Highlands Brewers: A Hollywood Tale of Perseverance
The Heritage: A Gripping Story of Fortune and Misfortune
Opened in 1908, Highlands Brewers located in St. Louis, Missouri, has tons of history, fortune, and misfortune in a gripping story that reads like a Hollywood tale.
Within a few years of opening the brewery, the original partners died one after another which led to the shutting down of the brewery for over 5 years after which it was bought by an immigrant Italian family that persevered through prohibition, declining sales, and personal misfortune. In 1986, the Highlands was once again boarded up and left silent for another 15 years. It was then that the current owners bought the old brewery and mills and started making craft beer. With a new brand strategy, the clients want to create a fresh new logo that still retains aspects of the bygone era.
This heritage works because:
- Rich history: Tons of history, fortune, and misfortune
- Hollywood tale: Gripping story that reads like Hollywood tale
- Perseverance: Immigrant Italian family persevered through prohibition
- Revival: Current owners bought old brewery and started making craft beer
- Heritage retention: Fresh logo that retains aspects of bygone era
Logo Design: Seal-Like Design Honoring Heritage
Because of the rich heritage and history of the brewery, we decided to implement the brief by creating a simple and unassuming design that would relate directly to the history and bring the brand into modern times. A symbolic seal-like design was the preferred way to take since that would lend itself well to branding on bottles, packaging, and other bit and pieces.
This design approach works because:
- Simple and unassuming: Design that relates to history
- Modern times: Brings brand into modern times
- Seal-like design: Symbolic seal design for heritage
- Versatile application: Lends itself well to bottles, packaging, and other pieces
Final Design: Turn of the Century Nostalgia
The final design that the client selected emphasizes the name “Highlands” which is the focus of the logo with a very simple and rustic-looking icon of an old beer bottle on top, flanked on both sides by the words “Estd 1908” on top. The whole design is encased in a broken ellipse with the words “Quality Local Brewers” on top and “Using the finest barley and hops” at the bottom.
This design brings back the nostalgia of the turn of the century design, typefaces and ornaments and gives the brand a quiet dignity and confidence.
This logo design works because:
- Highlands focus: Name “Highlands” is the focus of the logo
- Beer bottle icon: Simple and rustic-looking icon of old beer bottle
- Estd 1908: Flanked on both sides by “Estd 1908”
- Broken ellipse: Whole design encased in broken ellipse
- Quality messaging: “Quality Local Brewers” and “Using the finest barley and hops”
- Turn of century nostalgia: Brings back nostalgia of turn of century design
- Quiet dignity: Gives brand quiet dignity and confidence
Results: A Brand That Honors Heritage
The brand identity we created for Highlands Brewers successfully honors the rich heritage and history of the 120-year-old brewery while bringing the brand into modern times. The seal-like logo design with “Highlands” as the focus, old beer bottle icon, “Estd 1908” flanking, and broken ellipse encasing creates a design that brings back the nostalgia of the turn of the century design, typefaces and ornaments, giving the brand a quiet dignity and confidence.
Today, Highlands Brewers uses this brand identity to attract craft beer enthusiasts, positioning them as a 120-year-old St. Louis brewery that persevered through prohibition, declining sales, and personal misfortune, now making craft beer with a fresh logo that retains aspects of the bygone era while bringing the brand into modern times.
