Rebrand

Independent branding and design studio Mother Design has unveiled air up®’s first rebrand since its original launch in 2019, as it seeks to bolster its position as a beverage industry leader answering new consumer needs, and drive global expansion.

air up®’s unique Scentaste™ proposition - flavour through scent - means that when you drink from an air up® bottle, your brain perceives flavour, but you’re drinking water, with all the natural flavours you crave but without sugar or additives.

With the business growing rapidly, air up® identified a need for a brand that would grow with it. Mother Design has developed a new identity to elevate and change perceptions of air up®, to further position it as an aspirational lifestyle brand, as it continues to expand globally and further boost penetration in active markets.

The new strategy is anchored in the universal human tension between our two selves: our adult-self, which leans into responsibility and control, and our inner-child which craves play and freedom.

The new identity, developed for air up® by Mother Design, aims to engage with a wide range of audiences. From kids and their parents seeking to establish healthy consumption habits at an early age, to adults looking for solutions to maintain a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing pleasure.

The tension between our two selves is seen throughout the new brand identity, with its playful custom typeface, air up® sans, and a pared-back secondary typeface. A vibrant colour palette, reflecting the variety of air up® flavours, is grounded in subtle gradients and an orderly grid. The more muted colours of the art direction are bolstered with a touch of whimsy in the styling and scenarios. The new brand has a playful, joyful tone of voice, brought to life with fluid, expressive motion.

To visualise the concept of taste experienced through smell, and the range of flavours that are captured with the interchangeable air up® pods, Mother Design used generative technology software. The studio harnessed 3D design tools such as Nomad Sculpt and Spline to work towards a tangible visual language that served to reflect a totally new sensory experience.

Mother Design refined the existing air up® logo to increase clarity and improve impact, as it was important to retain a familiar symbol that the audience has come to know and love, while maintaining attribution amid a widely reimagined visual language.

The new platform has been designed to roll out across all print and digital surfaces, including advertising, products, packaging, livery, and on social and digital channels.