Brand guidelines vs. creative vision

This chalice has been inviting me to do a photoshoot for quite some time now. I find its curvy shape really enticing so when the #lockdown came I could not resist the creative force. Time to catch up on #productphotography!

I had a quite clarified vision for this project, so I quickly sketched it on paper. This time though, instead of having a this-will-look-cool-approach, I decided to familiarize myself with product #branding. I quickly found out that #Duvel has its own pouring ritual.

In this particular case of Duvel beer the chalice plays an important role. It was designed to hold full 0,33l bottle contents and emphasize the taste of the product. The project goes back to the 60’s because there was no proper glass with such capacity then. Additionally, the narrowing part at the top prevents the head from dissipating too quickly.

As a bonus, the chalice form and design are so precise that if you follow the pouring ritual to the letter the beer head should start right at the middle of the logo and end 1 cm below the top edge of the glass. According to the brand guidelines, you should stop pouring when the level of beer drops to circa 1 cm layer containing the yeast sediment. Of course, you can drink it all if you prefer but those are official recommendations.

I had to take all this knowledge into account during the shoot. At the same time, it meant that — in order to follow the guidelines coming from my imaginary client — I had to let go of my personal preferences. For example, I like it when the beer head shows above the glass edge and forms that nice curvy shape on top. I also love the golden colour of the beer and the dance of the bubbles inside can be really mesmerizing. Obviously my preferences were in direct contradiction to the client’s needs!

So I decided to focus on what I do best, that are the photography aspects of the shot, like composition, lighting, reflections and how the light transfers through the fluid. In short, how to make the beer come alive in all its glory.

I hope I successfully united brand guidelines with my vision and retained the cohesive identity of Duvel beer.