Boneface Brewing has won the GABS Label Design Award with their three-headed Artic wolf design on their Triple Cold IPA, The Wolf Bites Back.
The bold design was created by Blair Sayer of Watermark Creative.
A panel of judges decided the Top-10 after a public voting period that whittled down the original 37 entries.
Waitoa Gone Bush and Heyday Mind Cat were the others on the podium, which makes it three years in a row Heyday has been in the top-3 without winning so kudos to co-owner and designer Hannah Blackwood.
1. Boneface The Wolf Bites Back Cold IPA
DESIGN: Blair Sayer, Watermark Creative
Music is often behind the inspiration with Boneface Brewing Co’s beer, The Wolf Bites Back drew inspiration from a heavy metal album by Orange Golbin of the same name. To reflect the style of beer, a Triple Cold IPA, the brief was to create a menacing-looking Arctic wolf character with three heads.
The Boneface brand draws inspiration from sci-fi comics, low-brow pop art and heavy metal. When designer Blair Sayer isn’t making can labels, he’s often designing gig posters for alternative brands.
Judges comments:
“This labels give the feels of cold, cold, cold! The tones and imagery immediately reflect the product while being 100% true to the brand.”
“Colour palette is excellent, art is fantastic, information is clearly displayed. The fonts are super as well. What’s not to love?”
2. Waitoa Beer Gone Bush
DESIGN: Michael Peters
The design was part of an IPA series with similarly designed patterns inspired by flora from around the globe. It also follows a tight typographic system that is used across all Waitoa products. The design has been so popular that it has inspired the brewery to branch out in a much more visually striking direction with new labels.
“It hits the mark. The brand essence of Liquid Bold is summed up in this one can. It’s bold, it’s green, it’s Kiwi-as and stylish all in one go.”
“Lovely lush and enticing label.”
3. Heyday Mind Cat
DESIGN: Hannah Blackwood, Heyday Beer Co
Mind Cat is the fourth in Heyday’s Hazy Cat series — Space, Time, Power, Mind, Soul & Reality. It uses an optical illusion to fuse the name & art together. The bevvy of mind-bending, two-headed cats challenges the viewer’s perception. It takes you on a journey, where sometimes, the pink cat is not immediately noticed.
“Truly unique!”
“The simplicity of colour in this design almost hides the genius! I love that the mind-bending artwork is not immediately obvious, and it makes me want to experience the magic inside.”
4. Garage Project Ocean of Oneness
DESIGN: Rebekah Tisch
5. SMALL GODS GALAHAD
DESIGN: Matt Eats and Luke White
6. PANHEAD CUSTOM ALES NAYSLAYER
DESIGN: Inject Design, Simon Morse & Rollingstone Magazine AU
7. BEHEMOTH RUSSIAN WARSHIP GO F’ YOURSELF
DESIGN: Nick Lurman, Behemoth Brewing Co
8. BURKES BREWING UNFORGIVEN PORTER
DESIGN: Alesha Plew, Nice Work Creative
9. RHYME X REASON CALM DOWN KAREN
DESIGN: Malcolm Hayes, Malcs Creative Studio
10. URBANAUT TOASTED MARSHMALLOW
DESIGN: Zoe Jarvis, Maria Jarocińska & Mookie Waaka
