of it is supposed to reflect the direction the business is going in. (Dutch readers, please correct me if I’m wrong). The typography is the same as the old one except that it has been carefully redrawn to be bolder and more consistent and it seems as if a whole custom typeface has been created around it.

New packaging in the real world. (Photos get less sexy the more real they are). Also, note the beer glass in the bottom picture, which features a triangle base to match the compass icon.

The new look is vastly more cohesive, striking and even the industrial improvements, evidenced by the badass crate, position Bavaria to be a much stronger contender in the World of Beer — which, let’s face it, is one of the best worlds.

Stills from video about the launch of the new look, where Bavaria employees went door to door giving away crates of their beer in exchange for whatever other people had in their house.

Thanks to Joost Galjart and Sieb for the tip.

DATE: Nov.19.2009CATEGORY: Consumer products 67 COMMENTS

beerlover’s comment is:

Nice work! I wonder wich agency had done the rebrand?

On Nov.19.2009 at 09:51 AM

Brandon Oxendine’s comment is:

The mark sort of reminds me of The Sims' hovering indicator.

It's alright. It works.

On Nov.19.2009 at 09:54 AM

Tom’s comment is:

"There must be something lost in translation, because the meaning of it is supposed to reflect the direction the business is going in. (Dutch readers, please correct me if I’m wrong)."

The Bavaria brewery is located in the southern Netherlands, in a town called Lieshout.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:04 AM

MarkVsMason’s comment is:

It's great to see one cohesive brand now.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:04 AM

Keenan’s comment is:

Huge improvement!

My one beef is the logotype. The shapes of both shields as well as the compass are so simple and strong, but the logotype doesn't seem to jive. It feels dated, while the rest of the logo feels nice and contemporary.

I'm not sure how much equity there was in the old logotype, but it could at least use an update, some good refinements to contemporize it. (is contemporize a word...?)

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:05 AM

Acree’s comment is:

"for whatever reason, I had never heard of Bavaria"

I drank a lot of Bavaria when I lived in Ireland, not because it was particularly good but because, for whatever reason, it was the cheapest available. Despite any amount of rebranding I'm not sure I could touch the stuff today.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:13 AM

SDX’s comment is:

Great work, one of the best upgrades for a while

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:13 AM

Anthony’s comment is:

Unfortunately, the design is better than the actual beer (as is so often the case). I like the new look and how they've tried to make the brand cohesive but, in all honesty, will the design have much staying power? Heineken is a Dutch icon...Bavaria is in southern Germany and no amount of blue or branding will change that fact.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:14 AM

Cam Hoff’s comment is:

I would love to have a project like this. Nice work!

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:14 AM

Robb Irrgang’s comment is:

It's not often that I see a great rebrand of something I've known for decades…Bavaria was a staple during my college days and I wish I could find it (especially with this new design) on this side of the pond.

Very well executed.

Anthony, Bavaria has been a Dutch brewery since the early 1700s and the brand has, in it's own country, a fair amount of staying power. Perhaps this will make them push things abroad to keep Amstel/Heineken on their toes. I mean, it's decent, and it ain't Oranjeboom. Good enough for me.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:20 AM

Alex P.’s comment is:

Love the new Bravaria. I think the use of blue alone will help this import stand-out.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:21 AM

Alex P.’s comment is:

I mean "Bavaria". haha.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:22 AM

Robin Johansen’s comment is:

The Logo was good, but the packaging was extremely good! I have never tasted this beer, but would love to (at least before I read a couple of the comments here)

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:23 AM

Brendan’s comment is:

I like the cohesive branding. When I think of blue, I don't think of a lot of beers...Labatt, really.

The only thing I don't like is the gradient in the logo. Is it necessary?

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:27 AM

Boudewijn Vermolen’s comment is:

Too bad the beer will taste same.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:46 AM

realbeerlover’s comment is:

Sorry Brendan, but you're missing a lot of obvious blue beers...Bud Light, Miller Light, Michelob, Corona (their cans). This beer blends in with a lot of international macro swill. But maybe that's the point. It's definitely an improvement in terms of design, but there is absolutely no differentiation within the rest of the market.

I think one place where the packaging falls short is the differentiation between their styles of beers. Yes, they look similar...but the difference between a Pilsner (bottle on left) and an Oud Bruin (on right) is MUCH greater than simply a color switch. This could have been much exciting. But hey...it looks like what it is, corporate beer.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:52 AM

rofsf’s comment is:

While I think the logo is well executed, overall I think the brand just looks like an unremarkable, mass-produced beer. I've never tasted it, but with this packaging, I'm unlikely to have any interest. That may just reflect my own preference for smaller micro-brews and smaller brewery brands. Maybe that was what they wanted, though.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:55 AM

kalleboo’s comment is:

I agree with rofsf - still seems extremely bland to me. I'd mix it up with any of the lesser known beers. It has nothing that stands out aside from the color blue, which is common among a bunch of other drinks.

