The Problem
Pinetop was an entirely new company with no existing collateral except a name. They needed branding, a story, as well as a defined target audience. The client wanted to give nod to the bootlegging origins of moonshine of years past, without the misconceptions that moonshine had an extremely unplesant taste and was a low quality liquor.
The Research
After many consumer surveys, focus groups, market research and client input, it was initially concluded that the target audience would be middle-aged men who spent extensive time outdoors hiking, chopping wood, fishing, and living a self-sufficient lifestyle. However, upon further research it was determined self-sufficient outdoorsmen were not interested in a boutique moonshine product, but rather it was the businessman who dreamt of a simpler life without board meetings, deadlines, and responsibilities.
The target audience and messaging was adjusted to resonate with the businessman, age 30-55, who takes his kids camping a few times a year. Sipping on Pinetop Moonshine is his chance to slow down and enjoy his surroundings, even if it's just a tent in his own backyard. The mantra "We were born in the pines" was created to give nod to the roots of the product, and the people who enjoy it.
The Brand
Just like the moonshiners of old, we use local ingredients and natural grains to craft our classic, handcrafted spirits. Add in some modern distillation methods, and you’ll find that Pinetop Distillery is a shockingly smooth style of liquor, fit for sipping or mixing as you choose. The adventure begins.
Messaging
The Bottles
Each product of the Pinetop lineup represents an area of North Carolina, from the mountains to the beach. The moonshine is the mountains, gin the beach. The packaging consists of a clear label on the front and back, resulting in a parallax effect as the bottle is moved side-to-side. As the liquid in the bottle is lowered, the illusion of a lake in the forest is revealed to the moonshine, and the ocean to the gin.
