Insights / Perspectives

How Custom Packaging Can Elevate Your Spirit

Custom packaging can help spirits brands stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Leveraging several category trends and consumer insights can help custom designs be most successful.

Reinforce Premium Quality

Amidst economic stress, alcohol remains a small luxury, and shoppers are still willing to pay for premium, aspirational products. According to Nielsen research, 31% of consumers prefer quality drinks over quantity. Custom package design is a great way to reinforce a premium positioning and communicate quality. Bespoke shapes can distinguish a brand with artistry and elegance. Studio One Eleven worked closely with Dutch Head Rum to achieve their vision of a lion’s head-shaped decanter. We overcame a multitude of technical limitations and manufacturing complexities posed by this intricately detailed design. Our structural designers and engineers meticulously studied every detail of the bottle’s design and made the necessary refinements to resolve each challenge and bring the elegant, one-of-a-kind lion to life.

Dutch Head

Tell an Authentic Story

According to a recent GlobalData study, three out of four consumers consider product/brand authenticity essential or nice to have when making purchase decisions. This attitude is especially true among older generations and higher-income earners, a key demographic for many spirits brands. Consumers are increasingly interested in the story behind their spirits, and packaging plays a key role in communicating an authentic narrative. Whether focusing on a brand’s origins, regionality, heritage, production methods, or something else that makes the spirit special, package design that shares an authentic message can differentiate from the competition and connect with consumers. Studio One Eleven developed a custom bottle for Iron Fish with embossed fish scales and a steelhead silhouette that pays homage to the distillery’s nearby watershed, and its fish, which inspired the brand’s name.

Iron Fish Estate Series

Create a Unique Experience

Today’s consumers seek more immersive experiences, and GlobalData notes they are “willing to pay more for products that satisfy them on a more experiential level.” The rise of social media and the growing popularity of sharing experiences on Instagram and TikTok are elevating the role of spirits packaging. Custom pack forms, unique bottle shapes, and Insta-worthy brand design can help brands create unique and memorable drinking experiences. Secondary packaging also plays a role in elevating the user experience. Studio One Eleven created a unique carton for Blanton’s that creates a special unboxing experience and acts as a display case for this collector’s item. The carton’s top is removed to delightfully reveal the brand’s signature collectible horse stopper, standing proudly as if on a pedestal. Two carton panels swing open to showcase the beautiful, iconic bottle sitting on a copper platform.

By: Moira Stein
Date: June 12, 2025