Candelaria came to us with the task of creating a beer brand that would celebrate Peru and generate pride in its consumers. Therefore, we embarked on an enriching research journey with the client, seeking something representative of our culture. We discovered the festival of La Candelaria, with its vibrant colors, flavors, and music. We all thought it was a very rich symbolic universe to explore. This important festival gave the definitive name to their beer and initiated a journey that has been very significant for us as a studio.

We were fortunate to have a client with many ideas, who got involved in the entire process, enriching each phase. Additionally, they had a very clear intention that this celebration of Peru should be reflected not only in the packaging but also in the flavor, through the ingredients of the beer (some of Peruvian origin) that make it a perfect companion for many Peruvian dishes.

But the real challenge we set ourselves in this branding process was: how to make folklore pop? How to bring a Peruvian cultural manifestation closer to a young audience in a contemporary and impactful way that invites them to learn about our Peruvian identity in a cool way? These were the questions that drove our process and led us down a different path from the beginning.

Peruvian Identity in a Beer Bottle

We brought Peruvian identity into people’s hands, making the label feel like a festive explosion, represented through rays that gave the sensation of a party, joy, fireworks, music, etc. Additionally, we worked with the diablada as a symbol, and for this, we collaborated with a very talented illustrator who turned a diablada mask into the powerful image of the beer.

On the other hand, we also had an important technical challenge that we managed to overcome creatively. Candelaria created its own bottle at a time when all craft beers used the same one. Moreover, they were committed to having the first screen-printed bottle in Peru, a significant challenge that required many tests to balance the degree of detail in the illustration and many hours of work, but in the end, the result was incredible.

Additionally, the founding team also dared to launch a beer for national holidays called “La Patriota,” with an entirely red bottle, another milestone in the world of Peruvian beers that was a resounding success. One of these bottles reached the hands of Gastón Acurio, who shared it on social media. The next day, the beer was sold out.

Today, Candelaria is one of the most recognized craft beers in the market, and the pride they wanted to generate in Peruvians is something we feel for having been part of this incredible project that made us see Peru with different eyes.

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