DAf – J.T. Meleck

Mike Frugé, a Louisiana rice and crawfish farmer, had a vision: to become one of the first producers of rice vodka and whiskey in the US. He approached DAf to collaborate in the inception of this new brand: to name it, create packaging design, brand storytelling and brand book. Named J.T. Meleck for Mike’s innovative, entrepreneurial grandfather, the packaging design places Louisianan culture at its core, employing a number of elements that typify the state’s culinary and cultural heritage. The crawfish is central and flanked on each side by frond-like rice plants whose grains give life to the final product. The stylized fleur-de-lis lily and the color blue are representative of Louisiana, while the imperfections in the logo and crawfish sketch evoke the honest, transparent hard work undertook by this family and the man who began it all: J.T. Meleck.

This was one of the first products of its kind in the US market and a chance for DAf to explore craft spirits. We traveled to Louisiana to experience first-hand the culinary and cultural elements that represent the state and that ultimately inspired the strategy behind the branding and brand communications for these new rice spirits.

The Frugé family were extremely contented with the outcome of the project. While the whiskey is coming to the end of its aging process, the vodka has already launched and is performing well in the market:

“The vodka is off to a magnificent start,” the client informed us. “The bottle is being received extremely well. People understand our story just by looking at the packaging design.”