After a difficult few decades, it seems Irish whiskey is having a moment. The number of distilleries in the country has grown from four to 24 in the past six years and sales are booming: Over 10.5 million cases were sold in 2018 (the highest figure since the pre-Prohibition era) and over 900,000 people visited distilleries for tours and tasting sessions.
One of the latest arrivals on the scene is Athru: a premium brand founded by Irish entrepreneur David Raethorne, who has spent the past five years turning a former video tape factory in Sligo into the Lough Gill Distillery.
JKR worked closely with Raethorne and his team to create the Athru brand. As the project is a long-term endeavour, JKR took inspiration from the idea of “an unfinished picture”, cutting the corners off letters and splicing together images of the local landscape.It’s a striking approach – and one that stands out among a sea of brands using scripted typefaces and vintage logos. Sean Thomas, Creative Director at JKR, says the agency wanted to create something unique and looked to art galleries, museums and disruptor brands such as Aesop instead of Athru’s rivals for inspiration.
Graphic Design 