Mr Fox Ginger Apple Cider

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Mr Fox Ginger Apple Cider (“Mister Lis Pryanoye Yabloko” Cider):
How seasonal OPK packaging by DS1 Branding
managed to wow not only customers but a whole industry panel

The Objective and the Brand

OPK, LLC, has provided goods to the market since 2002. The company has seven breweries and produces beer as well as non-alcoholic beverages for more than 20 different brands, some of which including DR. DIESEL, Okhota, Bochkarev, Mr Fox (“Mister Lis”), and others.

Mr Fox Cider is the leader in the ciders category. Taking into account that the cider category is burdened by seasonal demand fluctuations (during the Autumn to Winder period, consumption of the beverage declines), the brand has prepared a product line that would be more relevant for the time of year.

Enter POK’s Mr Fox Ginger Apple Cider, a new product in the line, designed to win the audience’s hearts during the months when people are craving something to that would make them feel all warm and fuzzy. What they ended up with was a cider unlike any other, flavored with apple, cinnamon, and anise, a cider that would be heated up like that delicious mulled wine we’re allfamiliar with. To embed a fresh new concept in their creative packaging, OPK decided to propose
DS1 Branding to renew cooperation.

Danil Shikanov, Mr Fox brand manager

We got in touch with DS1 Branding to ask them to come up with a design for our seasonal Mr Fox brand product line. The mission was to create a design that would be striking and original – something that would catch people’s eye on the shelf and radiate that Autumn-Winter mood as well as exhibit the flavor of the drink itself yet wouldn’t veer away from the current brand portfolio.

Our company had already cooperated with DS1 Branding before, as they helped us develop a design for Doctor Diesel Premium Lager. Given that positive experience it was a pleasure to turn to them again and invite the agency to bring this creative project to life.

The design we arrived at together was crafted to be brought to life and effectively stand on the shelves until the end of the season.

Implementation

The design of the Mr Fox product line itself varied by the flavor: a unified beige-colored can with an image of a pear, an apple, or berries at the bottom of the cover. Something had to be invented for the new cider season that would stand out but retain basic elements of the brand’s style.

Red won out in being the color selected. The audience associated it with the season spirit and warmth and it does a great job drawing people's eyes on the shelf.

The composition was molded based on the title and the flavor aspect. Displayed in the foreground were images of cinnamon and apple while the snowflakes were transformed into a stylistic anise pattern. Golden and white were also injected as a palette of warm shades that ushered consumers into the Autumn-Winter season.

These decisions for the new packaging express the essence of what Mr Fox Ginger Apple is – a beverage that can be used to warm consumers up on a calm evening at home, pouring the beverage into their favorite mug, and take it easy engaging in light leisure.

Industry E+ Awards Winner

The success of the crafted design was commemorated in the professional community as well as Mr Fox scored above the pack among the industry panel at the E+ Awards. The brand was awarded the silver medal in two nominations – for Alcoholic Drinks and Seasonal Marketing.

Mr Fox Ginger Apple made for a stunning launch and was the first seasonal limited-edition version in the ciders category in Russia. The beverage drew a lot of attention for its packaging style and unconventional approach to seasonal marketing. This is likely just the drink that cider lovers were missing at the end-of-the-year season.