BEHIND THE DESIGN: BIRTH OF ASAHI
Long before the brand that many people have grown to know and love today, Asahi was originally part of a larger brewery holdings group. They were actually called Osaka Beer Company. This larger beer group included Osaka Beer[Asahi], DaiNippon, and Sapporo Holdings. However, there was an influence to dismantle the conglomerate and separate the holdings. As a result of Asahi doing so, they began to fail in the marketplace to the third position along with mounting challenges the economic boom had placed on the beer inflation.
In 1985 the famed identity designer Nagai Kazumasa was selected to design and art direct the new direction for Asahi Breweries [Asahi Group Holdings]. The new logo mark direction was defined by a new “sharp” and angular typeface where each letter comes to a head, rounded but with an overall sharp point. Similar to that of a gothic letterform. The revised Asahi direction exudes visual qualities of dynamism, a new sharper attitude, as well as the push for a rising growth through this visual language. The blue colour selected was specifically singled-out to symbolize Asahi’s most important ingredient, water. Through this decision, the identity carries an expressively rich refreshing feeling.
Soon after the birth of the new Asahi rebrand, they created the Asahi Super Dry "Karakuchi" label. It reinvented Asahi's brand, changed the history of modern Japanese beer, became Asahi's flagship beer, and grew to overtake Kirin in sales for years to come.
The word ‘Karakuchi’ [辛口] can be broken down as ‘spicy, salty, hot’ [辛] and the word ‘mouth’ [口]. However, this is not intended for a direct translation.
According to Asahi, Karakuchi describes how “the beer is dry and crisp with a quick, clean finish. But words alone can't capture the true meaning”.
The combination of strong expressive logo, type design, and clever copywriting served to illustrate and attract a more refined beer aficionado. Ultimately changing the course of Asahi Holdings Group history as a beer maker forever.
Text By:B.LeMar
