CUB scoops only Aussie medal at DBA Awards

Congratulations to CUB on being the only Australian company to win an award at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.

Mercury Hard Cider took out a bronze medal in the beverages category at the DBAs in London.

The Awards recognise designs that have had a tangible and measurable impact upon business success. 

Judged by business leaders and entered jointly by client and designer, the Awards focus on design's strategic and commercial value to business.

CUB employed Denomination Design to develop Mercury Hard Cider to target the 18-24 predominantly male drinker category. The brief was to take its cues from bourbon brands rather than existing cider products.

It's case study notes: "The cider market is tough to crack and there’s also a ‘sea of sameness’ with most bottles and labels embodying a rustic feel. New drink, Mercury Hard Cider, offers a masculine alternative with a higher-alcohol-percentage liquid. The packaging – consisting of a black background with bold capital lettering and minimal imagery – brought the concept to life. It effectively targets 18- to 24-year-olds and has become the ‘sleeper hit’ of the business, helping lift Mercury into growth of 6.1%."

Margaret Nolan creative director and co-founder of Denomination told B&T the award was "incredibly humbling".

“For us, it validates the power of design to transform the fortunes of our clients, along with a very positive ROI,” she said. “We are appreciative of CUB for giving us this opportunity.”

Following the product launch in October 2015, Mercury became the fastest growing top-five cider brand in Australia.

Marketing notes: "With no advertising and little promotion, the new drink sold 5.46 million cans in its first 18 months. The launch also played a part in parent brand Mercury’s reversal of fortunes to go from declining sales of -7% at the time of launch, to +6.1% 18 months later."