Right from the start, Zipline Brewing Co. knew that good branding and retail packaging could make the difference between great success and abject failure. They came to us to bring their industrial aesthetic to life, and find a way to thrive amidst a sea of competitors.

We first refined Zipline’s logo, created all branding materials and retail packaging, and helped determine product specs. For the logo, we built custom letterforms inspired by vintage American beer cans and bottles, and we implemented a solid-looking zipline to tie it all together. Then we ran the industrial cable from their logo off all sides of their packaging, creating the illusion of a continuously running zipline. This simple visual decision made Zipline distinctly stand out from all other beer on the shelves—making it easier for consumers to find exactly what they’re looking for.

We also had the opportunity to build even stronger brand equity for Zipline by thoughtfully applying their brand to a wide array of key elements: business cards, coasters, bar signage, delivery trucks, keg collars, and even the grain silo outside their primary retail taproom. All of these consistent elements help keep Zipline top-of-mind for beer drinkers throughout the Midwest.

We worked with a custom sculptor to design Zipline tap handles that are uniquely and unmistakably theirs—a literal slice of zipline cable attached to a large, broad space for easy brew identification.

Zipline averaged 70% year-over-year growth for their first five years in business (and during those same years, the industry grew at just a quarter of that rate). Their distribution has grown from citywide to a multistate region, and the instant recognizability of their brand and packaging has made them the gold standard that other regional craft breweries aspire to achieve.