BRAND IDENTITY + LOGO REFRESH
that preserved 20 years of visual equity—and added a dose of vintage Scandinavian charm.
The Background:
Krogstad Aquavit is the American aquavit—the first to be distilled stateside in 2006. A memorable but obscure spirit, aquavit is deeply beloved by Scandinavian communities worldwide, but rarely positioned as a staple for the modern bar. For two decades, it’s been making its way into contemporary American drinking habits, driven by the craft cocktail momentum.
As they entered their 20th anniversary year, I sat down with owners Christian and Christina to refresh their look and develop a brand system to take them into their third decade.
The thinking:
We knew what people (us included) loved about the existing visuals, and where their limits are in a modern era that requires a true brand system, versatility, and flexibility for the future. We kept Bill Owen’s iconic, meticulously illustrated, expertly researched Viking ship, and of course, the sailors ascending to Valhalla. We added an abstracted shape—a ship or a wave, depending on context—to ground the visual and serve as a standalone logo when needed. We added a well-earned nod to our status as a brand trusted, respected and beloved since 2006. We selected a punchy, modern typeface to better reflect an unapologetically “loud” flavor profile. We extended this approach—honoring where we’ve been but also taking a bold step forward—to a suite of illustrations and a warmer, richer, vibrant color palette.
Of course, visuals are only part of the story.
We dug deep and thought extensively about what it means to be a brand in 2026: what feels worthwhile, what feels special, what feels truly unique about what we offer the world. It’s noisy out there. We uncovered something exciting, true to the brand, and true to Christian and Christina as people—a brand framework built around making life richer, more vibrant, more expressive. And because boring brand writing is fundamentally opposed to that mission, we fleshed out a tone of voice guide with plenty of examples for wayfinding in the age of ChatGPT.
