Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност by Bojun Tan

Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност by Bojun Tan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Бронзова награда A' Design Award in Графичен дизайн, илюстрация и визуална комуникация Competition Category.

БронзГрафика· 2026

Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност

by Bojun Tan

Client: Agave De Ray

Бронзова награда A' Design Award Winner in Графика Category

6,001

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #181084

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност

Текст за книга: Agave De Ray представя изтънчена бранд архитектура за базиран в Пекин дилър на мескал, свързвайки наследството на Оахака с градското гостоприемство. Проектът използва адаптивна идентичност, в която съставките са персонифицирани като бдителни духове, сливайки игрива илюстрация със строга типографска система. Балансирайки занаятчийски текстури с приглушена землиста палитра, дизайнът установява изтънчен визуален стандарт за бутикови спиртни напитки, претворявайки прародителската непреклонност за съвременна елитна публика.

The Recognition

About the Бронзова награда A' Design Award

Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност е носител на Бронзовата награда A' Design Award — високо престижно признание, присъждано на изключителни дизайни, които се отличават с творчество, изобретателност и проницателност. Бронзовите победители са изобилно умели и поразително творчески артефакти, които удостоверяват богатия опит, въображение и находчивост на своите дизайнери. Очаква се Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност да бъде високо ценен, възхищаван и обичан предмет, забележително професионален и иновативен. Този дизайн, спечелил Бронзовата награда A' Design Award, включва най-добрите практики в изкуството, науката, дизайна и технологиите и е отличен с вниманието си към детайла. Agave De Ray Основна функция: Бранд идентичност великолепно удовлетворява нуждите, докосва желанията, очарова чувствата и привлича любопитството.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Agave de Ray is a mezcal dealer and bar based in Beijing. The project develops a brand architecture that bridges the raw, ancestral character of oaxacan mezcal production with the speakeasy drinking culture of beijing. Anchored by an adaptive visual identity, the system translates traditional agave-related elements into a family of quirky personified spirits. The overall brand identity aims to establish a new model of high-end boutique spirits within an urban drinking context
Dimensions & Packaging: The brand identity is developed as a scalable digital system. Core assets are produced in vector formats (AI, SVG, EPS) and raster outputs (PNG, JPG) for web and print use. A modular 8-column grid grid system and defined clear-space rules ensure consistency across formats. Typography uses Cortese font family with structured hierarchy. Color specifications include RGB, CMYK, and Hex values for cross-media reproduction.
Tags: Adaptive Logo, Changing Logos, Catering, Drinks, Mexican, Characters
Production Technology: To maintain the brand’s Ancestral Grit, I utilized a digital linocut technique to create a high-contrast, tactile aesthetic that mimics traditional woodblock printing. The Adaptive Logo System was engineered for scalability across high-end catering touchpoints, from letterpress coasters on 600gsm cotton stock to copper-foiled bottle labels. The methodology centered on "Visual Governance"–balancing the quirky character illustrations with a rigid, minimalist typographic grid to ensure the brand felt both artisanal and elite.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was achieving a fine balance between "playful quirk" and "high-end prestige." Internally, I had to balance the owner’s personal namesake with the historical weight of Oaxacan tradition. Externally, the obstacle was avoiding "craft-kitsch" while maintaining artisanal authenticity for the Beijing luxury market. I overcame this by engineering an adaptive logo system that shifts with the spirit, using a rigid minimalist grid to anchor the fluid, hand-drawn characters.
Research: This visual research analyzed the tension between traditional heritage and a luxury market of young drinking culture. Using comparative analysis and mood mapping, I identified a gap between traditional kitsch and luxury. By studying urban drinking rituals and premium spirit packaging, I developed an adaptive identity system, resulting in a series of motif that humanizes the product while maintaining elite status.
Inspiration: Driven by the brand's namesake, the owner, the design personified the agave as a watchful spirit by adding eyes to each element, infusing the identity with a personal, mischievous soul. The research focused on the tension between Oaxacan ancestral grit and Beijing's urban refinement. An adaptive logo system was made to shift with the product line, using a linocut aesthetic and a muted palette to ground the quirky characters in a high end, boutique dealer context.
Project Duration: The project started in January 2023 and finished in January 2026, and was soft-launched online since 2023.
Operation Flow: The brand operates through a "living" visual system where the agave spirits adapt to the user’s journey. At a tasting, the interaction begins with tactile, raw-textured invitations, leading to bottles where the "watchful" characters shift based on the specific spirit. This personification creates an emotional dialogue, making the complex heritage of Mezcal approachable yet elite. By balancing playful characters with rigid, premium materials, the design delivers a more memorable, intuitive, and culturally resonant ritual.