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Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity by Bojun Tan

Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity by Bojun Tan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award nga Bronse in Disenyo sa Grapiks, Ilustrasyon ug Biswal nga Komunikasyon Competition Category.


BronseGrapiko· 2026

Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity

by Bojun Tan

Client: Agave De Ray

A' Design Award nga Bronse Winner in Grapiko Category

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The Design

About Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity

Book Text: Ang Agave De Ray nagpresentar og usa ka pino nga arkitektura sa brand alang sa usa ka mezcal dealer nga nakabase sa Beijing, nga nagsumpay sa kabilin sa Oaxacan ug sa urbanong pagkamaabiabihon. Ang proyekto naggamit og usa ka adaptive nga identidad diin ang mga sangkap gipersonipikar isip mga mabantayong espiritu, nga naghiusa sa malingaw nga ilustrasyon ug usa ka estrikto nga sistema sa tipograpiya. Pinaagi sa pagbalanse sa artisanal nga mga tekstura uban sa usa ka hilom nga palette nga yutaon ang kolor, ang disenyo nagtukod og usa ka sopistikadong biswal nga sumbanan alang sa boutique nga mga ilimnon, nga naghubad sa kabilin sa katigulangan alang sa usa ka modernong elite nga tumatan-aw.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award nga Bronse

Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity usa ka mananaog sa A' Design Award nga Bronse, usa ka labihan ka prestihiyoso nga pag-ila nga gihatag sa talagsaon nga mga disenyo nga gipaila sa pagkamamugnaon, kaabtik, ug kamatngon. Ang mga mananaog sa Bronse mga hanas kaayo ug makapahibulong nga mamugnaon nga mga artipakto nga nagpamatuod sa dakong kasinatian, imahinasyon, ug kaabtik sa ilang mga tigdesinyo. Gilauman nga ang Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity mahimong gipabilhan, gihangaan, ug gihigugma nga butang nga talagsaon ang pagkapropesyonal ug bag-o. Kini nga disenyo nga nakadaog og A' Design Award nga Bronse naglakip sa labing maayong mga praktis sa arte, siyensya, disenyo, ug teknolohiya ug maayo kaayo tungod sa pagtagad niini sa mga detalye. Agave De Ray Primary Function: Brand Identity nagtagbaw sa mga panginahanglan sa matahom nga paagi, nag-igo sa mga tinguha, nagbihag sa mga pagbati, ug nagdani sa pagkamausisaon.

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.

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