Japanese mix for herbal high

Who said alcopops were the sole province of young lemonade swiggers? From next month, health food fanatics will have their own tipple, laced with energy-inducing herbs such as guarana and Japanese black tea.

London’s Turner Duckworth came up with the name Kampai, which means ‘Cheers!’ in the Far East, for independent drinks company The Prospect Beverage Company. The group also worked on the positioning of the brand, the design for which is deliberately more sophisticated than alcopop alternatives. ‘Many of the younger alcopop drinkers have aspirations for a brand that looks older while the older drinkers don’t like alcopops which appear childish,’ says consultancy partner Bruce Duckworth. A newt symbol on the bottle signifies high-strength alcohol.

The brand’s oriental image comes from the herbal ingredients of the drink. Turner Duckworth had planned to design a special bottle, but this was impractical so a standard bottle was used. The silver coating and clean design reflect the refreshing, clean taste of the drink, according to Duckworth.

Kampai goes on sale through cash-and-carry outlets on Saturday and will be distributed nationally by Scottish Courage from 10 March. Cheers!

Designer: Turner Duckworth

Client: The Prospect Beverage Company