Zhivoe : Bottled beer shaped like a freshly poured pint

When Gold Mine Beer brewery, owned by parent company Efes Rus, decided to launch Russia’s first premium unpasteurised beer it faced a tough marketing environment: there was a full ban on television advertisements for alcoholic drinks in the country.

The importance of conveying the beer’s attributes through its packaging was therefore even greater than usual.

The product developers opted for a bottle shape which resembles a freshly poured glass of beer – thus reflecting the shorter shelf-life but fresher taste of unpasteurised beer.

“Gold Mine Beer’s story attests to the incredible power of package design. Its standout appearance helped close the awareness gap created by Russia’s advertising ban. Moreover, its ‘just poured’ design perfectly manifests the brand’s core freshness benefit, forging a more visceral connection with consumers and evoking a premium, bar-like atmosphere,”​ said Nielsen.

First-year sales exceeded €8 million, and the success of this limited edition packaging was anchored when it became the default design for Zhivoe beer.