Cliché
Challenge
Critically acclaimed winemakers like Dave Phinney and Joe Wagner aren’t supposed to make seltzers. Thankfully, neither of them are big fans of following the rules. With Cliché, Dave and Joe set out to make a seltzer with the same craft and care that they bring to their wines. Over the past year, they experimented with over 100 blends before they found a combination of wine, bubbles, and natural flavors they felt proud enough to put their names on. Elevating the seltzer from the poolside to the wine list required a brand that went against every category trend — this couldn’t be just another bright, colorful can.
Critically acclaimed winemakers like Dave Phinney and Joe Wagner aren’t supposed to make seltzers. Thankfully, neither of them are big fans of following the rules. With Cliché, Dave and Joe set out to make a seltzer with the same craft and care that they bring to their wines. Over the past year, they experimented with over 100 blends before they found a combination of wine, bubbles, and natural flavors they felt proud enough to put their names on. Elevating the seltzer from the poolside to the wine list required a brand that went against every category trend — this couldn’t be just another bright, colorful can.
Solution
In collaboration with Dave and Joe, we developed a brand design system inspired as much by the scrappy skate and surf magazines they grew up reading as the contemporary galleries they love today. The stark black and white color palette frames the crisp fruit photography and iconic red lips. The cans purposefully lack the rainbow of colors typically seen in the seltzer section — from the first moment you see it, it’s obvious that Cliché is not just another seltzer. Dave and Joe came up with the name as a comment on the wildly growing category, as well as a challenge to themselves to make sure they were adding something new and personal.
Through their many wine and spirit brands, Dave and Joe have a long track record of successfully subverting expectations on taste and design. With so many brands leaning into light, bright, care-free packaging and identities, we saw an opportunity to be purposefully different. Elevated, but not stuffy, the brand makes it obvious that seltzers don’t have to be exclusively enjoyed on a sunny afternoon (though, we won’t stop you).
To launch the brand, PA developed a campaign featuring a bold, crushed can, creating sculptural silhouettes against the white backdrop. Alongside the campaign, the team developed a brand video, featuring Dave and Joe, a website, and social media and influencer package.
In collaboration with Dave and Joe, we developed a brand design system inspired as much by the scrappy skate and surf magazines they grew up reading as the contemporary galleries they love today. The stark black and white color palette frames the crisp fruit photography and iconic red lips. The cans purposefully lack the rainbow of colors typically seen in the seltzer section — from the first moment you see it, it’s obvious that Cliché is not just another seltzer. Dave and Joe came up with the name as a comment on the wildly growing category, as well as a challenge to themselves to make sure they were adding something new and personal.
Through their many wine and spirit brands, Dave and Joe have a long track record of successfully subverting expectations on taste and design. With so many brands leaning into light, bright, care-free packaging and identities, we saw an opportunity to be purposefully different. Elevated, but not stuffy, the brand makes it obvious that seltzers don’t have to be exclusively enjoyed on a sunny afternoon (though, we won’t stop you).
To launch the brand, PA developed a campaign featuring a bold, crushed can, creating sculptural silhouettes against the white backdrop. Alongside the campaign, the team developed a brand video, featuring Dave and Joe, a website, and social media and influencer package.
Collaborators
Dave Phinney & Joe Wagner
Photography: Mathieu Fortin, Saty + Pratha
Photography Production: L'Éloi
Video: Jeremy Lynch
Website Development: Victoria Vaitekunas
Typeface: Neue Montreal by Pangram Pangram
Dave Phinney & Joe Wagner
Photography: Mathieu Fortin, Saty + Pratha
Photography Production: L'Éloi
Video: Jeremy Lynch
Website Development: Victoria Vaitekunas
Typeface: Neue Montreal by Pangram Pangram
