About the project
Don Papa is a premium rum label that launched in the Philippines back in 2011. The brand is based on the island of Negros, where it sources its “black gold” molasses from the locally grown sugarcane, later aging its rum in ex-American Bourbon oak barrels. Since 2015, the brand has run an annual art competition designed to showcase the work of up-and-coming Filipino artists.
In 2019, the winner of the art competition was Samuel Penaso of the Renaissance Gallery. His winning artwork, entitled “Botany”, was brought to life with acrylic on reflective stainless material and depicts the flora and fauna of Negros; Penaso’s intention was to illustrate “man’s co-existence and interdependence with plants and animals.” With the winning brief selected, Don Papa got in touch with the GPA team and asked us to manufacture a limited run of special edition tins.
The project outcome
With such a beautiful brief to work from, GPA was keen to properly showcase Penaso’s design. Simultaneously, we were conscious about creating a pack that would perform as a protective barrier around the bottle – in other words, it was a case of blending form with function. To ensure the perfect finish we collaborated closely with the client before we got to work, recommending a design that would deliver on every front.
The final pack is made from high-grade tin plate and has a simple cylinder structure. We created a matte silver background and overprinted it with gunmetal silver for the vector elements (Penaso’s beautiful illustrations of birds, plants and island scenery). As a striking contrast, we added the Don Papa branding in rich red, using deep emboss to create depth and texture. In total, we manufactured 80,000 units to be sold across the globe – and we’re delighted with every single one.
