Festif is a new brand of après-aperitif inspired by founder David Bly’s French Canadian roots. The brand name, which means “festive” in French, reflects the brand’s spirit of celebration.
But pulling off a “festive” character isn’t as easy as waving your hands on Zoom and setting off a digital party popper loaded with even more digital confetti. That’s why Bly enlisted the talented folks at Wedge to design the visual identity and packaging. The agency was also tasked with capturing the creative direction and brand photography.
To concoct the joyful spirit of the brand, Wedge looked to European posters of the 1920s, as they found inspiration in many of the illustrations and how they stood out against dark backgrounds, particularly when paired with some of the typographic elements of their time.
“Festif gets made using wild and foraged Canadian herbs. It also requires a lot of labor. It’s not mass-produced, so you should feel that without falling into an overly labored design,” says Sarah Di Domenico, co-founder and creative director of Wedge. The Festif labels feature a trapezoid reminiscent of glassware you’d typically find the aperitif served inside, with a distinct color palette for both of the offerings—blue for the amaro and yellow for the choux’s bottle. A playful cloud of dots surrounds the top of the trapezoids and adds to the overall sensation of reckless delight. The custom typography designed by Wedge is big and bold and used on the label’s top and bottom, while a script-styled font balances out the primary type.
A bottle shape with a rounded shoulder adds fun and bar presence to Festif’s packaging. But what really sets the bottle apart is the button-shaped green cap, a signature flourish the brand hopes will resonate with people for years to come.
“Sometimes, there’s a lot of strategy. But sometimes, it’s a simple color intention that creates distinction,” Justin Lortie, founder and chief design director at Wedge, says. “In the case of the cap, just a little pop of fun evokes the brand’s spirit. It’s as simple as that.”
Rooted in European tradition, aperitifs are often enjoyed worldwide at the end of a meal or as a nightcap. Festif, however, is made to be enjoyed at the start of the night with friends, and the brand’s visual identity reflects its convivial intent and overall festive nature through fun, vintage design.
Festif is available now in Los Angeles.
