How the hell can brands stand out in 2022? The design consultancy specialising in spirits and better-for-you beverages is rebranding its identity with a unique and differentiating concept: a logo with a black metal iconography.

The rise of extravagant typefaces (also known as display fonts) is adding some new blood into the world of modern design. Regardless what purists of legibility think, Gen Z brands are innovating and disrupting our habits.

There are some striking examples of this, including celebrities: Kanye West wears Cradle Of Filth t-shirts, Willow Smith prefers Anthrax, Rihanna has rock and metal patches on her stage outfits. On the fashion side, we noticed the British band Bring Me The Horizon’s clothing line at H&M. The occult fascinates and the irreverence piques our curiosity.

« Designing a wordmark that is too clean, tame and ticks all the boxes of a supposedly perfect design? That’s boring! », says Ludovic Mornand, founder and brand strategist at Studio Blackthorns.

The studio, expert in « brand exorcism », opted for an organic logotype stained with peat, thorns and compost. This visual symbolises the hard work of brewers, distillers and winemakers, but also connotes nature and the land that nurtures it.

« For most people, marketing is the branch of a company that aims to trick the consumer. We strive to reverse this perception. Our new logo embodies this allergy to bullshit marketing. » This rebranding is a return to its roots, a statement of assertive singularity and an ode to the strategic design studio’s convictions.

Blackthorns has partnered with Christophe Szpajdel, a leading figure in the rock music scene. The calligrapher has created emblems for the most famous international bands in the genre (Emperor, Old Man’s Child, Enthroned, Borknagar, Moonspell and even Rihanna).

Blackthorns’ rebranding captures this fascination for the unexpected, the taste for disturbing beauty and the genesis of the millennial alchemists. The logo evokes the roots of a blackthorn tree, which will yield fabulous sloe gins. Their new emblem, on the other hand, materializes the fractional distillation in a hydra.

« We wanted to instil the authentic, tumultuous and sometimes difficult side of entrepreneurship and product creation », Ludovic continues.

The firm’s bold approach will delight enthusiasts who wish to steer their projects towards a conscious and responsible rebranding.