The world has never seen such great and fast evolution of visual elements. A wealth of images associated with countries and companies fills the Internet and copyright records. The speed at which companies hire specialists and obtain a logotype is intimidating to aesthetic professionals. In the context of wine and export initiatives, there is an added challenge: countries and wineries must represent themselves with international promotion. It is in this sphere that we have seen the best commercial teams working with designers and advertisers. Here is a tour, in alphabetical order, of South America and its representative images.
Wines of Argentina recently changed its logotype. It left behind an image that included the colors of the Argentinean flag and moved toward a more modern style using two different typographies for the letters “A” and “W.” Visually, the effect is unsettling, since the perspective created in the triangle at the center is shifted. The prolongation of the outside triangle (the inside of the letter “A”) shows different widths and styles that attract the eye to the sides rather than making a strong natural center of attention.
The pink color does not seem to be suitable, especially because it is not neutral enough to represent both the red & white varieties. Finally, there is an aura of the pretentious, with a less-than-subtle allusion to a highly respected fashion design house that for the young followers uses the letters “A” and “X.” They are dancing at the edge of copyright law.
In contrast, Wines of Argentina achieved something great with the logotype for “Malbec World Day.” Everything happens around a wine glass: the blue color hearkens to the clear blue sky of Patagonia or the sky above the mountains and the image draws a map from the southern hemisphere as a geographic context. The two fonts and colors are a great choice considering the target audience of these events.
In the quest to find the image representing Brazil, we encountered the classic debate for the right translation: Wines of Brasil vs. Wines from Brasil. Just as expected from a Brazilian company, here we find the distinctive colors of the flag. The image includes a corkscrew, playfully inviting the consumer to open a bottle of wine.
The corkscrew is made with a light-hearted freehand drawing and the spiral serves as the axel element. The phrase they use, “open your mind” or “abra e se abra,” is provocative. If we already associate Brazil with soccer, Formula 1, Carnaval and beaches, clearly our expectations of their wines are the highest with this slogan, which capitalizes on these associations. The simple, modern and suggestive design reinforced with a phenomenal slogan (with a proper and contextualized translation) is a safe achievement. Brazil now has the great challenge of fulfilling this promise of offering quality and consistent wine to the international market.
The logotype for Wines of Chile is easily understood but is also naïve. It integrates the map showing the country vertically, which allows for a dynamic reading. The colors are modern and echo topographic and climatic maps, thus reinforcing the message of diversity in climates and elevations. Yet there must be a change. The entity and wineries have a huge challenge ahead due to the natural growth of the wines’ reputations. A change in the image is vital to support the initiative of increasing the presence and exports of medium and high range wines. It is imperative to develop a graphic concept that supports the increase of the price for the case of wine.
It is no secret that in the past few years, Chile has bet on making a difference. Wineries are applying strategies to avoid overstocking markets and therefore avoid the devaluation of these goods. There is a clear call for a mature image that matches this growth in prominence and price. A useful example of this is the logotype of the brands Swatch and Rolex; both watches work with precision and perfection, but their branding couldn’t be more different. Chilean wines are far from naïve. They require an image that shows this.
Wines of Uruguay is trying to deliver its message with a freehand drawing that lacks any structure. It is a loose and fluffy image that does not represent the potential of its producers and wines. The glass could establish a powerful axel with a more rigid and classic line. The blue color version is heavy and dark. It simply does not work for wine because it is monotonous and boring. The white version makes the sun look better and it is easier to recognize the location on the map.
There is another, totally different version of the logo that gives me serious doubts. It uses an empty bottle as a caramel-colored filter into a sunrise/sunset on the beach and handwriting that reads “Wines of Uruguay.” These are colors and ideas that could have worked three decades ago, but Uruguayan wines in the international trade are way ahead of that style. That image might work in tourism but does not support export initiatives to promote wines. The logo that has achieved the Uruguayan message most effectively is the one for the grape variety “tannat.” In this logo, a harmonic line draws a glass of wine and at the same time serves as the letter “T” at beginning and end. Together with “anna” in the interior, it creatively completes the word.
Germany
German design has been, and continues to be, a model of effective communication. This logo reinforces our positive preconceived notions about the country. The colors remind us of the country as a whole, rather than committing themselves to a particular region or variety of wine. Clear and raw, the image would even work without the text.
The text is written in an unpretentious font that does its job communicating and reinforcing the concept, identifying the entity and product it represents. Simply put, this is a design that’s complete, precise and functional.
Spain
The message of a Spanish fiesta is more than obvious; we just need to open the bottle! The words “Wines of Spain” are clear and achieve a successful dialogue amidst the two fonts and two colors, a bold risk that paid off. The text’s character integrates harmoniously with the solid color of the bottle, as though it extended directly from its surface.
The content is suggestive. The bottle’s position, as though it were being served, invites us to feel as though it is ours. The vibrant colors are representative and applicable to many white and red varieties. Flowing and pausing, the form achieves a rhythm. It seems someone applied a golden sheen—and gold was called “divine” by the Greeks. This bottle manages to represent all the wine regions of Spain, united as one country. It reinforces the consumer predisposition to think of Spain as happy and festive. A success, although my purist eyes would perhaps separate the black text and only permit the red to overlap, since the colored italics have always had a bit more permission to break the rules.
Portugal
The contents of the letter P evoke vegetable growth, a world of growth, complete with climbing vines and an invitation to sit on a balcony and enjoy the wine. The majority of the buyers must be women; clearly the feminine image is targeting that important segment that ultimately makes purchasing decisions.
This logo is an echo of the evolution of both Portugal’s labels and its styles, and the slogan “a world of difference” puts into words both the aesthetic and sensory experiences of the wines. The font is a success, with its first letter “W” playing at growing like a vine to put the dot on the letter “i.” To sum it all up, the design is understated, feminine, elegant and alive. The vintage style isn’t “in” in Portugal. Nevertheless, this distinctive line was inspired by those antique balconies, where one could sit and watch the sea and the vineyards, a view both romantic and evocative.
Though the world of images seems limitless, there are key concepts to delivering the right message. First and foremost, there are basic considerations of composition, color and shape. It should be enough to just take a look at the classics to begin to understand. By classics, I mean icons in the arts that have gathered international attention and acclaim: da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rosetti, Goya, Mucha, Constable, Turner, Monet, Picasso, Dali, Rauschenberg, Beuys, Klee, Miro, Warhol, and Mondrian, as well as many movements like Bauhaus and Art Nouveau, to name just a few.
In addition to these artistic masters, studying the shapes of nature and reviewing the Greek concept of the “golden ratio” can reveal some fundamental ways to add soul and power to a design. We invite those interested to review the solid world of images from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, so we can all understand the task we have ahead of us in the region.
The Author:
Pamela Villablanca studied Art in Universidad Finis Terrae, Diplomados at Universidad Católica de Chile and the Cinema School of Chile. Pamela is a Chilean professional who has worked in the United States since 2002 leading business missions for both premium wine companies and prestigious tailor made tourism. Pamela Villablanca performed various tasks in 20 Estates and nearly 60 cities as Ex–Brand Ambassador for Huneeus Vintners, Family group owning Veramonte in Casablanca Valley and Quintessa in California among other properties. She was recently the Estate Sales Manager for a Napa based start-up company importing and distributing South American wines in California.
AndesWines
andes@andeswines.com
Translated by Erin Becker
Graduate of the English and Creative Writing Program
University of North Carolina
