A refreshing celebration of Aussie summer

Summer in Australia really is a feast for the senses. There’s the smell of sizzling sausages on the BBQ wafting through the neighbourhood, the ‘thwack’ of thongs hitting sandy soles and the cawing of the gulls as they fight for that last, crunchy chip. And the colours are just magic – rows of lively tents that welcome you to your holiday campground by the beach, and waves that dance with golden sparkles as the sunshine hits, signalling that the good times are here.

This vibrant rainbow of summer senses inspired a recent Watermark project with Melbourne brand design agency, Asprey Creative to re-brand Frantelle Water.

The bottled water category is literally saturated with brands. Most of them use a plain white label with blue text, making it hard for thirsty Aussies to differentiate between them all (and let’s face it, there’s not much to set them apart on taste!). So it was refreshing to get the opportunity to add some fun into the category.

Watermark illustrator Phillip Small worked on the project with Asprey Creative’s senior designer, Jeremy Smith. “We started the project reminiscing over our own fond memories of summer holiday adventures as we brainstormed ideas for illustration styles and imagery that would best represent the typical Aussie summer,” recalls Phillip. “I really enjoy working with Jeremy on projects like this, as there’s always a great sense of collaboration.”

Together they created a series of bold, colorful silhouettes including a tent, a BBQ, thongs and a trusty old holiday caravan.

One of the key challenges for Phillip was to strip away enough detail to keep the images iconic and simple, while leaving enough detail to make it clear what the images represented.

“Once the hard work was done in getting the icons right, I was able to let loose with some paints to create the bold brushstrokes of colour,” explains Phillip. “I had great fun filling pages and pages with wild strokes.”

The end result is a unique series of illustrations that truly represent the brand’s fun personality and gives it great shelf presence.

“The new look Frantelle is anything but boring – it’s contemporary, witty, energetic, and stands out in a sea of bottled water sameness.”

Fiona Lopez. Client Director

Which of the senses bring summer to life for you the most? Do you see, taste, hear or smell your summer memories?