A dual-culture, modern-retro revivalTapping multiple histories to build a brand story

The Russian beer market, in reaction to the re-cession of 2008, underwent a series of dramatic shifts. The most noticeable was a blurring of the boundaries between premium and mainstream beer packaging.

Taking advantage of consumers’ desire to econo-mize while maintaining premium appearances, economy beers began upscaling their packs, mimicking the quality perception of their more premium counterparts.

The result was a category where there was very little visible differentiation between the premium and economy players.

Intro

As a category, beer was definitely evolving. Vague functional benefits were no longer enough to satisfy consumers. Nor was simple overt masculinity. Beer brands were diversifying and moving toward strong values-based brand positionings. On the consumer side, the economic crisis made paying less a necessity for many consumers -even if they didn’t want to give up quality or (at least) quality perception. Buying value for money beer was no longer considered shameful. In fact, it was quite smart!

Into this environment, SAB Miller wished to launch an ‘upper mainstream’ brand which would carry strong emotional as well as functional reasons to believe - a unique story backed by a unique product that would set it apart from other mainstream brands, yet at an affordable cost.

The rules of the game are not the same:It it is no longer shameful for the premium consumer to buy good value-for-money beer!

An evolving category

Produced according to the original Venskoye recipe.

So...it’s actually

the original Zhigulevskoye.

A ‘golden age’ at the turn of the 19/20th century

Austrian brewing expertise + Russian ingredients = consumer’s stability, honesty, simplicity, quality.

CG participated in the brand definition and initial concept creation. The story of the brand focused on a real product which was available in Russia in the 1800s: a Viennese recipe which was introduced by an Austrian businessman using real Russian natural ingredients. This Viennese (or Venskoe) beer enjoyed

popularity in the 19th and 20th century and was an ideal candidate for a ‘modern retro’ revival.

Finding our candidate

In building the identity for this new brand, the CG design team walked multiple tightropes. A balance needed to be struck between Austrian heritage and Russian brand, also between nostalgia and modernity.The idea was to create something obviously new and exciting, yet with

a definite feeling for the ‘golden age’ of beer. The design team borrowed heavily from both the Austrian Secessionist movement as well as contemporary Russian design in order to create a unique hybrid.

Developing an identity

BruderbierDas erste LandbierVenskoye-Bruderbier

The brand story was enhanced through naming - Zwei Meister (2 masters) refers to the Austrian businessman and the Russian farmer who was his business partner. These two aspects - Austrian know-how and Russian quality

ingredients - became cornerstones of the identity and communication.The two masters were further developed into actual icons, became prominent parts of the identity and packaging solution.

A pair of ‘Masterful’ Icons

Eschewing the trend toward green bottles and contemporary shapes, the decision was made to keep the traditional brown bottle, as well as a diamond

label shape, both of which further lend credibility to the product as a time traveler from the golden age of beer!

Improving the story through packaging

Zwei Meister is one of SABMiller’s big bets and is expected to conquer a prestigious share in its category.