Lanikai Brewing Company
Lanikai Brewing Company needed a brand identity that captured the spirit of one of Hawaii's most iconic places — and could scale across a growing portfolio of beers, spirits, and merchandise.
The result is a complete brand system rooted in place—built to scale while remaining unmistakably recognizable at every touchpoint.
Scope:
Brand Identity, Packaging System, Merch Design, Marketing Materials
Recognition:
CBMA Golden Crushie — Best Unique Logo Design
CBMA Golden Crushie — Best Collaboration Beer Label
CBMA Platinum Crushie — Best Craft Seltzer Label
Context
Lanikai is synonymous with images of a stunning beach and the iconic Mokulua Islands on the horizon — one of the most recognizable landscapes in all of Hawaii. The brand needed to honor that sense of place while building a flexible visual system capable of supporting over twenty beer varieties, a spirits line, and a growing merchandise range.
“A sense of place, built into every touchpoint.”
Approach
The primary mark centers on the Mokulua Islands, the gentle ocean, and an iconic bent palm tree — an instantly recognizable symbol of place that feels authentically of Hawaii and timeless. The packaging system was built around a hero illustration of the view from Lanikai Beach, rendered in an authentic woodcut style. With color and detail variations across each release, the system allows every beer and spirit to feel distinct while remaining unmistakably Lanikai.
Brand Identity System
The Lanikai identity extends beyond a single mark into a broader visual language—built from a flexible set of lockups, supporting graphics, messaging elements, and packaging cues designed to work cohesively across touchpoints.
From primary and secondary marks to campaign graphics and utility lockups, each element reinforces the same sense of place, craft, and recognizability—creating a system that is both expressive and highly adaptable.
Secondary Mark
A custom script wordmark was developed alongside the primary mark, giving the brand a warmer, more casual voice for merchandise and lifestyle applications while remaining unmistakably connected to the core identity.
Beer Packaging System
Built on a consistent visual framework, the system flexes through color, naming, and subtle illustrative variations—allowing each release to feel distinct while preserving a recognizable Lanikai signature.
This balance creates strong shelf differentiation without sacrificing brand recognition.
Shave Ice Tropical Seltzers
The Shave Ice Tropical Seltzer line celebrates one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved local treats through a vibrant collection of eight flavors and counting—each with its own distinct color story, yet unmistakably Lanikai.
The line showcases the flexibility of the identity system, balancing bold variation with strong brand recognition. It quickly became one of the brewery’s best-selling product lines and earned a CBMA Platinum Crushie for Best Craft Seltzer Label.
Spirits Packaging System
The identity system extends naturally into spirits—adapting tone, palette, and presentation while maintaining a cohesive relationship to the core identity.
This flexibility allows new offerings to feel elevated and differentiated without disconnecting from the core identity.
Collaborative Releases
The flexibility of the Lanikai identity system extends beyond core offerings—adapting to retail partnerships, ingredient collaborations, and limited-edition releases while maintaining a clear connection to the broader brand.
Some collaborations preserve familiar structural cues, while others intentionally push the visual language in new directions—demonstrating the elasticity of the system without sacrificing brand recognition.
Whether rooted in partnership, experimentation, or storytelling, each release expands the Lanikai brand world while reinforcing what makes it instantly recognizable.
Sales & Release Calendar
The Lanikai brand system was designed to support more than product packaging—it serves as a framework for launch planning, sales enablement, and portfolio growth.
A yearly release calendar helps organize seasonal offerings, limited releases, and category expansion into a cohesive brand roadmap—bringing clarity to internal teams and external partners alike.
Outcome
The resulting identity system helped establish Lanikai as one of Hawaiʻi’s most recognized craft breweries—supporting award-winning releases, successful line extensions, and a brand presence that remains unmistakably its own.