On Nov.19.2009 at 10:58 AM

Nate B’s comment is:

I like it overall. The colors and gradients push it to compete with the bigger brands, depending on who you are that may not necessarily a good thing. Smaller beer brands have their own unique look and loyal followers. Moving away towards something a bit more mainstream may lose some people. It does however feel a bit more polished and have that "sexy" look that other big brands have established.

Anyone else think of bottled water when seeing the 6 pack?

On Nov.19.2009 at 11:10 AM

MSGDS’s comment is:

I like the new look, very well done. Now, you'll be able to notice the brand much better on the shelf. The use of blue makes it fresh and distinctive.

On Nov.19.2009 at 11:13 AM

Lucas McCallister’s comment is:

The new logo looks so bland and generic too me.

On Nov.19.2009 at 11:17 AM

grubedoo’s comment is:

The new brand now feels like every other macro-brewery out there. Shiny, gradated, over produced and devoid of authentic personality.

On Nov.19.2009 at 11:30 AM

Joey V’s comment is:

I think the new look is much better and much more cohesive. It's still very beery, though. They pushed the brands envelope, but it's really nothing new in the whole beer arena. Of course, if they were just trying to do something new for the brand, then they did a great job.

On Nov.19.2009 at 11:32 AM

Brendan’s comment is:

@realbeerlover - Guess I'm not the real beer lover here :) I had thought about Bud Light but not the other brands.

On Nov.19.2009 at 12:20 PM

CJ’s comment is:

I don't know if it's related but my sister and I got really confused in a Pris airport because the UP arrows meant down while the DOWN arrows meant forward... I don't know if that relationship is meant in the logo... bit of a stretch.

On Nov.19.2009 at 12:51 PM

Cal Walters’s comment is:

Certainly moved to own blue - great move to them, but wonder what was the memorable pieces from the heritage they may have lost. But maybe the orange and green touches and beer furniture has been lost. It certainly has a clean slate to build from.

On Nov.19.2009 at 01:01 PM

Jason’s comment is:

As a regular beer drinker, this does not turn my crank. It still looks generic. Just a slick sort of generic.

On Nov.19.2009 at 01:32 PM

Huntley Brinkley’s comment is:

The break in the "a" is distracting and the font, as others have mentioned, feels a bit old. Something with some sharper edges would have made it feel more contemporary. On first impression the blue stands out, but eventually the shock value will wear off.

On Nov.19.2009 at 01:39 PM

Nicholas’s comment is:

I like the shield/compass, everything else reminds me of mayonaise packaging

On Nov.19.2009 at 01:40 PM

Peter’s comment is:

Being a dutchmen, I grew up with my green/orange Bavaria cans. So, this switch is dramatic and might lose for me some good old nostalgic feelings. But I understand the switch and the package will grow on me. At the end it is all about the beer and Bavaria is excellent.

On Nov.19.2009 at 01:51 PM

steve’s comment is:

blimey, that a lot of blue.

overall, it feels really round/too blobby - the rounded letterforms
and the holding shape working in tandem. i'm left wanting
some sharpness to contrast.

On Nov.19.2009 at 02:29 PM

Waco Personal Injury Lawyer’s comment is:

As long as the logo didn't raise their prices I'm not sure it's going to do much to sells. It's a great step forward though.

On Nov.19.2009 at 02:44 PM

Frank’s comment is:

Drinking one right now, like the rebranding! And the beer itself.

On Nov.19.2009 at 03:04 PM

Rodrok’s comment is:

great redesign, very solid and cohesive.

Nice example of KISS.

The first logo design was full of too much information, this is a more simplified example

Less is more.

On Nov.19.2009 at 03:08 PM

Ivan Tolmachev’s comment is:

The redesign is solid, high five!

On Nov.19.2009 at 03:16 PM

Gage Mitchell’s comment is:

Thanks Armin,

Well, I am a beer connoisseur in training... meaning I really love craft beer and try to learn everything I can about it, and I too had never heard of Bavaria – at least not that I remember. I don't even remember drinking it while I was in The Netherlands. That may be because the old packaging looks so generic, as you said.

My main concern with the new brand is that, although consistent, it's very reminiscent of cheap beer, like Miller or Bud. I'm not sure if that fits them or not? I would expect this packaging to be associated with the Super Bowl and to have ads with half-naked girls. It looks big, and corporate, and cheap, and tasteless at the same time. Like I said, that may be appropriate, who knows.

Cheers!

