Art Direction / Logo / Branding / Illustration / Packaging Design
Kali Tequila
Kali Tequila pays homage to its roots. Kali comes from the Nahuatl word calli which means temple. Tequila has its roots in octli, a milky drink derived from agave and used in ceremonies throughout Aztec, Mayan and Mixtec civilizations. Despite the contributions of indigenous people, even now with labor, the industry fails to give back to these communities who often live in extreme poverty. Kali Tequila gives back its profits to help communities who lack potable water and housing needs, as well as medical services.
Color
Color is based on the bright textiles that are representative of various indigenous communities. Although they each have their own patterns and styles, a lot of different communities share similar color schemes.
Logo
The logotype is based on the structure of Mayan and Aztec pictographs where the letterforms are drawn to fit into a rounded rectangle. The solid bar on top of the letterforms represents rock slab ceiling from the pictograph for “Temple”.
BitterTruth
Indigenous communities in Mexico are often cast aside in society. They live in a state of admiration for their rich cultural heritage but at the same time face racial discrimination because of the very heritage they are admired for. Their communities are pretty much excluded from mainstream society and only used as tokens when political agenda calls for it. They live in extreme poverty lacking basic needs such as clean water and basic hygiene products. Because of their rich cultural history in tequila, it time to give back because frankly, the gap of wealth between haciendas and the workers is overwhelming and its time for change.
Packaging illustrations
La Raiz
The predecessor to tequila was octli. Octli is a white liquid from the agave plant. It was thought to have been discovered when a lighting bolt struck an agave plant. The native people collected the agave and stored it in clay jars as it was believed to have been a gift from Mayahuel.
Mayahuel & Octli
Mayahuel was associated with maternity, fertility and also as the essence of the agave plant. The spiritual connection between the agave and Mayahuel meant the octli derived from the leaves of the agave was consumed during ceremonies.
La Saqueada
After the pillage, the indigenous communities were enslaved to work for the Hacendados, also known as the looters. Through violence and death, the communities were forced into submission and all while building the Spanish empire of New Spain without any benefit. After the war of independence, little changed for these people, the new regime, fueled by racist mentality, created the casta system differentiate between social classes base don skin tone. This system used for hundred year, instilled a racist ideology nationwide very much alive today, almost 500 years after la saqueada.
El Fruto
Today we have these people living in extreme poverty and still working sun up to sun down then go home to a shack made of pieces of wood, cardboard and tin sheets wondering what they will eat tomorrow. Meanwhile, the looters…
you know the rest.