XXXX
XXXX is widely acknowledged as Queensland’s most loved beer. Established over 140 years ago, Castlemaine Brewery became synonymous with Australian beer culture. In 1924, the brewery’s signature drop XXX Sparkling Ale was awarded a fourth ‘X’ for quality, birthing the XXXX brand we know and love today. The brand continued to evolve to meet changing consumer needs, while the original recipe for XXXX Bitter remained consistent. But as new generations of beer drinkers emerged, the challenge was to refresh the identity in a way that respected its rich history while maintaining relevance and appeal.
The Solution
We reimagined XXXX with a simple, modern and fresh take on the rich heritage of this beloved Aussie brand. The identity was decluttered and stripped back to let the most iconic assets stand proud. A nod to the past, designed to feel classic yet contemporary. Fewer colours, fewer layers, fewer tricks. More XXXX.
The recrafted XXXX mark took pride of place on pack, with a bolder, more confident scale. A reduced palette and single-minded typography brought consistency across the range, strengthening recognition of the masterbrand. Inspired by long summer days in the Queensland sun, distinct shadows and ice-cold renders were introduced across cartons to cue a sense of place and total refreshment.
Introducing XXXX Dry
Extending beyond the identity, we helped identify a gap in the range for an easy-drinking, refreshing-looking lager designed to appeal to a new cohort of beer drinkers. Enter XXXX Dry, full-strength yet easy-drinking liquid with a contemporary identity, purposefully aligned to the core range.
Despite only launching in Queensland and the Northern Territory, XXXX Dry became one of the biggest Australian beer launches of the year. Within its first 12 months, it contributed over $12 million in retail sales to the category, with 54% coming from the target audience of 18–34-year-olds.
XXXX Dry launched alongside Gold and Bitter to create an iconic trio – a XXXX family embodying the Pride of Queensland.
Completed at Landor Australia
Client: Lion
Credits
Design: Giles Day, Abi Singmin, Darren Mulkerrins, Riley Griffiths, Clara Klaassen, Matt Johnson
CGI: Darren Mulkerrins
Client Services: Daniel Chambers