Beyond the bottle: How branding, logos & label design tell your story

The answer, more often than not, lies in the strength of your branding and the power of your label. It is the story your product tells before it is even opened.

Oak Creative, Kent’s leading branding agency, has helped countless businesses to build brands that not only look the part but communicate with clarity and purpose. Whether you are bottling your first batch or refining a legacy product, investing in your branding and packaging from the word go is key.

Strategy first

It is easy to dive straight into design, but without a strategy, you are simply guessing. A well-defined purpose, mission, and set of values are the roots of your business. Think beyond “we make good wine.” What makes it special?

Your brand strategy should align with your commercial goals. This does not have to be a huge corporate document. Even a one-page brand plan can make a massive difference. The important thing is clarity: know what you are saying, where you are saying it, who you are saying it to, and why it is important.

Whatever stage of business you are in, researching what other brands are doing is always a good idea. How are others presenting their brand to the world? Is it clear who their audience is? This kind of thinking can help to articulate how to navigate your own branding.

Know your audience

A common pitfall in branding is trying to appeal to everyone. Instead, be confident to group your audience and design with them in mind. Tell them why your product is right for them. Are your customers health-conscious millennials who favour low intervention methods? Or families looking for wholesome, nourishing products for their children?

Developing a customer persona helps you craft visuals and messages that resonate. This understanding also informs where you focus your wider marketing energy, whether that is on tasting events, farm shop displays, or influencer collaborations.

A well-thought-out brand strategy aligns with your long-term business goals and ensures that every customer touchpoint is working in harmony, from your website and bottle label to your social media and shelf presence.

Oak Creative advises mapping out the entire customer journey, from discovery to post-purchase, to ensure every interaction supports and reinforces your brand identity. This strategic consistency builds familiarity and, ultimately, trust.

Branding is not a one-off project; it is a continual process of refining and reinforcing your identity. From your label and website to your email newsletters and tasting notes, every detail should reflect the story you are telling and the experience you are promising.

As Oak Creative puts it: “Every aspect that your customers or potential customers engage with is an opportunity for them to learn more about your business.” So make it count.

Telling your story

Every bottle has a story. What is yours? Storytelling builds emotional connection and turns customers into real fans who feel like they resonate with you. Share your journey, whether it is the struggles of launching a small-batch wine label or your evolution from farmers to fermenters. Is it your commitment to sustainability? Your family’s multi-generational craft?

More and more, consumers want to know the story behind what they are drinking. They crave authenticity and connection, especially with smaller, local, or ethically driven producers. This is fantastic news for producer brands rooted in tradition and locality, especially those in rural or semi-rural locations.

Every customer touchpoint is a chance to tell your story: your website, your social media, your packaging, all the way through to your customer service. The aim? When someone picks up your product, they feel something which encourages them to choose your product over another.

The power of the label

Finally, the all-important label is essentially the decision-making tool for your customer. In a world full of distractions, a well-designed label can stop someone in their tracks and invite them to pick up your product.

The most effective labels combine aesthetics with clarity. Once you’ve nailed your brand foundations, your story and you know who you’re talking to, only then can you employ your brand identity colour, typography and imagery to accurately communicate your offering with personality and purpose.
Importantly, your label must also meet regulatory requirements.

Details such as alcohol content, ingredients, and producer information must be clearly visible. The real challenge lies in balancing this mandatory information with creativity so that it enhances, rather than detracts from, the overall design.

Final thoughts

One of the misconceptions in branding is that it is only something “big businesses” need to worry about. But in today’s market, the smallest artisan producer is competing alongside major players, especially online. Branding is your leveller. In fact, smaller businesses often have the advantage of authenticity and flexibility, which can be a huge branding asset when used wisely.

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