Blurr Bureau uncorks a tasteful identity and label for non-alcoholic wine brand Society De La Rassi

Inspired by founder Steve Jackson’s decade of experience in events and celebrations, Society De La Rassi is a sparkling de-alcoholised wine that, with less than 0.5% alcohol, aims to mirror the jubilant experiences of traditional sparkling wines with the prestige to match. The brand’s mission is to fill a luxury-tiered gap in the market – rivaling legacy premium champagne options like Dom Pérignon and Veuve Clicquot.

Noting the global presence and cultural acuity of Blurr Bureau, Jackson reached out to the brand strategy and design team (with studios in New York and Melbourne) “to build his brand from the ground up,” notes Creative Director Caitlin Kennedy Bradley, “one that would hold its own in the wine aisle and in the hands of those who celebrate differently.”

Blending “indulgence with intentionality and tradition with tomorrow,” Blurr Bureau devised a design system that nods to both heritage-inspired craftsmanship and contemporary sophistication. “Unlike other brands in the nonalcoholic space that lead with abstinence or wellness,” Kennedy Bradley tells us, “Society De La Rassi (SDLR) is about inclusion, indulgence, and connection – a way to celebrate without compromise.”

The team condensed this essence into their proposed brand mark, a bold red rectangle – dubbed ‘the portal.’ This emerged from studying the visual shorthand of iconic champagne houses – the Dom Pérignon shield, the Veuve Clicquot orange label. These brands built decades of legacy around symbols that instantly signal luxury, status, and celebration.

For Society De La Rassi, the mark is both an invitation and a visual shorthand for a new way to celebrate. “Whether spotted behind a bar, at a dinner party, or caught in a blurry late-night photograph, it’s impossible to miss.”

The name and colour selection intentionally reflect the brand’s Mediterranean heritage, drawing from the Italian words for red – rossa/rosso – symbolising passion, connection, and an invitation to the daring. Kennedy Bradley explains, “Beyond its emotional impact, red is deeply rooted in the Mediterranean winemaking tradition, tying back to the inspiration behind the brand name (‘Rassi’ is a surname derived from the Italian ‘Rosso,’ meaning red).”

Instead of following the codes of emerging non-alcoholic brands (which, Kennedy Bradley suggests, often lean toward being colourful, playful, modern, and minimal), Blurr Bureau took cues from the craftsmanship and legacy of classic champagne houses. Emphasising the old-world production of the wine with the new-age innovation in dealcoholisation, the packaging system and the brand strategy embrace layered perspectives.

The packaging showcases traditional printing techniques that evoke luxury through tactile elements, signaling artisanship and craft quality through embossed lettering, uncoated paper stock, and glossy heat-stamped accents. “The uncoated paper stock adds tactility while the logotype is applied using thermography on top of the heat-stamped red portal, creating depth and contrast,” notes Kennedy Bradley. “The red ink subtly bleeds into the raw paper around the portal – a nod to the imperfect beauty of traditional wine-printing techniques.”

According to Designer Andy Webb, these techniques were chosen to elevate SDLR beyond the standard nonalcoholic category, “giving it a premium, covetable presence on par with traditional champagnes.”

In addition to thoughtfully selected materials and techniques, Blurr Bureau leveraged sophisticated typography to create an elevated yet eccentric brand persona. The wordmark, Webb notes, “needed to be strong, structured, and well-balanced within the brand’s rigid, justified typographic system.” Set in Söhne Breit, selected for its sense of refinement without a reliance on decoration, its capitalised to provide a sense of balance and presence, especially given the extended width of the typeface and long name. Additionally, the rectangular proportions of the extended letterforms echo the shape of the portal.

Klim Type Foundry’s Untitled Serif, used for long-form storytelling and small text, is quietly confident, holding its own against the striking wordmark. Meanwhile, ED Sonar by Emyself Design was chosen for the NA badge. This typeface adds a touch of understated elegance to the design, with a refined, hand-drawn quality of letterforms reminiscent of traditional monograms and wax seals.