Airside creates online taster for wine importer Liberty

Airside has created a new website for UK-based wine importer Liberty Wines.

The consultancy was appointed in September 2010 following a three-way strategic pitch. Airside was chosen to work on the project because of the strength of its strategic proposals and its keenness to find out what made the company tick, says Airside interaction designer Guy Moorhouse.

The brief was to develop a site that would convey the company’s quality of service and personal relationship with clients, suppliers and grape growers.

The site had to act as a subtle selling tool to allow potential customers to get a feel for Liberty Wine’s stock, convey its ethos to new customers and work as a portal for existing customers to place orders, says Moorhouse.

Because of the three very different purposes for the site, Airside began the project by creating a wireframe collaboratively with the client to streamline each user journey.

Airside replaced the previous corporate colours of blue and white with a warm, organic palette, it says, subtly inspired by the regions where the grapes are grown.

Drawing on the company’s archive of photography, Airside sought to show the people and the produce behind its wines. Moorhouse says, ’We’re trying to get people as close to the wine as possible.’

Airside also cleaned up Liberty Wine’s existing logo. ’It didn’t need a brand revolution, we just gave [the marque] a bit more space,’ says Moorhouse.

The consultancy used the font Le Havre to pick up on the logo’s Art Deco vibe, which had the feel of both traditionalism and modernity, says Moorhouse.