Capsule is a branding and design firm that specializes in creating luxury packaging and branding experiences. They worked with Double Cross Vodka to design an iconic bottle with custom artwork reflecting the brand's Slovakian heritage. Capsule takes a research-driven approach to understand brands and their audiences in order to develop memorable design solutions. They work across various industries including alcohol, luxury goods, and financial services.

1. A VE H ICLE FOR E X P LORATION AN D DI SC OVE RY
definition
A container for things of particular meaning. An environment where people and ideas come
together. The essence, highly condensed, compact. A process resulting in understanding and
insight; the ability to express powerful concepts simply and effectively.
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2. D O u b LE CROS S Lu X u RY VO D KA
Distinction is one of the many elements that Double Cross Luxury Vodka has captured in their exquisite spirit,
a vodka produced in the Slovak Republic. The striking and evocative design is a testament of luxury. Precisely
engineered to capture the heritage of the product itself, the packaging boasts a seamless design with artistic
elements including verses of old-world Slovakian poetry.

4. “We approached Capsule with a vision for a bottle design that would match the elegance of its contents,
the luxury of the brand and the heritage of our Slovakian roots,” says Malcolm M. Lloyd, M.D., CEO of
Double Cross Luxury Vodka. “The final design not only met our every expectation but is also a bottle that
will become truly iconic in the spirits industry.”

5. D O u b LE C ROS S VOD KA
ALu m I N u m C OLLAR & CAP
LAS E R E Ng RAVE D LO gOS
Custom molds were made for creating
Both the cap and collar feature small,
the collar and cap out of aluminum.
laser engraved Double Cross logos.
C OR K w ITH E m bOS S E D LO gO
The inside of the cap structure
ALu m I N u m LO gO I N LAY
contains a red rubber cork with the
The Double Cross logo is set into
Double Cross logo raised above the
recessed glass in solid aluminum.
surface.
TAm P E R S EAL DETAI LS
Historic design elements and
CuSTOm CALLIg RAP HY
Old Slovakian poems were hand individual bottle numbers were
lettered for screening onto the back included in the design of the tamper
of the bottle. seal to create an exclusive sense of
heritage and luxury.
S LOVAK IAN C OAT OF AR m S
CuSTOm bOT TLE
The inclusion of the Slovakian coat of
A completely custom, full mold set was
arms reflects the pride Double Cross
created for production of the
takes in its roots.
Double Cross bottle.
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

6. Starting with pencil sketches, images boards, and mountaintop photos of Slovokia, the creative process
had all the right inspirations. The concepts were taken to three-dimensional renderings at the early stage
so Old Nassau Imports could experience the essence of the bottle. The graphics were applied to the
bOT TLE C ONCE PTI Ng
bottle, taking what was a twenty-fifth-century bottle design back a hundred years to incorporate the
heritage of the Slovakian culture.
{ F R O M T H E E X P E R I E N C E O F U N C A P P I N G T H E B O T T L E , T O A C T U A L C O N S U M I N G T H E A L C O H O L WA S A D E S I G N E D E X P E R I E N C E }

7. g O LD S m I TH Ag I O H E Lm S
Goldsmith Agio Helms, an investment banking firm, needed luxurious and compelling touchpoints to speak to their high
net-worth audiences. Capsule designed beautifully customized private label cigars, bottled water, wine, and champagne
to carry the messaging of their affluent brand. With a preference for rich materials and a tactile experience, we worked
with international vendors to produce sumptuous effects including foil stamping, leather embossing and engraving.

9. { T H E BR A N D PERSONA LI T Y COM E S TO LI F E A N D DE LI V ERS I TS L A RGE ST I M PR E S SION T H E MOM E N T SOM EON E PICKS I T U P }
Each and every brand should choose an intended
personality based upon the brand’s aspirations and
its customers’ current perceptions of the brand.

10. S LI P P E RY S LOP E
Extending into Ice Wines, Winehaven Winery needed an identity and packaging design that would jump off the shelf
as a premium gift or impulse purchase. Creating a custom illustration that wraps around the bottle shares the story of
Mother Nature nurturing the grapes and Old Man Winter freezing the grapes. The concept is revealed as you hold the
bottle in your hand and see how the delicious, hand-crafted luxury is borne of patience and snow-covered hillsides.

11. { S L I P PE RY S L OPE IC E W I N E , GROW N BY MO T H E R NAT U R E . F ROZ E N BY OL D M A N W I N T E R }

12. F I N L A N D I A / F ETz E R
Sustainable design and a responsible organization have a great moment to dovetail. Brown-Forman hired Capsule
to conduct an exercise around sustainable design and promotions for a handful of the Brown-Forman brands.
Finlandia and Fetzer were determined to be the best options in the retail channel. Our efforts focused on uncovering
ways to communicate the brands’ environmental initiatives while educating the consumer on the role that organic
ingredients play in helping to reduce the carbon footprint. The result was a plan to provide smart sustainable
behaviors and changes to the design for retailers to help their customers live a more earth friendly lifestyle.

