Client
Mala Mía Mezcal
Industry
Spirits / Food & Beverage
Timeline
3 Months
We built a mezcal brand from the bottle up, creating a distinct system designed to expand how the category is seen.
Mala Mía began with a name and an ambition to elevate the mainstream perception of mezcal. We built the brand around that idea, creating the identity, custom bottle, packaging architecture, color and typography systems, patterns, finishes, and a cohesive portfolio across seven SKUs.
The Challenge
A name, a bold ambition, and an entire brand still to build.
Mala Mía set out to elevate mezcal beyond its mainstream perception as “smoky tequila” and establish itself as a premium global brand. With only the name in place, the challenge was to create a complete identity and packaging ecosystem capable of expressing the depth, craft, and diversity of mezcal across an expanding portfolio.
The Solution
We built the brand as a system, not a single bottle.
From the identity and custom bottle shape to typography, color, patterns, finishes, and packaging across seven SKUs, every element was designed to work as part of one cohesive ecosystem. The system gave each expression its own character while keeping the portfolio recognizably Mala Mía, and was developed with real production and manufacturing constraints in mind.
The Insight
Discovery uncovered what mainstream mezcal had flattened: extraordinary depth, variety, and character.
Different maguey varieties, growing regions, and production methods create dramatically different expressions of mezcal. Rather than flatten that complexity into one visual idea, we used it to shape the system. Each SKU was given its own color, pattern, and character while remaining part of a unified Mala Mía world, turning the diversity of artisanal mezcal into one of the brand’s most distinctive assets.
The Outcome
What began as a name became a distinctive mezcal brand with real market presence.
Mala Mía is now in market, gaining visibility, expanding its reach, and building real recognition in the mezcal category. Multiple expressions have earned major awards, including Gold and Double Gold honors, while the brand continues to grow awareness with consumers, retailers, and the industry. What began as an ambitious new entrant is steadily becoming a name to watch in premium mezcal.
Client testimonials
A creative partner instrumental in shaping the brand it became.
Devin T. Adams
Founder, Mala Mia Mezcal