Case Study

Atlas Brew Works

When Atlas Brew Works, a DC-based craft brewery, first emerged on the District beer scene, the founders had an idea and just barely a name. Today, the Washington, D.C. community and beyond has embraced the Atlas Brew Works brand not only for the quality and taste of its beer, but also for its differentiated steampunk brand identity.

As its agency of record, Bates Creative has been working with the brew crew since the brand’s establishment in 2013 to its expanding national presence today. When the new venture was still only an idea, Atlas Brew Works internalized a steampunk vision but didn’t have the design dimension to execute a visual tone that attracts distributors and eclipses competition.

Expertise

  • Agency of Record
  • Brand Identity
  • Packaging
  • Website Design and Development
  • Collateral Development
  • Photography
  • Signage
  • Advertisements

Awards

  • DC ADDYS
  • W3 Awards

Bates Creative presented Atlas Brew Works with a series of mood boards anchoring the steampunk theme to discover an ultimate design direction. Because art is an essential component to Atlas Brew Works’ mission, the final logo was hand-drawn with sharp angles juxtaposed with rounded gears to showcase a modern-day interpretation of steampunk aesthetics.

Atlas Brew Works’ brand identity showcases a merging of science, culture and community that comes together and tells the stories with unmatched art at every touch point: packaging, promotional materials, limited edition posters, tap handles, coasters and a responsively designed website.

“”

Bates Creative has been wonderful for helping Atlas Brew Works take our branding to the next level. The design is amazing; the thought behind the coherent branding structure has really been a boon for our image.

Justin Cox, Founder and CEO
Atlas Brew Works

CRAFTING A BRAND FAMILY

Housed under Atlas Brew Works’ umbrella brand are individual beer identities that reflect the essence of each respective beer’s flavor profile. Atlas Brew Works taps Bates Creative to personify each flavor profile with an illustrated icon customized with two feature colors to emphasize the brand’s core ideology that brewing is a combination of art and science.

Once the team at Atlas Brew Works establishes a name, the brewery collaborates with Bates Creative on icon development before entering the design phase. Bates Creative then designs the visual components to artistically pair with the experience of each flavor profile across packaging design, collateral development and promotional materials. Bates Creative set the brand’s visual tone with its three original beers: District Common, Rowdy and NSFW.

Bates Creative continues to exercise the same design methodology for every new brew that is added to the lineup to expand Atlas Brew Works’ visual identity both onsite at the brewery’s taproom as well as on store shelves.

ESTABLISHING A DIGITAL PRESENCE

Atlas Brew Works’ fully responsive website that was designed, developed and is maintained by Bates Creative is chock full of rich information, events and the history of the brand. Little nuances, graphics and play-on-words that may not be noticed at first blush are woven throughout the website for an intricate and interactive appeal.

Because Atlas Brew Works diligently collaborates with Bates Creative to ensure that each beer has its own artistic footprint in the brand, the website hallmarks the beers with a comprehensive beer portfolio. Each beer selection is complemented with a photograph, descriptive flavor profile and beer statistics. Tying in the element of art, each selection showcases the icon design and how it embodies its respective beer.

To pair with Atlas Brew Works’ expanding distribution, Bates Creative designed a beer Atlas to assist thirsty beer patrons in locating where Atlas Brew Works beer is sold in stores, restaurants and bars. The beer Atlas automatically geo-locates where you are in relation to Atlas Brew Works beer for a seamless user experience.

Overall, Atlas Brew Works’ website is a digital representation of the brand’s iconic steampunk aesthetic, art, science and of course, beer.

THE GEARS ARE ALWAYS CHURNING

Atlas Brew Works’ seasoned relationship with its trusted go-to agency of record, Bates Creative, continually expands the breadth of the brewery’s visual experience across all touch points.

“”

We’ve been working with Bates since February of 2013 and it has been a wonderful relationship. The working relationship is great and everyone is very friendly and listens to the feedback we have and tries to integrate it as much as possible without sacrificing the essence of the design.

Justin Cox, Founder and CEO
Atlas Brew Works

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