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InspirationGraphic Design

Land of Plenty takes inspiration from an English football pub for its identity for a Portland beer brand

London studio Land of Plenty has created this football-themed identity for a Portland beer brand, inspired by a traditional English pub based next door in Portland, Oregon.

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Eight coloured cans of Away Days beer arranged in two rows, each featuring a black and white vertical stripe design on a pastel yellow, pink, mint or lavender background

The British owners of The Toffee Club were recently offered the chance to take over the brewery space next door. With a passion for the beautiful game, they wanted to carry this theme forward, without alienating any of the "beer-drinking purists".

"The solution lay in the name; Away Days," says the studio. "It's the name of their best-selling collab beer, so we took this as the starting point and built a concept around its double meaning. In the US it relates to days off from work – holidays. Whereas in the UK it's a reference to following your (footy) team on the road. This creates an interesting space for the brand to exist, a balance between travel, adventure, passion and dedication with that subtle nod of the football."

From the outset, the studio wanted to create a "new-wave brewery brand". Land of Plenty says the existing Portland craft beer scene is one of "dark wood, heavily illustrated labels and industrial bar fit-outs". Instead, it opted for a brand rooted in "youthful thinking and street culture".

Land of Plenty helped to build the brand from the ground up, taking a strategic approach, first defining the proposition, the positioning and the key messaging. This led to the qualifier line: 'Beer Worth Travelling For'.

The beer follows in the owners' footsteps, from European roots to Portland mainstays – taking the best ingredients and styles from around Europe and bringing them back to the Pacific Northwest to brew with a sprinkle of Portland know-how.

Land of Plenty built out this thinking to inform the Away Days internal process: Travel, Discover, Create, Enjoy – "bringing a sense of purpose and clarity to what they do and how they do it".

The visual identity hangs on a bold stripe reminiscent of parasols and awnings shading continental bar terraces on warm summer evenings – but also evoking a sense of nostalgia for classic football jerseys. This is complemented by a wordmark and mascot (Away Dave), more in-keeping with a streetwear brand than a brewery. "This was, of course, all part of the plan to appeal to the younger beer-drinking crowd, those with fresh ideas about what a modern brewery should look like and behave like," adds the studio.

Three Away Days beer cans with vertical colour blocking in blue, pink and yellow, each with a black and white central stripe containing the brand name
Away Days Brewing glass filled with amber beer and a thick head of foam
Away Days brewery menu designs in pink, white and blue striped formats, showcasing beers, sandwiches and house specials
Six circular coasters or promotional badges featuring Away Days Brewing branding in pink, yellow and blue, each with different text and illustrations related to football and beer themes
White t-shirt with circular Away Days Brewing logo and text featuring a cartoon character making a peace sign, on light blue background
Away Days beer can beside a filled glass showing the amber-coloured brew with white foam head against a light blue background
Away Days beer can beside a glass of pale golden beer against a yellow background
Away Days beer can next to a glass of deep red beer against a pink background
Away Days beer cans arranged in a display showing various colourful label designs with black and white stripe patterns
Away Days brewery's oval hanging sign mounted on a brick building exterior against a blue sky
Away Days Brewing Co menu board on white wall above shelf with hanging plants, bottles and merchandise, with person in striped shirt reaching up
Mural featuring illustrated travel icons and beer-related imagery on turquoise wall inside Away Days brewery, with potted plant and white stools visible
Two men in a bright brewery taproom holding glasses of amber beer, with chocolate desserts on the counter in front of them
Overhead view of Away Days brewery merchandise and food on striped blue and white trays, including branded cups, drinks, tacos, fruit and side dishes
Away Days beer glass on a wooden bar counter with a person in a pink shirt in the background of the brewery space
Away Days Brewing branded takeaway trays with blue and white gingham paper containing pickles, sandwiches with coloured peppers and crisps
Shelves inside a refrigerator displaying multiple cans of Away Days beer with white labels and varying fill levels
Wooden bar counter with coloured mesh chairs, glasses of beer and juice, and black candlesticks in a modern brewery interior
Large stainless steel brewing tank labelled Away Days Brewing Co inside a brewery with wooden beams, barrels and equipment visible in the background
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