Unfiltered African spirit
Naming
Branding
Packaging
Print design
Art direction
Premium vodka isn’t the first thing you’d associate with Africa. But then, our role in the launch of this exciting new product was all about subverting the expected to discover the new.
Vusa is a distinctively African vodka. Unlike European grain-based vodkas, it’s distilled from sugar cane grown naturally in KwaZulu-Natal and filtered through the iconic Baobab tree using water from the Lions River.
We wanted the brand to celebrate this provenance whilst showcasing the diverse reality of 21st century Africa, from underground music and street art to food and fashion.
The name Vusa, meaning “awaken” in Zulu, unlocked the idea of channelling raw creativity and self-expression. This quickly led to our tagline: Awaken Your Spirit.
In addition to the wordmark, the diamond shaped icon, inspired by Zulu art, expresses vibrant energy and motion. The label is die-cut from the same diamond icon, creating a visual burst that reveals a bold black and white pattern inside the bottle.
Retailers from small independent bars to UK-wide supermarkets were brought on board via our unconventional pitch deck: a highly tactile newsprint publication celebrating Vusa’s unique brand story.
