The Power of Personality

The challenge of getting noticed in the saturated California wine industry is tough enough. But Michael Austin Winery had another concern: the namesake of their enterprise does not exist. The owners, longtime friends with the middle names “Michael” and “Austin” respectively, chose the amalgam moniker to honor their business partnership, but grappled with the issue of

authenticity. We convinced them that the name was a unique opportunity, spinning humorous tails of a fictitious character and his colorful past. The engaging narrative and quirky visual style we developed for them helped the winery cut through the clutter, not only in the busy retail environment but in the industry overall.

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Each wine label recounts a story loosely inspired by anecdotes of the two founders’ lives. “Bad Habit” alludes to their adolescence spent in a catholic high school.
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“High Flyer” plays up a founder’s love of piloting small planes.
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  • Mohawk Fine Papers_ Get in the Loop

  • Abundance Found_ Empowering Partnership

  • Vaska Natural Detergents_ Active Ingredient

  • The Living Principles_ Creative Action

  • California Wine Institute_ Global Appeal

  • BSR_ Illuminating a Global Network

  • Frameline Film Festival_ Think Pink & Beyond

  • Yerba Buena_ Neighborhood Intersections

  • HERproject_ Keeping Business Healthy

  • GreenBiz Group_ Thriving Ecosystem

  • Tools for Peace_ Tools for Growth

  • Peace Cereal_ Abundant Goodness

  • Dagoba Chocolate_ Taste Exploration

  • k.d. lang_ Recollection

  • Hello, New._ Campaign Trail

  • Scharffen Berger_ Adventures in Chocolate

  • Compostmodern_ Planting the seeds

  • Denver Public Schools_ Reading Rockets

  • Dockers_ Not Your Dad's Pants

  • SF Health Department_ Crystal Mess

  • Avaya_ Communication Without Boundaries

  • Dockers_ Cut from the Original Cloth

  • Nyne_ Forward Fashion

  • PepsiCo_ Philosophical Differences

  • Rearden Commerce_ The Anti-Dot-Com

  • Charles Chocolate_ One Very Hot Chocolate

  • Janus_ Get there. Invented here.

  • Target_ A Dose of Surrealism and Whimsy

  • Target_ Works of Art that Work

  • Janus TV_ Research brought to life

  • Michael Austin_ The Power of Personality

  • BACtrack_ A Breath of Fresh Air

  • Target_ Clutter Cutter