SINGAPORE — Global design agency Design Bridge Singapore and Cambodia’s leading producer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, Khmer Beverages have launched their new identity and packaging for the nation’s favourite brew, Cambodia Beer. In a move that speaks to a new generation of Cambodian beer drinkers, the bold redesign repositions the brand as an icon of progress while retaining a uniquely authentic Khmer spirit.
The story of Cambodia Beer and its founder Peter Leang is remarkable. Against the backdrop of a war-ravaged nation, Mrs Pheap Heak and her children collected scrap metal on the streets of Phnom Penh, gradually earning enough to open a small concrete factory. Mrs Pheap Heak prioritised education above all else, with her children studying at school while helping in the booming family business. The Chip Mong Group went from strength to strength, becoming Cambodia’s largest concrete and construction company, literally rebuilding Cambodia from the ground up. Seeing a gap in the market for a local beer with premium international credentials, Peter, the youngest son, turned his attention to Germany, learning the art of brewing and returning to Cambodia to build the region’s most advanced brewery. Khmer Beverages and Cambodia Beer were born.
After rapidly gaining market leadership, Cambodia Beer ran into controversy for featuring the iconic Buddhist Pra Veah temple in its branding. Sensing a need for a progressive change, Khmer Beverages worked with Design Bridge Singapore to create a new identity; an icon of progress for a new generation, embracing international influence whilst holding tight to their Khmer roots.
Kosal Kong, Marketing Director, Khmer Beverages said “The stunning new bottle captures the soul of Cambodia, with modern interpretations of ancient Khmer patterns seamlessly intertwined with a bold new wordmark and identity. The striking red diagonal label is quite literally a banner of progress. Exquisite tactile detailing perfectly fits in the hand, whilst a clever use of thermo-chromic inks lets you know when it’s time to drink ‘the taste of cool’.
“Cambodia Beer is the perfect definition of a ‘local jewel’ said Tim Siro, Executive Creative Director, Design Bridge Singapore. Siro added “An iconic local brand deeply connected to the culture and people of a nation. The key to the success of this project was achieving the perfect marriage of premium international beer codes and the extraordinarily rich aesthetic of Khmer culture. Our beautifully crafted bottle design brings the intricate patterns of Khmer engravings to life in a way that pushes the technical boundaries of modern beer bottle design. From beginning to end the project has been a brilliantly close and open collaboration with Peter Liang and his wonderful team at Khmer Beverages.”
CREDITS
Design Studio / Design Bridge Singapore
Executive Creative Director / Tim Siro
3D Design Director / Alex Roper
3D Technical Design Director / Meng Lee Toh
Senior Designer / Jerome Mateos
Designer / Elysa Tan
Senior Visualiser / Jian’an Ong
Director of Image Creation / Charles Galland
Chairman APAC / Mark Budden
Client Director / Richard Colson
Client Director / Vivian Chu
