Martian is a young, biodynamically-farmed vineyard located in the Santa Ynez Valley. Because Martian was the new kid on the block, the company came to Geyrhalter & Co. to launch the brand visually.
My role in this project was to assist with concepting and mock-ups for various collateral for Nan Helgeland, the owner, as well as labels for each of her four wines.
Martian Ranch & Vineyard is fairly new to the California wine industry. Nan Helgeland, owner of Martian, came to Geyrhalter & Co. to formulate the aesthetic for the brand. Martian is a company that doesn't take itself too seriously as evidenced by the brand's mascot - a martian who really enjoys drinking wine. The style of the company reflects this attitude–fun, but with a level of sophistication. Overall, Martian is honest, authentic, and of the best quality.
Taking the attributes of the company into account, The G&Co. team wanted to use textured paper for the printed collateral to convey a sense of honesty and quality. The business cards were constructed from a stock with slightly frayed ends. The cards themselves were built as a sandwich so that a deep maroon-colored paper could show through the die cuts in each side of the card. With this special element in place it appeared that the wine bottle was full on the front, and the glass was full on the back of the card.
The company letterhead borrowed from this die cut concept also, allowing the maroon color on the back of the sheet to show through the front when folded. The typeface used for all collateral was Mrs. Eaves, a typeface that was enhanced by it's quirks–just like Martian.
The wine labels needed to mirror the collateral in terms of color, typography, and overall style. All of the vintages besides the Grenache Rosé feature the signature yellow label, with the syrah also featuring a die cut to show whether the bottle was empty or full. All of the labels feature silver foil typography to add a little flair, and the corks of each are decorated with the Martian mascot. These small "reveals" communicate the light-heartedness of the brand and make the wine even more fun to drink.
