Amanecer
“Celebrate From Dawn ’Til Dusk”
Brand Design
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Project Overview:
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Brand Book
Link to Brand Book
Project This project involved creating a modern tequila brand identity that fuses deep Mexican traditions with youthful energy to celebrate culture through narrative-driven packaging.
Role
Brand Identity and Brand Design
Timeline3 Months
Tools
Illustrator, Figma and Photoshop
SizeVariety of Sizes
What is Amanecer?
Amanecer (Spanish for "Sunrise" or "Dusk") is a modern tequila brand that celebrates the transition between night and day. Born in the agave heartlands, we fuse Mexican heritage with youthful energy, treating every can as a canvas for cultural folklore and contemporary art. By modernizing tradition, Amanecer connects a new generation through a shared experience of culture, creativity, and community.
Brand Goals & Objectives
Modernizing HeritageTransitioning tequila from a traditional spirit into a modern lifestyle brand that resonates with "cultureseekers" and young professionals (ages 21–35).
Narrative-Driven ExperienceShifting the focus from a standard beverage to an immersive experience where each flavor acts as a "chapter" inspired by Mexican folklore, mythical beings (like the jaguar), and cultural icons.
Fostering Social ConnectionDesigning the product specifically for sharing and storytelling. The goal is for the brand to be a centerpiece at festivals, beach parties, and social dinners, bridging the gap between night and day.
Narrative-Driven ExperienceCreating a brand that is "Instagram/TikTok shareable". This objective is met through high-contrast, vibrant designs and "collectible" packaging that appeals to those who value visual aesthetics
Authentic Differentiation Providing a credible alternative to generic seltzers by maintaining a core focus on agave and tequila heritage, ensuring the product feels premium yet approachable
Brand Pillars
- Cultural Storytelling
- Every drink tells a story; every can is a canvas for Mexican heritage.
- Authentic Roots
- Grounded in the heartlands of agave, ensuring the soul of the drink is never lost to the trend
- Celebratory & Social
- Built for the moments of connection—festivals, beach parties, and late-night dinners.
- Folk Modernism
- A design-led philosophy that merges ancient myths with a digital-first aesthetic.
Solution
The development of a "premium yet playful" brand experience where each product serves as a "chapter" of a story, utilizing collectible can designs and vibrant, modern aesthetics to bridge the gap between heritage and contemporary nightlife
us Unique
What makes Amanecer unique is its approach to packaging as storytelling; unlike standard drinks, every flavor has a specific narrative tied to folklore or cultural icons—such as "Lobo Azul" (Blueberry & Sage) evoking strength and mystique. The cans are designed to double as collectible art pieces, weaving cultural pride into a contemporary product that appeals to a fashion-driven, social media-savvy demographic.
Flavor Profiles & Storytelling
Lobo Azul (Blueberry & Sage) Highlight the "Awaken your wild side" tagline and how the wolf (Lobo) symbolizes strength and mystique.
Cascada (Cucumber & Mint) Use the tagline "Refreshment in motion" and explain how it conveys cool, flowing energy.
Sol Dorado (Pineapple): Feature the tagline "Catch the golden glow" to reflect vibrancy and tropical celebration.
Flor de Luna (Elderflower & Lychee): Focus on the "Where night blooms" tagline and its themes of mystery and elegance
Sample Pack
This curated collection serves as an invitation to explore every "chapter" of the brand's narrative. Featuring one can of each signature flavor—Cascada (Cucumber & Mint), Lobo Azul (Blueberry & Sage), Sol Dorado (Pineapple), and Flor de Luna (Elderflower & Lychee)—the pack is designed to provide a comprehensive experience of the Amanecer heritage from dawn ’til dusk.
- Collectible Art
- Designed as "chapters" of heritage, the cans double as decor pieces that extend the brand’s presence in the home.
- Shareable Aesthetic
- Vibrant colors and bold patterns are tailored for social media, making the brand naturally "Instagrammable."
- Cultural Bridge
- Shelf Standout
- Uses a maximalist, art-heavy design to break through the "sea of sameness" found in minimalist, white-label seltzer brands.
Brand Design MoodBoard:
The moodboard style is bold and modern, focusing on urban rooftop parties, close-ups of cocktail mixology, and modern art backdrops to convey contemporary nightlife and energy
Process:
Phase 1:
- My design process involved blending the way Aztec culture depicted its deities with contemporary aesthetics and specialized Mexican typography to create a brand that feels both ancient and experimental
Critique Notes
- Very good work but minimal exploration
- Be careful not to use low res images in the presentation
Phase 2:
-
I began experimenting with bold colors and contemporary typefaces to modernize traditional aesthetics. This visual direction mirrors the vibrant, high-energy nature of the product: tequila.
Critique Notes
-
Very good work but minimal explorationBe careful not to use low res images in the presentation
- Flow: Show clean logo first, then technical guides. Layout: Fix text bleeding off page edges
- Quality: Replace low-resolution images.
- Requirements: Need 4+ applications (must show both 2D flat layout and 3D render for each)
- Logo Rules: Establish stricter guidelines; use "type-only" versions for merch stands instead of combined logos
- Rationales: Add brief explanations to every slide and at the end of the deck (covering the "why," the "feeling," and the brand connection)
- Consistency: Align pop-up shop designs to ensure they don't look too different from the core brand
- Thank You Card: Experiment with a large-scale wordmark/logo and darker, more premium color palette
Moodboard:
- The design employs bold, large-scale graphics to clearly define sections within a clean, sophisticated layout. This approach allows for a high density of information while maintaining a minimalist and highly organized aesthetic.
Inspiration:
Phase 1: Inspiration
- Modelo: Inspired the use of rich textures and graphics to represent the brand's identity
- Jack Daniels: Informed the approach of balancing high-density information with generous negative space
- Ford: Served as a reference for clean, minimalist layouts that emphasize and highlight core design elements.
Phase 2:
- Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus
Critique Notes
- Give your header text and body text some more space
- For the chapter headers organize them in the same way on the edge or on the bottom
- Utilize more of the graphics
- Add graphics section
- Length of body text needs to be shortened
- Remove lines
- Missing something from the spreads
- Swatch page needs work
Phase 2:
- Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus
Critique Notes
- Text need to be aligned with the top line and not the text box
- Made colour section more visually appealing
- Made page separation more visually interesting
- Changed page headers and page numbers aligned and made there orientation similar
Changes:
Phase 3: Assemble the book
- Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus
Critique Notes
- Production Challenges: The project presented significant hurdles, specifically balancing the initial design phase with the technical difficulties of physical construction.
- Material Application: A primary challenge involved gluing felt to the cover, which required stretching the fabric to achieve a tight, seamless finish—particularly around the corners.
- Interior Detailing: To create a more cohesive aesthetic, floral pattern sheets were added to the interior; these provided visual depth while structurally supporting the perfect-bound contents.
- Adhesive Testing: To ensure a secure assembly, an extensive testing phase was conducted on sample book boards using various adhesives, including:
- Hot glue
- Mod Podge
- Tacky glue
- Standard glue sticks
- Final Construction: Based on the testing results, a combination of three different types of glue was utilized to achieve the most durable and professional final result.
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Designed by Me (Daniel Santos) 2026