We recently connected with Chad Michael and have shared our conversation below.

Chad, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

More specifically I am going to walk you through my “going from idea to execution” in respect to a branding and package design project.

Crafting a spirits brand is an enchanting journey that begins with finding the perfect client, someone who not only appreciates your design skills but also trusts your artistic process. Once the contractual formalities are settled, the voyage of ideation commences. It’s truly exhilarating when a client comes to you with nothing more than a product, allowing you to build atop their existing brand story or create one from scratch, infuse it with conceptual thinking, and uncover a distinctive personality that sets it apart from the saturated beverage market. I often connect brand’s I create to fictional characters, evocative personalities, or unique environments, which help build the bridge from nowhere to an aesthetic direction. My formal is often to combine two aesthetic styles or two different ideas and forcing them into one to create something new. Releasing a brand into the wild that truly feels different than the rest often helps solidify the brand within the market. If you are the first to do something people will hold a greater remembrance.

A pivotal moment arrives when you present the mood board and overarching strategy to the client, painting a vivid vision of the brand’s trajectory. This is where the power of copywriting shines, as a single line in a unique voice can be the sole spark of inspiration and become the cornerstone of the brand’s identity. From “The ace-high, bonafide bottle of hooch that will ruffle your feathers” to “A whiskey in harmony” to “Where the Isles meet the West”, each evokes a different sentiment and paves the way for the captivating visual aesthetic.

With the client’s enthusiastic approval of the mood board, I embark on the grandest part of the journey—the design exploration. Countless hours are poured into the design exploration. Here is where the pieces are put together and design begins to take shape. From the label shape to the color palette, illustrations, and custom typography everything should have a purpose and a reason as to why those choices are a reflection of the greater concept. It is an alchemical process where disparate elements are woven together, drawing from the same core idea but in distinctly different ways. Through this delicate dance of refinement and discovery, a singular concept emerges, a culmination of the countless explorations that leads to final “mega-concept”. Full transparency, I’ve never hit a design on the first internal exploration.

Throughout this extraordinary journey, one principle remains paramount—the ceaseless pursuit of evolution. True artistry lies not in replicating what has already been done, but in the attempt to create a design that pushes the boundaries of convention and contributes to the transformative growth of the industry. As a rule when designing I do not look to other package designs for inspiration. It’s best to take inspiration from the original source.

Ultimately, the process of crafting a spirits brand is a profound collaboration between the designer and the client, built upon trust, shared vision, and boundless creativity. It is a testament to the power of design, breathing life into a brand that resonates deeply with its audience, leaving hopefully an indelible mark in the realm of spirits.

Chad, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Chad Makerson Michael. I wear many hats, but underneath all, I’m a graphic designer. In 2014, I started the boutique design studio aptly named Chad Michael Studio. Over the years, it has grown into an international branding and package design studio, specializing in alcoholic beverages and specialty goods.

Our studio’s motto is simple: we strive to only take on projects where our excitement for the brand matches (or even outshines) that of our clients. Unshakable passion and commitment to producing a truly different brand that stands apart from the rest is the key to our studio’s success.

Since 2014, I’ve had the privilege of bringing to life over a hundred new brands and accompanying brand extensions. While I may be the only designer at the helm, the magic wouldn’t happen without the incredible team surrounding me. This studio is fueled by the combined talent and dedication of our project manager, production partners, and a stellar team of illustrators, all committed to maintaining the highest quality in everything we do.

Our bread-and-butter is “from scratch” brand innovation. We weave tales, conjure brand names, develop brand stories, design custom glass vessels, and of course all the packaging for our clients. Some of which include Jack Daniel’s, Coopers’ Craft, Sespe Creek Distillery, St. Laurent Distillerie, and Cooper Spirits Co.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Persistence in delivering more. Developing more personal client relationships, more unique brand stories, more passion, and more design. Over the years a reoccurring compliment received from clients is that the passion shows throughout the brands I’ve created. I truly love creating brands from-scratch and nurturing the project the entire way through until the final bottle, fully dressed, is in their hands. Receiving the final product in your hands in its full physical form is very much like holding a trophy. It’s a small monument to the countless hours poured into any given project and I aim for that same feeling to also be present in the client. I’d also say it is persistence in the quality of work. I’m always trying to “beat” myself in some way. I want to exceed my own expectations. This can of course be grueling at times but end the end it is always worth it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I was first starting out in my career, circa 2008, I had an issue of getting stuck on a particular idea / concept. I’d work the same idea a hundred different ways only changing subtle nuisances. It was something I had to break through as working with one idea, forcing it to work, is never a good solution. Over the years, I’ve luckily broke out of those mental restraints and my design explorations are often quick, vast, and broad. Stepping back you often see what is not working and can start to trim away the unsuccessful bits. Countless hours are poured into every design presented until I reach the design that delivers the “gut” feeling. It does seem to rest in the chest and gut. A mix of nerves and excitement. This is why we work under the rule of only taking on projects where we are as excited about the brand/project as the client because if there is no passion in the idea it will definitely show in the work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chadmichaelstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadmichaelstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chadmichaelstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadmakersonmichael/