Cambodia Beer underlines icon status, while removing a controversial icon

Design Bridge Singapore has carried out a rebranding for Cambodia's eponymous—and most popular—beer, Khmer Beverages' Cambodia Beer.

The brand sought to be seen as an icon of progress while retaining a "uniquely authentic Khmer spirit", and also wanted to remove an icon based on the Buddhist Pra Veah temple from its brand identity.

“The stunning new bottle captures the soul of Cambodia, with modern interpretations of ancient Khmer patterns seamlessly intertwined with a bold new wordmark and identity," Kosal Kong, marketing director at Khmer Beverages, said in a release. "The striking red diagonal label is quite literally a banner of progress. Exquisite tactile detailing perfectly fits in the hand, whilst a clever use of thermo-chromic inks lets you know when it’s time to drink ‘the taste of cool’."

Tim Siro, ECD at Design Bridge Singapore, said the brand is a "local jewel" deeply connected to the culture and people of the nation. "The key to the success of this project was achieving the perfect marriage of premium international beer codes and the extraordinarily rich aesthetic of Khmer culture," he said. "Our beautifully crafted bottle design brings the intricate patterns of Khmer engravings to life in a way that pushes the technical boundaries of modern beer bottle design.”

L-R above: Before and after

CREDITS

Design Studio / Design Bridge Singapore
Executive Creative Director / Tim Siro
3D Design Director / Alex Roper
3D Technical Design Director / Meng Lee Toh
Senior Designer / Jerome Mateos
Designer / Elysa Tan
Senior Visualiser / Jian’an Ong
Director of Image Creation / Charles Galland
Chairman APAC / Mark Budden
Client Director / Richard Colson
Client Director / Vivian Chu