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InspirationGraphic Design

Pentagram London brands 'hotel bar quality cocktails' in a can

Pentagram London's Harry Pearce and Naresh Ramchandani have created a brand identity for canned cocktail brand MOTH.

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MOTH branded canned cocktail with bold orange and black packaging featuring geometric moth-wing patterns and the tagline "When did you last experience a mix of total happiness

The idea behind the brand is to bring "hotel bar quality cocktails" to people as ready mixed cans, using high-quality ingredients sourced from independent trusted suppliers. The brand was established by "cocktail aficionados" Rob Wallis and Samuel Hunt, and the name is derived from an abbreviation of Mix of Total Happiness.

Pearce and Ramchandani's teams worked together to create the MOTH name, story, philosophy and identity. "Rejecting the snobbery that often surrounds premium drinks brands, MOTH embodies the concept of 'social alchemy'," says Pentagram. "Acting as a generous host, it encourages us to share one of life's most simple pleasures—connecting with each other through conversation and cocktails, without any fuss or formality."

The brand identity is used across on and offline applications, including social media campaigns, business cards, tote bags, and a double-circled MOTH bar mat.

Four MOTH canned cocktails with black labels displaying cocktail names and alcohol content, arranged in a row against a dark background

The symbol at the heart of the identity is based around the fact that moths are often referred to as the 'butterflies of the night', and draws on the mysterious, often-misunderstood nature of them. When users scroll through the identity on screens, the identity’s geometric forms make it appear to be gently fluttering ("even before any cocktails have been consumed," Pentagram adds).

Bold but "sophisticated" colours are used to differentiate each cocktail, with variants including Old Fashioned, Margarita, Negroni and Espresso Martini.

The type is set in uppercase, using Polysans Slim by Gradient Type to complement the moth symbol and echo the brand's "refreshingly no-nonsense approach" and celebrate "the integrity of the ingredients," says Pentagram.

MOTH brand identity business cards featuring geometric moth symbol and contact details on dark background

"What usually appears hidden in very small type on the back appears confidently on the front of the can. What at first glance looks like a straightforward list of ingredients also reveals an unexpected suggestion such as 'Talk Forever' or 'Dance'. The colon acts as a brief pause and creates a sense of expectation for the good things which follow.”

The brand language is deliberately playful to set MOTH apart from established drinks brands. The social media strategy involves creating 'Conversation Starters' that are shared, and playlists have been created to accompany each cocktail to "add to the sense of fun and feeling of connection surrounding the brand."

MOTH will be sold exclusively through Waitrose and Partners across the UK.

Bright orange MOTH canned cocktail box displaying "Mix of Total Happiness" and "Conversations, Minds Taking Flight, A Walk Together" taglines against a black background
MOTH Old Fashioned Whisky Bitters Sugar Karaoke canned cocktail with black label on orange background
The word MOTH in bold white letters on a black background
Red MOTH canned cocktail with geometric patterned coasters alongside black and white patterned circular designs on dark background
Four MOTH canned cocktail flavours displayed side by side: Fever, Margarita Mix, Espresso Martini Mix and Old Fashioned Mix, each with distinctive coloured labels and ingredient descriptions
MOTH brand identity with geometric lettering surrounded by a black and white checkered pattern creating an optical illusion of depth and movement
MOTH canned cocktail brand packaging featuring gold and black geometric moth wing designs with text reading "MOTH SOMEONE MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE FLYING KEEP THEM
Text on a pale green background reading "That thing you said last night was perfect
Moth Negroni canned cocktail with orange and black label on a red background
Bright lime-green MOTH cocktail can with black text and geometric sunburst pattern design against dark background
MOTH brand identity geometric logo featuring two circular radiating patterns with a central diamond checkerboard motif in black and white
MOTH Moth Margarita canned cocktail with black label and lime-green stripe on pale green background
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