Otherland Society OS monogram logo

Otherland Society

Find your Otherland with a brand concept
crafted to be discovered

gold Otherland Society wordmark logo

A rum unlike any other needs a name like no other.

Otherland Society rum is so uniquely rich and smooth it could only be inspired by the Glades. After walking through the client’s genesis, inspirations, and aspirations, we crafted a name and matching brand system that stands out on the top shelf. The primary goal was to create a brand that reflected the richness of their family and environmental history, a story that felt “ownable” in an authentic way.

 

 

The brand architecture of “Otherland Society” paints the picture of Pahokee, Florida – a vibrant community known for sugar cane, farming and football. “Otherland” evokes a sense of discovery for the unknown, matching the mystique of Pahokee’s Everglade frontier. “Society” taps into a community we all want to join.

 

 

a row of floating wooden bottle caps with engraved Otherland society text and OS monogram logo

 

 

positioning grid with connoisseur and leisure on the Y axis and craft and mainstream on the X axis with the brand being positioned in the quadrant where craft and connoisseur meet

Where does Otherland land on the shelf?

Within an increasingly competitive category, Otherland was positioned for success beyond family and industry ties. Through the discovery phase of in-depth interviews and competitive research, this new, hand-crafted sipping spirit landed in the “super premium” range between premium and ultra-premium rums.

chart with x axis that lists rums within budget, standard, premium and ultra with a mark between premium and ultra designated as super premium

 

Audience Personas

With a newfound focus on aromas, flavor profiles and a range of distilling methods, rum is one of the most complex and diverse spirits on the market. To build a brand that garnered the attention of spirit-lovers who like rum neat, or mixed in a cocktail, we worked through 10 personas to capture the target audience for Otherland Society.

The Cocktailian: You like your rum cocktails in many forms, from whimsical tiki drinks with elaborate garnishes to refreshing Daiquiris to rummified classics like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. Might we suggest a Mail Tai? The High Roller: You save your rum for special occasions because you like dropping top dollar on grate booze. You prefer a smooth barrel-aged rum made for sipping. Using your rum in a cocktail would indeed elicit a dramatic face palm.

The Straight Sipper: You can't be bothered to shake or stir a cocktail and would rather enjoy your rum in an unadulterated state. You want a rum with no shortage of depth that will keep you coming back for more. The Ultra Nerd: Anything small batch will do for the rum lover who always wants to be in the

Otherland Society Wild Hare Dark Rum bottles with cocktail on butcher block board

 

There’s gold in this muck

photo grid of Pahokee water tower, great blue heron and and sugarcane stalks with a compass graphic and "Pahokee, Florida" text

After visiting the Otherland, we developed a brand story to establish the origins of the Society.

Everyone believes they know who they are, sometimes you simply need help articulating it. To tell the story of their rum and deep family roots in Pahokee, we collaborated with our client on the Story Spine framework to authenticate the lasting brand.

 

1 Once Upon A Time: Hidden in the unrelenting Glades was a land like no other. Vibrant animals, plentiful vegetation and natural splendors set the scene for the unmistakable Otherland of Pahokee, Florida. 2 Every Day: Pioneers, who came from near and far, worked the land to harvest new crops. The bountiful soil became a foundation for opportunity, proving that diverse cultures can flourish in the Otherland. 3 Then One Day: Over time the vibrant Otherland became forgotten, leaving the descendants of the pioneers behind. They must once again embrace their unique perspectives and agricultural roots to rediscover prosperity.

4 Because of That: A new generation of pioneers came together to form a society that celebrates their storied heritage of harvest in a way they hadn't before; through the spirit of rum. 5 Until Finally: The rum generated new industry in Pahokee, creating opportunity for the pioneers who were left behind. A sense of pride returned for the Otherland, spurred by a rum as unique and diverse as the Society it represents. 6 And Ever Since: While set in Pahokee, the story of the Otherland relates to people well beyond The Glades. Many seek to join the Society from their Otherlands, strengthening our society in the only way we know how: moving forward together.

The legend of our society: Nestled in the Everglades just southeast of Lake Okeechobee sits Pahokee, a land like no other. Generations of pioneers have worked their tears and triumphs into the rich soil that provides nourishment to the stunning wildlife and earnest community. Our local legends inspire all while herons glide by, leading us toward a life slowed down. Life is as sweet as the sugarcane we grow together, properly celebrated by our rum. How can you experience this Otherland? Open it up and take a sip.

 

Visual Identity

Articulating a visual identity begins with a series of moodboards and defining the brand attributes. This part of our process is iterative, and especially exciting for a client to begin seeing their brand take shape. The Otherland Society brand concept is meant to invite rum drinkers to discover a place where the bounty of the land is respected and natural wonders are cherished. The moodboard’s weathered graphics paired with high end finishes allude to craftsmanship. Dark colors with pops of gold evoke a mysterious feeling where delights are waiting to be discovered.

Otherland Society Moodboard featuring images of rum bottles, people, maps and colors

Liquor Brand Attributes: Exploratory, Authentic, Nature-Inspired, Sophisticated, True to Heritage

Otherland Society logos featuring circular logo crest in blue, full logo lockup with monogram and logotype in dark blue, monogram in gold

We brought the Otherland Society brand to life through a visual identity system designed to stand off the shelves and with the ability to scale. After deep exploration and visual discovery, a detailed brand manual was developed. This document holds the brand foundation for clients to execute against and assist vendors – no matter the application or deliverable. To illustrate the importance of craft and heritage, we designed an OS monogram which embraces a cohesive, connected and established look which is supported by traditional typography. Stamps and variations of the logotype provide depth to the brand and enable a responsive brand system. While some logos are meant to be applied in large instances, others are designed to hold up in the tiniest applications on the bottle. The Wild Hare Dark Rum crest was designed with modularity in mind. For future rum varietals, we plan to maintain the crest shape and sugarcane detail but replace the animal illustration and name to highlight another member of the Otherland’s ecological family.

