Wise Men’s story began in 2019 with friends and moonshine—the first spirit they crafted. They soon expanded to vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, bourbon, and hard seltzer. Over the years, they racked up some awards too: a “Best in Class” for their vodka at the Craft Distillers Spirits Competition as well as “Michigan Rum Distillery of the Year”.

We were tapped to refresh Wise Men’s visual identity and reposition and redesign their RTD cocktails. In such a crowded space, it was important for Wise Men to differentiate themselves from the White Claws and Trulys of the world. The RTD and hard seltzer category is overwhelmingly white, bright, fruity, and whimsical. Wise Men, on the other hand, values genuine hard work and the timeless value it represents. They’re a confident, self-assured, mature, and driven brand. They make the drinks you have to celebrate a hard job well done.

We knew a visual identity and packaging design that embodied those attributes—mature, hard working, confident, strong, bold—would feel undoubtedly Wise Men and stand out from the crowd.