Ellman Family Vineyards

First things first.
A little sniff. A swirl. A sip. Repeat.
We tasted the wine. And went looking
for the vine. The truth.
And then translated that into a new identity
for Ellman Family Vineyards. Let’s call this
winding journey – from wine to vine.

Most wine brands bank on heritage and legacy to design their identity. We didn’t. To be honest, we didn’t have one. But what we had was authenticity.

We realized we didn’t need an ornate crest or a royal emblem, what we needed was an identity that spoke about what the brand is than what it could have been. If we had to literally translate the design into words it would read - ‘Authentic and true wines that transports you right to the vine’.

Working collaboratively with the client, together, we transformed the purest form of the brands character into an simple yet effective identity. From roots to vines to the bottle on the shelf.

Script Mark : Before / After

Logo Analysis

Script Mark Evolution

Proposed Label Design Concept

Refreshed Brand Colors

Updated Typography

Proposed Stationery Design (Mock Up)

Subtract the obvious. Add the meaningful

That’s the hard journey towards achieving simplicity. That’s also the simple answer to one of the toughest question a designer is often asked; how do you know when to stop? Not at a deadline. Not after you have put in enough days, nights and what’s in between. You stop only when there’s nothing left to takeaway. Only when there’s nothing left to add.

The deadline, the late hours had brought us to a simple script mark for EFV. It seemed good. But then we realized even though it’s simple, it’s not simply distinctive. We began adding. Added a little character. A little ‘unlike others’ factor. And there we were, the new EFV. We were satisfied. For now at least.

AGENCY

Barnum Design, New York

CREDITS

Creative Director: David Barnum

Lead Designer: Pramod Maharana

Graphic Designer: Hannah Taddeo

Graphic Designer: Ali Fujii