Karma Cola Craft Soft Drinks

For every bottle of Karma Cola sold proceeds go back to the people who grow cola in Sierra Leone, through the Karma Cola Foundation. We couldn’t get our purpose onto the front label so we needed to design something that would make people pick up the bottle first, and, then they could read about Karma Cola’s purpose on the back. We wanted a label that reflected the principle of karma and respected the people of West Africa.

The central idea for the label design is a mythological West African deity, Mama Wata, key to the lives of people in Sierra Leone. The yin and yang of Mami Wata’s split personality is portrayed in angel and devil characters. It places drinkers right into the heart of Sierra Leone, where the karma of Karma Cola works its magic. We don’t have a huge logo – or in fact any logo on the front of the bottle. Half the words, ‘cola’ are upside down but it reflects the circular nature of karma. Karma Cola were careful not to crowd the label with important, but rational reasons to buy, like ‘organic’. They wanted to create something as eye-catching as possible.

If people don’t know Karma Cola’s story, or anything about their ingredients, the label design is the number one reason they pick up a Karma Cola bottle. It won a purple pin (best in show) at the NZ Best Awards the year it was launched.

Design partners were Special Group in New Zealand and artist Beck Wheeler.

Multi-Color Daventry really helped to bring the design to life and make the colours pop off each bottle! Together we were able to get the exact shape and design we wanted sitting in the most eye-catching part of the bottle. We’re incredibly happy with the result and since our first print with Multi-Color Daventry, we’ve gone on to print new designs together including collaborations with clients.”

Label information

• Producer/Brand – Karma Cola

• Illustrator – Beck Wheeler

• Designer – Special Group

• Varietal – Soft Drinks

• Printing Press – Flexo

• Embellishments – Solid White, Bright Clean Spot Colours, Special Shape Cutter