Bruja Beer
Branding, Illustration
Still image originally from the music video “Brujas” by artist Princess Nokia.
This project was part of a branding and art direction class that I took while studying abroad at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy. We were tasked with creating a brand, and then creating 6 designs under that brand. I chose beer cans because I have always been fascinated by the bold and illustrative labels many craft beer companies use on their products.
This concept for this branding project started with research into the history of beer itself. Humans have been brewing beer for thousands starting with the ancient Sumerians, who even had a goddess dedicated to the drink. In this ancient culture women were responsible for brewing beer, and this tradition carried throughout cultures and gave way to the alewives. An alewife, or a brewess, was a women who brewed beer for commerical sale. These women were trailblazers, able to create a product to sell and independently provide for themselves. Alewives in medieval times dressed in layers, with pointed hats, an aesthetic that gave way to the witch, which in Spanish translates to BRUJA.
Logo Development
“The Cultural Shift And Mainstream Acceptance Of Brujeria” Bese Article
Final Logo.
Logo sketches
Brujeria is about the reclaiming of Latinx and African cultures and connecting back to heritage. It is about celebrating women and supporting the feminist movement. This is what drives the visual aesthetic of Bruja Brewing. Bruja takes inspiration from the vivid color of latin cultures, and the mysticism of magic itself.
The logo derives from a powerful image of current day spiritual healer of the Mapuche people. Her eyes radiate power, energy, and mystery, a feeling that was translated into a simple graphic form, as seen below. Ideation centered around this concept of powerful eyes but other elements of brujeria were explored such as stars, moons, spirals, and pentagrams.
Brand Basics
The colors were intentionally chosen to be representative of the vibrance of indigenous cultures in which Brujas practice. Imagery to be used should have a magenta to purple gradient overlay as seen in the image above. Click the button below to see the full brand guide.
Designed Labels
The Six Spells: The traditional practice of brujeria is made up of a series of services that brujas/os offer their clientele. The six main categories of spells are love spells, cleansing spells, healing spells, enchanting, curses, and blessings. These six themes are represented by the six variations of Bruja Beers.
Can Mockups