Otherland Society brand handbook pages featuring brand system guidelines including cover, logo spacing guidelines, color palette and Wild Hare Dark Rum crest

 

 

Wild Hare Dark Rum bottle by Otherland Society sitting on a windowsill on a sunny day

A Rum From An Otherland

Otherland’s signature rum is a homage to the “Marsh Rabbits” that define the area. The crest was designed with modularity in mind. As a full product line emerges, the crest shape and sugarcane detail set a template for future flavor variants to be named after wildlife in the Everglades region.

Wild Hare Dark rum crest featuring rabbit illustration and surgarcane details

Dark blue front, back and cap strip labels featuring gold foil stamping for Otherland Society's Wild Hare Dark Rum

Crafted to Perfection

Leaning into the distinct characteristics of Otherland Society and drawing inspiration from the Everglades, the bottle design elevates the brand attributes with unique, thoughtful details. We advised on, sourced, designed and managed the entire process: the bottle, custom engraved wood toppers, label textures, colors and foils to craft the perfect bottle.

A Society to Envy

We worked closely to ensure the Otherland Society brand was a part of every physical execution. In the spirit industry, every touchpoint has a chance to make a high-proof impression. These brand extensions include shipping containers, on-shelf and in-store marketing materials.

Cardboard box carton with Otherland Society Wild Hare Dark Rum branding graphics printed in dark blue

grid of 3 photos featuring someone holding the Otherland Society Wild Hare Dark Rum bottle, close up of bottle cap monogram engravings and picture of nearly empty bottle at a bar

 

 

3 mobile phones on top of a Lake Okeechobee background photo featuring the homepage, navigation menu and about page of the Otherland Society website design

An Impression Beyond Sugar Cane Country

Otherland Society website desktop view of homepage and Society page

Leave A Mark

We designed and built the website to reflect the Otherland Society brand attributes. As brand awareness grows and matures, the site will evolve to account for new products, press and activations. Visit website.

Otherland Society website mobile view of contact forms

Otherland Society website desktop view of rum page

otherlandsociety.com

Send, Seek & Discover

We designed and built a cohesive experience at every level, including an integrated email campaign to help drive preorders of Wild Hare Dark Rum.

Otherland Society circular logo crest in blue on image of person holding phone with desk in background, on the phone is an email design

Otherland Society Wild Hare Dark Rum bottles in front of butcher block board with logos burned in it

Every Last Detail

Activation went beyond digital to grow brand awareness in an elevated way. We designed and sourced tools for every event including custom butcher blocks, ice stamps, coasters and more.

A Otherland Society pen and coasters sit atop a grid of 3 photos featuring someone holding a cocktail in a glass, a branded ice cube in a glass of rum, and a bartender pouring a cocktail with the Wild Hare Dark Rum bottle beside it

Otherland Society feather flags. One has the Otherland Society wordmark logo in gold, the other alternates the circular logo crest and the Wild Hare Dark rum crest

Embracing Flexible signage

We wanted the brand to be manifested uniquely and consistently across all engagements from industry events to tastings and more. Flexible signage, a dynamic table runner and premium paper products leverage Otherland Society above the rest.

Otherland Society notecard with front and back design, on front it reads "The spirit of harvest, Otherland Society (logo), Pahokee Florida." with the hare mascot graphic in background. The back is lined and includes additional design elements, on the bottom it reads "otherlandsociety.com, Our society is for those who seek it."

Otherland Society business care with front and back design. On front it reads "Our society is for those who seek it" with the hare mascot graphic in background. The text and OS monogram logo is in gold foil. The back has linework design elements with contact information.

Rep the name

Branded products are a blast to design, and even more fun to take out into the world. We brainstormed products to help rep Otherland Society at events and IRL. Making these products helped move the brand name off the shelf and into focus.

Blue Otherland Society hat with circular logo crest in gold thread

Grid of photos taken at Otherland Society events showcasing cocktails, the bottle, merchandise, and an ice sculpture

We orchestrated and set up Otherland’s corporate launch event, positioning Wild Hare Dark Rum as a sponsor for the Michelin Guide selection of restaurants in Florida. Wild Hare Dark Rum was served at the Inaugural Florida Michelin Guide Reveal at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando, inducting the best culinary talent in the state to best of the culinary world. With Master Distiller Marianne Eaves and celebrated mixologist Cody Goldstein, with Muddling Memories on hand to celebrate, we successfully launched the brand in front of the industry’s best of the best.

 

At the Michelin Guide event, Wild Hare Dark Rum is served by bartenders and celebrated mixologist Cody Goldstein, with Muddling Memories

3 phones on top of an image of rum being poured featuring an Instagram post, grid, and story

Reaching the Otherland

We defined a social media strategy with Otherland, providing guidance on appropriate channels, along with evergreen graphics and captions. The resulting strategy helped put our brand attributes into practice with a look and feel consumers could naturally engage with.

 

9 image grid showing a variety of social media graphics varying with product shots, branded graphics, and lifestyle images

2 mobile phones show video examples of social media reels

Getting real with reels

To catapult our social media strategy, we integrated Instagram Reels to help enrich the Otherland Society. Reels capturing Otherland’s history, can’t-miss events and cocktail recipes help serve the invitation to “Our Society.”

Close up image of Otherland Society Wild Hare Dark Rum label