Regards,
Gage Mitchell, AIGA

:: Branding & Design
:: GageMitchell.com

On Nov.19.2009 at 03:19 PM

Bobby’s comment is:

Pleasant update, just didn't move the needle much. Curious to see the creative brief that led to this.

On Nov.19.2009 at 05:17 PM

Dirk’s comment is:

Nicely done.

On Nov.19.2009 at 08:01 PM

Chris’s comment is:

My honest feeling regarding this that most beer branding seems inherently douchebaggy. Granted, in many cases, that's the target market, but the kind of branding and design that really does a favor to its product is McGarrah-Jessee's work for Shiner. Unbelievably good design (for an unbelievably good beer.)

On Nov.20.2009 at 12:42 AM

fritz’s comment is:

now, thats globalisation! bavaria pilsener form the netherlands. the dutch like the germans more than i thought they could. but at least it makes no sense, cause bavarians never drink pilsener style beer. they are drinking "helles" (pale lager) or wheat beer. by way of comparison it's like sombreros from canada.

On Nov.20.2009 at 02:24 AM

les b’s comment is:

no differentiation nothing unique- say what you like about the old design it was at least quirkily distictive in an old fashioned non-comercial way, now it looks like another supermarket own-label brand. Pity there is enough heritage and history in the company to draw something from their story to build the re-design about.

On Nov.20.2009 at 02:50 AM

Chris’s comment is:

Took a trip to the Netherlands this summer and among all the amazing beers I tried, Bavaria was the worst. It's the closest thing to bland generic American beer I could find.
This rebrand looks like bud light with a bit of class -- which is essentially what Bavaria is. I kind of doubt that's what they were going for though.

On a related note, does anyone know why Heineken doesn't bring 'Brand' over to the states? It's clearly the superior Heineken brew.

On Nov.20.2009 at 03:23 AM

Niek Kouwenberg’s comment is:

Another Dutchman and life-long Bavaria drinker commenting.

To all commenters who call the old packaging bland or generic. I can tell you this is not true when going to any Dutch shop. We only have about five big beer brands in the Netherlands, which all have their own distinct identity. As you all might know, Heineken is mostly green, Amstel is red and Bavaria is blue.

Blue you say? Yes, Bavaria has been the blue brand for ever. (See http://images.google.nl/images?q=bavaria+bier ). All crates, six packs of cans, the merchandise and of course all bar advertisements have been blue for 15 years now. So, very distinctive.

The new blue therefore is not so different or a big change. It's more the lack of green. Green has been the color for beer in the Netherlands. It's the authentic look, which we all love.
By removing all green from their identity, Bavaria lost a bit of their authenticity, a bit of familiarity and cosy feeling.

Now it's still Bavaria, still blue, but probably a bit too clean. It has lost is legacy, and by looking at a new styled bottle, you can't see this beer has been brewed for about 300 years now.

On Nov.20.2009 at 03:33 AM

Manon’s comment is:

"There must be something lost in translation, because the meaning of it is supposed to reflect the direction the business is going in. (Dutch readers, please correct me if I’m wrong)."

Bavaria: "Dit kompas staat symbool voor de zelfstandigheid en de eigen koers van het familiebedrijf."

The compass is the (family company) symbol for independence and is about finding/making/determining your own way.

There is also a commercial where they claim that Bavaria is the only one that doesn't use plain water but mineral water to brew their beers. http://www.bavaria.nl/ (click on 'bekijk commercial)

And a Dutch newspaper made an overview of the Bavaria logo history. Their very first logo was blue with red accent: http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news/125364862/Bavaria+presenteert+nieuw+logo.aspx

A bit too blue for my taste but I'm sure it will stand out.

On Nov.20.2009 at 03:35 AM

Adam Bestwick’s comment is:

"The new brand now feels like every other macro-brewery out there.."

"The new logo looks so bland and generic too me..."

"Shiny, gradated, over produced and devoid of authentic personality..."

Hey, maybe they should have tried a minimal approach with a pure white label and unobtrusive helvetica type set in acres of white space...COME ON!

This is a great update, perfect for it's market. It feels established, big-brand (yes mass-produced but so what) and attempts to go toe-to-toe with it's market peers. It's bold, strong and will have shelf-presence. Maybe the plain blue background could have used the ubiquitous "water droplets" for added dynamic... yeah why not?

Good Job.

On Nov.20.2009 at 04:37 AM

Luke S’s comment is:

Finally, a brand redesign I actually give a s*** about.

On Nov.20.2009 at 08:54 AM

Brian’s comment is:

What Adam said. Nice work.

On Nov.20.2009 at 11:30 AM

Koyo’s comment is:

A sure step foward, well done.

