How cool is this vodka?

Design studio, The Pack Republic, and CCL Label Decorative Sleeves got together to solve a question that plagues all spirits brands - how do you create a label that will foster brand growth in a fickle and densely populated market?

The pair realised that point of difference was an essential, and a novelty feature was a useful adjunct. The spirit is a premium vodka, so a sophisticated elegance was important. The target market is trend aware so the design aesthetics had to lead current fashion.

With all of this in mind, The Pack Republic began developing several design concepts for Tilslore vodka, which it then passed on to CCL.

The design finally agree on was a white and blue bottle decoration with thermochromic effect.

When the contents are at room temperature, the background of the sleeve label is mostly white, but this has a special lacquer pattern and includes a type eight thermochromic blue ink.

When the surface temperature of the bottle reaches 8 degrees C, the bottle design turns blue. All thermochromic changes are sensitive to exact temperature, which are determined by the mass of the bottle rather than the ambient surroundings. So the colour changes when the vodka inside reaches ideal drinking temperature – 8 degrees C.

The design was rotogravure printed in six colours, thermochromic lacquer and white. CCL also incorporated the UK tax stamp into the shrink sleeve, rather than as a separate label, and included the security inks. The design was printed on 45 micron high shrink PET.