13. C A P S U L E combines leading-edge business and brand thinking with highly strategic creative methods,
resulting in memorable and effective design solutions. The Capsule process uses both fundamental and
innovative research techniques to gather knowledge on customer behaviors and cultures. Findings and
I N T H E D E TA I L S
insights inform the development of brand strategies that are both deeply grounded and in sync with your
business objectives. We then embody that strategy in design solutions that work hard to build your brand,
earn customer loyalty, and maximize your return on investment.

14. R E S EARC H
Capsule believes in a multi-faceted approach to research,
enabling us to uncover maximum insight into your brand and its
audiences.
Every global branding project is different. We design our research
methods accordingly.
As well as the traditional methodologies (surveys, interviews,
focus groups, panels, ethnography and so on), Capsule also uses
our own proprietary research process: Foundations™.
The Foundations™ journaling process combines both visual and
written aspects of a brand definition process, in order to delve
into the deepest regions of your audiences’ desires and feelings,
your brand’s personality and story, and the best way to leverage
these going forward.
Our approach encourages information gathering that is more
developed and better articulated, resulting in collaborative input
that fosters commitment and in-depth knowledge.
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

15. DE S Ig N
The Capsule creative team makes use of our knowledge of your brand,
its place within the world, and your audiences. We translate your brand’s
attributes, heritage and personality into form, color, texture and material.
Every brand has a past history and future goals. Growth requires an
honest and complete understanding of the current situation and an open,
constructive dialogue.
Capsule’s filtration process focuses on education, research and creative,
integrating clients into every project phase. Addressing these specific
areas ensures balance, whittling analysis down to the single idea that
unites every aspect of the brand.
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

16. I m P LE m E N TAT I O N
There are two defining elements of our implementation process at
Capsule – attention to detail, and an awareness of the importance of
connecting back with the original direction at each and every stage.
Taking a design from an idea, to a point of collective agreement, to a
final piece requires a detail fanatic. Our relatively small size ensures
that we are flexible and extremely adaptable throughout the design
and implementation process.
Capsule’s team is research savvy and process driven. We believe
great design doesn’t magically appear thanks to brilliant elves, but
rather by a team of diverse disciplines all with a design process mind
set. Implementation is an essential seat at the table of success.
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

17. bOOKS
Rockport Publishers, a leader in design and advertising publications, approached Capsule to author and design a
book series. Design Matters//Logos and Design Matters//Packaging have both become national best sellers in
design.

18. CLI E N T S
A LC O H O L , Lu X u RY & P R E m I u m C LI E N T S
Brown Forman (2007-2008)
Double Cross Vodka (2007-2008)
Red Wing Shoes (2007)
Winehaven Winery (2008)
Goldsmith Agio Helms (2007)
RoamEO (2007)
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

19. AwA R D S
AwA R D S P u b LI S H E D I N m E N T IO N E D I N
American Center for Design AIGA Journal of Graphic Design Harper Collins Publishers Brand Packaging Investors Business Daily
American Corporate Identity American Center for Design Journal HOW Magazine BrandChannel.com Jones Day
American Institute of Graphic Arts Business Week I.D. The Boston Globe Marketing News
Art Directors Club of New York Communication Arts Minnesota Business The Business Journal The New York Times
Communication Arts Critique Print Carlson School Magazine Pittsburgh Tribune
International Annual Reports Design Management Institute Rockport Books Clear Magazine Progressive Grocer
Printing Industries of America Emigre Step-by-Step Graphics Dallas Morning News Toy Directory magazine
Financial World Eye Twin Cities Business Monthly Entrepreneur Seattle Post
Graphis Graphis Florida Today USA Today
HOW Magazine Gourmet Retailer Visual Merchandising & Store
Design
I.D. Magazine HOW Magazine
IDSA (Industrial Designers Society
of America)
Print
San Francisco World Spirits
COPYRIGHT 2009 CAPSULE

20. C ONTACT I N FOR mATION
contact
wEbSITE
> WWW.CAPSU LE.US
Aaron Keller Kitty Hart
mANAgINg PRINCIPAL ACCOuNT EXECuTIVE
ONLINE PORTFOLIO VIDEO
612.341.4525 612.341.4525
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYcvFpr4c0w
akeller@capsule.us khart@capsule.us
ONLINE DOubLE CROSS VIDEO
> http://www.capsule.us/doublecross/
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