On Nov.20.2009 at 12:07 PM

Martijn’s comment is:

Bavaria is a pretty generic brand over here in the Netherlands and kind of cheap. It sits there just below Heineken (which isn't a premium brand over here as it is in some other parts of the world) and side by side with Amstel. So the look and feel of the redesign and the taste of the beer go hand in hand.

"On a related note, does anyone know why Heineken doesn't bring 'Brand' over to the states? It's clearly the superior Heineken brew."

I can only guess but I think that as long as Heineken is considered as a premium brand they have no need of introducing a superior brand to it. It could only hurt their Heineken brand identity.

But you're right when saying it being a superior brew (maybe i'm a bit biased as a life long 'Brand' and 'Hertog Jan' drinker).
For 'Brand' being the oldest brand in the Netherlands (founded in 1340) I always thought this derived design of their last logo as being a flash of genius.

On Nov.20.2009 at 01:18 PM

aune’s comment is:

how many shields can you put on a package?

On Nov.20.2009 at 01:50 PM

Lawyer Marketing’s comment is:

A complete face lift is a proud moment for a company but at the same time completely stressful I'm sure because they are creating something original and have to make sure their customers realize this.

I think this is a great move. The stream line new look helps the customer recognize the product.

On Nov.20.2009 at 05:59 PM

Thomas Breure’s comment is:

I am a reader from The Netherlands and I very much like the restyle of this brand. It's great to see that big blue truck -which i only see a few times yet- with compass out on the streets, instant recognize if you ask me!

On Nov.21.2009 at 06:15 AM

Mark’s comment is:

I like it.

It is forward thinking, current and straight to the point.

On Nov.21.2009 at 06:11 PM

Chris’s comment is:

@Martijn: Absolutely loved the Brand branding...heh. The 13 and B combination is really cool.

Your explanation makes sense, though.

On Nov.22.2009 at 12:10 AM

jop quirindongo’s comment is:

Great job!

On Nov.23.2009 at 02:39 AM

eyeskill’s comment is:

Somehow the new logo makes me think of butter, not beer.

On Nov.23.2009 at 01:37 PM

David’s comment is:

Nice. Very clean and bold. Nice tweaks on the typography of the name. Very nice blue. I like the contemporary feel with a hint of tradition in it. The shield is a nice touch.

It just feels right. I like it.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:34 PM

Bertje’s comment is:

mmm, less Dutch and less Beery.

On Nov.24.2009 at 07:22 AM

hurrah’s comment is:

Blue packaging design for anything to do with food is just not right. Except for water that is.

On Nov.24.2009 at 09:13 AM

Nicholas Piasecki’s comment is:

I look at the new design and think "pasta." Delicious pasta.

I don't know why.

On Nov.24.2009 at 09:05 PM

Johan’s comment is:

New style fits perfectly with the new 'no nonsense' style direction Bavaria has taken.

In their commercials they were already doing this:
Great example here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u6TwtOD6W4

("Zo" is something you can't really translate, but it's something you would say when you've satisfactionally done your job. In this example it translates roughly into: That's how we do it.)

--

Bavaria: "Dit kompas staat symbool voor de zelfstandigheid en de eigen koers van het familiebedrijf."

The compass resembles independence and the family company's own course.

--

@Thomas: Those trucks look great indeed!

On Nov.25.2009 at 03:34 PM

Brandon S. Adkins’s comment is:

Very cohesive and well done. They really brought the brand together with a unified design. The subtle gradient in the blue is a nice touch. A gradient executed correctly.

On Nov.26.2009 at 12:46 AM

Marin’s comment is:

The older was better! Why? This new looks more like energy drink, or juice. I think that it's not good look for the beer. I mean it for both - logo and packaging.

On Nov.26.2009 at 06:14 AM

appleton car accident lawyer’s comment is:

Gives them identity, along with the fact that the old logo came off as a sports shield to me I think it works.

On Dec.03.2009 at 11:45 AM

alina’s comment is:

disregarding the fact that Bavaria is a german Länder with a blue-white flag..

no need to say that there is definitely huge improvement there, colour and font-face adjustment and positioning are very fortunate choices. but seems to me that the compass and shield don't quite fit in there with the rest; i think the way in which they are designed gives the overall impression of cheap beer.

On Dec.06.2009 at 05:21 AM

Mike Fortress’s comment is:

The new logo didn't really do anything for me, until I saw the complete rebranding. The old packaging is straining on the eyes. With the rebrand the blue is very striking, and the new packaging is clean and quite refreshing in comparison with the old brand. I am not sure the same can be said for the beer.

On Jan.10.2010 at 07:54 PM

Dutch reader’s comment is:

The arrow to the south is actually a compass showing the place in The Netherlands Bavaria originates from. It's a beer from the south of Holland and therefore the three founders (shown as a round triangle) embrace Bavaria and its orgin.

On Jan.20.2010 at 05:24 PM