SMART DESIGN

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Defining Argentine wine
LABEL DESIGN has proved decisive in promoting brands in the fiercely competitive Argentine wine market, as
Guillermo Dufranc at design agency Tridimage explains
While Argentine wine is known throughout the world for its high
quality, it has only been in the last 25 years that the country
has produced a consumer society which supports wines with a
wide range of prices, from entry-level to ultra-premium wines.
To better understand the recent changes in the market,
it is important to know about its history. Wine is part of the
Argentine culture and has always been present when family
and friends get together. Twenty years ago choosing a bottle of
wine was a simple task, as there were only red or white wine,
and big bottles of five liters – known as damajuanas – were very
popular. Wine was usually diluted with sparkling water, so the
quality was not very important for most consumers.
The market has evolved in the last few years when a wide
variety of wines such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah,
Chardonnay were launched. This segment is well established
and today it is stronger than the classic red and white wine.
When wine became fashionable, traditional consumers learnt
more about wine tasting. Moreover, there was a massive interest
in wine from new consumers more open to new varieties.
The graphic style of Argentine wine labels has always been
influenced by the heritage of the Old World wines coming from
European tradition. The presence of classic typography and
sober designs is their most remarkable characteristic, and
this has informed today’s contemporary graphic language. In
that sense, the Argentine wine market is rather conservative
compared to other new world producers.
Consumers have become more selective and careful when
choosing wine, thus the label message needs to be very clear
and precise, since the graphic design conveys its values. If
a label design seems more expensive than its actual price, it
could be considered deceitful; the same is said when a wine is
more expensive than what its label communicates.
If a brand does not have a story, a story must be created,
conceived to fulfill the brand’s strategic objectives. Having
defined the brand story, the next step is to find the most
suitable concept and graphic universe that will help to tell that
story. Design will translate graphically what the brand wants
to convey. Every detail needs to be conscientiously thought;
typography, color, paper texture, metallic foils, gloss spot and
emboss. Every design element must be applied to make a bold
and strong brand statement and achieve shelf impact.
LABELS&LABELING
Bodega Privada means ‘Private Cellar’ in Spanish. In this
case we were inspired by the idea that these wines are part
of a private collection. A kind of club that keeps its secrets
locked away. To enter the cellar, the consumer should find the
appropriate key. The textured paper contrasts with the relief and
brightness of the shinny gloss spot lacquer, highlighting the
artwork of the twelve keys that were specially designed for the
collection. In every label the keys are combined in a different
way. This supports the idea that each wine varietal is unique.
Ricordi is a tribute to the founder of the RPB winery. He was
an Italian immigrant, who arrived in Argentina with little more
than his dreams, and thanks to his vision, founded a thriving
business. The label design should be both emotional and
respectful. Italian stamps transport us back to the times when
postcards were the only way to be in contact with relatives
who remained in their home country. The engravings represent
the high quality craftsmanship of the wines and the signature
highlights the personality of the founder. The textured paper
also conveys a warm and nostalgic feeling.
When creating the brand identity and label design for
Callejón del Crimen (Crime Alley), Tridimage's challenge
consisted of conveying the particular attributes of the brand.
For the Evidencia (Evidence) line, a fingerprint in silver ink
becomes a subtle reference to the brand's mysterious story,
based on real facts that have taken place near the vineyards.
For the ultra-premium Misterio (Mystery) line a chiaroscuro
communicates the brand story.
Wine labels are not only elegant logos and nice graphics.
Wine brands are built on their values and on the way
consumers feel connected with them. This is why it is so
important to define a brand story, a concept that defines the
product. The absence of concepts leads to a generic label,
a graphic template with no personality, without direction. It is
not possible to design a wine with personality without having a
clear idea of the brand message to convey.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Guillermo Dufranc is graphic design coordinator at the Tridimage 3D
brand and package design agency based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Since 1995 the company has helped shape world-class elite brands in
the wine sector.