The Brief Can consistency across the business lines drive growth?
The Opportunity
Our relationship with Cedar Ridge owner and master distiller Jeff Quint goes back over a decade. It began with a conversation on a bare hilltop lined by cedar trees and talk of a wild idea. It’s since grown into a diverse business including a winery, distillery, restaurant, and events center. The process of branding the operation has been iterative, for sure. But with every adaptation comes a tighter and tighter version of themselves.
Brand Strategy
Cedar Ridge’s brand is built upon authenticity. Everything they do is reflective of Iowa’s people, land and climate. And there is no better place for this to be fully realized than at the headquarters in Swisher, Iowa.
Brand Identity
Much in the way Mother Nature influences the Cedar Ridge products, the colors of nature guide the brand’s color selections. A bold red and an extended palette draws inspiration from the grounds of the estate.
A primary typeface is used in the master brand logo. Then, a series of complementary secondary fonts were introduced to allow each business unit – venue, winery, and distillery – to have its own identifiable typeface.
The brand’s values are brought to life in the small details, be it the family crest making an appearance in packaging and bottle design to the founder’s signature on labels of the brand’s flagship bourbon. When working in concert, these visual elements, banners and textures create a cohesive, memorable whole.
It can be easy for outsiders to dismiss a home-grown operation that’s been built from the ground up. Opinions change rapidly when you hit them with business cards and stationery system that clearly says you mean business.
Merchandise
Guests enter the restaurant and event center through the Cedar Ridge store. FUEL helped design an inviting space that sells wine, spirits, and a selection of Cedar Ridge merchandise. Whether you’re dining, catching a show, or celebrating an event, the space sets the stage for what’s to come and encourages purchase.
Collateral
Consistency can be a challenge when business lines are so varied. FUEL helped the client establish order by utilizing an ownable color with each of the three parts of the operation – Wine, Spirits, and a third devoted to the grounds: Vineyards, Winery, & Distillery. This allowed each piece to stand on its own but work cohesively when brought together.
Web Design
Since the beginning, “Celebrate with Us” is a line they’ve used to set the tone for hospitality. A clean web design and imagery reinforces that Cedar Ridge is a warm and inviting place to gather with family, friends, and clients to enjoy amazing food and drink together. These elements work together to emphasize the shared enjoyment of food, whiskey and wine, each crafted with care from local ingredients, and the magic of the place.
Photography
FUEL brought a careful eye and aesthetic to product photography. Our philosophy was simple: if the contents of the bottles have been crafted with painstaking attention to detail, imagery should follow suit.