When Labels become brand canvas

Once a humble identifier, the label on an alcoholic beverage bottle has become a canvas of creativity, craft, and cultural expression. In a world where first impressions sell and stories shape loyalty, labels do more than decorating; they now sit at the heart of brand strategy. This article explores how the label packaging industry is redefining shelf appeal, blending art with science, and turning bottles into storytellers in an ever-evolving landscape of premiumisation and consumer expectation.

Gone are the days when a label simply needed to display the brand name and content. The label packaging industry has become central to how alcoholic beverage brands present themselves to the world. In today’s competitive marketplace, “labels are no longer mere identifiers; they are storytelling assets,” says Rohit Arora, Co-founder and Design Director at VSupport Industries Pvt. Ltd., a premium branding and design agency, operating as a strategic extension of its parent company, Polylam Printers Pvt. Ltd.

Today’s clients, according to Vishal Pasricha, Managing Director of Polylam Printers, demand narrative-driven, tactile, and visually arresting designs that resonate with evolving consumer sensibilities. Clients increasingly look for bespoke, luxury-inspired design language, and are more open to experimentation with material and structure. The brief has evolved from “we want a nice label” to “we want to build a brand that turns heads.” The shift is especially pronounced in premium categories like whisky and gin, where legacy appeal and craft-forward aesthetics are pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Craft meets Precision

This transformation is driven by a collaborative evolution across design and print disciplines. Design innovation is only as impactful as its technical execution. Behind every visually stunning label is a complex interplay of material science, print technology, and quality assurance. Modern label production, for instance at VSupport Industries, now rely heavily on advanced processes such as multi-level embossing, raised hot foils, softtouch varnishes, textured foils, and hybrid finishes to deliver premium feel and durability.

“Printing must be understood as a combination of art and science. Both art and science need to play their adequate role. Weight on any one side can cause an implementation imbalance,” says Anuj Bhargava, Managing Director of Kumar Labels, one of the largest service providers to the Indian spirits industry. 

Yet, aesthetics are only half the story. Behind every great label lies a deep technical ecosystem. From understanding the nuances of adhesives and wet-strength substrates to maintaining colour fidelity across millions of prints, label packaging is as much a science as it is an art. To ensure consistency across high volumes, industry leaders like Polylam and Kumar Labels use spectrophotometers, densitometers, automated press calibration, benchmarked master proofs, automated QA systems and LED UV presses. Every batch is benchmarked to ensure consistency in finish, colour tone, and material behaviour, even under extreme conditions like condensation, climate variance, and ice bucket exposure.

Design with Insight

The design process today is equally evolved. It begins not with colours or shapes, but with brand immersion: understanding the story, target audience, market placement, and desired emotion. From there, design teams craft layered concepts that balance visual drama with functional clarity. Typography plays a central role in this narrative, setting the tone. “While visual motifs grab attention, it’s the typeface that holds the narrative together. A well-crafted type hierarchy and custom lettering can elevate even the simplest label into something iconic. Typography sets the tone—whether regal, rebellious, or refined,” says Rohit.

One standout case involved a legacy whisky brand aiming to reposition itself in the premium market without altering its price point or core identity. The previous label lacked presence and emotional pull. “While keeping in mind the constraints, we revamped the label design, with an enhanced blue, layered gold foil accents for the horse metaphor, an embossed seal watermark exuding authority, and a celebratory emblem invoking legacy. Sales spiked by 28 percent within the first quarter postlaunch, and the brand earned shelf space in top-tier retail outlets across metros,” he mentions.

Effective label design also requires cultural fluency. Regional preferences deeply influence design choices. While metro consumers lean toward minimalist, sustainable aesthetics, regional and international markets often call for vibrant colours, intricate motifs, and symbolic storytelling. “For instance, South of India prefers much bright gold; urban markets prefer pastels; premium markets use uncoated materials,” says Anuj.

Similarly, localisation plays a key role in export markets. “Scandinavian markets prefer soft, clean lines while African markets may value vibrant palettes and traditional motifs. We tailor every design to strike the right cultural chord,” states Rohit.

Cost sensitivity, however, remains a defining feature of the Indian market, even at premium levels. While clients seek luxurious materials and complex finishes, pricing remains a constraint. This drives a need for “concurrent designed & engineered labels”. “Design is 70 percent, materials are 10 percent and print implementation is 20 percent,” says Anuj. “This means that during design, a deep understanding of materials processed, bottle designs and labelling machine is considered to get the right label out the very first time,” he adds.

The Future

Minimalist design is emerging as a hallmark of refined branding in the alcobev space. Clean layouts, uncoated papers, and matte finishes lend an understated elegance that modern consumers increasingly associate with premium quality. It requires restraint, discipline, and a precise understanding of visual balance. But it is also one of the most difficult design languages to master.

“Simplicity, minimalism is the most underrated yet impactful element in label design that truly elevates a brand’s perception. But it is the most difficult to implement,” remarks Anuj.